Wednesday, February 12, Hour 2

Breaking down all the xes and oh's. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty eight.

Okay, welcome back to Wind the Ball. You're on Fox Sports fourteen fifty I'm Steve Rivera. You're a Blake Eager.

From Southern Arizona sports tourism and film authority. I should just say World Baseball Classic at this point. It's coming up.

Yeah, that's and we'll talk a little about that. We have time on this side. We always get messed up with your well go over with your time with breaking news. Yeah recently.

Yeah, this one's a wild one, right, you're gonna should we tell people to pull over. It's really exciting breaking news today. Let's get to it.

Then.

This is I on the Ball, Breaking News on Fox Sports fourteen.

Fifty Happy Wednesday to everyone out there.

You're truly let me hit the Lindo Goody two shoes whatever you want to call me, Blake, you want to come up with one for me?

I think you have one for me, don't you.

Ja Dog Jay Dog that's kind of weak though, No it's not, mister g two shoes.

Yeah, that game, that one, that's a good one.

Mister local, mister local, starting off breaking news with some Arizon athletics. I don't know if you guys talked about this yesterday, but Jay Friend was named the Big twelve men's tennis Player of the week.

No, I think we did. I think is he the pro guy?

Uh?

No, this is kind of the you would I guess you would call him second string. Uh, Polton Smith is the Okay, so you must be the number two player. This guy, this guy, yeah, he's he's uh, he's like the co captain.

Yeah.

But if you had to place numbers on it, he'd be the second second A B A one two one A one B he's one B.

Were you the who you either started? You the first guy? Guy? What point in my life the Pro Bowl?

I was mostly always in the number two or number three, and then as I started moving up and guys anyway, who cares?

I was there at a jersey and then uh.

Kyle Altmeyer was named the Big twelve Player of the Week for softball. They have their bare down fields to starting tomorrow, Thursday, February thirteenth, at five o'clock against South Alabama. Okay two women's basketball, they played a night at Oklahoma State five thirty. I believe it's the first time they've met in twenty one years.

Wow, Okay, this is one of those up games. They just came out the issue win, right, Yep, they need to have have they had a few consecutive wins.

They had lost two straight, so they went three straight losses to three straight wins, two losses and a win, so maybe they'll get to two wins.

Where are they sitting in conference right now? They are five hundred in conference six and six. I'm not sure where they're probably ten, yeah, yeah, eight to twelve? Ye has this been a real stranger? Another stranger? I mean, I hope to have her on the show sometimes hopefully.

And then of course, the men's team lost at Kansas State last night seventy to seventy three. They host number six Houston Saturday, big time matchup. And the year gave me the year. We were looking at this the other day day, won't you uh? Price ticket prices?

I haven't, I haven't seen well because maybe it was yesterday it was two thousand dollars in the lower bowl lower lower lower balls right now, I mean a couple of days a thousand, two thousand, and I'm sure upper. Yeah, it was yesterday with with our mother intern. He wants to go. It is like nutty Bucks for those bleed stuff. It's gonna get worse even after yesterday. It's gonna be a big game. It's just not a huge game. I just can't wrap my head around them. Yeah you have tickets.

Yeah yeah, go to a Yeah, yeah you should sing my bathing suit for that. I'll bring it, you know what, I'll wear it next.

Love it. This will be the last few. If I'm going out, I'm going out with a bang. Sorry one. I'm was trying to look for tickets. Uh sold out? Yeah, it sold out, but I haven't found anything the black market. You're like it on the secondary markets. Pretty good. Take it to the game and Kidney.

We talked about a little bit earlier, but Indiana did be Michigan State and Michigan State keeping tom is one went away from the big twelve win record beating Bobby Knight.

And Woldson played for Bobby did so he prevented.

That's gotta be like from a fan base, because we talked about you a fan, especially me as a fan. That's that's gotta be one of the worst, uh places to be a fan because every preseason you're like, we're great this year Indiana for Indiana. Great this year, We're back at that level next season You're going what this year?

Especially you know's brother, Yeah, God, Archie Marching the coach there and he was hotters as hell as a coach and he couldn't do it there. Kelvin was there and couldn't do it. I guess you know, be were get in trouble. Uh, it's a tough place, but you find

And Uh, it's it's it's it's everything, and it's almost everything.

Did you have bad coaches? You say, yes, no, no, no, I'm trying to think about it.

No.

I mean, man, I was really fortunate.

I had Gary Carter and I had Brett Butler, Like when I first got into Pro Bowl, my college coach I love, But I will say that I there, I've had two coaches that I wouldn't.

Put into Okay, so you've had bad coaches. Yeah, uh, and they were bad for a reason, right, you had a number of good ones.

You could tell the difference, huge difference. There's no team effort, team attitude everything. Yeah, you're right, You're absolutely right. And guys don't play hard for bad coaches. I don't care who they are. They want to win, but they don't

They do it for game, yeah, but not long term for a season. Yeah. Yeah, I agree.

I had some bad coaches and they made me lose a love for the game. I eventually found it again, but it's tough.

And you know, the coaches that are are good are tough. They demand out of you, they demand excellence and you just maybe even hate them a little, but they bring the best out of you.

Yeah, you've got two, I mean two schools of thought, right, because we talked about John Miller and Tommy Lloyd too, completely different. And I think you're what you're saying right now is Sean Miller is an expectation you step on the floor.

Yeah, you're in a conduct your way.

I think Tommy's more kind of an open, I loving coach, like maybe more of a family.

You can make. You can make your mistakes, but he's gonna keep he's gonna hold you accountable very much. So right, Yeah, I'm doing a story about that. Yeah, I went through coaching phase. I went through both.

Like if you caught me at a younger age, guy that broke my fung go and broke clip boards and sure than my older age.

I was like, it must have taken something for you to just not just age. Something must have happened. I think I think, yeah, maybe something happened.

Okay, I don't know you're asking you this question. I've never really like I do take shield is such a worst answer I possibly get a given. So thank you Steve for giving me one of my worst speeches ever. That's twice day and when I was just welcome, Welcome to our Wednesday therapy session. That's what we should call it. That's perfect, that was perfect harmony in the valley.

Last night, Kevin Durant became the eighth player in NBA history scored thirty thousand points.

Wow, that's impressive.

Are you surprised that he's still with the Sons because there was a lot of trade talk around Katie.

Well that well, yeah true, but you know, I guess ESPN or somebody, somebody, a reporter said that they were having chemistry issues. And the first thing that Kad says, no, what he else is gonna say? Right, don't you think that they're playing like there's chemistry issues?

Yeah, there's some things that are pretty blatant there, right, I mean that again, what do you like?

You said? What do you expect him to say?

It's I have this problem when you're watching NFL and they're asking for your sideline reporters asking questions. When a coach is going into the locker room and you're like, what what are you expecting him to say?

I say this to Jay all the time because of this question, Jae, are you a good guy? What do you think he's gonna say? Yeah, of course I'm a great guy. Yeah, let me hold that thought.

Yeah, you go.

Ask some people. I'm asking the wrong person.

Yeah, yeah, I mean they still lost one one, nineteen to one twelve to the grad.

Fifth straight the fifth ye los.

Uh.

So we'll see what happens with them. Uh.

I saw something this morning that said that more than likely after the season ends that they'll look into finding him a new home.

Yeah. Yeah, I'm not sure where he want to go. You've had the reports where Golden State before? Butler? So so I like that you're here because you're your form athlete, leadish, leadish whatever you want to use that word.

What are you saying that because I was a starting pitcher? Pictures and pictures you got paid to, you get paid to? Hell yeah, collected page?

How many? How many I talked about good coaches? How many Prima donna's did you play with?

Kell?

You may have even been one. No, I was never a Prima Donna.

I know what I'm saying, and that's the self a reflection where you're like, I don't let me ask some of the Yeah, the community guy, no matter where we went. Uh yeah, quite a bit, especially the young guys that are like you're you're talking about money, guys that come into it and there's a self confidence that they have to have. This is vibe and success. But you could also be human not you can also be human with that. Oh yeah you can. Yeah, absolutely, there's two there's two

About those divas all the time.

So Maverick center Daniel Gaffer will be out with the right knee sprain, so adding kind of insult to injury, they're losing theirs not out of town. Yeah yeah, uh so that that adds to the list of Anthony Davis, Derek, Derek Lively, and Dwight Powell.

For them, When's when's David supposed to come back? Though they said it wasn't a major injury, right six.

Gosh.

I mean, I don't know. That's a tough one for me. Obviously he's a Dallas fan. You don't want Luca to go. But I mean, now you're starting to read some of those reports on him, like you're like, on what he's what? Out of shape? He's a bad clubhouse guy, Like, well, really, I didn't hear that.

Hear that part. I didn't hear that part. Out of shape, But I was saying, I'm sure Fernando was not in good shape. He was pretty damn good. My point is he knows how to plant his weight. I would, I would, maybe we are, Hey, you're five ft seven? Has that every problem? Has ever been the problem? Height?

I played this way all my life. Yeah, I don't know anybod I don't know anything. I mean, listen that that's probably a better way to look at it. I just maybe those were sports are coming out. Then you're three hundred pounds. How do you score thirty points?

Again? Yeah? Because I do. Yeah, that's true.

Kadarius Tony was arrested in Georgia after allegedly strangling a woman. So who Kadarius Tony the wide receiver?

I think he scored the oh for Kansas City. Yeah. Oh, in the in last year's Super Bowl. Oh okay, yeah, uh so we'll see what happens with that. He choked somebody.

Strangled, strangled recent recently, uh February sixth, that's recently ago. Well, Ohio State is going to hire x NFL coach Matt Patricia as their new defensive coordinator.

New seven year contracts?

States really coming up with some seven year Nope, nope, I read that wrong.

H that's Ryan Day. Sorry. I don't see any details on his.

Yea, I was gonna say it coordinator roles. You don't usually see like long term contracts.

Yeah, it doesn't say it doesn't have any specifics, but we'll see what happens on that side of the ball. For the House State, there are some unfortunate news. A un LV football player Ben Chris Christ Chrismin was found dead in his off campus apartment in Uh. We came from Kentucky and he was twenty one. I haven't played yet. He just had moved from Kentucky. Yeah, that's awful. Yeah, twenty one years old. The base Yeah, sorry, leave it

Okay, no, no, let's let's just go go. Good job. We'll talk more about your stuff at the World Baseball Classic. Oh good, I thought you were talking about the personal stuff. We were talking about off here. I shared that confidence. We're gonna talk to We're gonna do the rodeo. Now, let's do it. It's a big deal anniversary. You have your stuff. It's not all about you all the time.

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Steve Rivera, He's got his eye on the ball on Tucson's sports station, Fox Sports fourteen fifty.

Hey, welcome back to Ayas the ball Hero POK Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. In with me today is Blake Eager.

From Southern Arizona Sports Tourism and Film Authority.

Now we have Jose called Drone from the Tucson Rodeo. Jose, how you doing?

Hey? We're doing fine, my friend.

How are you doing?

We're doing well? Eight big, big week this week? What's going on over there? This is it?

This is it?

Man?

Since nineteen twenty five, we've been waiting for this big one right here, one hundred years. Super proud, super excited man.

Yeah, you you're the former, I want to say, a non executive director. But what's the guy now with Sam? With Sam?

Sam's a chair.

So I'm a I'm a former two time share at that two time share at the Tucson Rodeo. Very very honored to be part of this organization. And I'll tell you one thing. It's just it's a lot of work and a lot of headaches sometimes just like anything else. But when it all comes out this weekend, I'll tell you when those gates open, there's no better feeling seeing those families come in with their kids and grandkids and such.

Right right, And you've had a ton of people come from all over the world to play in it, to to you know, to work in it, because that's how they make a living. And then you have the twosonans and you have the tourists and a lot of people love you.

I'll tell you one thing. We get cowboys and cowgirls from all over this country. And you know there's like seven hundred plus p RCA road is in this contrary. We're still in the top two twenty five and we're pretty proud of it.

So this is Tucson is.

A rodeo to win. There's no doubt about it for the contestants. So it's a big one and perfect weather. Hey man, who what cowboy did? And Calboy doesn't want to come to Tucson right now?

Right right? Well, So I have Blake who's part of the World Baseball Classic, and I've talked to guys like you, guys, uh you the Rodeo, the World Baseball Classic, We're talking about the Could of Guard Classic coming up, the football.

Football Roadrunners, and it turns into Sugar Skulls after that.

Right, So a lot of a lot of these things love each other. You mean, they're all helping each other.

Absolutely. It's all about fan experience, getting people out there, and you know, and Tucson what a great place to have all this stuff right here. So we need to keep it going, keeping people energized, getting things to do out here. And you know, we we want to keep all these events happening here. We don't want to lose any any more things than we had in the past.

So, you know, being part.

Of this event here in Tucson is pretty specially important for everybody doing what it or whatever they're doing here in Tucson. So it's a good thing.

Jose's right.

I'm trying to think when the last time, especially with one hundred year anniversary, and don't be I mean people have reached out to people I'm talking to, especially maybe on the film side and media side, are coming from all over the country to see the rodeo, to film it, to be a part of it. Like, there's so much buzz around Tucson right now with what we're doing on all different aspects.

You've got the gym show.

I'm trying to think the last time we've had a couple of months back to back with all these things happening and at this high level.

Yeah, you're absolutely right.

And there again, I mean, I don't know if you've had a chance to see this given chancy of this great mural that we did downtown on Alameda and Touli I'm four story mural, one hundred and forty feet, you know, like Nasu Garcia made, probably the best muraler is in Tucson. You know, it's just something magnificent. It represents not just the Tucson Rodeo, but it represents cultures and just Tucson itself. When you look at it, it's it's in your face.

And the kids love you because they get it out of school.

Isn't that great? Were the only rodeo that does that? Can you believe that? And we still do it. And I'll tell you what. The kids look forward to come to the Tucson Rodeos, no doubt about it.

Well, don't when does the when's the parade?

The parade is on the twenty the nineteenth, I'm sorry, on the twentieth. So rodeo is from the fifteenth to the sixteenth, and then on Wednesday we have a concert from two to nine thirty with three great stars coming out to perform. And then the parade is on the twentieth, and then of course Friday, Saturday Sunday for the finals.

Yeah.

No, it's a great experience. I've been through a couple of times, covered Ty Marie when he was here, when he was the Michael Jordan Rodeo.

Yeah, big time, big time. So we do get all those NFR contestants, the one that you see at the NFR, they're going to be coming through Tucson once or maybe twice that they get lucky. This weekend's coming up. So, like I said, it's a big one, all the big stars. We have the best stock contractor in the world, I think, Benny Butler, and he brings the best because in order to get the best rides and get the best experience, you got to bring in the best stock, that's for sure.

I did a story for BIZ Tucson a couple of months ago. Enjoyed talking to Sam and mister Baird. I can't remember though, because I'm getting old. You're the second largest or largest outdoor rodeo in America.

Yeah, we are, especially on the Southwest out here, there's a couple of big ones out there. You still got Cheyenne and some other big ones out there. But we've got a big, big rodeo. We got a big fan base, and we got a big arena. I mean, if you go to any a lot of rodeos out there, this is one of the biggest arenas and people that's what they love about this. The contestants love about this. There's a lot of elbow room when you're inside that dirt.

How long have you been part of this? Because I know once you're in you're kind of hooked, you know, Sam, it has been around for a couple of decades. Mister Williams, I think it was mister Williams. Gary was in forever.

Oh man, Gary, he was. He was my mentor's note doubt. Gary was in it for about forty years. Sam's been in it for about ten years, maybe eight ten years.

I still consider myself on you, but I've been out there since.

Two thousand and five, and it sounds like a lot. But when you got people that have been out there for thirty forty to fifty even sixty years. You know, me hav him just twenty years into it. I'm still relatively new. But we you know, we continue to pay the road. We hope to get to this roadio to the next you know, two hundred year you know, I mean, we got to keep going. And we're pretty strong based out here. And like I said, it's.

Part of our Tucson tradition. This is a.

Tradition, part of Mexico and the US and the Buck Ghetto and the Buckhetto and the cowboy and the cowgirl. It's just part of our culture. And we just don't want to see that culture go away. It needs sustained Tucson, it really does.

You talk about paved the way, but you also pay the way. I think it's u more than a half a million dollars in prize money, seven hundred thousand.

There's so much money going out there. I'll tell you one thing, and that's whether that's why the cowboys love to come to our rodeo right here. And you know, we we we've been trying to do some you know, run some tests and everything else. And you know, we're generating close to seventeen million here in Tucson just those two weeks right there, just from people coming to Tucson Rodeo. So it's a big thing right now.

There's people from all.

Over the world to come see our rodeo and we're doing a lot of good things. Also, we're getting involved with a lot of organizations starting to do more community events out here.

And that's what we want to do. We're in a comfortable set.

We're comfortable in the saddle now that we can start utilizing these grounds more than just once a year and start doing more events and be part of more of a community. And we're pretty excited about that, and we're pretty excited about the future.

Do you have since you've been here since in it since two thousand and five, any of the great memories that you have, you know, maybe have met somebody of a former big time dude or maybe even some movie stars that came through.

I tell you, I've met some great people throughout this time, especially more in the rodeo business of course, and a lot of more people were I looked up to when I used to rodeo. I'll tell you when I wrote you in the early nineties, and I had more I had more hospital bills, and I did winning, so I can't think so.

Much about that.

But I did meet a lot of mentors, people I looked up to. And there's just something about the cowboy way, the cowboy love style where you do see the young kids they really look up to this right here, because I think everybody once in a lifetime wanted to be a cowboy or a cowboy at one time or another. And this is a big thing. And you know what, even though if you wear your hat three hundred and sixty five days of a year, you just wear it one

It's funny you're talking about hospital bills. I think a roofer in Tucson and a rodio dude in Tucson, he long way to make a living.

Oh, I tell you, man, it's a hard right There's no doubt there's a hard gig right there. That's what makes the sport so unique. You know, it's you know, it's a lot of times. You know, we talk about that eight second ride, but it does feel like an eternity up there. But it's amazing with these men and women they put their body through. And I'll tell you what, we tip our hats to this wonderful stock. They are everything's everything in that arena is an athlete.

So you kind of go ahead, No, I was going to ask because they I mean, this is phenomenal. And when you get a chance, can you share with with the audience of leading up to this event what people can attend, what they can look for, you know, I mean people want to get involved, people want to be around at prices. Yeah, I mean all the all the information you can share, that would be great.

You bed, well, any information you need to know, of course, you get on tusonrodeo dot com and if anybody out there is also, we got so many things that you can get involved with as far as volunteering, being a sponsor, or being any type of advisor. It cand of be part of this organization. But tous Rodeo, like I said, we open the door to anybody that must be part of it. And all you have to do is basically call the Rodeo office, speak to a few of us, and we can lead you in the right direction of

Right.

You talked about the weather. I hope it's going to be good, right because I've been there a couple of times. It's rained. I guess it's supposed to rain on Friday. But you're you start really next week.

We start this weekend.

This is this is this weekend, you know what, And that's the thing.

And we do everything right and we're ready and it's just up to mother nature hopefully she cooperates with us. But looking at everything and looking at the Farmer's Almanac, even at that, and it looks like we're gonna be okay, and it looks like the wedding is just supposed to be just perfect, and we really want that enough.

It's not so much for us, even though we're.

Out all year trying to get this ready. But woll I'll tell you one thing. To see those families out there and you see a bad weather or rain, hits heartbreaking. So I really want families to be out there and enjoy yourself and just have a great time and enjoy what we provide this great event here in Tucson.

I can't remember what the number I had written about the expectations with the crowd for all these days, but it's sell out every time. Every day it's gone.

Well, we're shutting down a ray some days already. I tell you one thing, if you're thinking of going to the rodeo, you better get your tickets now, because do not wait at the gate because they may.

Be sold out.

We've sold out in a lot of venues like a Buckheto club that I run also wet selling tickets out in October, and that last weekend I'm pretty sure is already done. So there's only four days left really, and you can buy some tickets, So you really need to get online or go to the rodeo office on six and Irving ten and get your tickets now, because it's heartbreaking when I see people out there in the line and it's sold out and they have to walk away. Get there early. The gates open now at ten. Wesed

Yeah, no, it's a lot of fun. Ose One wants to come out and ride. He said, he's been really looking for do you can we bring him out and throw him up on a horseland.

Week and we can do that, and just to make it safe, well duct tape his hands to the horn and bottom of feet together, so we've got a good long ride on there.

Yeah, that's how we have it into the studio right now. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, yeah, no it must be. It's gonna be a lot of fun. Thank you man, Thank you, jose.

Oh Man, thank you so much for letting us be part of your program there and if there's anything you need from us, you just be sure you give us a call.

Well you do have a great time. But you know, lastly, you guys have been down at that site for a while. But that's not the original site, right, Oh god.

No, the old site was out there. The Polo feels out there.

In nineteen twenty five. That's where they started and they.

Lined up all the Model a's and that was part of the arena. They made a big circle and used the headlines when they needed to. And I'll tell you one thing, it's I just wonder what the people back in nineteen twenty five thought if everybody's ever going to go to one hundred years.

You know, they were just putting on an event.

And here we are today.

Sure, sure we'll keep it going. Man, Thank you, jose you beat Take care, guys, you will rodeo one of the staples on too soon.

Right.

I mean it's wild the buzz it has around, especially for this year. But I mean, like casually talking to people. So many people are coming into town for this right right.

And like I said, Juan, and then the locals, the locals, I was gonna say, you guys love as kids. Yeah, rodeo weekend. For the last four years, I've missed it. Being at the U of A.

I go up to my friends and co workers and I should be offering up. They like, what do you mean, So it's the rodeo? Yeah, what's the rodeo?

Yeah, you can tell you.

Yeah.

When you talk to people that aren't from here, it like blows their mind, right that we get two days off for that.

Right, and two sounds like that perfect size city where it's still home, it's still Mayberry is still kind of smallish to have a rodeo, you know, because Vegas they have this, you know, big to do. Yeah, but here it's it's a rodeo. Yeah, it's a rodeo. Still, it's authentic, right, it's a rodeo. Yeah. When you say rodio, rodeo yeah yeah. Okay, that's with that. We're going to take a break, come back and we take some calls, talk a little about the World Baseball Classic, let's do it, and uh, maybe

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Down all the apsis and ohs. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Box Sports fourteen fifty.

Hey, welcome back to an the bout here on Fox Sports Fortune fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. You're breaking.

You're from southern Arizona, sports, tourism and films. You already do that World Paseok World Baseball Classic. It's right again now hit me. But you grew with World Baseball Classic, and that's that is March second of March.

Six Yeah, people already asking me about going, and I gotta get my credential.

Yeah, get your headshot. Is that what you need? Get your credentials. You'll be fine, it'll turn your way if you get You're right.

Why are you gonna go that? So it should be a lot of fun. Actually, might right do it cover it for class.

I'm in the kats eye news classes where we put on the newscast and uh make packages and both with posts and whatever, and so I might might end up doing it on that one.

Will you do me a favor and we'll get off there.

And I hate to do it on there, but Thursday's college night, and so we're defining all that. You can help push it out to the uve and all the kids. So I know you've got spring break came up a couple of days after that. But it's a great There's gonna be drink specials and food specials.

Just say just say the drinks. That's college. Don't drink. Go study.

You know I went to college, right, And what's your point? I think you're they get wrong about your assessment. You're a good drinker, not a good study.

That's it. I made it through. Did you what you get to do? Did you get no? University of Colorado, Denver Metros. That's right. We talked about the time. Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, cool, let's talk more about the baseball. Anybody want to call to talk about last night's game, that's fine. You want to get the frustration out. Of course, it may already be out after last night's game. I think they'll be fine on Saturday. Should be fun. If you have a ticket,

Can we can we talk about this real quick before we move on? What's your feelings on neutral site games as a fan?

I'm not a fan. I like I like them. I like them because it kind of gives you a true gage of who you are. You don't get you have the fans, but let me see, fans don't mean anything otherwise. There was one was gone to fifteen thousand final fours. Okay, but is the purpose having in the footprint center? So, like we were talking about it earlier, we went and saw Indiana play in Vegas and it was seventy percent

How'm going?

Yes, my sparring.

Partners very well.

I meant to get in about an hour ago, but I got busy with work and everything, so I had to come in and take my lumps. But but as I'm thinking about it, Arizona didn't lose to Kansas State last night.

They beat them so, without questions, without.

Question, if they if they played like they had the last three weeks, they beat those They beat those guys by fifteen, no question.

Man. But Kansas State's not a slouch. Let's let's start that there. They're not a slouch. If guess what if Arizona were to play well in the in in March how they had been playing, they get to the final four. But guess what, it doesn't work that way.

It just doesn't.

No, no, it doesn't. And we know that because you know, we've been here a long.

Time exactly, and.

When it's crunch time, as and Arizona has lost very few times where they've beaten by the other team. It has been our you know, our own undoings or their own ondoings. I'm not on the team and I don't have season tickets anymore.

Yeah, so so you you followed it closely for a long time. I know that done because of how we talk on the show. Uh, isn't it perfect? Arizona basketball? They played this They played the last few games very very well in the Texas, Texas, Iowa States. Then they laid this one, laid this one a gig and then Saturday play out of their mind and win. And just that's just how it is.

Yeah, that that's that's how it goes. And that's what we're all hoping to see. But I mean, we could see last night again and get run out of our own building. It's I don't think it's very likely, but we could see that. And and and I don't like neutral site games.

Because because I mean, well, if if if you want to have a series and you want to.

Play, well, let's let's let's say let's take u C.

L A.

Because now you know now that's going to be out of conference and everything else, those games should be at Poly, at Michale, not in Phoenix, and not at THET I don't even know what it's called, the Honda Center, the Arrowhead Pond. I mean that diminishes it for both schools, for both student bodies, and just for the college game altogether. You know they're not it's not an NBA game. It doesn't need to be in some at some corporate location off off campus.

I mean I would I don't disagree with both of you guys. To me, it doesn't matter if that's what I was gonna go with it, But I think part of the proceeds are nil they put it into I mean, that makes sense to me.

But I think the old school thought process was creating a different fan base or extending a fan base, which I don't think you really. I mean, I've been to those neutral side games and I don't think that's really well.

Well, Phoenix exactly because they have a lot of alums in Phoenix allowed the chance to see you. You areson to.

Play, Yeah, but would you rather watch Arizona play at Footprint Center or at McHale. It's a completely different atmosphere.

Yeah, the home court, the home court advantage is still there because you could Arizona could play, could play an East Coast team at Team Mobile in Vegas, and okay, it's Vegas. Every I can get there. Arizona's still going to have a home court advantage, but it's not Michale Center.

True.

I will debate you with the home court advantage because numerous times, Well, you talked about the Indiana game.

Yeah, we went to that Indian game. Indiana game with seventy thirty is not not even believing.

And I'm sure that Arizona fans that got there says, oh, we're Arizona. We have with Norris, Oh look at this. Yeah it was. It was mind blowing. Yes, par do you give you some awakening? Oh? Yeah, absolutely.

I mean it's also the Plac twelve mentality at that point to where it's kind of the King's crowns.

You're wearing it. Hey done, before you go, come me on front. Jay's going to be with me. We can talk about Saturday's game. Okay. And I still heard.

You of a chance last night on the TV.

Yeah that went? How well? Did it go?

Well? You know, I mean you hear it, and you hear it and it looks good when other teams are looking at watching the game where you're going, there's Arizona fans there, Holy holy right.

You know it looks good. Yeah, okay, thanks time, we'll talk to you.

Fiveday, thank you.

Man. So to your point in Vegas, uh and just and that's kind of a point. And I've seen it. I traveled with the team for a long time. Arizona goes to Anaheim. Their home court advantage sweet sixteen ille eight whatever. You know how you know how that meant last year they played you know what meant zero zero? It means nothing. Oh, they play well, they're going to be travel having ninety percent of the fans there, it means nothing. Every time they play in Anaheim, they lose

I remember playing the White Sox, a ball team, and we were walking out of the stadium or walking into the game, I can't remember which one, and fans were calling us Yankees and then like get out of here, you Yankees, and it was like the weirdest moment in my life, like cursing at us and like spitting in our general direction, and I was like, where am I? But I was in South Carolina. That's where I was at that point. So it's just the strangest thing I've

We're good. Yeah. So to your point, home court advantage, it's not if it's actually home court advantage, yes, because it's comfortable, you know exactly where the spots are, you know the room. Kansas State Party benefited a little from it, even though they shot forty two. But neutral side fans, fans, fans Vegas, Vegas, they have a lot of fans. Okay, so what yeah, I was.

I was saying more from our you know, our community standpoint, where you're you know, you're talking about ticket holders or season ticket holders or you're buying a group of tickets, and you're going into it going okay, like we talked about you, Duke Houston, Baylor. You've got all these phenomenal teams, and you're like UCLA's on there. But then I've got to go to so I'm paying for season ticket, but then I've got to pay for another ticket to go to.

Wait, wait, you had tickets? So was that a home Was that a home court ticket? No?

No, no, I had to pay for the for the UCLA ticket. But as it is like for me, and I know this is just saying this in the air now a grievances because I'll all use complain all the time. Uh, if I'm paying for season tickets, I don't want to drive an hour and a half up north to watch a game that should be played in Sure. But did you go yeah, of course we do. Yeah, And I was depressed the whole second half. I was ten minutes

Think I'm saying three ten ten overall is what in UCLA's part of that and they would play in the second round Arizonna beat them by ten.

Yeah, I mean u c l A just beat Michigan State. But yeah, I would agree with you on that. Yeah, turnaround game, they'll beat them easy. Yeah, I shouldn't say easy, but they'll beat them. We're not going to be a three c I. It's gonna now no, Yeah, it's gonna be a tough stretch to these next three games.

You'll be I would be, So, I would be, okay if we want one to show you guys really want one, you're realistic because now you've listened to me enough to become realistic. And you're a long time that and so and so are you. So you listen to to Briant. The front end was was what it was. And I've been telling they're not as good as you think they are. They're not as good as you think they are. They're pretty good, but they're not as good as you think they are. And now the back end, So how were

I think this is this is a really good team in the sense that when they play as a team, I think they can beat anybody.

What do you mean by really good? Good? Not great? Good? Not great? I think they're better than good, Okay. I think to see a team.

Go from what we started to get to the point that now they have to be better than good. You have to have key pieces, and you're seeing guys develop in front of your You're looking at the transition of Alaka and Vsar once you know, totally. We all talked

His credit to Miller, he didn't have them long enough to develop. No, and he probably didn't need to. You're getting all Americans, right, You're getting high level guys. You're getting five star guys. Thanks for noticing. Yeah, you're right, but it's a different aspect. I don't think you I don't think you can call them good. I think they have to be really good and they're not great, but I think they're a team that so that tells me they are a five to six seven. See I think

You?

Leven?

In one? They were good? Very good? What were they?

Oh?

I'll agree, really good? Where there was really no middle level with them. They were either playing perfect games or near perfect games or just kind of getting by. And you're just kind of wondering, well, which team's gonna show up today? Which Caleb Love is going to show up today? Well, well, Henry Vassar show up today.

Isn't that scary moving forward? Because you have you are always going to have that which which Caleb Love is gonna show up? But Henry is going to show up? Maybe Jaleb Jayden plays better? You known' I'm saying it's Oh, I don't know. I think you have so many pieces

I was like, Okay, he found a rhythm. I just think you have some A walk has turned into a monster underneath there. Not a double dumble machine, but pretty close. I think Brian's going to continue. So I think you can have the you know, you can have love be off, you can have Visa. Bradley's gonna step up. We don't even talk about kJ nearly enough for what he contributes to the game. Last night we had one of those

But does that make sense?

Like I see this team, I'm more comfortable coming on the air and saying like when I fin out finished, I'll fill out my bracket and I've got them going to the lead eight. I'm more comfortable with this team in that situation than I have been in the years past, because really I'm talking about the losses we've had to Texas Tech to Case State Like, they're not blowout losses. So even at our worst, we still are grinding with

Well, we talked about this, yes, so I called it the last two games, the Sprinkle game. You got a little dash of this and that from everybody, even even Caleb going six for twelve seventeen. That's a dash enough for him because he's got fifteen points in a few suss. But you need you definitely need that every game. You definitely need that because that covers for Caleb.

Yeah tell me, Yeah, No, we talked about that earlier. Yeah, And you're gonna and when you're playing, when you're playing the Houstons of the world that are your top ten.

You have no worry about that. I don't have they play Houston and they're playing him in the Sweet sixteen, blah blah. I have no worry. They're not gonna show up. Yeah, you play you play college with Charleston in the first round. I don't know, Yeah, I really don't know.

I mean, the scary thing is if a team gets hot from three. But I thought, b why you shot pretty well from the beyond the arc, and we hung with them.

And then we kind of just kick their butts. But you're not gonna say. You're not gonna say, oh, we're really good because we beat b YU well, because we beat you know, West Virginia and Cincinnati.

No, I'm saying really good because we were able to transition into a completely different offensive flow mid season and watch to turn on a defense that I've when's the last time you saw Arizona play defense?

No, let me tell you. Sold me on their toughness and their defense. Yeah, and you're gonna lose it sometimes like last night. Yeah.

Yeah, that right there is why I think this is a sweet sixteen. I can comfortably say even in a month that this is a sweet sixteen team.

Defense, defense, toughness, toughness. And now if you just had some offense, and that's a scary that's that's the offense shows up.

Yeah, lead a final four, possibly sweet sixteen is this is quite the sweet spot for this Arizona team.

Let me ask you this question. Have you have we seen this team? I'm maybe we talked about it a little bit that first half in Baylor, but have you seen this team at its very best?

Texas Tech? Texas Tech in that stretch where they were tough, they were like I hadn't seen tough like this, toughness like this in a long time, and things were going really well with a good offensive plans. It was plenty of in the second half.

So yeah, you you watch those stretches and there's times that you're like, Okay, this is a real deal.

Yeah, but those are just fleeting stretches. Yeah, okay, thanks man, Thanks for coming in. Was that it? Yeah, we didn't talk. Thanks a lot.

Hey, if you want World Baseball Classic tickets, go to World Baseball Classic dot com. It's in two and a half weeks. We need everybody to show up. It will be out there. Oh thanks. If I thought it was my last time.

Thanks prediction for Saturday or just win.

You think when I think, oh my gosh, sixty nine seventy one ub there we go. Okay, but I don't believe that I'm saying it. But I don't know if I believe that. Okay, thanks