This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jakin Salis on Fox Sports fourteen fifteen, houred by Nova Insurance Services Ensure Your Most Prized Possessions, katz R two, SAD and I Heeart Radio Station The Good Afternoon. Everybody, Welcome to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fiftie. I'm Steve Rivera, you're Jenkins. As we start our show on Wednesday. A lot of stuff going on nationally and locally. Good show today and some stuff not going on. Stuff not going on, like a back pop TV deal.
We could have said that for three hundred sixty seventy days. Another day we should have like a little countdown. No, we don't need one with x X. We don't. We don't need one, like you like the marks on the jail sales. But I feel like I don't need that. I don't need that in my life. Will you get it by August? No? I don't you know at this No, you know, I didn't. I mean by the first game, maybe you think they'd want to get it out of the way, But everybody thought they were gonna want to get it
out of the way by Friday or last last Friday of last year. Yeah, but you know, it's up on me today in a couple of days. Um so, Actually, one of our guests today, John Wilder, Well, uh, that'll be one of the topics. But you know, I'm you know, I'm gonna guess. I mean, he probably knows more than you and I do, but he probably doesn't know enough to be able to say this or that is happening. Sure, I'm sure he's I asked him. I don't know two months ago, months ago already how big this
story was in his lifetime. He says, the biggest, the biggest because of what's gone on and the ramifications of bigger conferences, long term ramifications, and well, it's the baby that never wants to get birth. Yeah, it's it's changing college athletics and not just football, right, it's changing all
of college athletics. So it is a big deal. And if if you know, people want to poop with that and say, well, you know it's there, nobody's nobody's you know, carrying cancer or solving the hunger problem.
I get it. But from a sports standpoint, and particularly a college sports standpoint, this is a big story as there's been in a lot of years if it maybe ever, But yeah, okay, I agree with that, but it's kind of being not diminished, but it's being prolonged for what all the wrong, wrong reasons, but it sounds like okay enough for anyone Once it kind of diminishes the impact of the story. Well, this thing
with the PAC twelve is the last piece. It's got to fall into place for the current situation to settle, right, right, and then for people to stop talking about the Big twelve is gonna get the owner schools and ACC is doing this that if the PAC twelve settles its deal here and the PAC twelve is gonna hold together, now we stop for a couple of years, right right, and eventually we can move forward after this, and then then
you know, and then the next round. I think it's where you start to see some of the consolidation that we've been talking about for a decade, which will be not immediate, but sometimes you know, I just read another analysis of it the other day that said that they you know, we always
say, well there's gonna be four super conferences, they're saying three. You know, this one analysis I read set at three that the Big ten and they and the SEC will expand some more, and then all that everything else that's left well will be a third you know, and that that it would be a combination of acc So how old do you think you're gonna live too? Don't ask me that, Okay, I don't want to make that kind of a prediction. Okay, let's say seven. Let's that got twenty more
years, eighty three? Okay, bull crap, just because I'll say seventy five for me or sixty ten, I don't really care. I don't will it happen in our lifetime? Will happen in our life? Something will? Yeah, But the scenario you just had three huge conferences or something like that, Yeah, I think that'll happen in the next ten years next as as we get through all the current uh ten years grant of rights and teach is good, yeah, because it's already kind of moving swiftly except for this.
Yeah, all these conferences are gonna are signing these deals that are good until you know, twenty thirty, twenty thirty one. Yeah, that's when the next round of this is gonna happen. So ye know, yeah, that's okay. I'll give you ten years. You'll be seven ten years and well in seven years, let's say it happened in twenty twenty thirty, I'll be seventy. Okay, seven sixty, you do. Let's get some mesh. But I'm gonna feel and look a lot like I do now. So I'm
gonna feel a lot and look a lot like Oh yeah, yeah. I don't think I'm not gonna changing much anymore. This is it. You're like Loot looked like he was sixty when he was. You know, I was looking at myself in the mirror, and I told my wife I need some plastic surgery. I gotta get this thing and under my chin fix. What did she say? She stopped beating? No, go, she goes, I need to get mine fixed too, do your wife you Felix? Great? Yeah, she looks, but uh no, you stopped beating the steet
toes and blah blah blah. And I had some some some goldfish yesterday. I love both and I can do those all day long. Yeah, it says, well, I need to have light pulsuction. Well, if I just stop beating, I'm going to pat myself under the channel. He's one of those exercise things. And then at three fifteen, right, we have Brad Alice Brad House a Wildcat Sports report. Yeah, there was still kind of in the business, right there was? Was he at the news conference?
There was a news conference with the Kisha Johnson, the guy from Very Impressive, A very impressive guy, graduate student, good body, nice, tall, lean body. Obviously will help the program. Right, Um, let me ask you this because he was kind of asked of him. He's a leader, you know, a leader guy, senior guy, helped them
probably get to the final four, among others. Um, how much weight do you Okay, this is just two dudes in a room, how much would you give him and love for coming on the show, coming on the team program and being having that final four experience doesn't mean anything. I think it means something when they get to the point of they get like into the tournament and they're in the sweet sixteen or or or the lead eight, Okay,
that's when it means Okay, so what does it mean? It just means you got a guy in the locker room who who can tell the other guys what to expect the guys. That helps the guys. No, Steve, I think it helps. I think I think especially they didn't know they just played. They didn't play the ninety eight. They should have known. They didn't know, and they I know. I'm not saying it fixes everything. I'm just saying it helps. Anytime you have knowledge like that, it
helps. Now, is it gonna make you get Is it gonna get you into the final four? No, you still gotta go on the court and play the games. But but when when you're sitting there and you're hanging around with your guys and they're saying, oh, yeah, we're gonna see it's gonna be like this, It's gonna be like that. Final four is awesome. You know, we we got to do all this, We got to
do all that. Those kinds of things. Either you know, they they you know, these guys put this in the back of their brain when the time they think about it, and maybe it motivates them a little bit. I think, is it Is it a difference maker in terms of, oh, we're gonna get to the final four because we got two guys who have been there? No? Yeah, yeah, no, no, no. But but I'm a believer that, uh, Gordon Geckel thing, the most valuable commodity is information. Okay, right, okay, but this is knowing
what to expect or what might be come in your way always helps. I don't disagree with that. In basketball though, it's and he kind of said this today, it's in basketball you never know. It's so fluid. No, I'll give you my my defense. Arizona went to the tournament. Your previous year went to Sweet sixteen. It had had no influence on this year past the first round. I don't know if Princeton went to I don't know.
I could have checked. I don't remember actually if they went to the tournament the year before or the year before, if they had any guys with with the experience. It's how you play that day and whether you have influencers that are older or younger. Made eight was the perfect example here lash the previous year met ZIP two win in the title. I hear you. I'm what I'm saying. I'm not saying that having that information puts you. You know what I'm saying. It's just having that maybe on a given day,
you're a little more relaxed because you kind of know what to expect. I think those two those things the thing those two dudes do. But if Jay, if you're gonna tell me, we're in a ball field and you've you've gone four for five against the picture and you come Steve, okay, you know you're one for two or whatever. He's throwing this. He's throwing this. That's a little bit different. You know, you you've seen it. This is what I'm seeing, and this is how i'mitted. That's kind of
different. Yeah, and it's kind of the same where you know, Okay, we've been here. This is what you're expect to big, good crowds, yeada YadA. But the dudes, no, okay, ask any of the guys, not Caleb Love and not Keisha Johnson. If they think what those guys experience is helping them, and they're gonna say, yes, they're gone, then then it does help, of course, And it does help because they no, but it no, but it gives that guy just a
sliver more maybe confidence and information as they move along during the season. I get I get that, but I don't. I don't don't believe that totally. It's like being a leader. It's like being a leader, jay Um, and we disagree on certain things, so you kind of know who the leader is, right and a team, whether everybody does, and you have your own leadership inside you, right, do you actually okay, the leader tells you do this or it's like the Northwestern stuff, you have leaders who
might have been part of this. So what do you do? Listen to the leader or you say d V and say shut the hell up. It depends on what kind of a leader you are. Right, there weren't enough there obviously weren't enough leaders at Northwestern to just stop what the hell is going on? OA, And I think that's very talent. But but again it's just I don't disagree with you, because I don't disagree with you. That's
why you ask the question. I think it's both. I think it's partly my stuff and your stuff because if if they've been there, done that, they know, they know, but it doesn't always work, and you know, and okay, let's go back to the ninety eight ninety eight example. Maybe maybe the knowledge, okay, made them think it was going to be easier than it was. You nailed it, right, nailed it. But what I'm saying, but but what I'm saying is that having the knowledge doesn't
hurt. No, no, no, I don't think it hurts. I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that because I agree with you. I agree with you, But how much of an impact does it have? I think that's subjective. You really don't know. Well, you know we won the game, because we've been here before, we have proof that that's not the case for a lot in basketball alone. Well, but it's a it can be a factor, but it's not always a factor that puts you over
the top. Sometimes it's it's just a factor and you still didn't quite get there having that knowledge, or you just played that day right, right. But no, I don't I don't think it hurts. I think I think
it helps. I think it helps the locker room. Uh, you know, if you have to have a couple of guys who who maybe on that day, maybe they're in an Elite eight game, and on that day, maybe they're not as nervous as the next guy, and they played better than the next guy because they've they've arrians that that those are that That's kind of what I'm talking about. Yeah, no, I kept that. I get that. But I also think that players play, Yeah, players play big
moments or whatever. They just are living for this moment because they they're used to it. Yeah, but think of Okay, think of all the Super Bowls that Tom Brady, you know, Okay, Okay, do you think he was nervous in the last last five of them? Probably not, And probably the way he carried himself helped other guys carry themselves better because they knew they had a guy who had been through that a good example. And I
liked, I liked the defense of what you're saying. I don't disagree with you, because they knew that he's capable of getting them there and knowing what to do right. But that that also he kind of fed off that they fount off him. But yeah, but then there was also a good, good example. There was also guess what, they didn't win the Super Bowl even though they had a good example, good example. Both sides, Yeah, both sides. Yeah. I think it's a circumstances of the events of
that day. And I use everyone in basketball this year with Princeton, they've been there, only what they all happened. I think they just didn't play well. I mean, I just think it can't hurt. I mean, how many guys are left on the San Diego State basketball team that got to the Final four. A bunch of them. But guess what they still got to go out there and win games, regardless of the experience they had, And just because they were there doesn't get them there again this year. They
might not. They could be so bad they don't even get in the tournament. Yeah, you know who's gonna be a good team to see about the FAU. Yeah, a team, the entire team comes back, right, and let's see what the pressures. See if they pull in in Arizona ninety eight and and have a and and don't finish it because the expect take But see, the other thing that in your defense is how much pressure does FA you have on itself? But how much are they putting on themselves as much?
Because of that? As much knowledge as you're talking about, you could have it all the knowledge could in that regard can can work against you. That there's a little bit about you ever study too much for test? I know you can say no, no, there's that theory you Honestly, there have been times where I thought, you know what, how much stop? Yeah, just stop? You got us much as you're gonna get Colin, and I go go take the test and I get that. That's kind of
example I did that. I'm surprised, but you know what to say. You you have all this knowledge, but now you have to apply to that game. There's another team that's saying, I don't care what you know. This is what I'm gonna do. Let's see, I did that because there was a time when I had I had to get off probation. So I did. I did do well on some tests to you through you get at the disdain in school. Oh, parents don't know that, they don't know
that. They're probably nonetheless. Okay, cool, let's let's figure this out. So Brad Alice here in about to five minutes, right and then and then will I guess at the first gonna have some clips right while we picked we picked up a clip. We'll have a conversation about this about DeAndre Ayton, okay, because look, you know, he's an Arizona guy. Regardless of the fact that he was here six months. He's an Arizona guy. People claim we you know if Arizona fans claim him for better or worse?
Right, Um, there's a clip that came out from an interview he did with the TV station in the Bahamas where where he's from. You obviously there that I think is uh, a little telling about what about what's going on over there. So we'll play that for everybody. The fact that he acknowledges is it. Yeah, how can you? How can you not know that? People think that you're seeing it every day. He even sounded like me, he's very contrade about it or whatever. He's bummed about that they feel
this way about Yeah. Yeah, you know, he's like, man, I'm trying hard out here. People people are saying I'm not. So we'll see what. We'll play that because it's a it's a very interesting a little it's like a thirty second clip, but it really tells you a lot about, you know, kind of what's happening in his head. So all right, let's take our break. We're gonna come back. We're gonna have Brad Alice from Ourcatt Sports support. We'll just talk to some general you have a
stuff with him, probably mostly football, So stick around. For more than twenty years, the Window Depot has provided the best and the biggest inventory on in stock vinyl windows, and now the Window Depot is more than a window store, offering homeowners and contractors, a one stop warehouse offering interior and exterior doors granted in Quartz countertops, in Stock, Caminatry, and skylights. To finish your project. Their team of professionals will help with everything from free kitchen
design to custom orders from leading manufacturers like mill Guard and Gelwyn. Order online or find a location near you at a window deepot dot com. Where do you buy exercise equipment? Arizona Health Arizona Health Arizona Health. Of course, to feel better and look better, it makes sense to buy your fitness equipment from the people who know it better than anyone else. At Arizona Health, our goal is to help you choose the equipment you need to reach your goals.
Your health and fitness deserve the best you deserve. Arizona Health the lead miss and exercise equipment on twenty second just west of Wilmot. If you think now is not a good time to refinance at home, think again. Interest rates are at all time lows on most loan programs, and Paul Volpi of Nova Home Loans is ready to help you find the option that best fits your needs. If you're looking for your dream home or want to get cash out
to refinance on a current home, visit Volpe team dot com. That's Volpe team dot com. I'll call five six two six today. It's summertime. In the summer, leagues are wrapping up. Volleyball, softball, baseball, swimming, and pickleball are coming to their season end. Come down and visit the cool and relaxing Creative Awards idea center to pick out your awards for the
champs and MVPs. It's also time to replenish your corporate apparel with new Polos caps and safety t shirts with your corporate logo to make your team look sharp. Creative Awards also has a large selection of brand names like Nike, Eddie Bauer, New Era, and Carhart just to name a few. Believe it or not, it's corporate holiday gifts season time for your clients too, with
over one hundred thousand items to choose from. Come of visit Creative Awards, Inc. Two twenty eight West Drachman Street or online at Creative Awards az dot com. Neck pain, back paint, car accidents, headaches, sports injury, or Nelli's Chiropractic's goal is to help our patients achieve a healthy lifestyle,
combining chiropractic care with physical medicine modalities. Therapeutic procedures and massage therapy not only reduced pain, but helps the body heal itself as well as provide other health benefits. Or Nelli's Chiropractic. We use a natural approach to improve an individual's health and wellbeing. Don't suffer any longer. Called or Nelli's Chiropractic Today.
Did you know sports cards that memorabilia are setting record sales last month of nineteen fifty two, Tops Mickey Mantle sold for twelve point six million, Lebron James Rookie sold for five points six Also, collecting cards is a family fund hobby that can be very profitable. If you want to start a collection or expand your collection, check out Showtime Cards. They are one of the leading card shops in the country and have served our local unity for twenty five years.
They are located on e Speedway. That's Showtime Cards, It's Christmas. In July, Pyramid Federal Credit Union is celebrating a month of great rates and returns for our members. All new accounts open in July are entered to win a cash prize of two hundred and fifty five hundred and one thousand dollars. Stay tuned for weekly limited time, new member referral bonuses, auto refinance rebates, and Tucson's highest credit union rate certificates. For promotion details, visit Pyramid FCU
dot com. Slash Christmas in July federally ensured by NCUX. That time of year, Summer in Tucson. Time to take control with temperature control for all your air conditioning needs. We'll keep you cool during all the hot streaks. All you have to do is stay in control with temperature control where we handle everything you need with prompt response, affordable pricing, and sound solutions. We
also excel in plumbing and electrical work. We handle everything you need. Give us a call at five two eight one five, five, six six five we're visit our website at temp dashcon dot com and remember, stay in control with temperature control. Need concrete hard works, Concrete has it. We have more than twenty five years of experience with all things concrete. Installing, sidewalks and patio floors are our specialty and handle masonry work and retaining laws. We're
locally and family owned. Just let us know what you need, how you want it, and we'll take care of it. Leave the hard work up to us. We're hard Works Concrete. Call us at five one two nine six two five six six zero or visit our website hard works Concrete dot com. We'll put the work in for you. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifteen. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeartRadio a app just surgeony I on the Ball. Hey,
welcome back to him the Ball here at Fox What's fourteen Cookie? I'm Steve Rivera, He's Jackon's goss knowing the phone. We have Brad Alice from Wellcat Sports Report. Are you doing, Brett doing great? Great? Great? Great to have you on the anticipation of the PAC twelve media day. What are you looking forward to most? I guess I'm looking forward to seeing how they skirt the issue of no media deal, because I think it is a big deal that they don't have anything ready doing out. I think it's
bad for the league and bad for their imagery and hopefully something's growing. But otherwise, I think it's gonna be a really interesting league. I think the top three or four teams are really really good, and the middle of the league is fascinating because I think you could take everyone from maybe nine to five or four and mix them in a bag and pull an aim out. He might be just as accurate as the media and coaches pull. Yeah. I
was wondering because we talked about this yesterday with Jane. I would assume you'd have Arizona maybe seven, eighth or ninth in the league, even though that you anticipate them to be better than the past. Yeah. Yeah, I'm talking about this with someone else, and I think, you know, there are there are four teams that I think are clearly better, and then you start getting in that murky area of Oregon State in UCLA, UM and so probably after them, So I think, yeah, you think you're looking at
six, seven, eight, um. You know, Washington State I think is in that in that category too. So my guess is they will be in the lower half. But but certainly I think there's a separation after you get you know, those bottom teams of Stanford. Uh. You know, I think Colorado might get some votes, even though I don't think they roy deserve it. I think a SU looks like they're on the downwards and so really kind of cal Arizona and Washington State may be battling for that that seventh
or eighth position. So uh, there were there were two guys that were put on the second team All Pac twelve. A bunch of guys in uh in uh honorable mention preseason, a bunch more than last year, but still really nobody in you know, first team consideration. You had Jordan Morgan, who's considered, you know, possible first round draft pick at Jacob Collin who came back, you know what led the league. I think in receiving last
year. I mean, we're you know, is it is it going to take a while affair Zoner to start seeing guys you know, in better position than that, or is it just that the talent this year is so good because the league is so good, that they're kind of not quite there yet. Yeah, it's accommodation. I think anyone who didn't vote for Savina for at least second team is foolish. Um he might be long term, potentially the best, one of the best two or three linemen in the conference.
Um. I understand not putting Jordan Morgan on the first team coming off to the injury, but that's the guy who was at one point projected as the first rounder. To me, the one that I think is a real disservice is having Singer on the first team and Cowing on the second team, when I think you could argue that they will be flip flopped if they were both wearing Arizona uniforms. But for the most part, you know, I had people ask me like, what do you think about you know, Jacob Monu
and being on there. I'm like, well, you know, he's he's a starting linebacker on one of the worst defenses in the league. So yeah, you're gonna have to win games, improve it to people. You know, Arizona was improved last year, but when they lost, they lost pretty one sided. So you're gonna have to win more games and be in more games to get that kind of respect. And you know, if you're an Arizona player, use it as use disrespect or perceived disrespect as motivation and chip
on your shoulders. So when you do play a guy who you don't think it's as good as you, who's on that list, you gotta beat them. Yeah, let's stay on that side of the ball. There's no question that they'll have to improve on that area. They did, like you said, last year, but now they're gonna have to keep opponents into the mid thirties. Arizona's offense can score, where can they come up with the better defense? O'kay? The position that I like is the two interior defensive line
positions. I think they go a legit five or six deep there. I am worried about the edge rushing. I think the linebacking corps is solid with the potential to be really good if some of the young players are levit Igasua are as good as advertised, if Justin Flow can stay healthy. And I like the cornerbacks. You know, I am worried about thy as I mentioned
the Russians. I'm worried about the safety position. So some guys are going to have to develop or step up, or some of these transfers who you know, we're okay at their former school are going to have to play a lot better, you know. Looking at guys, you know, like the the two cornerback transfers, the two defensive back transfers. Looking at a guy like Oran Patu is buying at Cal but it's going to have a bigger role at Arizona. But I am encouraged by the guys they have brought in on
that interior defensive life. Most notably, you have Norton from Georgia, who's who's a solid players. You have the kid from Indiana who I think as a potgially really good. When you mixed them with some of the guys you're bringing back from last year, we're not playing two hundred and fifty pound defensive tackles anymore, and that I think is vital for Arizona not to just get
you know, the ball stuff down their throat. You know, one of the things that we hear a lot is the defense only has to be a little better, not a lot better. But how much little better does it need to be for them to say, win six or seven games, you know, to not be getting blown out the way they got blown out last year. I mean, you know, obviously some areas one are the most critical things. I think one things is just a flow has to say healthy
if he's going to be as good as everybody says he can be. But you know, how how much better do they need to get? Probably ten points a game? You know, you subtract ten points, and you subtract a couple of those long drives lighting games or late touchdowns, and Arizona has a chance to win some of those games with the ball in their hand as opposed to chasing points late. You know, you look at the cow game
where they couldn't make a stop in the second half. You look at the Washington game where they were in it for a while but just couldn't make a stop in the second half. You know that you win one of those and you went bowling last year. Yeah, so yeah, I don't think it's a huge margin, because I do think the offense will be will be better as well. Um, but you know, the blanket thing would be to
say ten points. Really you have to make a few plays per game, get a key pick here, get a key stop there, and suddenly you're driving with a chance to win. So we talk about this to the excitement of the of the season. Um, we haven't seen this in a while, obviously, never seen the summer in time, maybe a little a time
or two in the Rodriguez tenure. What do you what do you get out there publicly or since Yeah, I think I think we're we're we're rich rod era of excitement, which is certainly nothing like stoops heck, nothing even like the end of the tomy, beginning of the Macavic era, where I think Tucson was a football town waiting to happen, and it never happened. I don't know if it ever will now. Um yea, you know, they haven't been to the highs of what they did. They've certainly been consistently the
better product for now thirty years. But I think, yeah, I think people optimistic. You know, when Elijah Rushing to mid Arizona, I heard from it from people I've never heard about football before. You know, people are talking about the wide receivers and talking about you know, Jaden de Laura
good and bad, but they're talking about them. You know, people are talking about whether Jet Fish will stay at Arizona, and you know when it was the last time fans were clamoring for their coach to stay at Arizona football. So I think it's a good thing, you know, whether you know they missed that window of really being a place that can consistently put fifty thousand people in the stands. I'm fortunately, I think they are, but I
think they can get a growing and solid fan base. And there's you know, I think we've long said there's thirty five thousand dedicated Wildcat fans you need to add about ten or fifteen to that bandwagon and you're in good shape. Yeah, I think those crowds of twenty thousand are probably we probably gone go ahead and tell what you said. Well you probably didn't, but I'm like, I can't believe you just said that Arizona may never get to be uh
you know, say again that it's a football town. Right. There was just gonna just continue, Yeah, I was, I was gonna hang up the phone. Well, I would say this, and back when I worked, you know, in the daily grind of the media as opposed to the weekly grind of the media, I already thought Two Sons was a football town when you look at people like the NFL. They liked high school football, they like the WOW, they liked Ludelson's teams because they were good. But
this wasn't a basketball town. And I don't think that's the same as it was. I think, you know, when you talk to people, people like the Suns, they liked the NBA. This the guys my age and I would say ten years younger who grew up with Arizona basketball are now one of the best fan bases in college basketball. I mean, Steve can attested this. You know, Jay, you probab Into. You go to Las Vegas for the PAC twelve tournament, what do you see, Wildcat fan It
looks like every fan base other than maybe Kentucky. You go to the NSA tournament, there's gonna be five thousand Wildcap fans. They're a legitimate big boy fan base, which they really weren't even in the height of the lud Olson era. It was that older fan base that had money. But you didn't have a bunch of guys in their thirties, you know, saving up their work money to go to the PAT twelve tournament. Now you do and the guy and I think football missed that. I think there's a lot of people
who like you of a sports who like football. But unfortunately, and maybe I'm wrong again, you get to one Rolls Bowl or whatever the Bowl Arizona feeds into now with the playoffs, and maybe you changed that. But I really think you had an opportunity in the Stokes era, especially where this team
was just clamoring for a football winner. I can tell you if you remember the Lewis Holmes Gaylong recruitment when I worked at a different radio station, if people knew I was on they would call an hour before my shift started to talk football recruiting. You know, they were asking for my home phone number so they could call it ask for a who was homes update for it could being Carrie update. And unfortunately, I think that we may just have missed
that window. I hope I'm wrong. I completely hope I'm wrong. But I think you know, again, when you're looking at guys from thirty five to fifty my age, they're diehard. You have a basketball fans now, and that's where they're putting their money. I'm not too sure that's a fair assessment, Brad. In terms of Vegas, if you put every home game in Vegas, even though they have to travel six hours, they would fill
up because it's Vegas. That's part of the charm. If you if you have you ever been there at twelve o'clock or midnight, one o'clock in the morning, they're still dancing in the You know this, Ja, we talked about this. It's now and it's crazy. Yeah, and you said something that I know, no, no, that that's my point. But I think other fan bases could do that and dun't because they're not Arizona Basketball fans. You know, you see Utah fans. You don't see five ten thousand
ASU fans, even though it's a two hours shorter drive. Different you don't. You don't. You don't see USC bands there, at least when I went there. You don't see Washington fans. Um, you have a fan base for basketball is just a different It's it's an elite fan base now. It didn't used to be. It used to be your blue hairs and some crazy students. It's a leak fan base now and that's just not true of you of a football right now. But it will become one, I hope.
So I just somehow I think they may miss to win. That. I will say about the basketball fan though, that I and I've said this all the way back to the eighties, that they're Arizona basketball fans. They're not college basketball fans, right right right, And I still believe that, even though maybe a a little more knowledgeable. But they're Arizona fans, you know. I mean I said that because the last time Arizona hosted an NCUBAA
tournament here they had trouble selling tickets because local fans weren't going. But I believe that. But I also agree with you too that Arizona was they seemed so close in the rich rot Era during the stops are even towards the end of I mean, Tommy Eric even the stuops there, it was just right there. And then they lost it. And then someone came in and just stepped on olive and said on fire. And now you know here we are trying to get out of that. So I agree with you on all of
that. Let's let's talk a little bit about the PAC twelve as a whole, because you know, Steve and I spent a segment of the show a couple of days ago trying to find six wins for Arizona. Well, I think this Arizona team is going to be way better than last year's team. It's hard to find six wins and get them to a ball. They're gonna have to win a couple of games that we that you might not expect them
to win because the rest of the league is so dang good. And I think there's there's you know, Arizone's got three can't win games in Utah, Washington and USC and so then they've got you know, three games that they absolutely should win in in a su Colorado, and Stanford. So then there's four that says you got to win probably three of those two maybe two of those to get yourself to a bowl game. If you win to your two of your non conference games, I mean this league is going to be harder.
So they may go five and seven again and be a lot better than they were last years. When I'm saying no, I think you're right. I think I've talked to me much that this team could win anywhere from four to seven or eight games, and you could convince me of any of the four. Um, you're right, those three games at the top are daunting. Um I would say that, yeah, they're they're I don't want to
say impossible, because we've all seen Arizona pull these bird wins out. But that also means they're probably losing a game to you know, a teammate shouldn't. But those middle games are the ones that are fascinated. You know. Again, I've said there's five or six games that are pretty equal, you know, whether it's UCLA, whether it's Oregon State, Washington State, Arizona, Cal maybe forgetting one there too, but they're all pretty equal. So
it's whoever can win more of the toss up games. You know, can you pick off Mississippi State because they're breaking in a new offer M daunting task absolutely, So yeah, they're gonna have to win some games like that. You know, they're not going to have to not be upset by an ASU team that's playing at home and maybe playing for that's their season. So it is a daunting task. And again, I think we have to look at this as a whole. Do they look better against USC? Do they look
better against Washington? And maybe not even winning those games, but certainly yeah, you got to point to I think most fans are not being except five and seven, even if holistically and stylistically it looks better. Well, and then you got the factor that the USC and Washington games are back to back. I mean, that's going to be really good. And again and Arizona
has traditionally in recent years not matched up well with Washington. Yeah, you know they've they've been okay against USC, but Washington has just really more often not had their number recently, just like they have matched up somewhat well with Utah of late. You know, remember that game two years ago where they almost beat them during the COVID season. Um, and had no business even being in that game because they barely beat cow what the week before we had
no players. But that being said, Utah's really good, Yeah, cows are. Washington's really really good. USC's really really good, Oregon's really really good. Okay, Yesterday, Stephen I made a bet and we try to pick a champion, and we both picked different teams. And the bet is that one of ours if one of our teams win. If one of our teams does not win the championship, it's no blood. Steve took USC. I took Washington. I picked first. I too, I took Washington.
I think I think Washingtons affectall champion this year. Where's your head on that? I like thinking outside the box. I like Washington too. I think Washington maybe better one to twenty. USC's better one to fifty, one to sixty. But that top of that, you Washington, you know, I like Panics a lot. He's not as good as Caleb Williams, but he's close. That wide receiver crew is I'm really good. We've seen what Washington
has stocked out on defense the last few years. My whole thing is if Kaylin the Boor is as good a coach as he looked like at Fresno. Then I think Washington is really good because again I think USC has a lot of talent, but Lincoln Raley somehow couldn't run the table in the Big twelve. No, yeah, I have my doubts about LinkedIn round in USC,
they're gonna be really good, they're gonna win ten or eleven. But yeah, I kind of like Washington as the outside the box uh pick there, like how you think, well, I'm glad that you can take you you both, you can take that box and living it after after I would submit. See, it's not like you made a bad pick. It's not like I think it's gonna be cow. I mean, USC's really really in. USC's a safe thick, But I just kind of liked Washington the way they're
made up. Yeah, I went with Chalk. It was obviously yeah, okay, but I brot Thanks about Chamber. I appreciate it anytime guys take off bro Alice well Kat sports authority. Yeah that was fine. Yeah, I love you know, we're gonna have to be picking the brains of all these guys that we uh that we you know, you get them on here and say okay, whatn't you? What are your thoughts now as we're headed to media day and practice starting. Brian Jeffrey's out here. Maybe lamont love
it. You'll get tomorrow. Yeah, Yogi Rothmorrow back football animals. Yeah, we got it. Yeah, yeah, I can't mess that up. All right, stick around, we'll be back. We'll take your cost five to zero four one six four. If you're an Arizona man's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now take a look back
at the Ludolson era. In my new book, Lessons from Loot. It was a labor of love through the eyes of twenty five former players, coaches, and friends to give insight to the coach and the man who led them, competed against them, and inspired them. Twenty five chapters for his twenty five years as Arizona's beloved coach. Lessons from Loot is an insight to how he built the program into a national powerhouse. Want one, Email me at
Steve dot Rivera ninety five at gmail dot com. Hey, Wallcat Nation, Jake Fisher here, I gotta tell you about my winning team over at Arizona Health Insider. I was able to get a customed private health insurance plan with no deductibles, no code, pays nationwide coverage, and I get to pick
my own doctor for less than two hundred dollars a month. If you want to avoid getting gouged on the exchange and you want real health insurance, call Arizona Health Insiders five two zero eight five zero six eight six six five two zero eight five zero six eight six six bare down. What's your goal? A new career or career advancement? How about transferring to a four year college. Pima Community College can help you make Someday today and reach your goals affordably
on your schedule. With over one hundred programs to choose from and financially aid available, it's time to earn the degree or certificate you need to prepare for the career you want. PIMA offers free career exploration classes so you can choose the field that's right for you. Learn how at Pima dot edu. Slash someday. It's so hot and sticky. I can't stand this humidity. I'm melting. So you can either check for hot flashes than duck or call picts
rocks, cooling, eating, and plumbing. It's not hot flashes. We're calling Picture Rocks, Cooling, eating and plumbing right now at five two zero or for zero or zero six nine and need more affordable auto and home insurance while making sure your family has the courage it needs when mayhem happens. They've got you covered at the Edmund Marcus All State Agency. Go see Edmund Marcus. He's born and raised in Tucson and a proud graduate of the University of
Arizona. He's been an All State agent for twenty five years and has an award winning agency which takes care of his clients. Call him today at five two zero three two three nine three three three for an auto and home quote and let him save you money and make sure you have the courage you need. You're in good hands with the Edmund Marcus All State Agency. Do you
want to be part of a winning team? A Team Security is looking for friendly out go events security guards and events staff to be a part of our team. We've been providing our outstanding services to some of Arizona's biggest sporting events and concerts for over twenty years. We want you to join the action. A team offers a fun and exciting opportunity to work in the sports and entertainment industry with flexible schedules that are perfect for those looking for a part time job
or a second income. Come be a part of a winning team. The A Team apply online today at a Team security dot Net. Steve Vera and Jacan Solids they have their I on the Ball on Tucson sports station Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Okay, welcome back to I'm the Ball here on Fox Sports Court Team coup be on Steve D's Jay, do you have about twelve minutes in live minutes if you guys want to give us a quick call here talking about whatever you want, football or just around the corner. Jay's happy about
that. Yeah, you know, I'm happy that we're talking about football, right It's I know, we're still talking about TV deals, We're still talking about Jane deloran Is off the field stuff. We're talking about Northwestern football and stuff. But we're starting. You know, we spend some time with Brad Alls talking about games and how anything're gonna win. You were asking, um, you know the Washington in USC back to back games, what happened right
right? See, because that four game stretch I think is not so much a gauntlet but it's a gauntlet for Arizona because they have to prove a lot in that stretch. Yeah, it's it's it's two games that if you're marking them down today, you're marking them is lost. Okay. So okay, let's go for the first one. Okay, Well, let's even go a week before that, because you've got your three non conference games. Let's just say we keep saying you gotta go to Stanford. That's a game you gotta
win. Two and two, even though it's on the road. No. Three and three and one, that's a game you gotta win, even though you're on the road. Yeah, that was my most bad mess. So let's say you're three, you're three and one. Now you got Washington at home, you go to USC, you go to Washington State, and then you got to Oregon State. And so that's these four games that and then that in after Oregon, say you got UCLA. Okay, so that's a stretch of five games. Shutch the five games. Let's go to the four
okay. So you're two and one right going into the four, right, three one, three and one? Okay, So then you play USC first. You said Washington first, Washington first, Okay, that's a lost, Right, that's a lost. It should be okay, So, but it's at home, you get an atmosphere game or whatever you just picked. I think it's a lost. You just picked to win. No, No, I think it's a lot. Okay, Okay, I think it's a lost. Just Washington the win the league. They can't afford to lose the Arizona.
Yeah, no, I that's why I think it's a lost. But I'm just gonna say it's you know, it could be that unexpected win because you're playing at home, get the right atmosphere, you know. Let's say you got a you know, let's say Arizone is three and one and and and and the networks say, hey, this is gonna be a fun game. Let's put it on at a good spot. Google spelled Pollyanna. Hold on, look who's picture of the show it. It's a lot. Okay, So okay, let's see how they survived that and then they okay,
this is another one. How do they survive this game? Whether they play well or and they play usc sometimes play Look, you know, from a physical stamp physically, in terms of getting beat up physically, right, you're more fearful of the Washington game than the USC game. USC. They don't scare me as the terms of this. You know, this line is gonna pound the crap out of you, and you're gonna come out of that all
banged up. You know, you may lose that game because they beat you because they got better players, right, Okay, So let's go on two. But I think I'm more concerned about how they come out of there, if they're not demoralized or or physically okay or whatever. Because now the two games that we talked about that were not must wins but very capable of winning, that could switch that they need to get one one of the next two, and this is and they put the next one where Oregon State at home
home. So okay, an organ stain is going to be much better allegedly, Uh Paul, yeah, next, next one, next alleged Okay, So let's say, okay, it's it's we're gonna know by that time and the circumstances of the events of the previous two will kind of show you how good this team can be. Is Dolora okay? Is a team Okay? And then if they can survive Oregon State, let's assume they do be Oregon
State. Now you've got to go on the road to play. Then you have ult Washington State, they have Washington They're at USC at Washington State, Oregon State at home. See it again at USC at Washington State. Okay, Oregon State at home. Okay. So the Washington State game is the first crucial and that's on the road, and Dolora goes home, right, goes back, I should say, And we saw what happened last year here try to do too much and played horribly. Yes, and now the circumstances
of this year are there's no nothing different, you know. Yeah, No, well you hope he's a year older, he's a year more mature, he handles it better. Um, but who knows. Plus, but you got the fact that it's at Washington State as a which came to you feel more comfortable between the Washington State and Oregon State. Washington State because because I mean, look, because of because of who I am as an Arizona fan, okay, and that every time everybody thought Arizona was gonna be really really
good, they weren't. Hey, The times that they were really really good came out of nowhere, right, So that's what Oregon State as a program. I don't even think I would put them at the same level as Arizona. Maybe recently they have been, but long term, historically long history of the two programs, Arizona has been a better overall programs. Okay, But what I'm saying is that Oregan's organs hearing it. Oh, we're gonna be
really good. Every Jonathan Jonathan Smith is really good. Organ states this organ states that they're over under his eight and a half. That's a that's a perfect I want to program like when Oregon State, like in Arizona, like an a su gets all full of itself and doesn't get to where they think it's gonna get to, and they might not be very good. You sure, I've accused you of this for a long time. You overanalyze all this stiff the wonder you ask for other people for advice. I don't I like
the theory of what you're doing. But that's way overthinking it. Because organ State, it's gonna be good. It's gonna be good. Maybe they're over unders. If eight and a half was Arizona's number, you would be googling, goggling over Arizona. But I'd probably take the under. But that's okay because because of the history. I'm an Arizona fan, your history, you're
realistic. I mean, we're all excited. Uh you know in ninety four when Arizona's on the cover Sports Illustrated they're going to play Penn State and we did a big party to watch a game and stuff like that. In the little piece of the back of my mind, I thought, man, you know, because we're Arizona. You know, the Arizona never gets to be that team, and it hasn't. That's right that you know the ninety eight season. Who thought that was gonna happen? Right then what happened in ninety
nine? They crapped all over themselves, right you know. The twenty fourteen team and everybody coming back I under Solomon, all the guys coming back and in twenty fifteen. So so where do you for you, how do you feel now about this team? Yeah, given what you just said, because you're your background and you put a lot of stock in like I know, but this team, because but this team, there's still a lot of people
saying they're gonna suck. So I don't think they're gonna be all full of themselves about how great they're gonna know this is the board chip on their shoulder guards right right, because they have no choice and that and to me, that's when an Arizona team thrives us again the world. Everybody thinks we're gonna suck, So we're not gonna suck. You've been think, I know. I think there was a lot of that last year. Yeah, right, yeah, yeah, there was a lot of that last year, right right.
And do you think even the twenty fourteen team had that, Steve, I mean, of course they went up to Oregon to pay to play Marcus Mariota and those guys. There wasn't a chance. And normally Steve my group for that game would have had a watch party, which the Oregon game up there would have had a watch party. It was a Thursday night, nobody did. I just sat on my couch and watch that game in disbelief that Arizona was gonna win this game. Yeah, I think, uh. And
then weeks later it was nice. Well they lost the USC the next week, yeah right, And then they got killed by Oregon later in the year, and then they got yeah, then they got killed in the in the and and at no time and no time did anythink Arizona was champion. I thought Oregon is gonna I don't know that Oregan's gonna kill him, but Oregon is not gonna lose this game. And they did. But anyways, going back, you know you got you got the Washington USC, Washington State organ
state. Then you got UCLA at home, that UCLA at home. Let's say things don't go well, okay, USC at home is a chance to kind of redeem yourself. Or let's say they do go well. Now your CLA at home becomes a chance to keep it, you know, keep the ball rolling. And then you close out with Colorado. You're tiny a su two out of three. You know you should win two out of three there.
So if you had, if you had some money and and and I give you this option, would you bet one hundred bucks every game on Arizona? You write money line? Money line for twelve Gamesould I pay them to win? Because one they're gonna be underdog in a bunch of those games, So you're gonna get good odds money line. Okay, And the worst thing you're gonna do is go six and six, five and five and seven.
Yeah, you lose. I think you, and I think if you go five and seven, some of the odds that you're going to get on the money line pay, we'll pay. So I if I if I'm beat, if I have twelve hundred dollars to put one hundred dollars on each game, I'm betting Arizona to win. Okay, So go to the list again, and well, I'll tell you about we'll talk about whether they'll be favorites or not favorite favorite, Okay, and you'll there will be a line and that'll
be two two. W will be minus two hundred or something. Mississippi State negative yeah, minus, they'll be plus something. No, they'll be plus plus plus U TAP they'll be minus something, right, Stanford they'll be minus something. Washington they'll be plus something, big number, A big number. USC they'll big plus a big plus three hundred something, Washington State plus a plus maybe plus one hundred one twenty okay, or maybe minus one hundred minus
one plus. Yeah, Oregon State they're gonna be plus plus u c l A. They're probably gonna be plus. Colorado they're gonna be minus can be favored you tih they're gonna be an underdog an A SU probably be favored. So I'm gonna say they're gonna be fair if you count the U. There are any U game. Sometimes it's hard to find a line on a on a on a game with an FCS tate, but Arizona Northern Arizona because the
last time I think you'll find a line on that. So I think Arizona will be favorite in one, two, three, four, five games and then Washington the Washington State game depend you know, depends on what the two teams have done up to that point. I would think being on the road, they're more likely to not be favorite in that game. So how many games it will be? Five? Five, five? Save your money, But I do if they pull off a win or two. Let's say let's
say Washington at at a plus three hundred or something. Thought the team you picked it with at all? Well, whoever are your USC or Utah? You tell us the home game, right, and and Brad May Brad House made a good point, they do play well against Utah at home. Haven't gone to those theories, baby, tightly, don't stop me now, all right, we're gonna take a break for it to come back, and we're gonna breaking news. Top of the hour, we'll be right back