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Thank you, Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to Eye on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rovera, you're Blake, Eager, you're one, and you're Ray. Got a packed house today, lots to talk about, some good guests.
We pulled off a miracle. I shouldn't say we, you did, Bob Hoffman. Yeah, I mean I exhausted my resources, so.
Yours, my rolodecks, we're running out of steam.
We got them. My big names are all in season right now. Yeah, yeah, right, right right.
I didn't think you'd be able to pull off the ones you did. But in George's like, you know, mccurracle, where do you find that.
That guy's on the golf course, That's where you find them. Are in Tokyo, one of the two.
Yeah, okay, So we'll get Bob Hoffman at three seventeen with the road Runners, so trying to get into the playoffs. I think they're good right now because water last night. Yeah, I was at the game last night.
Did you. Yeah, it was a great game. They played really well.
Okay, and then at four seventeen, we're gonna have Ken hockey from PA.
Yeah.
I know Kenny very well, younger older, I'm younger, okay, yeah, don't put me like.
Yeah, but I figured maybe you played against each other.
No, no, we didn't play against each other. So I was the years of like the same years as j J. Hardy and and Kensler and those guys. Oh okay, so really they're old that old now forty No, man, we've got our walkers time time try and time up our retirements, time flash replacements, shoulder replacements, time flash when you can't pull the ball. Hey man, I didn't ever want to
be in the batter's box in the first place. So because you knew you were a pitcher and you could hit these guys, Yeah, they could hit me if I was in there. I mean you remember JJ or JJ through like ninety two ninety four in high school too.
Okay, So we'll have those guys will take some calls. We have these guys with their insight. Uh still, so a lot of baseball, right, we'll talk about baseball some hockey. Yeah, And I was gonna try to get ed lolsperg girl shot to get him on too.
I haven't asked you about the bat. Have I asked you about the bats? The torpedo bats. No, but they've been around for It's not like the first time. People tell me. I think it really started last year and then so guys were trying to figure that out. It just became kind of frontline headlines because the Yankees.
Yeah, and they're doing stuff with it.
Whatever you want. I don't remember. I don't advantage what point did the coming last year. I'll start probably start have no really word about it. No, no, oh, So it's kind of like old news, new news, old news, new news. Yeah. I have to be careful because those words want to go exactly together. For me, it's hard to enunciate.
Yeah, well I didn't know that because you saw that. Obviously, the Yankees are doing really well with it. Some of the teams have picked it up. That's strange to be that that's old news and now new news because people are hitting home runs.
Yeah, I think. I mean, you get that, and you can get the spider tech back for the pitchers, and let's let's have a go legalized steroids. Let's see what happens. Let's throw it all in the mix.
Man. Oh, he's not the name for it. See that tells me how.
Spider tech is. The sticky stuff pictures we're using to make the ball spin faster. Okay, at a higher rate. You want to start getting into spin RATESA no, No, I just want to play ball, man, I just want to play ball.
That's why you did. What were your kids?
Yeah, you just grab a back, grab a ball, a needle in the butt, and let's go hit some home runs.
Were you an analytics guy?
I didn't become an analytics guy until pro ball, and then I started kind of delving a little bit deeper in that. But we didn't have that information while I was playing. Now they've got everything. I mean, you're setting up hitters. I saw. I heard it called scouting. Yeah, I mean high end scouting. Advance advanced metrics is what you're looking at. But I was. I was listening to podcasts the other day and one of the pictures on there.
I was talking about, over the course of his last like forty starts or something like that, the number of fastballs that he's thrown down the middle, right down the middle. He's only given up like six heads, so you know, guys are trying to paints. No, No, Greg maddox is a whole different beast. But it's just funny when you think about that, because we were taught, you know, growing up that you you don't want the big part of
the plate. Yeah, and now guys are so adjusted to their zones and so good at recognizing pitches out of the hand that they can make those adjustments pretty quick. Yeah. Yeah. Well, now it's just getting the ball quicker to the to the plate man, making it spin as fast as you possibly can.
Ye.
Wow, Well I've never I've never did you did you hit or do you didn't hit at all?
High school? Okay, so I wouldn't call it hitting. I was in the box, I hadn't bat in my hand.
That was my last hitting, and against good players obviously too, but nothing like the nineties mid nineties. To me, that would be just like holy craft, please don't hit me.
Yeah, I mean I've I've worn some pitches off the elbow at like ninety five. That's not that made me never want to be aheader ever again. Because we had to hit in double A for nationally. Sho get a hit too. You never got it. It was a good bunner though, It's all I was paid to do. Man, get in the box, put a bunt down. You don't want me to get it, you want me getting hurt. So you were no Valenzuela. No, I was not the Madison Bumgardner of my generation or Jake Carri Yet I should say.
You still you wouldn't be on the radio, would be still making money. I doubt that not with my age. Do you miss it? Do I miss playing? Yeah? Yeah,
I think at times I miss the competitive nature. I miss, like, you know, being in a clubhouse with guys that's playing cards after the game, getting that knowledge, getting and then being in a clubhouse with I mean the extensive different political ideologies and everybody at the table or just social ideologies, everybody at the table or talking about it openly, you know. I mean that's what I didn't say that we were ballplayers.
I mean there's not a lot of intelligent ball players out there are similar yea, And you had guys from different countries in that same conversation.
It's it's it was a cool thing, and that's you know, let me ask you.
I think maybe I have asked you this before because we're talking in baseball. Anybody wants to call divert us to a different subject. One hundred people in the in the bucket, what's the uh the ethnic backgrounds of the of the people.
Of Major League Baseball. I think it's like more than half or the Latino at this point. I believe more than And then now with you're going to have a huge Asian influx with the with what Japan's doing. So yeah, probably right now, but that's going to substantially grow in the next I would say three to five years with
advanced scouting. So that's that's kind of why I wanted George on today talk about that because he's in North American scout for the Tokyo Giants to give us some perspective what's happening with the Japanese players and the success that you're seeing, uh Latino Latino than African Americans. African Americans still very low. African Americans are still low. When that needs to be there needs to be a better reach out to them. They're doing that sort of through
RBI Baseball. But uh, you know, I mean the history of Major League Baseball and professional baseball is usually ingrained in the African American culture and we need to figure out a way to get that back. Yeah.
And then the rest, of course, the white Americans white, I just call him Americans American, yes, just Americans. Were most Americans? Yeah, white is Ben? Did you ever know that?
Well, the conversation we had yesterday about us having to speak Spanish, we both were like, nah, we're not very comfortable with it.
No, no, no for war Uh no good, but my boys, do do you speak Spanish?
Well? Yeah, pretty well is my first language?
Okay, No, you're like me, I'm a white skin.
Yeah, at least we know who we are. Yeah.
I don't hide it at all. Yeah, you know, I see relatives that I don't know that our relatives and they try to talk to me, and I'm like.
See yeah, see do they shun you for it? Because they should? They have to turn around and they do. The I listen. The ability to speak multiple languages, I mean, it's such a great you have such a great trait and yet to have like when I was living in Europe, I mean, most people speak at least three, right, if not someone sometimes upwards of five. And it's just reg and you're talking just from a pay standpoint and increases the ability to make a lot more money.
Sure, sure, no, No, Then figure that if you were covering baseball right, and you were in Mexico or you were able to go abroad, you were able to communicate with you. That's I think that Pedro Gomez was so good at it because I was able to speak a couple of languages.
Yeah.
Absolutely, Yeah, and me it was just a do you understand it all? But to ask the questions would be the difficult part of it.
Yeah, I ended up putting my foot in my mouth and then people start laughing, which.
I'm sure you picked it up because you were part of the.
I picked it up because I grew up on the West Side too, grew up here right, and it was something that I wanted to learn and wanted to be in a conversation. I wanted to have that knowledge. And then when I moved to Europe and tried to learn Swedish, I was like, Nah, that everybody speaks, so I'm.
Going off tangent, which of course is that's who I am. So in the world of the mix you gave me, I think the baseball itself has changed because you have the bravado of the of us, the latinos and the that flipping and all that.
It's clear.
Yeah, yeah, it's changed the game that way.
Yeah.
Yeah, are you asking if I like it? I was gonna cut it's gone that way, right, Am I not correct?
Yeah?
I think I think the personalities are becoming more apparent on the on the on the field, which I mean you date back to the seventies. It's similar to that. I think we've lost that. I mean, I think you look to sports like PGA, where you don't get to see their personalities anymore. It's just work, work, work, work, work. Yeah. I think there's a good mix of that, right, and the unspoken rules of baseball I think should be broken at some point and develop what it would be I
mean showmanship. Oh yeah, yeah yeah, showmanship like if I'm gonna attack you, you're gonna attack me like I was throwing the ball ninety eight miles an hour. Sports.
Yeah, sports, Yeah, that's what I think.
I think about the trash shocking in the eighties and nineties and basketball, ye, yeah, beat the crap out of each other. I mean Bird is famous for his trash shocking. Michael Jordan's famous for that, right.
No, it was like when Bobby Heardy talked about love or whomever talking crap. Well they're just talking crap. Well they win the game and they want to stalk crap. Yeah, there's I mean, you take care of your business. Yeah, right, Like Bill Belichick said, I mean, I just want you to do your job. If everybody does their job, we've got a good chance of winning. Don't let things happen,
don't let other people's voices tune what you're out. If you don't want courch storming on your court, guess what you do.
You win? You win the damn game. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
We were in the same philosophy, which is kind of boring.
Yeah, you want to mix it up a little bit. You're bigger than me. I don't want to give you a bat. Did anybody have a baseball bat? I got one in my car. Yeah, Well give me your keys be read back?
Okay again today about Bob Hoffman, we haven't spoken to him. I haven't in a while. Good job with the Roadrunners. Uh, still connected to the pros. You know that that marriage that was there?
Yeah with Utah. Yeah, they're they're triple. I mean, it's great. We've got a Triple Like we talked about all the time. You've got a Triple A team in your backyard, we need to support them. And I was having this conversation on a different show the other day and I want your guy. I know I did. I'm not going to name names. Listen to it's a good time show, but I'm not gonna you guys don't know what I'm talking about,
but you do, Yeah, I want to. I want to ask you guys this question because the conversation we've had this before, and the debate is is Tucson a sports town?
Right?
And I want to believe that that's the kids, And that's why I'm asking both of you guys, But I want your opinion. First. Do you think Tucson is a sports down because we're p mc County is a million and a half people, right, we should be able to sustain those.
The good thing is we have a choice of a guy who didn't grow up here and a guy who did grow up So.
Tucson is a sports town. Are we support sports town? I don't think so.
Yeah, that's but we talked about this, talked about why I've.
Actually had this conversation recently in the class where you have these kids where some of the only options are to become a successful athlete to get your your your living situation into a better place.
Yes, so I have to be a.
Sports person and this has to be a sports town for people to have success.
You ask him the question that we were talking about yesterday at lunch. What makes it not that sports town?
Though? Yeah, So that's what I was getting to because we were having this debate last night because the road Runner playing Calgary. Calgary's got a Triple A hockey team and an NHL team in the same city and they're a smaller city than we are, right, But the conversation we were having is that has anybody every fully like have we sent out a survey? Have we asked fans why they aren't attending games? Like what what's the difference between our city versus l Passo? Like why are they
able to draw the fans that they do? And we're not right, Uh, And that's a question for you guys, because you're the youth movement and you can change you can change the course of where Tucson s had not but everything everything you.
Know, certain sports, even I don't know what the attendance is that sugar schools sugar schools. So do you have that answer a little bit?
A little bit.
I think the city is a little bit spoiled when it comes to Arizona basketball. There's a lot of success. So that one bar that raised the bar raises the bar. It sets the bar for expectations, for expectation. Okay, so when you have a program like Arizona football who goes four and eight, you're not to get many fans. That's because everyone's waiting for Arizona basketball.
Almost every year.
You can guarantee Arizona basketball is gonna be good in some way, shape or form.
Does money play a part well finances to in Tucson, Because if you have a certain bucket of money and you want to kind of go do this or do that, and you can't go to football because you're saving it for basketball, you don't want to your budget.
Yeah, I think that that's that does come into play. Where would I rather spend a little bit here with the road Runners and then maybe a little bit with Arizona football or do I play all for Arizona basketball. I think most people in Tuscon are gonna say I'm gonna put it for Arizona basketball because there's a better chance I go see a win or even a decent game.
Okay, No, so Ray, you're not from here. You've been here a few months now, right, a few months or a few years, a few years, okay, So it is to put your question, is it a sports town?
I think it's a sports sound, but only for the darlings of Tucson, if that makes sense. So kind of like wa Juana's saying, it not too much because like not how many people are, well, they're fans, but I will say they won't spend money. So I go to the games and like you know, show out for for Arizona football and stuff, but they will for Arizona basketball. Also kind of what I've noticed, it feels a lot
more like a basketball town than anything else. So I think, like you know, if the Suns had their G League team here, I think I don't people would probably show up.
For So I don't think they would.
Yeah, And that's the debate because we're going to we're going through this with one of our teams that we're talking about right now with on Ocera Group Cut could potentially bring a basketball team here, professional basketball team as well. Stuff you can say, yeah, I'm not going into it. I'm not naming names. It's just a concept that we're discusting, discusting, and the debate is could we sustain two teams? And
that's a ray. You're absolutely right. I mean we don't know, right, I mean, and you view it as a basketball town. I'm always going to view as a baseball town. You have a basketball obviously is the Mountain Rushmore. But because we were we were raised on Major League Baseball, and most two Zonins that are in the you know, professional sports are big League baseball players. I mean you can
name maybe and full of basketball players. A couple handfuls of football players, mostly big leaguers are are are baseball players here. So you're right. The cross contamination between the sports here is always short, right, There's not a lot of mixture, and I think that's where we need to blur the lines as a community. And this isn't my own thought process. I could be completely wrong that we
look at sports as a whole and not individualistically. Sure, so it's not just you a basketball or you a football or two some road Runners or the Sugar Skulls. It's sports, Like we're going to go out to this event because it's an event that's going to support the community. It's at a cheaper costant almost any other city you can go to and you're gonna have a good time. Like if I'm not a hockey guy, but going to
a hockey game is it's exciting. I'm not a bull riding guy, but when I went to I told you this, when I went to BBR, like unbelievable, Like I was out of my seat by the end of it. And it was the first time I went to one. I was like, every year I'm going to this. This is incredible, right, I Mean, you get that same feeling in different sports, but you just have to experience. Do people Do people know? See, that's the question I think that. Yeah, when we were
having like where is that? You know, the antiquated version of getting the message out is potentially changing, right, so how do we all how do we merge that and make it a simpler marketplace to find information.
This discussion gots so good. We got to get out of here because we've got to get a hoppin. We'll take some calls. I already got a text about what we're talking about, soul. We'll talk about this now and then later.
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Steve Rivera he's got his eye on the ball on Tucson Sports station, Fox Sports fourteen fifty eight.
Hey, welcome back to Wy on the Ball.
Here on Fox Sports sporteen fifty I'm Steve Rivera and today with needs break eager.
From Southern Airs on a sports tourism and film authority.
Okay, cool, And now on the phone we have mister Bob Hoffin from the Two road Runners, mister president of the Whole Road How are you, Bob?
I'm doing good, Steven. Hello, Blake, and that's that you're smart, Steve. Let Blake tell you that. That's a mouthful, huh to let him. Let him tell you where he works. Bobs it every time. It's unbelievable. He's he's such a pro, he's a pro. Don't expect me to do that. Don't ever get high with me on that, because I'm not gonna do that.
Bob. How are you? How are things? I am doing great? Thank you?
And things things are going well. I always tell people if if you don't love April, you're not a sports fan, right. I mean, when you've got you know, hockey and basketball, hitting the playoffs, stretch drive, baseball, starting up the masters.
Is right here.
Uh, I love April. And if you can't be excited here, you don't have a pulse.
I don't know if you were listening into our conversation, and we'll get to that later. Let's talk about the road runners specifically now for the Christiano five minutes or whatever. Uh, you guys congrats right now, right you guys are in the playoffs. But everything's tenuous.
Yeah, it's crazy.
Our division is always super competitive and every year we look at it and think, you can't get any tighter.
And this year it's really kind of been.
Most of the season's been kind of a tale of kind of two levels, with you know, three or four teams really clinging to the top of the division and kind of out you know, ten fourteen points ahead of the next tier, which is another group of four or five teams that have been right around that five hundred mark or just above five hundred, and it's seemingly tightened up. The teams at the bottom are going on some win streaks and catching up, and the teams at the top,
you know, have slid a little bit. So you've seen teams like Abbotsford and Ontario jump up into that top tier and then you've seen some teams up at the top, like Calgary, who had a ten point lead in the division at Christmas. They are now all the way down to six and only a few games above five hundred. So it's been an absolute interesting season. And for the Roadrunners, we've had our ups and downs as well, sitting a couple of games above five hundred.
But you're right at the moment we're in.
That last playoff spot, you know, winding down with only seven games remaining, so every win is a big one. Last night came out with a big one goal victory, which are key this time of year, and we're going to go at it again to night against Calgary, that struggling team, and with any luck, we can get two points tonight on them with another win, and then all of a sudden, we're one win away from overtaking Calgary up into the sixth spot. So it's really close and tight.
Blait to go watch, Yeah, I go, I mean, I go quite a bit. So yeah, Bob, Bobs been great to the organization of the community. And it's just I mean, Bob, we were talking about it earlier. You don't get that chance to see hockey at this level and Tucson. It's incredible. So we were there last night. I've got to ask you about this play because I'm obviously not an avid hockey fan, but there was I think it was in
the second period they did a rotation. Calgary did a rotation where they went a six man rotation with no goalie. What was it. I've never seen that before that early in the game. Was there a reason for that because you guys were up to one I think at that point.
Yeah, more than likely. What happened was sometimes they'll have a delayed penalty out there, and it's a penalty on the road runners, so they don't want to impede any momentum on the opposing team. So they put this rule in a place a while back to allow the offensive team who was penalized against to allow that team to
kind of complete their chance. So they won't blow the whistle until there is an actual change of possession, and in doing that, the offensive team has no disadvantage whatsoever unless they put the puck in their own net to pulling the goalie and putting an extra skater out there. So sometimes it happens to where pretty much the defensive team will touch the puck within a second or two
and you never really see it materialize. But I know last night that was one situation where it lingered for a little bit, and that can be a little confusing because you're like, why does this team have that extra guy out.
There and no goalie?
But as soon as the Roadrunners touched the puck, they blew it dead and then the penalty was called.
Oh got it Because in the third period they did it. I thought it was from an advanced standpoint trying to get a goal back, and that's when the Roadrunner scored that third goal. So that was pretty interesting too.
Exactly. That's when you do it late in the game. Typically, you know, there's some rules as to how coaches look at it, but there are least some guidelines, and usually if your two goals down, like Calgary was last night, they're going to, you know, pull the goalie a little bit sooner it's the last two minutes if you're only
one goal. But sometimes I've seen coaches pull them as much as four or five minutes remaining in a third period of your multiple goals down, because they look at it as we've got nothing to lose and let's take
a shot. At trying to get this, and especially with so I mentioned earlier, with the points so valuable, right now, teams are going to scratch and claw until the very end, just like Calgary did because even then, scoring late, you know, give us a moment a pause, right, I mean, I thought we were comfortable at at a two goal lead, but all of a sudden Calgary bumps went in. You're like, oh, geez, let's not have to hold our breath here at the end. But came away with a big win.
Yeah, no, no, no, you get the guys on the edge of their seats. But it's good too. It's good hockey because people come back for that type of hockey. Let me ask you, Bob, I can't recall how long you've been here, and I asked for a reason, more than ten years.
Right at it.
This is our ninth season, so we're going into our tenth year next year. And I came and joined the team when they started in twenty sixteen.
Okay, so perfect. I've said this a few times. I think maybe Blake's been with me, but he's he did something last night that I think that's starting to happen locally with organizations like you guys we had is WBC. You have the Roadrunners where we're brothers are helping brothers attend events, like minds are helping each other. Make Tucson a sports town.
Yes, yeah, yeah, one hundred percent.
I mean.
Tucson is fantastic, all of Southern Arizona's and I think supporting each other because I mean, we're really only as strong as we can all be to pull the sport together and to make sure that everyone sees that value. I mean, anybody failing in this space is not good for anybody. Unfortunately, when I came to town in twenty sixteen, you know, I didn't know much about Tucson and super excited about the opportunity and the potential that the Roadrunners had.
But I heard so many stories and so many people had so many negative just perceptions in my mind of what the past was and some of the sports to earth and some of those things that happened here in Tucson with minor league sports or with other hockey teams that had played here, other baseball teams, and I think sometimes people can kind of fall back on that and
rely on that and make it an excuse. And you know, I didn't understand that into me When people would tell me that, I was like, no, no, no, no, you're you're You're off. We're going to be here a while. We've got the support at the backing, and we've got a plan and we're gonna We're going to show people what great entertainment is and what value is and they're going to become hockey fans that they're not. And there's
a ton of hockey fans here already. And I think when you look at the Arena Football League and you look at you know, if L with the service goals, and you look at how how successful the World Baseball Classic was, and even the mark that SC two son has made in growing the sport of soccer and giving really I think so many people miss the boat that there's so many youthful opportunities there with FC two soon and growing some young people into you know, who knows
what they would be if they weren't kicking the soccer ball around, or if they weren't involved in sports, or
you always look at that. I know, Blake and I've had this conversation before too, how kids don't play baseball as much anymore like when I was growing up and I know Blake played and you know you look at you like, get these kids in organized sports, get them to rely and love something out there that can be something of a passion for him, a role model if you so, to speak with your with your player, with the sport itself. And I think that's just great for
the community in general. So yeah, we you know, Blake and I are aligned, and I think all teams here in Tucson.
Are aligned that way that the greater that the.
Town becomes a sports toown, the better it is for all teams. There's a million plus people here right, There's enough for everybody. So I think it's a great sign at this town and the people that are running the teams in this town aren't petty and aren't looking to see each other fail.
Yeah. I mean, we were talking about Bob and just to key you in a little bit too on the crossover and how great Bob is. We ad our WBC kickoff event, and afterwards we took a group over to the road Runners with Bob and Jim Small, the president of World Baseball Classic, actually dropped the puck and then during the World Baseball Classic we had the road Runners out and Bob out so I mean there's a lot of crossover. Same thing with the Sugar Skulls, same thing
with FC Tucson. I think we all we and Bob understands this more than anybody. We need to work together to promote the city as a whole from a sports town standpoint. And then you know, I mean, you know, the rising Tide lifts all ships motto and take that same and everything we're doing here, Bob, I have a question. Believe agree. Bob's a Guardians fan, right, so how excited are you about the Guardians this season? Oh?
Boy? It told me on the spot with that, because you're catching me at a bad moment, because I'm thoroughly disappointed at the moment. But I guess maybe San Diego is really good? Should should we think that the Padres aer just pounding the poor Guardians here at the thirdly part of the year, But you know what, it's another year. I love the young players and it's always fun with that organization. You know, I saw a poll recently, Blake.
It was really interesting. They talked about you know, kind of the most you know, I forget the word they use, but the fan basic gets disappointed a lot or that is the most apprehensive, and the Guardians were on there because they always get players like to lose any organization that would lose their you know, two of their top four bats that trade away with Nailor and with MNS the Toronto Yeah, you look at that and you're like,
how do you replace that? And when they replace them with the young kids, because they're so great at developing young players, sometimes when those young kids pop all of a sudden right back there at the top of the division in the playoffs. And then some years you saw like two years ago and when the first year are Tito's last year, you know, I mean that the young kids didn't and they struggled and missed and missed the postseason. So that's the one thing with the Guardians is you
never know what you're going to get. You know, ask me that question again, maybe August first and I'll tell you where they're at a right now. I'm a little worried.
Yeah, Unfortunately we're cursed by being to the fan bases that are probably disappointing the most.
Absolutely, you guys look good too, though the Cubs are. They look like they can hit the ball.
They can hit. I don't know about our bullpen.
But anyway, social Bomb, you brought something up that's interesting. It's kind of going on now with you a basketball if I can put the correlation and you send your break chime in. So Tommy has these guys right, are used. Henry as an example, comes in a prospect of the project kind of finish. Blah blah blah has a breakout year and I think he's fantastic. Well, now guess what he's going to be using that talent that he developed
here somewhere else. Baseball happens all time, right, you're here for a while, you get better, and then someone pays you a million dollars or a thousand, you know whatever, millions to go somewhere else and you don't get to see it hockey. And I'm sure it happens in hockey all the time. How painful is that?
Well, I mean, as an Indian's and Guardians fan from the you know, the past of the Indians and now Guardians, I mean, we see it all the time and there and it's challenging adding for any fan base. And you know, I see it in hockey certainly at this level. It's one of those things when we came to town we wanted to make sure that we educated our fan base that we are the development ground to get players into the NHL, and that may not always be within your organization.
And you know, honestly, some of the people that have had the most success that have played in Tucson and went up to the National Hockey League, you know, when the Coyotes were still in operation and that was our affiliate.
And taking them up to Phoenix.
They did it away from Phoenix though, right Dylan Strom became a twenty goal scorer in Chicago and then with the now with the Washington Capitals, and I mean the Capitals are on their way to contending for potentially the regular season championship in the President's Cup, the President's Trophy with Dylan Strum scoring another twenty five twenty six goals. So those are players that have done a great job
of developing in Tucson. But our fan base have to kind of twist that loyalty because they're going to root for them and support them when they're playing in Nashville, or in pittsburghor in Washington or Connor Garland's case up in Vancouver. So it's interesting to see how that twists and turns. But I mean with the Guardians and the Indians, at least you get used to it. I mean you saw the pictures they win Cy Young's and then get traded for three or four prospects.
I'm sorry, no, go ahead.
Keyword loyalty. I mean that's the how do you hang on to the loyalty when they're crushing you emotionally?
Well, at least I think, you know, as long as I think that you see that there's effort and that a team's not you know, mailing it in, and that you see that there's you know, whether it's nine guys in baseball or six guys on the ice and hockey, you see that commitment, that dedication, I think you can really get, you know, behind the mark and the brand,
and that's where that loyalty comes into it. And we always made an effort here in Tucson that you know, players were going to come and go, and we weren't going to have people very long because the harsh reality is a player doesn't want to be in Tucson very long because if they are, that means they're not really achieving their goals. They're not growing, they're not striving upward. So we wanted to make sure that you know, it wasn't about the face, it wasn't about that player.
It was about the brand the road Runners.
What we could do in the community to make a difference and have an impact.
And then you know, Dusty's are MVP.
So I mean, we want people to know our mascot, to know Dusty and wherever we can get Dusty out and about in the community and where Dusty is always a part of the things that are going on in Tucson. If something's happening in this town, we want to make sure people see us. And that's what we're going to make our mark, more so probably than trying to over hype or publicize a first round defenseman that may be gone in twenty games.
I'll let you ask the question that we started this conversation with in terms of sports sound, I'll be given that he's been here ten years, has he sent the progress? Yeah, and then I want to get back to kind of the model of players going up and players coming down. But Bob, we've been talking about this and then we've
been dating it. We've been debating it for couple of months now, you know, Tucson, we want to believe is and I do believe, and I think we do as a collective as a sports town, but it's kind of pick and choose your sports here. Do you feel that as a president of the road Runners and do you know from your experience in different markets what the change is that needs to be made.
If that is the case, it's a great question.
I mean, I think you'd have to do a lot of like you said, you've been talking about a couple months. I mean, I think a lot of in depth thought to it. I mean, I think you know, when you see you of a basketball when they're doing well, and you know when they've got some star players and that success,
I think it's really great. And I think that the town rallies around and it's no different I don't think than a lot of towns that I've been in and I've had the you know, the fortune to be in a lot of different a lot of different markets, a lot of different views and places, and you know, I think, you know, two of the towns that I was in with San Antonio and Utah and both of the Salt Lake City, and in both of those cases, really one team ran the market with the Spurs and with the Jazz,
and I found it so interesting that when you talk about little town.
Like that don't have a whole lot going on.
With it, as far as little town being not a lot of sports teams, how they resonated to those top brands, and how they it didn't matter whether the Spurs were winning or losing, and it didn't matter that Karl Malone moved on to John Stockton retired, and even to this day, the Jazz are bottom two in the NBA and still have a die hard loyal following. And it really feels to me that in Tucson, again not different than any other town, a lot really stems on the wins and
the losses. I can think back with this U of A team this year. You know, I have friends that are die hard U of A fans, and my daughter goes there now, so I've become one and obviously inheriting them from being in Tucson now for nine years.
But everyone had given up.
In December, and I couldn't hear a good thing about this team, or even I heard people talking about Tommy Luyden replaced, and you just kind of shake your head and you're like, wait, what what are we talking about?
Here they're having.
A tough go of it, and then two months later, you know, at the top of the of the Big twelve and the standings, and everyone's changed their tune. And this is our team. So it is a little you know, you know, fair weathered.
In some way.
It feels like Blake and Steve. It's just you know, with us here, we see a lot of momentum when we're at the top of the standings, and this year, when we're battling for this playoff spot, you know that buzz may not be as prevalent as it was like last year when we were in second place in just a few games out of the top spot. So I do think wins and losses matter. But on the other hand,
that's what this is. It's competition. It's sports that should matter, and you know, the team should be trying to put a product out there that's trying to go and win a championship. And my intent always here in Tucson is that one day we can have a parade and poist the Calder truck the Calder Cup, which is our Stanley Cup,
around the city of Tucson. So I mean, we're fighting for that and doing that, but the one thing that you just hope that you know, the business community fans out there that are sports fans, you know, don't lose track of that other support that you need to have there to support the team, because you know, when I talked about what happened when I came to town and nine years ago, and all the stories I heard, you know, those teams all left for a reason, you know, and
in most cases, not all, but in most cases it was that lack of support. So, I mean, you really enjoy your sports team, You enjoy having the competitiveness and opportunities, even if it's just entertainment for you and your family. If you really enjoy that, you know, come on out and support it and watch it. And I think in Tucson we really run into a problem, at least in the hockey world, when the weather starts getting great out like now and in March and April. I think there's
so many things to do. People love getting outdoors and hiking and all the different festivals and things that are happening in Tucson, and I think sometimes you can lose track of some of the great indoor events that may be happening here in town. Two, So you know, don't lose track. Just keep supporting your teams and that way you'll have that stability and the team will always be here for you.
Yeah, it's a great way of putting it. So I know, we've got a little bit time left in about a minute. Okay, real quick question, just to educate fans and myself. So your parent club is Utah, that's your NHL club. Who's your feeder club that comes to Tucson.
Are essentially if you go to the Baseball World and the Double A level from work Triple A and the Double A level, it's Allen Texas. So they're the Allen Americans, which is just a town a little bit north of Dallas in the Frisco, Texas kind of area. They play in a nice little event center there. And right now we've got about six or seven guys that are assigned and playing an hour, oh perfect.
And then from the team last year to this year, how many of those guys that were in Tucson last year there now are now with Utah and the NHL.
Oh boy, I mean it was too many to even name. We've got at least three or four that I can think of off the top of my head. That are up there right now. Our top score this season was called up two weeks ago and has already scored an NHL goal. An NHL goal up there with Utah and Kyler Yamamoto, so there's already been so much movement. Our goaltender four shutouts on the season, Matthew Valta and All
Star last season. He's up with Utah right now. Josh Don Shane Sun, who's been an All Star for US each of the last two years, is up with UTAH. So it's challenging. That's one of the things you kind of have to deal with at this level is making sure you have great depth to plug the holes that appear when your parent club takes your players up.
So this is a freebe. Here's your marketing for next year. See the future.
Now, that's exactly right. That's exactly right, because the future is here right now in Tucson, and.
Steve's gonna invoice you for that. Though it's not a freebee. I'll make sure to lose it in the mail.
I have to take it by your hand to the office. Bob, Thank you as always, thanks for coming on.
Thanks guys, Thanks bye.
We got to go.
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This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty eight.
Hey, welcome back to One in the Ball hero Fox Sports fourteen fifty I'm Steve Rivera, You're Blake, year Kwan and Ray with us talking sports locally. What would bring you to a game? Or take you to a game if money's an issue or not an issue or sports an issue? So I got a couple of texts here. Tucson is a town made up of transplants who'd loyalties reside with their former home teams. Pass is made up of locals who are more tied into their home teams.
I mean, I feel like we have a big homegrown population that I'm not discounting that, especially our winter population. We were talking one You and I were talking about it. Ray, you and I were talking about completely. I get it. I lived in South Florida. I understand the transplant population. But we do have a lot of homegrown people here. It's not like we have fifty thousand homegrown and the other million and a half are are transplants. So where are we missing that connective?
Well, it's funny because you and I have discussions outside of this place, right and you talk about how Tucson needs to be or should be a place to attract the Juans and the Rays do not go somewhere else for a job.
Yeah, to stay here. You're talking about the retention talent, right, Yeah. And I think professional sports plays a big piece in that too. It because when you're looking at companies to try to come into a new community, they are looking at things for their employees to do. If we had an added bonus there. It's also creating workforce, right you. I mean we think about pro sports because of the athletes on the court or the floor or the field or whatever it is, but that's a very small piece
of what actually has to happen. Yeah, More professional teams create more jobs, creates more opportunities. It allows us to retain the talent instead of being an exporter of talent, right right, It's Likeiclon.
I mean he's and I've got on him a lot the last few months to get out his resumes and stuff. And he may not have to stay here, and you want to stay here, but you might have to good lead because that's where the jobs are. Yeah, we got a call. Hello, you on the AAR and I on the ball.
Who's this?
Hey, what's going?
What's worth Well?
I just want to kind of chime in on what you're saying right now. And as far as the sports town that first and foremost what you're saying is the transplants are a big part of it. They they're not gonna support you of A or or the World Baseball Classic or and there's very few dummies. I I wanted to ask you, guys, Steve, both of your kids played travel soccer, right, yes, did you support go and support their team after they quit or not quit, but after they left the team?
Good? Good, good point.
But no see and and and me and Javier we're at the hot Sunnyside toos on high game and I was gonna actually ask him how many of these people are going to stay around after their kids graduate?
None of them.
But it's a recycled what's your point.
Is that that's why, that's why in a sports town you have to have that acquired tape. Like I like women's basketball. I started back in the nineties when Brenda faz I laid here and you were the high school kid, and I've never left.
And same with y.
You know softball, I love going to watch. I'm going tonight to tot Point Ironwood Ridge. I know maybe a couple people on the team, but I like to go and watch and then go see them when they go to college or follow them so when they get to college.
So your point is you sustain that love for the for that sport, right. Uh, let me ask you, Jack, let me else will ask you. Because you were You're from here, right if I'm correct.
Correct?
But then you moved away to LA to the big market, right, and then you came back. Did you report not that you regretted, but did you say, oh God, I gotta go back home and I'm not going to get the quality of sports that you used to see.
No, And and for me, you know, high school baseball and foftball here in the tooth On are pretty high quality. So and everybody laughed because I'm faithbook in La oh, you never stay home whatever. But I did the same thing in la I was at my kids games and when they left, I followed their travel ball team games and high school game. I just don't like to stay home, if that's one of the things reasons. But you know, like going to the CSA thing and and all that stuff.
I mean, it's kind of an experience for me. And I pick up the little squingy balls at the at the vendor things and the pens and stuff, and and I just like to be out and see people and meet people and all that stuff. And I follow too.
Soon high softball.
And there's a whole bunch of great people that go and made lifelong friends since I've been here.
And okay, so.
That that's that's a And even at the women's basketball game, you meet these I mean, I'm an ogizer now too, but you meet these people you see every week and and it's cool.
So let me ask you one quick question. Are you okay? Are you it's been it's been almost a week. Are you overcome with the are you done with the basketball team.
Are you okay? Now you're you're down.
I was talking with Javier about it last. We're quick, Steve, I'll make a quick I'm an old geezer and and my sister would send me your guy's papers to LA all the time. And it was cool to to get to know Sean Elliott, to know his mom and that you know, he did the transplant for his brother. Little personal things like that that you don't find out anymore. I don't know Caleb Love's mom to names like we
did Sean and Steve and all those guys. Right, Steve Kurk's dad was a professor, and obviously we know about the assassination. We don't find those things out anymore. So it does hurt when a guy like Henry leads because you're you know, you're excited and looking forward to next year, and obviously now you know who can deny him the
money grab. But it was cool in the old days to get to know the players and have him stay at least two, three, four years and get to know them and and be able to root for them on a personal level. It was that was awesome And it's just man, just a different, different time now. And I doubt if it'll come back.
Yeah, big, thanks for the call, appreciate it.
Okay, you got to take care.
Thanks Vic, I got another text. You gotta text you. I've got text but I'm not gonna read them. A uh no, but I mean just to get to fixed point. Vixen vix a perfect example of a Tucson fan like that. He's a fan like he's he's a supporting local community efforts and a higher levels. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean to a degree, I would say, but I do. I just I discount the transplant piece a little bit because if you and I know this, and you know this much better than I do, and so does one.
But I mean, you have a basketball is I would argue a high percentage of transplant fans.
Probably long term for for.
Yeah, the season ticket holders are usually not two Son ins.
Ye you've been another We've got about two minutes, two minutes another text. Tucson is not a sports town. It's an event in town. It will support a once a year event that won't deport the time to something that requires continuous support throughout the year, Classic, the World Baseball Classic, things like that, the Rodeo. It's they're not here all the time. I mean I think, I think, I think Bob. Bob draws a pretty good crowd for the road run. I mean, it could get better. It could be better.
I don't disregard that. But why is that, I don't know. He's also had included the relieval racetrack, golf tournament's a spoon, spring training game, one boxing match, you know, stuff like that.
Yeah, I mean, I know Reto's seasonal, but I would still consider it a season I wouldn't consider an event if I mean, they have what twenty races when it's here about yeah, sixteen race days? Yeah? Yeah, I was close. Okay, I just walked the property. Oh, I haven't been there in a long time. They haven't been there. I don't ride horses. We have an agreement. They don't kick me. I don't write them. We're in good shape. Okay, can we go now, Yeah, we can go. I was that bad.
We'll talk more about this on the other side. We got breaking news. Yeah, okay, maybe one can help you or maybe not. Okay, we'll come back