Tuesday, April 29, Hour 1

This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteenth fift day powered by Nova Insurance Services in sure your most prized possessions.

Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. In with me today is Dave Silver on a Tuesday.

Yep.

Waiting for my guy Juan to take control of this so we mess up. It's on me. Good after day, and just keep the mics on. We'll just keep talking. Yeah, yeah, we want to go commercial until he gets here. He's on his way. Good to see you, Dave, Thanks for joining me. Yeah.

Sure.

This is the low last show of the week. I'm gonna head out on the road getting ready for the Derby on Saturday. And so with that we're gonna have d Stan Shiver from Vanduel. She's my former intern. She knows a lot about the horse racing. She's at the Santa Nita de Santa Anita Racetrack most days working for Vanduel Racing. Yeah, it's good that she has that background.

It's, you know, good to have somebody who can report on that because it's a subject that I don't know too much. I know you do, but I'm not a big reporter of the sport. I enjoy watching the Triple Crown races, yes, and some of the other big ones.

But it's good that she's got some ext the horses. Yes, she's a horse girl.

She has a horse. She does all that stuff, and she's interviewed Bafford and all them. I tried to get Bafford last week. He told me that he couldn't do it. He was on the road to Louisville last week, so he has a couple of horses. We'll talk about that as well on the second hour of the show. In the first hour, we're gonna get the coach from FC Tucson. Do you have him up? I have him mop on me my socials. Yeah. His name is uh he's the head coach.

He's the head coach. His name, Come on, David? I should I had it up? I'm sorry, that's.

Fine, it's gonna be well, we know who is I give it to my guy on social So he's on social media with with the with the Facebook and Twitter. So if you haven't liked us, like us there because that's Sebastian Peda. That's what you'll find us. He's been with the team for a couple of years now. They open the season this weekend. They're getting ready for a big weekend. Syncree Demayo will be their party on Saturday,

Yeah, like you said, he's been also involved with you of a soccer clubs that wink through the years and team, so yeah, it has to have some experience in that position as well.

Right, we'll see what they do with FC two Son. It's a heck of a season. It's long season. It's a hot season when they play here. Yeah, I mean they literally start just as the right did you will you still looking at the TV station when they started? I don't think so.

I remember covering a news conference, I believe when they were announcing, like the team, what you're talking about? This two thousand room was there, and yeah, some of those guys.

Probably twenty eleven.

Yeah, so yeah, as I was leaving, they were sort of starting, so I can't say I really had a chance to cover many.

And they've had a lot of versions of FC two son right right, levels of two soon pro non pro, and they're non pro right now. Yeah, so I was excited about that season. Maybe we'll go see a game or two. Where did you need to go see? Uh, you hadn't seen something yet? Oh the Sugar Skulls. Oh Sugar Schools?

Yeah?

Yeah, yeah, did they win over the weekend? I don't know. We had We had Drew Dixon, yeah, on last week, so he was under the weather. But he's on the team. So we'll get to all that. A lot of breaking news. We're gonna have one talk about that at four o'clock. Uh so even even now you were talking to me that Jayden Bradley has declared right now they have two in the portal or not portal, No in the transfer in the NBA, NBA.

Draft lottery, not draft lottery, and the draft situation, Yeah, Jayden and Carter Bryant. So there's only there's not nearly as many players as they're used to having, So it's kind of interesting.

There's only one hundred and six. The last the few was sins like twenty.

Fifteen, fifteen, So this has got to be l nil related where players are going to probably maybe stick around and not not go if they think it's just a total long shot.

Sure, sure, now if you can get paid at the school, yeah, not't stay in school until you couldn't stay in school, right, and who knows anymore because I think there's gonna be a lawsuit to say you can't just give me four years or five years. You gotta give me war years.

There were three hundred and sixty three in twenty twenty one, the year before, the year before four years ago. Yeah, yeah, that was the last year before n I. So the players have until May twenty eighth to withdraw. So they still have you know, another month almost basically to try to you see where they might land. And you know, Carter I would assume is gonna, you know, take it

No, he has everyone has. Yeah, so just in case that doesn't work out, they're set for here. Okay, yeah, so they're not going to be broke dudes. So if you're gonna want to buy them a Hamburger, actually have them buy it for you. They could probably afford it, yes, yeah, yeah, now probably they can. They can afford a nice house where we're at in our new office here in the foothills.

But I mean, you know, he was considered to be a lottery pick earlier in the year, Carter, but I don't know if that's still where he's gonna land or would land.

Yeah, I'm thinking in the top twenty and mostly on potential because his numbers weren't there. But we all see the potential.

Yeah, the potential is obvious, right, But yeah, so those guys made those decisions, and then we'll see, you know, I would think Tommy's gonna have to have some guys you kind of in the wings. If those two, well, I can't see Bradon leaving. But oh yeah, no, Bryan.

Does leave, He's going to have some And this is second time doing this because last year I think Bradley did not I think I know he went to the process and decided to come back. I think it's more of a you know here I am, I'll be back, but you know what do I need to improve on?

Well, you know, we've we've seen the history of Tommy Lloyd and where he gets players from.

So you know, I'll.

Probably imagine he could probably make a couple of phone calls and well, I've already I've kind of been told that he's he's if Brianon does go, he's ready for somebody else to come in.

He already knows the guy, maybe targeted the guy. We'll see how good he is and who he is if that does happen. If not, let me tell you Carter Brant coming back with this team top ten, maybe even higher, maybe a good chance to win the league with Houston again, you know, along side by side, So that would mean top eight, which is cool. But you've been here longer than I have. You here forty two years, probably forty

But yeah, I mean seriously, with some of the guys coming in, and I think the potential is there freshman, you never quite sure. I mean we all thought Carter Bryant, you know, McDonald's all American, and he barely played. Yea, it was different circumstances. I mean there's not much a veteran depth. I mean there's a few players coming back, but I think the freshmen are going to have to contribute more.

Yeah, but with Pete and Burry's and this, this, and with Briant coming back and a couple of other people. Man, man, man, man. The problem with that, Dave, you can have the nice, nicest house on your block. Guess what, there are a few blocks in this city, and there was a lot of blocks in the county. There's there's other people or other schools with just as good teams. Sure, so you know you could be the top eight, but it still means you're in the top eight. You ate the top five exactly.

But then you think about, okay, do because they lost all these guys, I mean, they're going to just be able to reload again and probably you know, he got three or four more McDonald's guys.

Coming rich, right, yeah, you know.

And then North Carolina snatches you know, Henryvesar from Arizona and people, you know, people are on.

The move all the time. This is the new world I have. I'll ask you this. You're a big sports fan, you follow teams. Are you just the same sports fan you were fifteen years ago?

If not more? Probably even more? I think there's just so much out there, so in what way?

I mean, I have more time to be a sports fan before I'm worried about you know, I got to cover the story. You got to see Steve's writing in the Citizen or Bruce is writing in the Star whatever. So we're kind of chasing those kinds of things. But now it's like wide open. I can just right and you can enjoy yourself and enjoy myself.

Yeah, for sure. My whole thing is I've been and I've said this a thousand times. I'm sorry. I'm sorry now if you've heard a thousand times. But it's the it's the transitional way that we live in that Carter's here, He's somewhere else next year. But I thought I loved you here. You know, I love these teams like the Rents.

I have a hard time with fantasy because I just don't even know the guys.

That's my problem.

Another thing, right, thankfully, you know they give you suggestions on who the top running backs are going to buy one of those magazines.

No, I never do that.

I mean I went back to fantasy baseball way way back.

I don't know if you were part of that group like Cody and Cody.

It was all handwritten and you bring the magazines out to the draft and it was it was really you're on the clock. Yeah, it was a great, great time to learn about who was playing.

But nowadays it's all futerized and yeah, no, no, but that's the loyalty has just changed. So my little loyalty change. I don't really care who's your baseball team, the Giants, and I'm asking for reason, say, I would probably say the Giants. Okay, so of the roster, how many dudes? I don't even know. That's exactly That's what I don't know. It's so funny, I say. I mean, now I'm to the point where I'm kind of just rooting for the team. Yeah,

I mean, it's what do they say the front of the jersey kind of thing. That's kind of how I am. I think in a lot of sports nowadays, especially especially with college. But I mean even in baseball, you sort of get to know during the season and you follow them a little bit. But I'll turn on games and I have no idea who's even sure, who's even on the field. I'm going to some games next week and I have no idea who we're gonna see.

Yeah, you're going for the the to watch the game, enjoy your buddies, right, and call it a day.

Right, And we have no idea there's a couple of guys I'll recognize, but basically, you know, I'll be looking on my phone trying to figure out who's.

You're now you're saying, is that's the son of that guy I covered him back in the day exactly. We were just talking about that.

Actually today I was talking with some guys about about the Duncan brothers and how they were the superstars in college and well one was and the other one didn't go, but they were great players at CEO. But then I turned to my friend and said, you know what, I used to cover their dad. Yeah, you are not covering, but watch his dad on the Oakland A's when.

I was a kid back in the seventies. Yeah, those guys.

It's a great lineage in sports, which is always kind of fun.

Right, especially in Tucsun. There's a lot of history here in Tucson with big time baseball players. Yes, yeah, okay, so we'll get to that and with the with the NBA stuff that's and then we have a long time to wait. I think it's about a month before they have a final decisions to to say, guys, yeah, until the twenty eighth of May May, right before Memorial Memorial weekend. So there's that. So more pins and needles for Arizona

I'm like trying to think, like, so they transfer, you know, how do you get into school? I mean, how is that all? I guess when you're an athlete, they probably they.

Take care they take care of you. Uh. And the funny part is we talked about this. I don't know, maybe last week. I don't think you were in the thought of education today in athletics. I read a report somewhere that and it's been going this way. No one gives a crap about academics because that's not what they're there for anymore. It's actually a sport and payment of athlete athletes, right, Uh.

School, I mean what the athletes are getting more money than their professors.

Yeah in a lot of cases. Yeah, can you spare time? Yeah? Yeah, no ques, no question and some of the administrators. Sure. The president makes about a million, right, the ad makes a million. Guess what the players make it more than that. Well the AD is not. Yeah, it's true. AD is making one million a year. Yeah, I guess the basketball players are making more than that. Right. Then you can't tell me what to do, I know.

I mean, it's it's hard to believe, but that's really where we are. It's it's you know, you have to think about Wait a second, Okay, this kid is a sophomore and he's making more than maybe the possibly athletic department.

Right. Yeah, that's the way it is. Yeah, and if you don't like it, well guess what, I'll go somewhere else. Yeah.

But again, the whole transfer in school, I mean, I don't know. I guess they still have to go to classes, stay eligible.

You don't even hear those stories much. We talk about that all the time, right you don't. They have tutors. They have tutors one and if you really screw up, well then you start hearing about it. But even then you kind of don't. Almost lost time. But it ten twelve years, I can't think.

I mean, it was always like during you know, the end of the semester and someone knows not coming back to the football team, right or so and so, didn't.

We had yesterday. We had yesterday on the show Jacorey uh Krusky merit and he was not academics. It was more uh transcriptional I think, or transcript or whatever whatever because you couldn't transfer and transfer back and blah blah blah. We didn't really discuss it, but it was not about grades or anything. And that's the last time I can remember anything like that. At some point, it used to be you had to be kind of working towards a degree in some type, even if in the second semester.

Yeah, you know, have some kind of declare wait wait, wait tell me that again.

What just a major? Yeah no, no, no route to getting it. At some point you want to be a degree yeah wink yeah weenkquink because you know who knows. And by the time March comes to April first, when the tournament's over, where they well they're in Los Angeles working out right. That's just comical, it really was.

I mean, just stay eligible for a semester and a half basically is all you had to do.

It seems like if you're if you're going to be a one to do well. You remember this thing went in North Carolina, win the tournament in Phoenix twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, that's when Arizona should have been there in the final four. Uh and coach Brown was was getting the heat for the academics when the kids were not doing their own stuff. I think it was, Oh, North Carolina, North Carolina. Yeah, uh yeah, miss coach Williams. I'm sorry, Coach Brown. And you know, I'm sure that when queen

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

Hey, welcome back to the bag here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty from Steve Rivera. You're Dave Silver. You just want to call. Here's a chance to get a call in or two before we get the guests at three forty. Thanks everybody. What's that number again? By two oh four one six seventy four forty? I know that almost by heart. Now depends when you ask five two four one six seventy four forty. We'll take a call. Hey, Jim, if

Right, play tomorrow. There's a lot of games tonight. Busy night Bucks pacers have already started.

That's in Indiana. It's in Indiana. That's three to one Indiana.

Yeah, that's pretty much over thirteen three bucks early on.

Yeah, okay, but you know, nothing happened to the fourth quarter. No, did you watch the last night's game? Oh it was great. It was a fantastic game. It was entertaining. Yeah, it sure was. I don't know what Steph finished with, but he didn't need to have that any And he missed a lot of shots. Yes, I was gonna say the same thing.

I mean, and Jimmy made a couple of shots, but they both missed key shots. Kind of if they would have just made him kind of would have put him over the top.

Right, But you know, right, no, fantastic game. Uh, and the little Curtie had done pace Manyon's who looks like Manion, right, Nico Miko, He's the guy that man Manion wished he would would have been. Yeah, he had he paid out of his mind.

He was really good last night. Didn't you have like twenty six point twenty something like that? Yeah, and they needed every point. I mean yeah, because he was Steph. You know, he was better than Stephan and Jimmy had twenty seven points and six assists coming off his injuries.

Dude, I love him getting into it with U with the organ guy Dylan Brooks. Dylan Brooks, he's a pain in the ass, but he's a good pain in the ass. I guess, I don't know.

I mean, Pemps was nine for eighteen, six for eleven from three three points, right, I mean he was better than Steph.

It's funny because I'm sure you follow it, and uh, great Draymond. He hit his first threes and I'm thinking, don't shoot it when he had don't shoot and he hits it, and then the rest of the night he.

Can't hit anything. He couldn't have those only baskets. He made a lot of game. You know, they play so many minutes. I mean, Butler played forty, Curry played thirty nine, but he he'll played thirty and Podzemski played.

And he'll played better than normal because he hit some key shots. Yeah. Yeah, he made a couple of big ones too. I mean he had fifteen yeah, and sort of the big white guy, Quinton Post I guess, I guess thirteen points. He had a few three pointers, maybe two or three. Yes, So so they got to get through the next round or two, next game or two. So we'll see what happens. I'll be wearing my Warrior stuff for the next couple of days. They play the Rockets tomorrow. Yeah.

Yeah, some good games, but the playoffs, the playoffs are the best, really. I mean it's kind of obviously when everything's on the line and it's a different game, the different game, and.

You know, I'm I.

I know you're not not a huge hockey fan, but I'll turn it on just if there's nothing else.

And the playoff games there are great too. I couldn't tell you a lick of what's going.

On, the same thing. I mean, you just to watch it and just admire what they're doing.

They're extending on their skates, especially moving on their skates and chasing after you know, this big hard piece of rubber.

It is fun to watch.

Well.

The one thing about the NBA playoffs, if you watch any in the regular season and I watched very little. It's a complete game. In the playoffs, it's physical, more physical. They let you do more on the court in terms of you know, be physical and and I think the the the watching of it popularity is going to get the games would be good.

That helps the The TV numbers were not good for the NBA or hockey. And again the season right then, everyone's saying, well, you know, it's when does the season start, right in the middle of football, you know, so it really they need their time now where they're kind of I mean really their only competition is baseball at this point on every.

Day, and then baseball the same way until October September October, right, it's all cyclical, and then it disappears when football returns, except for NFL when it's game one to game twenty. Yes, they watch every every weekend, and it's not it's because it's one game a week, yes, not four in a week. Right.

Yeah, with that with basketball, there were a lot of people who were complaining like, wow, you know, people just start watching, but you know they were you got the they had a big election.

People were kind of paying attention to that. This year.

You know the holidays. I don't know college. You know, there's a lot of it. There's a lot going on right just you know, it's there's there's not enough hours in the day.

Sometimes I do think the style of play maybe effectship too, because it's more of a perimeter game. It is. You know, some dudes last night, even the Who's the kid, the Curdi hair kid, So they gave up shots that were two feet away from the basket to pass it out to get the three. I mean they could have literally just put the ball right there.

The game is tough to watch for me sometimes when it comes to that, I just don't understand exactly what they're doing.

What are you doing? Yeah, oh he's wide open for three. But they there's like no centers anymore. No, that's why the Ballows of the world and the Henry's are gonna make it and not the balls because Henry's he's more of a perimeter big man.

Uh us.

Good luck Ballow, good luck. Because there's even Edney. I'm sorry, Eadie is a big dude, and now he's kind of playing a lot more of the.

Yeah he's got he was better than I thought he was going to be. Me too when he started here, me too. I mean chat on the Okay, so another guy, another big guy who's got you know, range, you can go out there and shoot from from distance. But yeah, that position, you'll wash it go. There's like nobody in the middle. They're just passing the ball around the perimeter right looking for a cutter maybe.

And that's all motion. There's no motion. Yeah, there's no big guy to guess who to thank for that? Steve right, No, he kind of changed the game.

Yeah, I mean even last night you look on their bench and there's there's cominga sitting there, there's Kevon Looney.

They're not even the core anymore. No, they're there to foul as one of those.

Right, that's what they did with Loony came in and fouled the guy in the on the right as a Sam Adams, Steve Adam, some Sad Adams from Boston.

He's he's kind of old school. Yeah, guy too, dude, they need guys like that to rerun the ball. They were getting killed on the boards too. Yeah. Yeah, okay, by my guys here, I'll have him sit on my side on my seats for Yeah. No, it's good.

It's gonna be fun to kind of see how these play out, because once you get into the second round of the playoffs, it gets a little more serious, like, oh wow, these Oh yeah, these guys could advance, right, you know, to the Eastern Conference finals, right or Western?

Do me a favorite day. Once you step your closer and you can go grab him and I'll just gibber jabber here and tell you guys come back. Uh yeah, no, So we still have time to get a call. What time is it here? Three twenty eight? We got about seven minutes before we go to break five, two, four, one, six, seventy four forty talk about whatever, maybe the Bradley thing leaving for the NBA. At least for now, I'm likely

You're welcome baseball play tonight. I'm gonna be out there high Corbett Field.

Are you in Mexico State? Yeah? I like these mid week six o'clock games. They're nice.

You can you know, stick around for six seven inns and be home by nine?

Are they still going two and a half hours or something like that.

That's kind of as long as I want to as long as I want to stay.

Gertrude, gotta get home, gotta get going. It's getting late for me. You got porge at the porge, you got to clam chowder ready for me?

No, but I've always enjoyed those middle middle of the weekend. It's been a while since I've been there. So, but they're good, right, they're good. Uh, they got sweat. They lost the series games. Yeah, Texas Tech. Well, I'm good to see you, man, good to see you. How you feel in that seat over there? It feels a little bit weird. I don't have the monitors in front of me, but I'm getting out here, so what I do here. It's been a while since I've done this, but I'll

If you are.

You're in the running interview process right now. Got my interview on Thursday for a producer in residence position either in Midland, Texas, Okay, Columbia, South Carolina, or Memphis, Tennessee.

Is it all the same group.

It's under one one big company that funnels in small, small news or not small new radio news stations in around the country. Okay, So they need spots at each place they're trying to They give me certain certain lists. I choose top three. Okay, those are the ones I chose. Okay, Yeah, Texas, I think Arizona right now. We're in South Carolina. Lumbia would be in the other place, Memphis, Memphis. Oh okay,

I'm guessing a year or two possibly. Yeah.

Just get that experience. Oh what's what's it's a it's a producer in residence learning under something.

Oh no, that's fantastic. No, no, no, that's fantastic. I'm sure Day would agree that's fantastic.

Any experience is good, Honestly, any experience is get out there and do it right. Always my recommend get them up, Yes, sir, I mean even experience like this is going to help you get to that point.

I'm telling people, I'll go get you coffee. I don't don't Yeah, I don't know where every Starbucks is.

Just give me, give me the cash. I'll be back to change.

No, good for you. We'll hope that things work out. Obviously, have an update next next Monday, manic Monday. Okay, cool, hopefully cool. So people, are two things for you we're talking about about that? Yeah, that was a great game. Yeah uh and then too, just kind of going off of that and something I noticed that I've been saying this for a couple of years now. I don't think Steph Curry is that good under the final minute two minutes. Maybe he does not make clutch shots in my opinion.

Yeah, Hello, your are Hello, you're on the air and line on the ball. Who's this?

It's Brian. How's it going?

Hey, Brian's work?

Well just about you.

Know, Bradley going entering now whatever he's going to try to do because I don't think he has much of a shot at making the NBA. So he's gonna he didn't end to the portals, right, so he's probably he'll probably wind up coming back here.

Yeah. Yeah, So let me ask you though, let me ask you this. So he's done this before, he did this last year, he's going to do it again. He's a junior, right, so let's assume next year when he's out of eligibility, is he uh NBA good in a year?

Well? You know, I think he has to look at what does the NBA telling him he needs to work on, and if he decides, you know, put the effort in, you know, what they want, and also be able to work under Tommy Lloyd's system, and I think he'll do all Righty, he could find a spot maybe. I mean, he's not going to be a first round pick because he's not that kind of score. Is I don't even know if he's that great of a point guard per se.

Yeah, so you you watched some right, give me a comp Is he a comp uh Bradley Bradley a comp to anybody in the NBA? Now? No, I can't. I don't know enough about to compare him to anybody.

Yeah, I mean he's he's not. I mean, he's a hard working guys. You know, I enjoy watching him play.

A downhill guy college level, at the.

College level, the next level, I don't think, you know. I mean you can look at TJ. McConnell. I mean he's made it. But TJ McConnell was a true point guard. I don't think Bradley is right.

No, I agree with you because he's more of a scoring important guard. He's not a distributor. He's a distributor.

Yeah, you know, and I and I don't know if he wants to come back next year and be able to facilitate the ball to other players.

Right, well not if not if the NBA is telling you you got to score more, be you a better shooter?

Right and maybe Tommy boy doesn't want to have that because he's got those two kids coming in.

No, you can't, you can't not go.

You can't.

But you can't have enough scores right right?

Well, Dave, you don't want they're losing.

You know, a guy that's averaging what almost twenty points of game too?

Yeah, so you don't want him to Yeah, you don't want him not to come back right right.

Well, you know, I I think the one thing you do, if he could work on a three pointer and be consistent with it, I think that would help us, help us out and help his game out a great deal too, ycause he's I mean, but he really didn't take that many three point shots per se. No, just kind of shoot periodically and rely on Caleb blub to shoot the three pointers.

Right.

He was the mid range guy. Get to the basket, head down, get to the basket, get filed, get to the line.

Right, you know, and maybe maybe without Caleb Glove, he is a better he's a better point guard.

Yeah. No, I agree with you. I agree with you totally. Yeah right, okay, cool.

You know Bryant, with Bryant, I just don't know if.

He's going to get drafted.

Will he get drafted in the first round. You know, someone's going to pick him up just because on potential, not so much of what he did last year, but they look at him say, well, this guy can.

Do this, this and this.

We know he can. He's got to get him, you know, to buy into it or develop as a player. I mean, he's what nineteen years old. I mean, he's Yeah, he's he's the next one ball player. You know. I think he has a much better shot at going in the first round, you know, later in the first round, and.

Which is sometimes better too, because you're going to maybe go to a better team and you're not going to be needed to come in.

And score a better team. That's bad a better no if you're going second.

You know, if he gets drafted the same from from twenty to thirty, he's going to go to a decent team.

Yeah right, yeah, my bad. I was thinking the other way.

If he gets drafted in the first ten spots, he's going to go to a real crappy team. Maybe people won't be as patient to work with him as a as a as a really good team would.

Be, right. I also think that he may have been stifled here althoughle because.

He had I think he did too, because what was around him, you know, and he kind.

Of deferred a lot until until he didn't in the second half the season. You got to go bright. Well yeah, okay, thanks for the call. The ok thanks for the call. Appreciate it. Cool. Let's take a break come back with the FC two son coach on the other side. If you're an Arizona men's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now take a look back

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This is I on the Ball with Steve Ravera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app. Just search I on the Ball.

They we'll connect to on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera and with me today is Dave Silver. We got one at the controls now. Now on the phone, we have Sebastian Paniela, the FC Tucson head coach. How are you, Sebastian, Steve, I'm good, How are you? We're don't find I guess another season as you sure, second third year. This will be second year the head coach, second year, so another exciting year. What are you hoping for? Early? You start is Saturday?

Time, right, yes?

Yeah, so you know after a successful season last year, they plan for the club. You know, we all aligned that we want to compete again at that level. We want to compete for the conference and we believe that we have put together a very strong roster for it. And looking forward to get things rolling on Saturday with a nice sinkle, a magic game and fireworks. See the fans again, get to see them celebrate with them the Western Conference title from last year.

Where are you're getting your players from this year? Where most of the guys from, Well.

It's a mix a just like last year, we got players from different ten different nationalities. Again, they come from all over the US. So it's a mix of people that I trust, people are in our connections that we have for years as an organization. So just looking forward to see what we got this year.

Well, I guess do you have a hand in this? Does Jonathan have a handle on this? Where you guys maybe collaborate and say this is the guys we want, this is guys we don't want? And how many I remember last year's team, You guys surged in the second half. Do you have a lot of the same players back?

So yeah, John and I put it together. We work together in order to make it happen. He does give me the freedom to make that final decision, and we do have some returning players, of course, I think it's important to have those a lot of two some players coming back and a few international players. So I think overall we got a balanced roster and we were returning players, new players, and there's a collective work that we have done throughout this last months.

If I could, is it kind of like a piece of a puzzle where Okay, this guy's very good, but he wouldn't fit the system.

Yeah, one hundred percent.

We're just looking for a certain type of player, and of course always we try to get the best players that we can, so whoever is available. Sometimes things don't go our way, they go to different things, or they don't fit the system that we're looking to. But for the most part, we also try to trust the people that we know that work with these players day in and day out, that they're saying that the right right players and right humans.

Are some of these players looking to, you know, play at a higher level themselves too, or you know, I know it's like in some of the minor leagues, say, in minor league baseball, the guys that's their biggest goal is to move up to a different level.

Is that.

On one hundred percent. All of these guys have that ambition to continue to play. I would say we have a younger team this year that you know, maybe sophomore juniors in college that have that ambition to continue to move forward, have good connections, that are a good levels. So excited to see how they deal with the institution batch and hopefully they can continue. We are just a step on their pathway to professional.

M what's the style? What's your style of coaching?

I believe for these short tournaments.

It's all about that group chemistry. It's all about just connecting as a group because there's gonna be it's gonna be very fast, and there's gonna be ups and downs, and how can we as a group just continue to move forward. I think that was something that we do very They did very well last year. The group had they clicked very fast and had a lot of chemistry, and even though the season wasn't as smooth, when the time came, they were flying.

They were ready.

They believe in what we're doing, and you know, I think that's that's part of the success.

Right.

No, In fact, I think, like you said, maybe they didn't start well, but they finished well. Uh that chemistry, and Dave and I have covered sports teams forever. Uh, if you don't you can be talented as all hell, But if you don't have that chemistry, you're not going to be any good.

I agree with that.

It's and it's something that of course it takes a little bit more time to make it happen. But I'm someone that believes that I can, I would say, manipulate certain situations to you know, have the group.

Over do the do these there's a certain activities a group.

Every time we go away and away trips is such an important time for us as a group. So all these little times that we can control as coaches, so it happens on the field.

Strong believer on that.

Are you getting players from Pima Fema College's team?

I do have a few players from Pima this year we added a few more. Of course, we had DeAndre Bambam, Brandon Sanchez and and Ismay Rizda, all Americans at the junior college level.

They're coming back and then.

Do you know what they did was so I was able to pick a few more from that same team.

Let me ask you, what are the age ranges for the.

Team right now? We got from nineteen to twenty.

Five years old.

I think twenty four to twenty five, so you got somewhere, and but I would say the average is probably twenty one.

So the reason I ask is soccer. I think maybe other sports and I don't know enough about hockey and other guys, but you could have a guy who's seventeen and who's very skilled and blah blah competing against the twenty five year olds or the nineteenth because they're just that tactical or they know what they're doing. Right, So you have that angel twenty five to nineteen, right, how are the nineteen year olds? How do they handle it?

You know, it's a great experience for them to play against those you know, all their players. But I do believe that if you if you have it, it doesn't matter your age, you could be I mean, you're seeing it with these top players around the world.

It happens the same at hour level.

You can be eighteen, but you're competing with these guys and you're being effective on the field. You get the chance, so show me that you can do it.

Mm hmm. That's gonna be fun to watch.

So you get rolling on Saturday, big, you know it's just said big day with some of the festivities and things like that.

Weather, weather should be good, right cool?

Oh, yeah, we're we're looking forward to it. You know, it's it's a fun game for us to connect with the fans of the you know, the season. Fireworks, nice food, Yeah, hope, hope.

To see a lot of people on Saturday.

As the season progresses. And I think I've talked to Jonathan before with this, Uh do you take advantage or how do you take advantage of the weather or isn't it an advantage like in June when you're playing teams from somewhere else.

Yeah, definitely just Dune July dates. It's tough for any team the first twenty minutes they go, they go, and then all of a sudden, they hit kicks in and we can find.

A different gear and it shows. It shows in the games.

I think the the in the playoff last year when the Colorado teams came in and then ventur of course they came in, and we just I just feel that not only keen on the weather, a little bit of everything. You just we can we're used to the hit by then right when they come in they struggle big time or hearing.

Mady the a few weeks, we got to be.

Very careful training because their body.

Is gonna take some time to adapt to the heat. But once once we go, we get a roll in it.

You see the difference is there is there a reverse factor? You say Colorado, So when you go to Colorado wherever? Where's that at Colorado Springs or Denver?

Yeah, well we we Yeah, it will be around that area. There's multiple teams around that end, so also that you haven't been there, but yeah, we will probably feel it. It will be hard for us to go play games there, that's for sure.

A deep breath a few of them. Yeah.

So this is a big year for the sport too. Obviously with the World Cup coming next year. What do you see that doing for for soccer? Again, that's going to be another big boost, I would imagine, just just in general the spotlight that's going to be on on the sport.

Yeah.

No, I think it's exciting times for this country in terms of soccer. All the World Cup coming in, you see all the development that that is happening on the youth side with the MLS academies competing or against the top teams in the world. So I think it's just good news that the sport is going to continue to grow.

There's gonna be more opportunities for.

Young players, young American players, and it's just gonna be in the United States. You see things, people from everybody, and it's just continued to grow that way.

So it's excited.

This is your second year. Like you said, where'd you come from and is there a cultural difference where you came from in terms of playing.

Yeah, I'm from Columbia. Yeah, definitely.

I mean we got a very clear philosophy and the way that we play, the way that we see the game, very South American. So yeah, you can see the difference when you come here. You see the the different styles that you get because there's so many people from Europe, of England, from Holland, Germany, Italy, and so you just get to see that mix. And I think that's a place that I have grown a lot because I get to see many different things. But I also, of course

So yeah, okay, okay, anything else. So what time is the game on Saturday?

Yep, so kickoff is at seven fifteen PM. I love looking forward to seeing the fans out there and ready to get the season going.

Yes, okay, and I'm not sure. If they want to get tickets, they can go to the website.

Yes, if we got all the advertising going on the social media, the website, we got the phone numbers on our website as well. We got multiple platforms to make that happen. And so yeah, invite everybody to come and support us with the fireworks after the game.

Those are fun, one big fiesta for the single of their min All right, drinks, drinks, a party. Who doesn't love a party, especially watching soccer?

Yes, that's right, Okay.

Okay, coach, We appreciate your time, coach Sebastian Panela. Good luck this season will probably can you keep in touch with you guys maybe every other week or something?

Awesome?

Thank you for having me and look forward to seeing you guys.

So yes, great, thank you, thanks coach, Oh, Sebastiania. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I haven't been to a And you know what they're you know what their mascot's name is.

What is it? The cactus pricks? No, yes, I can see that in the radio because it's the name. Okay, at least at least I know. I think that it's like called you one, okay, should should interview him or her the best gut?

What's it like? Being a uniform? Must be nice? And can you imagine that's gonna be I think they are like a cactus kind of logo. I think I think pretty sure that's the case. You google it right now. I'm trying to find it.

I expect you to give me her straight answer next time I come back here.

No, I'm serious. I'm serious. Uh, at least that's what it was. If you can't find it, I can't find it. Yeah, okay, so cool, so uh good to talk to them if you have a chance. Called Saturday, it should be cool, like like the next couple of the three days is going to be nice weather. I mean it was one hundred two weeks ago and now it's nice.

Now it's in the seventies. That's good for soccer, because yeah, it can be pretty brutal. I'm sure there's you know some of those you know, July games aren't aren't.

The most No, No, I've got to a few of those for the fourth of July with the wireworks. Oh man, yeah, you know it is. It's but if you're you've been here all your life forty five years a bit. Yeah, if it's hot, it's hot, right, one hundred and ten, one hundred and seven, what's the difference one hundred and two?

Well, can we build an outdoor and domed stadium out at this Mosaic quarter?

I was just gonna say, they're building something nice at Mosaic. I don't know if they can do that much money you got in the fieldhouse, right, how much money you got in your pocket to help me? But I'm just gonna say, Dave Silver, it wouldn't be a bad thing to have. No, No, you're dome.

You know.

If they're going to see three thousand, yeah, you know that could be enough. Yeah, they're gonna have something like that. Yeah, but I think it's for hockey. Okay, but they're gonna have an outside arena. I think, if I can remember correctly, I wrote that story five years ago. Whatever. It seems like sticking forever. Yeah, you still haven't found to have you No, Okay, maybe they changed it? Well did they used to be that?

Everything are fine? Is just f C two song SC two sons? Okay, I don't find I haven't found an official I'll ask I'll text Jonathan Pearlman after this. How much time we ready to go? I got about a minute? About a minute?

Okay, no cool?

I know.

So if you headed out there, look at f G two Sun dot com. I think that's the website, right two yes, And does it say anything there? Can you? Can you come up with ticket prices and stuff for this weekend promotional or whatever it is. We'll just go to the website.

Yeah, single match tickets are looks like five dollars. Oh really that's fantastic. Yeah, so very affordable for families to get in there. And I think they're gonna have a food food prices. Oh wait, sorry to twelve dollars. Okay, well there you go. Yeah, where'd you get.

Pay five dollars? Twenty four hours? That got this? Oh okay five dollar piers? Ten dollars to get in Okay, I just saw the money sign. I just saw the twelve dollars to get in fights. Yeah, so they haven't you know how many games they get? Oh they got seven games more than that.

I'm so.

I know these are the women's games as well. Yeah, and those days start going to start in June.

But yeah, they play seven home games, starting May third and continuing into July thirteenth.

Okay, so let's take a break here, come back, get breaking news. Yeah. From one talk more