This is Eye on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jagan Zalaz Sound Fox Sports fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services and Sure Your Most Prized Possessions katz R two SAG and iHeartRadio Station at Hey. Good afternoon, everybody, Welcome to Eye on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, he's Jagansaus. Got our guy Kevin back in studio. Man, have you been keeping your eye on the ball when it was back in Arizona court.
I took a nap this afternoon and all hell broke loose. Don't take anyboard naps. I'm not allowed. Don't take any board naps. But it took less than forty eight hours to get their guide. They probaby had their guy yesterday right, and just kind of had to get the p's and q right and dotted. Blah blah blah. Yeah, it sound like they had him last night. Yeah. You know, we're getting a lot of a lot
of reports that the deal was done. It just had to you know, as you said, you know, you got to write up contracts and stuff like that. Yeah. Have you heard anything about details and money? Yeah, no, you have a five year deal though, and they've got a guy that could have easily hired three years ago, but for whatever reason, maybe a president or so well that a lot of fans thought they should have hired three years ago. But you know what, and we'll talk about a
lot of things today. I will talk about the Twitter world that you've lived in the last few Yeah, but we'll get to that later. I saw we talked about Jed yesterday, all of us, right, I don't I don't don't like Jed. I don't know Jed in fact coming in for three years because we don't get clost to the guys. I like him. You know, he did what he had to do. Good luck to you. I'm you know, I'm not bemoaning him the fact that he took the job.
I don't have problem with him tiking the job. It's the how and and and and the things that he did and said while he was here about that. You know, if he had if he had said what he said in his press conference today, right right, if he had what he said his press conference today about whether he's at his destination, if he had said that three years ago and he left today, no problem. What he did was he came and he and he got this community to buy into him and
his family making twos on their home. We're here, we want to be here, we can we can build this thing here and then leaving at the first great job that came his way. That's the problem that people have with it. Yeah, and that's fine. I mean, come on, I'm sure you've you've looked at a girl or something before you were married. He said, oh wow, and then oh wow, but yeah you ended up being married. Uh, more power to more power to him. Good luck
with that. Look, I had something to say, but just us, Well, look, you know, certainly you know, based on who he's been, all right, And he said it today, said every job I've taken was intended to get me in a better place towards winning the National championship or winning a Super Bowl. Sure, I got no problem with that. We all took jobs to get the next great job. Sure you know. Now I personally decided to stay in Tucson. You know, you've got some
great jobs. But I've had some great jobs locally, and I did take better jobs or took other I took a job from there. Something I wanted to be a reporter for life. But I did. I didn't feel like I was getting paid well enough, and a job came up right where I got a fifty percent raise in my salary. I had no idea if I could do that job, but I took it right, and we and the rest is history. And my point is I would rather have loved than never have loved before because he got the fans, not me, fans to a
great place today. Now they know they're capable, but to a point that we've talked about at nauseum. You have to sustain that consistency and we'll see if he does. And seeing that's the thing that people are upset there. Well, he he had this great team that he was going to have next year. Okay, he did, but you know this other program came along that just went you know, played for a national championship and they wanted him and they wanted him bad, so he took it. So no problem with
that. So, kid, Kevin, you're at a parking parking spot and you have I can't don't know what kind of car you have. A nice car, right, a nice car, up to date car, and a nice red Mercedes drives up next to you. You're thinking, I love to drive that car. It happened yesterday. Actually, yeah, literally happened yesterday. And wouldn't you love to drive that car if you had the opportunity?
Possibly? Yeah, it was a sports car. I'm a taller guy, So I was like, you understand my point, Given the chance, you're jumping on that bend way, you're jumping in that car. Yeah, And I do think that it is what Jay was saying earlier about how not many Arizona fans are upset that he took the job for the more money. They're upset that the video, you know, was released in the way that it was, that the statement seemed you know, maybe AI generated even Yeah,
it just heartless. It was. So now you're San Jose fan, right, and you're seeing that another your coach has been poached from somewhere else. How do you feel, Well, they know more than Arizona fan knows that they're a stepping stone place they should they should and you know, uh, they and the minute the minute Jetfish became a candidate at Washington, they had to know that that's where Arizona was coming. So so Jay, are giving you one hundred fans UA fans that you sit next to or are in the
football stadium. Of those hundred fans, how many believe that they're a stepping stone program m maybe half so fIF So you're still telling you fifty percent of them. Yeah, don't think they think this is the destination place? Oh yeah, what do they think? Because because they love the place and they think anybody who comes here, how could they ever want to leave? I know those people, right, how could you ever want to leave Tucson? Why would you want to go live in Seattle? It rains all the time?
Why would you want to go live in the Bay Area? They're living on top of each other. Why would you go live want to live in La They have horrible traffic. Tucson is better than all those places. People in say that will say, you know why? They have no snakes, they have no scorpions, There's there's water in the rivers. You can't fry
on your car in April. No, no, I think, I say, And that's and it's and And to me, that's the essence of why people are so offended that Jed would leave is because they're like, he came here, he saw how cool this place is and how pretty it is, and what a great place to live is and yet he got word away by money. Well, of course he did. Not a bad place. It's it's place. Okay, So enough about Jed. Let's move on to to to the guy they hired, Brenton Brennant. They had a chance to get
him three years ago. I think that we're gonna kind of return to some normalcy. If we didn't have it with Jed, I think we quite did. But now we've got to see how he rebuilds who he brings on. Uh. There reports about some people coming back maybe, which is fantastic news if they you know, and what's become a key to all of these higher right is how much how much of your roster? You know? Jed fish
talked about that in his press conference. You know they're got, you know they've got He said, they've got something like seventeen players in the portal, and then another another ten have declared for the NFL. That's twenty seven guys, he said, you know, a key because of the environment that we're in now. When the coach gets hired, now, the question is how many of your players can you keep? You know, I've seen a couple
of guys that jumped in Feesian's price. Sock jumped in today, Jonah Coleman jumped in yesterday, but nobody else has the other quarterback, the other quarterback, oh, the other court right, but but the other quarterback said, you know, I could come back. I just you know, it was one of those things where he's just who which the quarterback, the backup, the dormant, Yeah, dormant. He said that. Okay, Okay, yeah, he said that. In his statement he said, I'm not I'm
not something like, you know, I'm not ruling out coming back. Okay. Cool. And then we hear from and I take this seriously because we've had him on the show. I think the world of Dennis Todd, a reputable guy who knows what he's doing. That he says, there's a possibility
that he's hearing, Yeah, he's hearing. That's a good way that Fafida and the McMillan will come back, right, And and you know, and look, I am I'm so glad, okay, after what happened that we got stuck with Kevin Sumlin, that Dave Heikey did not let players' opinions, your player's choice, yeah, get in the way of hiring a guy that
you know they want, they wanted to hire for the long term. I mean, yes, if you bring in Johnny Nansen and the players stay okay, those players are gone in two years or less, and then what if he's not a good coach, We're back where we were. He had to go get the best coach, the guy he thought was the best fit for this job. And you know, again, we thought Brent Brandon was the
guy two years ago. Let him come here. You know, as we were saying, you know, off air, you know, no off of FIDA and the all the survey guys and a whole bunch of other guys took a chance on Arizona. Yes, they took a chance on Jetfish, but they also took a chance on Arizona. They're the kind of if they're the kind of guys who would do that, I would think they're the kind of
guys who would take a look before jumping automatic. You know, if they're gonna they're gonna want to meet Brannan, want to see what this is gonna be like. And you know what, if it doesn't look like it's a good fit for them, then go well, I think let's assume for a second, everybody wants to be happy. The place that they're gonna be Seattle. They go to Seattle. I think it's safe to see that Washington's gonna struggle next year in their conference. Arizona if they stay, if they stay,
should be another favorite. Pretty good and still pretty good and still catch balls, throw balls, passes. They're not gonna be any different. Brent Brannan can coach. You know, uh, you know, uh, you know, I've been hearing different different things from different people. You know, is he good enough? Is he the guy? He said? Well, I know, I know one thing. You want two conference championships at San Jose Stay easy. Name the last Arizona football coach to win the conference championship?
Wait? That was That was my biggest thing last night. I read the athletics piece about Brent Brennan and I was like, wait, this is the guy that had the fundraise to get his athlete's breakfast at the facility, and you think he can't do better, even better than what he did to San Jose State, with more to focused on just coaching, more focus on just development. That's the thing about people. If you've been in a smaller place and when how are you going to move up? People do? People
do? People are throwing out Brendan's seven year record, which is a losing record. Have you checked Jed Fish's winning, winning record, one last record? And like we said yesterday, and it was pointed out, Washington's taking a big leap on him for that huge season, for that one season address because we don't even know if Jed was going to be able to win here next year to sustain this, and now they've taken him and like, all right, man, you know, let the buyer beware. No, exactly
exactly. I think it's the perfect hire for the situation. Wation Uh Now, he just those two guys have to stay. Those two guys have to stay, and the other guys stay around him. I think they're gonna be okay, They're gonna be okay. Right then, another a big piece of why you know Jed, you know, was able to get the community behind him, was what he did with the alumni, right right right? Well
isn't that a no brainer? Though? Yeah? I mean, you know, Brandon has been here, I went, you know, his his his his talk at Dick Tomy's memorial came up on social media and I watched it. I got goose bumps. Yeah, well, I had my story and we're gonna have him on the show. Artiez Jenkins called check with him yesterday. He's glad to be on the show. He was made a tweet. I put it in my story that he was here when Brendan was fast as as as a coach, he's all in. We're gonna have Lomont and as
well to talk about what the situation is from older the older crowd. So I'm looking forward to the ex guys because we had a lot of X guys had a lot of coming right. Yeah, So I think it's gonna be all positive. I think so. I think I think people will be happy with the hire. You've got people out there saying one saying he hasn't won enough, so we shouldn't be at Arizona. Well who the hell do you
think? Yeah? Not him? Who? Right? And then and then and then uh you know second, well, they've hired Brent Brand and everybody's leaving. I don't hear the door slamming. Who's Who's Just on social media it's like people I said this on Twitter or Twitter or Facebook today, these are fans, right, yeah, come up posting either you're a financial fan buying tickets, giving money, yea, yea, or you're just a verbal dude saying that I don't like to hire. Well, why don't you well
not even go to the games. If you don't go to games, what the hell? Yeah? Look, and knowing our fans, knowing the fans here here in Tucson, Yeah, they're they're gonna go back into a wait and see mo Right. I think I too, right. I think I think Arizona was poised to have a you know, a good uh year of you know, tickets and attendant and so like that next year, assuming the program you know, kept going to the shot. But now it's kind of
like, okay, let's take a step back. I'm gonna wait a couple of years to see if he can do this or maybe by the end of next season. Right, if they're if we're doing well, they're gonna wait and see again. Sure, and that's unfortunate, but that's who the fans are here in TUSA. Who's you know. I don't fault them for that. But I also think that it's like the guys who who on Twitter or whatever four years ago say well, I'm not gonna start watching sports. I'm
not a sports fan anymore because all the politics is going on. I guess what, they were still watching you, They were still watching them, paying attention. I'm not gonna go to you with a football caps. You don't what dell bey there. I saw you on TikTok throwing your TV's out the backyard at the Cowboys a lot, right, you could talk all the crap you want. I guess what did you just say? I even tell those guys that are my friends. I thought you weren't paying attention to the Raiders
or the Cowboys. I was sorry. I wasn't. I couldn't watch on account of me throwing my team across the room. You're right, Can I come up to the house? No, No, you can't. No TVs so no, But I think it's a good day. It was a you know, quick day. They needed to get this done quickly, right and and and and and give it and give it to Dave He can I assume you presume, Robbie Robbins, that they acted quickly, they acted decisively,
and to give them the best chance of holding this thing together. Okay, so we're gonna have Laman Hunley here in about ten five minutes like that, We're gonna go to some things on Twitter. You use trouble maker you but I wanted to get to before this first minute. We'll get it to the after the hother thing, and we'll talk a little about that, and we'll take your call. See you all around you good loving a man, and you love you. I did it for a thousand dollars. Now it's your
chance to win one thousand dollars. Just center this nationwide keyword on our website. What credit that's credit? Enter it now online at Foxsports fourteen fifty dot com. Make the right choice for your home when it comes to windows and doors. For more than twenty years, the Window Depot has provided the best
price and biggest inventory on in stock windows and doors. The Window Depot is open to the public, so whether you're a homeowner or a contractor, you can shop the enormous warehouse rowse the shelves with over one thousand vinyl windows, interior and patio doors, and skylights, and several varieties and sizes available to go home today shop the window Deepot dot com or find a location near you The Window Depot best price, biggest inventory. Steve Rivera here to talk about
Dorotle Rockimterials. I needed a lot of gravel for my driveway, so I called Eric at Dorato Rock. He found out the amount and color I needed and boom, it was taken care of and at a great price. How do I know radio commercials work. I heard one of his on the radio. Dorato Rock Materials provides a wide range of landscaping materials, including decorative rock, boulders, gravel, soil, and sand for residential and commercial use in
the Tucson area. They are locally owned and have been around for more than fifteen years. Give them a call at five two zero four zero zero four 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 lead madge and exercise equipment on twenty seconds, just west of Wilmot Hey, Southern Arizona is twenty twenty four. It's a new year, so it's time to recognize your employees, salespeople, managers, team members and agents with a creative award for the great job they did in twenty
twenty three. So come visit our beautiful showroom with over a thousand on institutes from located at two twenty eight West Drackmen or our website Creative Awardsazy dot com go celebrate our fifty years in business. See all the creative products we create and carry for recognition, promotional products, premium gifts for your special clients.
Call us eight eight two eighty six seventy seven Creative Awards. At Nova home Loans, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy the independence that comes with home ownership. Paul Volpi is ready to help you find an option that best fits your needs. Whether you're a first time or veteran home buyer or want to get cash out with the refinance. Nova has a variety of home loan
programs to meet your unique situation. Visit volteteam dot com. That's volpe team dot com or called five two oh sixe eight five six two six Today in MLS three oh eight seven Arizona b K Ninez two nine four two Equal housing opportunity now to commitment to Lyndrixon. Credit rates and available loan programs are subject
to change. The unumbers. Did you know? Sports cards at Memorabilia are setting record sales last month of nineteen fifty two tops Mickey Mantle SO for twelve point six million, Lebron James Rookie SO for five point six Also, collecting cards is a family fun hobby that can be very profitable. If you want to start a collection or expand your collection, check out Showtime Cards. They are one of the leading card shops in the country and have served our local
community for twenty five years. They are located on e Speedway. That's show Time Cards. The Secret Savings Account from Pyramid Federal Credit Union is an account you pay yourself and save oh right. It's set up as an automatic transfer for any amount and the transfers add up over time. You can save for a down payment on a dream vacation or an emergency fund and the best part for withdrawals. Your Secret Savings Account can only be accessed in branch or over
the phone. Visit Pyramid FCU dot com slash Secret Saving to learn more. Federally insured by NCUA. It's that time of year, Summer in Tucson. Time to take control with temperature control for all your air conditioning needs. Will keep you cool during all the hot streaks. All you have to do is stay in control with temperature control where we handle everything you need with prompt response, affordable pricing, and sound solutions. We also excel in plumbing and electrical
work. We handle everything you need. Give us a call at five two oh eight one five five six six' five or visit our website at tempdash con dot com and remember, stay in control with temperature control. Need concrete, hard Works Concrete has it. We have more than twenty five years of experience with all things concrete. Installing sidewalks and patio floors are our specialty,
and handle masonry work and retaining walls. We're locally and family owned. Just let us know what you need, how you want it, and we'll take care of it. Leave the hard work up to us. We're a hard works Concrete. Call us at five one two nine six' two five six six zero or visit our website Hardworksconcrete dot com. We'll put the work in for you. Got bugs, termites, vs or rodents. Arizona Pest Control will hunt them down. Arizona Pest Control is your complete desert pest management specialist.
That's can't run or hide from Arizona Pest Control. They use only the latest and most technologically advanced methods of pest elimination available, which minimizes the effects on the environment. Let Arizona Past Control get rid of your bad bugs, termites, bees, or rodents. Serving Tucson and Southern Arizona since nineteen forty seven. Go to azypast dot com to schedule your free evaluation today. Steve Rivera and Jacin Salez they have their eye on the ball on Tucson Sports Stay
shaft, Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Hey, welcome back to you on the ball here on Fox. What's fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Riverta. He's Jaginsaus. Now on the phone. We have Lamont Hundley, former ua A football player, one of our great sponsors. Lamont, how are you? I'm good? Get them? I how you guys? And I know everybody got to hit. They're falled out in wonder room. What what's up? At least we kind of know not that the chapter, or the chapter has closed,
or we're moving on. But a lot of things have happened. Let's start. Let's start at at the most recent right, Brendan's coming in. What do you think? You know? I got very little little bit of true history in regards to him as a coach, you know, I know, history him in regards relationship of traditions with with coach Tony and maybe some of the guys that was here at the time when he was a GA here on the staff. Those things that I'm aware of. But but as far
as exit and those I really I really don't know much about Brent. I'm Brenton is Brent Brent. I'm sorry, don't much much about him. But outside looking in, you know, the things that I see as far as you know, dealing with kids, dealing with community, you know, I think he kind of hit that mark as far as a coach per se that's
needed at this point in this time. I think I think he's still a guy that's probably gonna need and want some support around him that's here in the community, be it the alumni or be it you know, past football coaches and player that has been here. When you know, when you knew that the jetfish was gone, you know, and names started going out right away, and of course his name came up right away. But did you spend any time thinking about, Okay, the type of guy we need is acts
or you know, a coach that can do these things? What are some of what are some of those things to you? Well, you know, Jay, Honestly, when I first saw it take place in happening, my first instinct, my first reaction is Arizona need Rica Hundley right now, Arizona
you know. And and again that's me being his his little brother, but also being you know, a football guy, being around the game of football and being around people, and and they need a personality lack of rick of Hundley in regards to knowing how to keep kids together, how to also talk to the parents of these kids as well as also now to talk to the
people in the community at that point in time. That's the first thing that really came to my faults in my mind is that, you know what, he'd be the perfect person to be able to sit right in and keep this thing going. I don't think think a lot of those kids would been thought. I'm thinking about transferring this and that if immediately they knew that Ricky would maybe be the guy, you know, because I think he's a he's a leader of men, he's a leader of of of communities. He's when it
comes to gathering people and getting people go in the right direction. I mean, that's what he stands for. That's his pedigree, right and again, selfishly or unselfish, whatever you want to say, he was the person that I had in mind. And you know, hopefully this next coach has those same characteristics. So uh you probably I don't know. I know you can't speak for him, and I don't want you to, but how much influence do you think he'll have on the kids to stay both on the offensive side
and the defensive side. You know, I can't I can honestly speak on that, behalf Steve. The last last three four days, Ricky Huntley is the one that's been over there at that at that office talking to these kids, letting these kids know that you know, you know, you need to do this great your own legacy here. You know, here's your opportunity to have a long legacy at a university versus you know, having a year here,
year there, and year there. Here's your opportunity to put your mark on something, to make yourself and your family prow And I know personally that he has been speaking to a lot of these kids in that vein in regards to letting them know that, you know what, I'm a wildcat. I'm
a true wildcat. And in order for you to you know, be able to say the same things I'm saying as as a as a as a wildcat, you know, you need to be here for a while and create that legacy and let this community you know, embrace you and love you for four
year versus of one year here and there. Yeah, good point. I was going to say that that really, you know, makes as a fan, makes me feel better that you know, somebody like Reggy, you know, presumably presumably Chuck are guys who are here doing that because you need to have those guys, uh, you know, to stick around and do that
right exactly. You know, when you got a person you know what you know and talk to it what personality wise, you got those guys that whose name is in that in that stadium and these guys are are are there twenty four seven, and and and and and letting you know that you know I'm here for you. Even if I'm not on the staff, you know,
I'm here for you and and and this university means something to me. So I need you guys to really take this thing out so you know, this ball can keep rolling versus you know, you letting it explode this way right right. And he's a guy I think, well, I'm saying, Brendan's a guy who I'm sure will keep the doors uh moving with the X guys. Uh. And obviously you're your brother and Chuck and some of these guys are X guys. But you know, do you open the doors and continue
to have the doors open for the X guys coming through to observe? I mean, all I can do is I can hope. So I can tell you one thing, that philosophy in that plane plan did work under Jed, So it's it's a working plan. So why break something? Why try to fit? I'm saying something that doesn't need to be fixed. You know,
I think you do work with that. You keep that going. If anything, you know, Dave Heikey and and doctor Robbins, they saw you know, the actual you know plan work, and they saw guys coming back and guys and break being embrace or wanted to be embraced and also giving back to
to the actual program itself in some for fashion or not. So I hope that that formula has work and the new coach that comes in he sees that and embraced that as foremost is keeping Ricky as well as Dwayne A Keena around and you know, any other coach that can bring some value, you know, to that coaching staff into this community. Did you did you go through any coaching changes in anywhere in your your football career? Uh? Yeah, when I was in the NFL, I went through three coaches. Okay,
what's that? But you know what y I was getting pased. I was like different, right, I don't give ahead? Yeah, but still don't. Don't you get attached to coaches, whether they're assistant coaches or head coaches? And and how hard how hard is that when all that changes, like in a heartbeat, well as far as on the college level, I mean, I wholly believe that that is the case. A kid come here based on the relationship that he has had with his coach. You know, I
can honestly say this. You know, I'll say this out loud, I'll said public a shame on Jed to say that these are kids that are coming here for him. Those kids was not coming here for Jed. The kids came here because each coach that went out there recruited them. That's to why those kids came out here. You might have one or two kids that came out here because you know, Jed might have a particular offense or philosophy or
thinking and those kids are well, that fits it for me. But majority of the kids they come here because of the relationships they had with their recruiting coach, the relationship that the coach had with their parents. That's the reason why they're coming. And again I said this because I've seen it firsthand. And when I had twenty kids over my house for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and these kids coming over there because of the relationship they had with Rick and you
know, and that's that's that's right. There has value within itself and means a lot. And uh, you know, and if a coaching staff or coach can't see that, you know, hey, I think you know he's living on the rock by himself. So let's kind of go there. That's kind of good. I don't know if you saw you saw my column that I wrote yesterday or sorry, two days ago, whatever it was. When this doesn't shock me. He goes and he comes, he comes and he goes, blah blah blah. So three years is not a shock to me.
Did you deep down think it's it's only a matter of time? Oh yeah, I mean I I I played it year by year and know in regards to that, you know what, and right now I'm looking at what what may about to happen with the Philadelphia Eagles. You know, hell, it might be opportunity that Eagles may fire their coach. You know, you don't think Jay mister j gonna have his eyes open for that, you know. And I'm saying this because you know, he has a relationship with the
general manager. Him and the general the best of friends. And you don't think if Lorie want to get Jed out there, Jed, He's gonna pay whatever he needs to pay money to the Washington Hooks Huskies and to get him to come through the Eagles, and he would go, No doubt in my mind, he would go. He would go, and he's he's he is, he's looking for that next opportunity, you know, to to make his resume look bigger and faster and as well as his stay check. And but
if that's your think in here, philosophy's great, be that way. And I think we knew that going into it three years ago when when he signed up as being our coach here. Right, Well, that's pretty strong. But you're I think you're well again. What you know, what I've been saying to people is that as much as every fans in this community wanted to believe that he was here for the long haul, he turned out to be the guy that we all thought he was when he got here, exactly And
then I'm not saying that as a bad thing. It's just like you are who you are, yeah, exactly right, And you know what, and the coach that's coming here, I mean, we might see who he are and and to me, that's being transparent is better than not and so so hopefully we can see who we is and and maybe he's a long term guy
for sure. That that's that believe in, you know, building from the from you know, from what he what he has and and within the community and making these you know, people understand, feel proud of of of the uh of the teams he's putting out on that field, and be and the on get back to being proud of the block A. You know, I mean, I'm at this point in life right now, or at this point in general that we as a community per se, I mean we we we
got to stand behind the block. We can't be standing behind a coach. We can't even stand behind players no more right because the fact that they're all coming and going and that's the way that that's the mood right now, that's the feel in the landscape of college football. So now we we we as a community got to learn to stand behind the block A and uh and and and embrace whatever is there is given to us, good or bad, but knowing that you know, it's our a. It doesn't belong to anybody else.
Those guys are coming up. We talked about this a couple of days ago. Judge uh, Jay and the much so Smith you played for cot Smith and I brought this He left under weird conditions or I don't know what the word is, sudden And here we are again. Did you did you find any correlation between the two? No? No, no, I mean I think coach Smith, Well, the only correlation is the weird conditions.
That's it. You know, as far as far as type of coaches and people, they are night and day, night and day, and I mean Coach Smith mean the world to me and always meant the world to me. And I think that there was some people that felt Cole Smith may have done to Son wrong. But and again that was a different time and era where Cole Smith can only get what he could get at this the university per se and and and there was no upwards opportunity for him. I mean, you
know, there was upward opportunity for Jed here. There was things that was being opened up that no coach he ever had an opportunity to be open use. He got here, he changed the whole mackup of the north end zone in regards to the football locker room, the football offices, the actual weight room, every aspect of that whatever that man asked. So he pretty much a guy, you know, so he did change that. Coach Smith couldn't do that. So what Coach Smith all the choices, was that I gotta
find a place to go who could do this for me? You know. So so but you know, in the eyes of Tucson, maybe Coach Smith did go out like the Indianapolis coach in the middle of the night. But but but but I think I think again, Jed, he did it a little more, you know, a little less classic, I think than what Coach Smith is. I mean, I'll tell you, man, when I saw that ad in his house here in Tucson signing a contract, and he
embraced this man like it was his greatest friend. He embraced him in his house here in Tucson in the middle of the day, in the middle of the day when it was recorded, and they gonna put that out way before anybody here in Tucson. I really know that this man is gone, what a flapp in our face. That's the thing. You know. Every man is out to get what they need to get in life, and I you know, and I want them to do that. But there's a there's a way of doing it, you know, there's a way of doing it.
And he's now he's gonna go to create this, you know, new, a new velocity of of of of of of what he's gonna do with Washington is not going to be personal. Now it's going to be something else.
Because he left personal in Tucsa, you know, you know, so so now he got to come up with some other you know Clogan, you know, to embrace the people up there and then up there and Washington stuff, and you know, and and me, honestly, if I was a player and I see that man walking into that room, and I'm like, what
lie you gonna tell me? Because you just told these guys and is going to something totally different and left him, you know, so so me as a player that that, you know, That's how I would be feeling in regard to that. Well, Okay, if you aren't into Brent Brannan tonight at a restaurant Twitter, what's your first piece of advice for you to Brent Brennan? Yeah, you mean, but in the new coach? Yeah,
the new coach. What what's the first thing? What's your first if I ran into him tonight, you know, first thing, I well, first thing, I would say, you know what, you got one of the best coaches opportunities on your staff, and as regardedly, you know, give him a chance. Give him that opportunity, you know, because you're not gonna find a final man or a final coach to be able to do the right things for your kids. Your kids gonna listen to him, period.
Okay, that's the first thing I'm gonna say, you know, because I truthfully feel that, and I know that in my heart of heart, and I know it's in here. And the other thing I will, I will let him know that, you know what, I'm here. I'm alumnus. You know, I'm a season ticket holder. I mean I I do. I can do everything I can do to embrace your program. If you're willing
to open up off that aspect of it, I'm here for you. And there's quite a few other guys like myself that's here in this commuter and elsewhere would do the same thing, because the fact is I have the block A in my heart, and the block A is always going to be here. Great to put it, you're kind of smart. You kind of smart there. Hey, hey, Steve, you ain't got to worry about your job.
I don't know how to ask questions on the fly, by the way your check cast and of course, and I know that thanks a bunch as always appreciate God bless great stuff, great stuff and very honest, honest. You could tell that he was a little pissed. Yeah, little pissed. I think a lot of people same temperament. Again, well, guys, when who who are like lamone. He says he's got the block A in
his heart. They feel right, betrayed to a degree, and I think this is his love for the A. Right is where it all starts. Right for guys like you, Right, you know, people come and go, but you're always with you, Right, guys like you. I've got gear. Yeah, I've got gear. All right. Thank you Lemon for being here. We appreciate it. We'll be back. Take your calls five
Q zero four, one sixty. We'll be right back. If you're an Arizona men's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now take a look back at the Ludolsen era. In my new book, Lessons from Lut 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 Lut is an insight to how he built the program into a national powerhouse. What one email me at Steve dot Rivera ninety five at gmail dot com. Hi, this is formal, while get Laman Honey with air Zona Health, imagine how home GM can change your health, your comfort, and your time. Arizona Health is everything you need to transform your personal space and your life. We off
a complete line of cardio machines, multigms 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 shureroom today at twenty second in Wilmot. Arizona Health the lead edge and exercise equipment. What's your goal a new career or career advancement? How about transferring to a four year college.
PEMA Community College can help you make Someday today and reach your goals affordably on your schedule. With over one hundred programs to choose from in financial laid available, it's time to earn the degree or certificate you need to prepare for the career you want. PEMA offers free career exploration classes so you can choose the field that's right for you. Learn how at PEMA dot edu slash someday right. With the new year, we usually make resolutions to be healthier, water
quality in your home can help you achieve healthy living goals. I'm Rondorinas with Picturerocks, Cooling, Heating and Plumbing. We offer solutions to filter the water in your house that you drink, shower, and cook with every day. For clean and healthy water call five two zero four to four zero or zero six nine Tasting, Cheating and Clumbing. Do you want to be part of a winning team? A Team Security is looking for friendly, outgoing event security
guards and event staff to be a part of our team. We've been providing our outstanding services to some of Arizona's biggest sporting events and concerts for over twenty years. We want you to join the action. A Team offers a fun and exciting opportunity to work in the sports and entertainment industry, with flexible schedules that are perfect for those looking for a part time job or a second income. Come be a part of a winning team the A Team apply online today
at a teamsecurity dot net. Steve Bravera and Gonzalez they have their eye on the ball on Tucson's sports Big yet Fox Sports fourteen fifty streaming live, I mean iHeart Radio WAM Hey We're back, We're back. Yes, say, welcome back to Eyeing the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Si Rivero, you're Ja Gonzales. A lot of things going on, very very candid, very thoughtful of Lamont, to be honest, and how he felt,
Well, I'll tell you what. And you know, you talk about pieces of advice, both from the aspect of having a good coach on your staff, but also the aspect of getting the fans behind you. You know, keeping Huntley and Cecil would be huge. And then if he could get Dwayne Aquina back here, if he's got an opening for Aquina, I think that would immediately get him a lot of get Brandon a lot of fans support. I'm not telling him what to do, just saying, yeah, let's
take this call. Hi, you're on the air and I on the ball. Hey you guys, guest calling. Let me tell you, Hey, Gabe, let me tell you something. Someone sent me a text late last night and said, you know who you know who got this right all along? It was Gabe. It was Gave who said that that guy was gonna leave at some point and gave congratulations. But now, how do you feel? Listen, you guys, when the when it actually happened. I was
really pissed off. And let me say this, after the on Saturday, after Arizona loss to washing Day, I just thought, how could this get even worse? Well, it just got, well it did. On my My thoughts about this is that I was I was okay with him going to Florida next year. But but I don't know, I don't know. The way that Jeffish did Arizona duty kind of really pisses me off. Yeah, but by the way, don't cut still. But we hear you. I mean, you're not alone. Well that's the thing that see most people are
talking about right in terms of what they talk about Jed leave. Now we're moving on to Brent Brandon, you know, being the guy, a guy who a lot of people that should have gotten this job three years ago. What do you think I'd like to hire? They just need to fire. They just need to hire Johnny Nansen as the head defensive coronator and get other coaching coaching, and get other coaches that are really good in recruiting, mainly
the Polynesians. And I think Oregon has a good offensive coordinator, so try to get him, but try to try to limit the amount of players transferring out of Arizona and just stop the bleeding, just in general, and let me just get let let me just talk more about this just I don't know, just with Stave Hackey being a pullman, I just kind of think, dude, come on, you just shouldn't be just on top of this.
Just have any contingency plans instead of being in pullman Washington. Come on it also, I really, I really now, I really despise Nick Staven at Alabama. I just screw them. Can have nice things because because s Obs had to threw everything up. So let me get let's let me go and Jay maybe help me here. So you're talking about Nance, that's a stretch because he's at Texas. Are you gonna leave that job in Texas to come here to do the same job, probably at a lower rate. I don't
know, I don't know what the ring would be unlikely? And then you threw who's the other one, uh, the Oregon guy? Remember where Oregon is? Yeah, they're in the Big ten. There's a there's a reason that there's that's one of the big reasons Jed Fish left left Azona. Here here's the thing, Gabe and I hope, you you'll, you'll, you'll
take this? Is that to me? Players need to stay because players want to be here, not because Johnny Nansen is here or this guy is here or that guy's here, because they want to be as Lamont was saying, they got to stay here because they want to be at Arizona create and create their own legacy. And I agree with a whole lot with that. On what on what Lamont Hunley said about that, I think that's gonna be really
important. And you know, and if a guy wants to leave, if Team AC wants to leave, if Afida wants to leave, or anybody else wants to leave because they don't think Arizona's good enough place for them, then go. I don't have a problem with them leaving. And if that means that you start from scratch here and twoson, well, then you do. In regards to men's basketball, I think Tommy A. Lloyd needs to change up the lineup the the players who are starting like Boswell is just stat I'm
sorry, I'm sorry for being a drunk, but he's right now. He's just stop. Yeah, stuff has a hotel, pillows something like that. He can't make any any three any three three stars to Stafans his own life, Tommy Lloyd needs to change his lineup and and back to Arizona football. I don't know, just Jeffish just kind of did pull the the whole Arizona
fan face dirty. I mean, why would you go to Washington? They're still gonna dog a against Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, and your usual Oregon USC and you see, like, why why why are you gonna go there? Oh yeah, sure, you're gonna have a lot of money, You're not gonna you're not gonna be on top of the conference. Just I don't know, because I'm really kind of still pissed off about it.
I know Jason Sheer and his wife Shelby shere kind of wet off. And I'm pretty sure Jason Spears, I mean, he's a fan, he's an Arizona fan, but he likes to play. He's a journalist, and I think all these kind of piss off. But I don't know, just the whole Arizona community is pissed off. Well, it'll all be fine, Gabe, It'll all be fine. I think they got a good coach and we'll see how this plays out. I think we'll be happy with with what happens
here. So hey, thanks a bunch of always gaye appreciate it. You're welcome. As long as they beat the dumbasses in tempees, that's all it counts. We know that's all that matters, all right, Gate, Thanks thanks again. So he used the word pissed a couple of types. Would this happen? What was your level? One to ten? Additionally, I wasn't as pissed because I kind of wasn't shocked, okay, So it was
more of like, I'm just like, come on, Jed. You know you told he sold all these people on this pilot goods and you crapped on them. Let's take this call. How you're on the air and I on the ball. How's it going today? What's up right? I'm doing better today? Oh yeah, I don't know what you Okay? You know people have to realize, okay, Dave Peky, he is the athletic director for the whole program, all the programs, not just football, right and yav
you know he was there for the foot for the men's basketball game. I don't know if he went to the women's game on Friday night. I'm not too sure, but you know, he has to make his appearances where he's at. And I'm sure when he left town, you know, even though there was talk about the Fish leaving, he's still he still has to do his job for all the other sports too. If he's not going to have any control over the almost eight million dollars at Fish, at God, this
whole thing. Yeah, you're right, and once they offered him the money, he's gone, you know. And like I know, I know Gabe says they're not going to do as well in the in the Big ten, but give me, there's twelve teams to get into this playoff now, and you don't have to win your conference, especially in the big dinner of the SEC, they're going to take more of those teams. Yeah, okay, I got And I also think also to the coach is fine. I have no problem with the coach, you know. And I'm like, Jay,
if you don't want to be here, leave Ryan. Do you have tickets to have season tickets? Yeah? You have season two? You have season ticket? Yes? Okay, so so does this. This is probably not going to deter you from repurchasing, right, but what about the increases? What about the increasing price? The price of the tickets. Nothing. What else am I going to do on Saturday night? We'll hang out with Jay.
He does hang out with Jay other people. Right, there's a price of admission, you know, just to watch him walk around there and have a few beers. It's worth the time. Thank you, Hey, Brian, thanks a much. Man. Okay, so let me let me start. We only have four minutes, so we can talk about it later. You created quite a story with a few people on face on Twitter. Well again, and I said this before Saturday Sadly, I agree with you. I said this before I saw you know what what Greg Hanson posts. I
said, the contract had nothing to do with it. I agree, And I tweeted, I said, if if, if, if dad Fish had signed the contracts, the Arizona contract Saturday morning or Sunday morning, jed he was still gonna be the coach at Washington Sunday night, no question, you know, no matter what. Or a month ago, right, a week ago. So I just completely disagreed with Greg. And you know, look, Greg's one of my I think, one of my best friends. You
know. I love the guy and I and I agree agree with him a lot on a lot of what he says, and I get to disagree with him on stuff that he says, and I just completely disagreed with him, saying that had Arizona gotten the contract done, that Jetfish would have stayed totally, and that that him leaving was avoidable. No, it was not totally agree with you. Let'sten, did they go five point one or whatever?
They could do the max and money's maybe not even it. I think what he said today is to go into a place that has a chance to win it all. You're not gonna do that here, at least not yet. Yeah, not yet. And he's a guy who moves. I mean, come on, you could have this contract a year ago, month ago, a week ago. Sunday. You know, a bunch of people said, in response to some other stuff that Arizona should have given him seven million.
Really do you think do you think Arizona is a seven million dollars a year job. It is not right. It is not stretching to be a five right, It is not a seven million dollars a year job. And to your and to your point, if they give them the seven million and then a Florida comes along in two years, anyway, it's you want to fit people talking about on Twitter overreaction is exactly that they're spending other people's money. They don't even know how much they have, you know, oh they could
have raised it from where? From where? This will give a lesson to the fans that speak out help. We talk about this with Branil. Guess what help? Right? Right? And you see you see the the juve, the collective, the collectives out there on social media like guys, we need your help, right, we need your help. And you and you do you know, uh buy and if the minimum you do is buy football tickets and buy football tickets, but do something, do something or don't complain?
Right, you see that on Twitter? Now, I guess they're gonna have a team meeting here any moment if they're not. Now, I saw Chuck Cecil going into a into the Uve. The band is ready for the for the Brendon entrance. So so the new era was gonna officially start. Yeah here, look, you know, look, let's get it going.
You know, I like there was a scene in a movie I saw a long time, a long time ago, like a seventies movie, like a car racing movie, and and the guy grabs the rearview mirror off the car and he throws it behind it, and he says, he says, what is behind me does not matter. And that's kind of where Arizona needs to be. Arizona fans need to be. Turn the freaking page. Let's let's get Brent Brandon introduced tomorrow and let's let's move on. Let me remind you,
fans, four years ago, you were a bunch of poop. You were a bunch of poop, and the one thing you needed to happen was get rid of the coach. And it happened, and it happened. And in between this you a person comes in. I was saying this do gre girl comes into town, has a little struggle the first two years, makes sense, and then put you on a party ride that you enjoyed. Yes, enjoy the moment. The same Yeah, the same thing could happen again.
Arizona might go five and seven it next year. But you know what, you don't put up with it. This is too This is Arizona. This is not you know, Michigan. This is not right, not an eight million dollars stop. All right, we're gonna be back breaking news. We've got some other stuff going on. So we'll cover some of that. We'll be right back to turn it all down.