This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services Insure your most prized possessions.
Can everybody welcome to Eye on the Ball here on.
Fox Sports fourteen fifteen. I'm Steve Rivera and today he is Dave Silver.
I'm behind the mic, so no behind the board, so good luck to me and we'll see what happens.
I can't.
We've already got a stumbling block. But if you can hear us, let me know. Cool, it's Tuesday. Thanks for coming in, Dave.
Good. I do hear you, So everything's good on my end.
I can't hear me, which might be the best thing that ever happened to radio. Well, keep talking, I can hear. Yes, Yes, welcome to Tuesday show. Yeah, Action Pack. Did you watch your game last night?
I did.
I watched the game on beautiful ESPN Plus. Look look good?
Did I continue to hear that they're having issues a little.
Bit here and there.
There was few times where they just kind of dropped out and there was no signal for a second, but they were they looked.
They looked fine when they were on the air. They were good. Yeah, that's good. You were you were there in person, which.
Was a certain person, and I watched the game, wrote a column about it, kind of a calumn game story, and it was it was what it was. They you know, went out to that big lead.
Uh.
It reminded me of the big leads that Loot had with Luke Walton and Channing Fry and these guys, and they were just blitz teams, you know, blitz them and then it would just kind of be coasting. That's what happened to this game that they took the twenty three to four lead. I think it was they went twenty to zero I think at one point. Yeah, and you're thinking, okay, this is going to be fun. In fact, I tweeted, can we just call it a run rule and go home?
Because you was going to be like the.
Game was decided literally in the last in the first you know, two minutes of the game.
So yeah, and then they kind of kind of mismatch. They kind of held steady the rest of the way. But there was one of one of my questions to Tommy was how difficult is it to and you know how this how difficult is to to keep a pedal on the middle like that when you're twenty five, you're kind of just playing.
Now, Yeah, you want to get guys a chance to play. There were people you know, you know on that roster who it was their first real game, you know, so that I guess they were talking about some post game or some game game time jitters for some of the newer players, a couple of.
Freshmen, a couple of transfers.
You know.
It's different than the exhibitions, different red blues. So these were real, real you know, games account for statistics.
I'm not going to get used to these late night games.
Duke in two weeks is going to be a late night game on a Friday on Friday night.
Yeah, So we'll see.
But that's that's that's the aberration because everyone's going to want to get to that game. I've heard tickets are upwards of three four thousand dollars. Really, yeah, wow, some in some spots. Right, it's got to be.
One of the more high demanded games we've had here in a long time.
Well in forever, let me see.
I don't know if they had that in Sean's time, although I wasn't as close to that program when when I left the paper, But I'm thinking the last time this happened, and you were probably still in the business at the TV show when North Carolina came in, uh, with the demand for that thing. But it was in one hundred seven hundred eight hundred dollars. Yeah, particular, you're talking nineteen or two thousand and six seven around there.
It was a Saturday game. Marcus Williams was still here Chase day, like maybe two in the afternoon. It wasn't ye. It was a perfect, perfect timing and they just.
Got destroyed and they just, yeah, this didn't show up.
It was terrible.
They had just come back from the California That was the beginning of the well, it was probably the end of the end of Loot's time, you know, he was two thousand and seven something like that. Didn't show up, didn't play, and they were just not very good. That's probably outside of his first year or so. That may have been his his worst team. I think it was one of his worst losses. Uh yeah, well even even possibly I'm giving three. I can't remember the final of that.
I know it was double digits in the twenties. Maybe LSU. They played LSU over LSU got crushed by Stromole swift jobari why I think it was. And then they the Utah game, Utah game in the tournament, the lead eight where they just got blitzed. That may have been the worst loss of all time in margin wise. Yeah, because I'm sure you were there or were you there for the biggest What then in Denver, Denver when they lost in UNLV.
Yeah, I was that was crushing. Was crushing underneath that right at me? Yeah?
And then eighty eight of course when they just didn't Steve didn't shoot the ball. Well, yeah, I don't know what's going on. Yeah, is it maybe not qued up or something. It's strange. I don't know, but I can hear everybody. I hope we can get some calls in at some point. Let me tell you what the show looks like. Today we'll talk more about basketball day and thanks again for coming in. Sure we have uh, we have sauld Bookman from p h n X from Phoenix.
He was in town yesterday or U of a grad who's kind of helping run that that website and those podcasts up in Phoenix in town to do some stuff. I think he covers the Sun. I can hear him static, but it's not not me. That's strange. And uh so he's there at the three seventeen hour in about ten minutes, then we're going to have at four seventeen, we're going to have uh oh, Michael Eb, Michael Eb. Yeah, Michael lov I just want to touch base with him. He's
been busy with the football program, obviously, Jube. He covered or watched the UA women's game last night and then he was there for the men's game, so he's working double duty last night's game.
Yeah, it was just it was one of those days we had both games were on the plus it's very rare. So yeah, the four o'clock start for the women's game, I was watching some of that. Joe Vavassini on the call there, she's gonna, you know, continues her commentary role. She was on the PAC twelve network for a lot of years. So good to see the head coach back. And then followed up by the men's game later on.
Right, he's good, right, Yeah, no, no, no, long day. Melbach was on that right with mill Buck was on with and Sutton during Sundon. I got to get him on the show too. He was good last time he was on. Yeah, he's good. A year and then Matt. Matt was kind of talking about who, uh I think was it Townsend or no? No, maybe a Waka who. He reminded he didn't have a measurable for him. Do you I put something on the on the old Twitter.
The only thing I was said, your chance thouars? Did you hear me?
Now?
Yeah? You can hear me?
I can hear you?
Yeah? Okay you couldn't you had them off? Uh?
Yeah, Michael writes, is not a battle. I went with geene Edgerson because he's more defense any offense. Well, he's more defensive offense, and Waka Waka was is not mostly defense. He's not an offensive guy, right right, So, but he's a big body kind of like those both those guys, and they take up room different than the real big guys.
Came in last night and had a chance to play. So that was kind of fun to see Crevious on the on the court for the first time. Henry played until until he left whatever.
How did he look on philm on the TV? Because to me, he's like lost some weight. I don't know if that's the truth, but my eyes maybe been deceiving.
He's he's still big, you know, there's nobody even close to his side out there, so he had that one dunk. I want to say, you know where he was prettym he made a nice move and got close. There's nobody really could even contest. Well, he looks he makes Henry look small. Yeah, those are two big guys. Yeah, I mean there's again, if they're gonna be if they can be mobile, because they're they're going to face other teams.
They are going to have you know, that quality six nine guy who's pretty athletic that they might have trouble with, right, But you know, if they're just dominating some six five seniors or six five center, they're gonna have their way.
Right Yeah, no, no, no.
Uh.
In fact, it's funny because the first game we saw, we saw a lot from Townsend, Townson, right, uh and uh waka early in the exhibition game, so we kind of glimpse of the other guys and what they can do. But at the end of the day, Dave, I think it's gonna come down to what we always expect the perimeter players, right, you know, Jean Bradley, kg Lewis and Love and.
They all played great last Yeah.
Really, their numbers were good and I mean that's basically what you know, what won them the game?
Yeah, did you even notice?
Love?
And this is a serious question.
Early on he kind of set the tone. He hit that three, like right off the bat, and then he made a couple. I think he had like seven of their first nine points something like that. Yeah, and after that he just kind of, you know, he was he was out there.
And I think that's what they want from him. Not you don't have to do everything. You don't have to score a lot of points. He was seven for fifteen some like that efficient for him three four eight maybe from the three point line, so you know, you don't have to score twenty five to get noticed. I think his role is going to be exactly that. Just be efficient, be smart, and I think the scouts will find you. I still and you and I have talked about this,
where he's last on the list of the NBA guys. Yeah, and you're thinking he's an first team All American? How is that happening?
I don't know how that's possible. I don't know what we're What are we not seeing?
Is it?
That's the questions defense? You know, you hit on the head. What are we not seeing? And that's the question. Yeah, and then again, how often do you get paid the NBA scout.
Exactly, me too, I mean, wait, there's got to be something.
Yeah, I mean, you're scoring twenty points a game, you're the team leader, you're doing pretty much everything that you're asked to do, and you're still in an All American.
But the NBA scouts are looking at something else. I'm not sure what.
Right, and he's got well, what do we talk about when you're young, you're eighteen nineteen years old. Well, he's got potential, he's athletic, he's got a ceiling. Yeah, he's got all He's got all that except for the high.
Sleek because he's about twenty three years old. True.
But but if you're capable and you're good, what's the point what's the difference?
Yeah?
Well, you know, did he go to that Combine thing last year so he just didn't test well there or what was circumstances?
It's that's the question. I don't know. They told him that he needed to come back.
He's probably gonna make more money here anyway, for whatever he's making.
Than going to some G League situation or Europe or something. Right, you know, I'm sure he wants to play in the in the NBA.
Have you been to a G League game?
No, neither, Why and guess what I might've venture to guess that a lot of people have never been to a G League game, So those arenas are not full, They're not even half full. So the atmosphere is totally different than a college game where everyone loves you.
Yeah, and you know I've been to I'm trying to think of where I was.
Yeah, I've not been to a G League.
In fact, I haven't really have never really lived near a G League team. I guess the Bay Area has had them, and LA has one, but you know, there's not been one in Arizona if I'm not mistaken, So we haven't really been exposed to that. Games rarely on television, so sometimes, like you said, sometimes you'll see them and there's one hundred people in the stands right there.
Occasionally like kind of S two ESPN two right or something like that, you or whatever, But you know, why not come back, make a few hundred thousand and be beloved for the next eight months.
Or six months, whatever it is, Yeah, and then see what happens, because you know he'll I'm sure he'll get drafted, I would think, but you know, maybe not in the first round.
And that's that's why he writes kids.
Well, you know who you know a guy who was not drafted in the first round who obviously had a fantastic career until he shut himself in the foot almost literally was Gilbert Gibber was the second round guy. You think he's even have his sophomore year. A lot of talent, but a knuckle ahead kind of you know, right, uh, and had a fantastic career out or he outside of here Be area guy who was ever two years three years?
Didn't he get a first round contract or wasn't there some deal when he came out that he was still going to get first round money or something like that.
Yeah, I don't remember that because he was like the thirty. He was like the first thirty. Yeah, he was like thirty two thirty three.
He was real close, right, Yeah, you just got to you know, didn't you have Chase On?
You had Chase On?
Chase On?
Yes, he's the second rounder sick around. Yeah, he lasted six seven years. Yeah, it's a pretty good run.
Yeah, no it is.
And I said he was the best recruit that ever, Lutz said that he was the best recruit to ever come to Arizona under his under his.
Time, well, Luke Walton was not a first round pick. No, there's been a lot of ten years. Probably there's been a lot of them.
You can go through the list, and that's the whole thing is I think one of the things or marks during Loot's time. I'm not sure if that's the case with Sean, but they were ready for the NBA. They knew what to expect, they knew the drills, they knew the plays, stuff like that.
He wanted them to have a career, not just go get picked in the first round, get your one little contract.
Yeah, maybe big contract.
But then Lut's was always was always talking about I want these guys to last out there. The Sean Brooks is the world to play, like seventeen years.
Very much so.
And he was the second round guy. Yeah, yeah, I think he I think he was the second round think so. Yeah, so a lot of the list, a lot of the lists were second round guys, but obviously NBA worthy. Yeah, we're going to take a break here in about a minute or two. See how we do that, See how
we do that? We'll just keep talking, right, Okay, So we're gonna have Michael Levigan in the second hour or take some calls after we talk to a Sault bookman, see what's up with that, and hope we get my earphones working.
So let's just try this.
And go.
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Steve Rivera, he's got his eye on the ball on Tucson Sports Station, Fox Sports Sports em fIF day.
Hey, welcome back doing the ball. Hey, welcome back to you on the ball.
Here we go.
Good afternoon, guys. Hey, now on the phone, I'm I'm Steve Rivera. You're Dave Silver. We're kind of discombobulated, but hey, welcome everybody.
Are we on the air. That's yeah, we on the You saw bookman from p h n X in Phoenix. How are you saw?
Thanks for the helping us with the confusion. M HM, get us out of Houston. Welcome to Redio Live. Hey, I just our person, my my first time doing these crazy things here. Hey, welcome back, Welcome back to town. How is it being back in McHale Center. Yeah yeah, yeah, no question. You've been out for like five six years, right, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no question. Uh what did you make of the team?
H m hmm.
Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, no question.
And you're exactly right.
I mean, you can have as much success as you can in November, December, January, and February, but you're measured in March.
And we've seen what happens in March. Yeah.
I always feel like they're they're they always sit back and take a look at, you know, what they could do better and what kind of adjustice they can make. And I and I'm sure that getting to the final four is obviously at the top of the list. And I'm sure they learned a lot from last year, and they learned a lot from the year before, and they'll consistently make those those adjustments as they go along.
Yeah, we're talking to Sew a little bit of a p h n X in Phoenix. Uh, you're covering, you're covering. What are you covering now? Because I know you were covering the Suns for a while.
Yeah, so right now, you know, I'm doing some some content for for Arizona Basketball or Arizona you know sports, Arizona Walkout Sports.
Uh.
And then I still do my show with Eddie Johnson, which the Suns related and and you know NBA related. So uh, that's how I keep myself busy and in the content space outside of my my duties.
Uh.
Fall City Network.
Yes, So what are you kind of looking for down here or for Wildcat Sports?
Well, you know, I just do you know, supple mail content, you know, things that will attract people to our channel, things that maybe we don't discuss on our live show with Mike Luke, you know, the things that nature. I got another pod kind of in the works. Hopefully it'll come through here in the next week and we'll be able to do it with a former uf A player every week once a week. So it'll be a strictly basketball pod, which I think a lot of people would love.
And you know, really last night and wanted to see this team in person and see what they were all about. You know, we'll get the feel for what this version of the Wildcats is going to look like before they get into Wisconsin and Duke to start. You know, really next week.
I think you've been here time or two since you've left. You're here for the end of Sean, right, you know, near the end of Sean. What do you make of Tommy?
I love them, I love them, I think you know. I know sometimes he'll get a lot of flak just because to the whole March Madness performances and you know, coming up short of expectations. But I just really love his approach, how he wants to try and develop his players, not only before the season but during the season, because there is those are two different animals, right, and you got to attack them appropriately. I just love where his
head is at. I really do. I think he's one of the most cerebral coaches in college basketball, and he doesn't get enough credit for that. And I'm you know, you'd be hard pressed to find another leader of your program that does more with less than Tommy. You know, he doesn't have McDonald's all Americans on his roster, but hell if you would know after a year or two in their program. And that's the thing that tells me that he's he's a really, really, really good coach. He
knows how to develop these players. He gets them to the league, and even last night when he was talking about Vsar and Crevius and their flexibility on defense and what they have to work on and talking about, you know, just developing them to feel confident and comfortable in those moments, not only for you know, the tournament, but also for their own future careers. And Dad, I mean, you can't.
You can't if you're a if you're a parent and you have a player that's about and you have a kid that's about to go play for Tommy Lloyd, you got to feel a thousand percent confident in the development of their future, you know.
So it's pretty amazing too when you think about the roster, the makeup of it. You know, you've got transfers, you've got international players, you've got freshmen, you've got guys who've been around the program for now for you know, three or four years. Talk about just the challenges of being a head coach in this in this day and age where it's such a mixture of talent and you just try to put it together and and and make sure it's good.
By March, Well, you know.
What's so funny is I think about this a lot, because you know, when I first got to Tucson, I had I had applied to be the head coach over at Ironwood Ridge and and one of the reasons you know I was I was one of the last too, is the running and the coach that they chose, you know, had a lot of relationships with a lot of club programs, and at the time, I don't think I realized how deep that really runs. And to be a coach is
kind of similar. You have to have not only connections all over the place, but you also have to have such a good kind of focus on every little level, not only on the recruiting side for high school, but also the transfer portal nil in house. You got to keep your players happy. Like I used to think, man, that would be a dream job to be a college head coach and recruit around the country and then come back and you know, coach your program. I don't think.
I think being a college coach, granted it pays very well, is probably one of my like maybe my fiftieth choice of occupation, just because it just seems so daunted. This is so tireless, tiring, Like there's just so much work that you have to do to prepare yourself for success, man, And you've got to be you got you gotta be a special dude, and you've got to have a really good team around you to be able to pull that off as well.
Say, you have to have good coaches.
Jack Murphy has got, you know, great connections around the world, as does Tommy, so you know that's worked out for them.
Well, let me say this, if that's the fiftieth job, I think college football would be fifty first.
Yeah, it'd be one hundred and fifty first.
That's why you're Alma monitored with football.
You know, you have this guy who has this dream job, came into a good situation, and now you see this.
I don't wanna. I don't wanna. I don't want to disrespect Brett Brannan because I think his heart is in the right place. But the thing that I keep going back to right now is as you were taking over the program, you knew what the expectations are. And so when I hear you know things like you said in his press conference earlier today, I believe about you know, expectations and not really having the talent to meet up to those expectations because of injury and blah blah blah,
like kids don't want to hear that. Nobody wants to hear that. And a good coach, I'm sorry, a good coach will find a way to overcome most of those. I'm not saying that they should be undefeated. I'm not saying that they should be you know, heck, you know, a five hundred record right about now, I think I would live with because of all the injuries. But they've looked largely uncompetitive, they've looked disorganized, and the development has not been where it needs to be, even from you know,
just a schematic standpoint. And that's the thing that really gives me a lot of pause for concern, because you can't how do you develop anybody if they don't know what they're doing on a day to day basis, And that's problematic.
No, I think you pegged it on the head.
Early on, there were a lot of there were a lot of penalties, a lot of disciplinary things that you could think, you know, how does this happen? And it continued to happen, and then the injuries happen, and then it just kind of steamroll to the end.
What do you what do you make of it? What do you make of this? Is he going to survive the first year? We think that he's got to survive because there's no money.
Well, I mean, listen, I think that they could always find the money if they really really want to. But I don't think he's going anywhere. I think desiret read Francois has a huge decision to make, and I think the decision is kind of easy if you look at the financial aspect of this. Get rid of the entire
coaching staff outside of Brett Brennan. Maybe Dwayne A. Keena obviously want to keep him, but offensively, that whole staff has got to go, and you got you're going to hire somebody that you believe in for the future of this program if Brennan does stumble again next year, and I think that's going to be the route that they take.
Yeah, of course, no, I totally agree.
I think, you know, that seems to be kind of the way things are done in college sports these days, where they go after the assistance, which is a shame, but that's kind of how it's gone.
But I you know, Steve was saying how this has.
Kind of been an ongoing thing all you remember, like the first or second week, there was some comments I think got there was you know, some players were in the wrong position or they were in the wrong places on on on some of the pass plays, and the timing has been has been pretty bad really through most of the season, which you know, I doubt they'll fix that then in the last three weeks, but you know, I guess maybe changes are ahead.
Well not only that, but like you know, you just mentioned that the the receivers not knowing what routes to run. Uh, And then if you look at if you really look hard on tape and you you look as you know, sometimes it's kind of difficult to see the the the all twenty two angle unless you got you know, access, But if you ever get a chance, look at the
receivers and the way they run their routes. If if they're not the primary route runner, some of those receivers are taking plays off, which obviously, if you're a defense and you can key in on that, you're going to start to shift over to where that primary target is.
And again, I just I really feel like this is uh, this is just really disorganized on a lot of different levels, and it's going to be up to coach Brennan to fix it, and he better because the way this makes me feel right now is very sing esque.
It just be.
So if you didn't know Brett Brennan before and know how much he loves this program. How would you if you if I showed you both of those teams, right if I showed you a sumlling team in year two or three and Brent Brennan's team in year one or two, like, would you be able to identify which is which?
He's?
Right?
Well?
Yeah, but the good thing is that, like you said, Brent wants to be here, which is maybe what Kevin didn't really care too much about.
You want to be here, but you're still not doing anything that's problem.
Hopefully you know he's got he's got the motivation of warning to still be in Tucson and still be at the U of A.
And you know, hopefully he's open to the changes. It'll probably be asked.
If I think he'll do whatever it takes to try and write this ship. I do think that. But does he have does he have the ability? Does he have that the touch to be able to execute that at a high level.
That's the thing that I don't know about right Well, the good thing is you have plenty of content to talk about. I will too when you're doing for sure, Jump security, Buddy, Jump security.
Saul, thank you very much. I hope to get you back when you have a chance.
Anytime, fellas. I appreciate it. Thanks Dade.
Well wait wait, wait real quick? How can they find you? How can people find you?
You can follow me at saul Underscore Bookman, or you can follow the Azy Wildcats podcast through pH and X Sports on any YouTube. Uh well on YouTube?
Yeah, okay, great, thanks, so appreciate you.
Thanks guys.
Thanks.
I think what we're not going to do is we're not going to go to break because I think we use the brake our weight year to get back. I think I know what was going on. So we'll say we're gonna go all the way live here with you
and me, Dave. Great, listen to Saul. He he's on the money with a lot of things, at least, how I think, because if you did put these things together and says who's who and what's what, and and maybe you've got to give him a lot of leeway, and you probably do because of the first year stuff and YadA YadA, But but he's right I mean, you look at things and they just don't feel right right well, I mean, I hate.
To make it a big pictures situation, but there's it's kind of a you know, a lull around the u of A these years, the last year or so, and for this to happen and us now think you know, and now we're gonna have to try to pay off another coach again. They're already paying for two athletic directors. They're still paying for a president who's not here.
I didn't even think about the ad. Yeah, they're still paying these people, these guys off.
So I don't think that's going to be happening anytime soon, right, But but you know, it's the worst possible time to have a really bad football season. Sure is that people are going to be, you know, calling for this and just throwing out ideas that they're not they're not there.
Well, here's your issue too, because you're out there going or you were out there trying to get some money from people who love this program or love this school school pretty much rather than sports. But sports was the gateway to your conversations, right well, for me, yeah, for you and for people like you, because you know, you're trying to get money and what's the connection.
Well, I mean it's the the UFA is still raising three hundred million dollars a year. And it's not all for athletics, no, no, no, no, there's people giving.
But the conversations are, hey, how about that football team sometimes so so there's that and and like now they have a buy and they come back and they play Houston, give me a gift, no matter how many people are going to show up for that game.
Yeah, on a Friday night late late stars. Yeah, and where do you generate money? Yeah, so they'll be lucky to get you forty thousand because you're you're a nice guide day. I don't know, I'm thinking twenty five, maybe thirty if they're lucky.
Yeah.
And I hate to be poo pooing it, but it's just realistic. Friday night, you says, Friday night, eight o'clock e thirty whatever, it is, late game.
What are you for?
Both teams not very good? Right, Remember, Tucson on a good day is forty five forty. This is Tucson on a bad day. And here they are, you know, basically at the bottom of the the Big twelve. Oklahoma State's the only other team that doesn't have a win in the in the conference, So that's kind of sad.
So circumstances of events.
So, Youvey, I think many thought that there could be changes yesterday, that he would bring in some change from maybe at the assistant level or whatever. I'm not too sure about that because you know, you have three games left.
What's it? What's it mean now? No, I don't think it means much.
You know.
Plus, these guys have been out recruiting. I'm sure too. Yeah, and that's probably what this week is for with with with the buy. You know, I'm not sure you want to break up everybody.
Now.
Usually these coaching moves kind of happen as the season, you know, maybe in that December period with the season's over and you know, other teams are getting ready for bowl games and you know, shuffling coaches during the holidays for their family.
Mean, it's a tough business, it really is. You know, you move out a.
Couple of coaches here, You've got to take a couple of coaches from somewhere else.
It's hard.
There's a reason why they get paid a lot of money. Yeah, but that's also you know, it's also you know, party. You're right, it's part of that business. Part of the business, and at the end of the day, you rated on what success. Yeah, your wins and losses, and if those don't happen consistently, you're not the coaching anymore. Yeah, no matter how good of a guy you are.
Yeah.
One of the things I always was wondering about too, speaking of coaching changes, was moving Ricky Hunley and Chuck Cecil kind of off the staff. You know, maybe that was their decision, maybe it was Brent's decision, but that never has really been explained. And those are two iconic members of the U of a family. Maybe they didn't want to coach anymore.
I don't.
I'm not quite sure. No, that's a good question, Dave. It's probably something that power will be is assumed, or don't. They don't want to ask the question, you know, because you get an answer and then you know this is but don't say anything.
But people know, people know.
I mean, it was such a big deal to get them here to begin with a couple of years ago, and they were all out to the staff and Jed Fish is going to bring in, you know, these former wildcats, and then they're gone.
The first year, asked me about that supermodel. I'm David was their name again?
Yeah?
Just okay, whatever, just Steve, you were dating that super Go ahead and asked you were dating a supermodel? Oh yeah, yeah, Dave. I don't like talking about it now, you know. I'm just we're not together anymore. But I don't want to get into the details. You know what. You could talk about the engagement, but when it's over, you like, can
we not talk about that? And that's what the situation is with your two guys, right, Although they're they're very prominent because Cecil Chuck is still on the field every now and again, and Hunley's still doing his stuff recruiting or talking to the kids and stuff like that. So they're kind of involved but not involved.
Yeah.
Well, I mean, and you know, they're now over thirty years away from their playing careers here and a lot of the kids maybe don't know who Ricky Henley was or what he did and what Chuck did, how important they were. But I think a lot of the fans who've been around for a long time just kind of wonder why are they not there anymore?
Right?
Maybe they'll call in good.
I hope I can get him on because he saw me the first time with these phones. Oh no, it's like panic in the streets. Yeah, we can talk more about basketball. I think I think it was a star. They they they've already labeled these guys the Baltic What are they calling them? Yeah, there's the Baltic bigs, the two the two big guys.
Who said that? Who called them?
Since the headline? I haven't even read the story from last night. Yeah, oh that's that's that's cool. I just like Corey called him. I like to call them passport you you know, because there's so many people.
But it is what it is.
So we'll see how he does.
Uh. I agree with him with assault in terms of the development of the guys. They get better as they as they move along the system.
Some did not.
Boswell did not, but he had the kind of like fun and games issues. Yeah, wasn't taking things seriously. Bollo couldn't hit free throws, but he was pretty good. So it worked for some people some people, doesn't, you know.
I just wonder.
I mean, they've they've stuck around, they've got hurt. Both guys got injured in the last couple of years, and they've they're still here, so they must have they must have some good thoughts about Tommy and just the way the program could go. And sure, you know they're going to play professionally someplace, maybe not in the US, but they can go back to their countries and develop even more.
They might have to take a pay good.
Yeah, but though I'm still confused on the international payments because I don't think they can get paid upfront.
They have to wait for the nil situation.
And a lot I mean, I don't want to get too deep into it because I didn't really read the entire article, but a lot of it, a lot of today's election has some importance to college athletics. Well who there's Ross Ellinger wrote a big piece on Yahoo about that, and you know, I suggest people look at that and just sort of see kind of what, uh, what's out there and what some of the Congress people will be looking at in terms of N I L and Title nine and uh, you know other things in college athletics.
So there's.
Thing, but it's on Yahoo. You didn't read the.
Entire thing, No, it was just so that's me. You know, it's very long, very long. Yeah, and nobody reads that stuff. But no, I'll read it just for background because there's no question and it's funny because there was something thrown out there. I think it was Utah And it doesn't surprise me at all about nil where you know, Dave, Dave Silver's getting paid one point five million dollars. The rest of the group that he's that's protecting him makes
you know, fifty thousand dollars exactly. And there's a disconnect, there's a there's a jealousy or whatever word you want to use because you're making that and we're making you look good.
Well, they're paying all this money, you know, most of are paying for the quarterbacks put you know, let's be serious. You know, I'm sure Noah is making the most and they have an X amount of dollars they can spend and they're going to get this what twenty million dollar budgeted money here soon. So they're gonna that's what teams are doing. It's going to be like a professional franchise where you have to, you know, figure out what you need and how much these guys are going to want
and who's going to get the most. And it's gonna I'm sure there's going to be moments in locker rooms where you're looking around down the row and going, man, that guy's making like ten times more than I'm making.
Sure, why am I trying to protect him? Don't we see that in the workforce anyway?
Yeah?
And you know what, do you think the kids are oblivious to that or not oblivious but immune to that.
No, it's part of what we're witnessing.
I think.
Yeah, there's no question I felt that all along at the beginning. When when you know X is getting paid a ton, what what's the offensive lineman gonna say? I'm opening holes for the guy, look at me, at my chopliver. Yeah, and I'm sure that's happening in a lot of places. Look at Florida State their quarterback who transferred in and they're horrible. They're horrible, and and he's making tons of money, and you're thinking, this is what I paid for?
Well some of these you know, some of these kids, the who's the quarterback in Nebraska that he's an Arizona guy, right, was it Riola or something? And he's making it a fortune, you know, and the rest of his team is not making anything.
Yeah, and then how are they doing? Not very good?
Yeah?
Yeah, Yeah, it's it's tough. It's tough.
In fact, did you see the commercial on Doctor Pepper, those kind of clever commercials were the kid from Texas.
The yours is yours? I say his name?
Oh yeah, So he's the court you know, the main quarterback, and they call in and says, we need a backup, we need a backup.
Well I'm not a backup, you know.
And there about him back and I may not have the famous name and man, yeah, the good looks or whatever, but I'm no backup. And this guy's probably making a ton of money from that commercial. Yeah, and I'm thinking, here's here's an issue. These guys are making tons of money and what about this teammates? Yeah, well that's again. But the same can be said too in professional sports. I mean, Steph Curry's making you know, sixty million a year or whatever, and there's other guys that are probably
making a million. Sure, sure, sure, sure no, But guess what's on if you're if you're making a million and you're worried about that, there's always a chance of not making the million and being cut right. You know. See, there's a difference to me in terms of well, you know, you're here you're good enough to make that million.
But at this level, at this level, it's a different dynamic. Yeah, and I'm sure you had it yours your work.
Maybe you didn't where you know, TV personalities, you know making this or someone else is making this. We tried not to, you tried not to. No, nobody's that, but it it happens to you probably know that. Yeah, it happens in our pistol. Well, this guy's covering this, and this guy doing this, and this is what he makes. It's all everyone seems unfair, but it's not.
Yeah, it's not. One of the good things about doing sports was it was like, you know, we we would just do it. We did it.
It was ours to do. But there's certainly some competent. There used to be a pretty good competition in the newsroom. You know, in the morning they get together and they talk about what are we going to do today? Who's covering this? And you could just tell, you know, the top priority stories would go to certain reporters. So that was going on, but that was part of the business. And experiences is a factor there too, and.
In some cases right right, and if you're good, they're going to give them to you.
Right right.
If you're not good, they're going to say, Okay, here's the here's the dog catching the man, or the men catching the dog.
Now, I was thinking we were talking about the election and stuff, just just quoting some of the stuff here. They were talking about being college sports decision makers on at least three fronts. One of them is comprehensive congressional college sports legislation, the interpretation and enforcement of Title nine as it relates to athlete revenue sharing, and the debate
over college athletes as employees. So those are things that Congress can be deciding and these university are gonna have to play by those rules.
This is a dumb question because I know you you read it for a long time. Aren't you glad? Or are you glad that you're out of this business?
See?
Did you have any background in this?
It's hard knowing we're you know, we're doing basic nuts and bolts of teams and games, and all of a sudden this becomes such a big story.
No, not at all.
You really need to hire you know, a business sports business these days. Sure, that's why there's these types of websites. That's what that's all they do.
Let's cover this, you're you're right, You're right, you have to be specialized in what they're doing. But I'm talking more about the personalities because, uh, you know, there were a lot of we've covered cocky kids before. You know, guys who who who know their stuff that does the stink and blah blah blah, and you deal with that. But now it's but there's stuff doesn't stink and we got a lot of money.
Yeah, I don't know.
Then and then and then they're kind of hell with the kid gloves because I know, I know some of the callers don't feel this way, but uh, they're hell. They're treated with kid gloves and they're kind of fair game. Now I don't know if you would treat them as fair game, but they're they're making ten times what you and I make. Not that that's a jealousy, but they're professionals now.
Right, Well, they're bringing the money to the school. That's always been the argument, right, But like I said, there's things happening today maybe in politics that could even affect more of what's what we've seen in the last five years. So I'm sure universities have a close eye on on the election as well. Just for that, you know, among
other things. For that reason, athletic departments, you know, they're maybe not to go too far off subject, but I mean the u of A has a pretty strong presence, as do most universities in Washington, d C. So when things like this pop up, I was around meetings where Robert Robbins at the time was and he would be, you know, be right in the middle of Washington lobbying and talking to legislators and being involved in those kind of those kinds of stories. So yeah, kind of crosses over a little bit.
Yeah, Yeah, no question, it's a strange world we live in and it's not going to get any better anytime soon because no one really has the answer. Although those questions that was a deliger yeah brought brought up, I'm sure they're going to be pressing.
Yeah.
Plus, today we get the first college football football playoff poll comes out, So it's another big story that's going to be looming that we have not had a chance to cover in the last ever. So you know, have all these games coming up in December and January and twelve team playoffs, so that's all going to be unveiled later today too.
Yeah, we're going to take a break here in about a minute or so and then talk to Michael Ebb for seventeen I'm not too sure I'm gonna do breaking news. Maybe we'll just continue to talk. We'll talk maybe news of the day or up the sounds, gonna go through some stuff at the top of the hour. I'm not sure how I'm gonna make that segment my own when when we come back on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I missed those interns. I'll help you here, Okay, great, great? Do you have your your your mac book there?
Yeah?
Yeah, okay cool. I'll have money in here, okay, okay, let me see it. Let me let me text somebody here just to se Yeah, get out of here. We're pretty much done for this moment here in about a minute. Okay, Dave, thanks for for doing this, Thanks for hanging out with me. And you're here and probably not the rest of the week. Right, you're you're too busy. Whatever you want this week?
Next week? Can you get to back tomorrow?
May be back tomorrow, although we do have the interns back to take control of this show.
Let me take the break and come back. We'll see