This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services ensure your most prized possessionets good, good.
Enough to do and everybody. Welcome to Eye on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera's bring your kids to work today. Today, got Matt with us, Got Henry with us. Henry's under Nova, not under control. It's Matt today. You might have some hiccups, but we're ready to roll you ready, Yeah, you're confident.
Little bit a little bit. He's got heart away.
No, you got to start somewhere. I don't even do that because I don't want to learn. That's so I got you guys. Help me out. You guys got to learn anyway. Hell, I'm on my way out of my career. You guys are just starting, so it's good. Do you guys know this stuff? Hey, welcome guys. I wanted to ask you guys, when you're on campus and you're out, you know, out and about, do the students care or is there a buzz about the football team or do they you know, what the hell? Just another day?
I think basketball there definitely is a buzz football. You could you could tell, you can tell there's a buzz for basketball football. Maybe towards the end the last season, I felt a little buzz, But so far this season, I never really what do.
You what would be the buzz? What's the buzz mean?
Just like people actually caring, like people shown up to the you know events, the game.
Yeah, talk yeah, talk about it and do you feel that now?
I feel more than I've felt it my past couple of years. It's still not that much compared to the basketball. Like last game, I didn't feel it like last did you go? I didn't go to the game, but I was on campus and I didn't like he went right, Yeah, I was at the game.
It was last week different than the previous weeks.
Just I think the most buzz I felt this year was New Mexico game, just because it.
Was a good crowd. You guys were rocking and rolling with the with the zoo and we'll see I mean the Colorado game sold out? Right? Oh yeah? So but is it more for Arizona's sake or is it for the curiosity of Colorado? Both? Both? You know, I guess it doesn't hurt, right, it doesn't. Yeah, fill to fill the house and if they if Arizona wins, they have a lot of talk. You know, they'd be Dean again. Blah blah blah. But we don't know, we don't know.
I think you've already made a prediction. What did you think?
You know?
I think Colorado is gonna beat us, for sure, because just talent wise, they have more talent. You know, let's go, let's go one game at a time now and I'm calling it Travis going for one.
Hundred, so he's gonna have a better game than t Mac for sure, for sure, Henry, what a debate, This could be a debate show. We can wait till next week. We got to you gotta get to this. And who knows. I think the line has moved up to five and a half at least that's where I saw thee Yeah, five and a half so from four, so you know what that means. People are picking you pretty heavily. I think I would take the points though, five and a half,
because we've talked about it. We talked about it. When you guys are here on Monday, when you don't expect anything from Arizona, they show up, and if they're gonna give you five and a half. Take the points. Yeah, take the points. They win by six or who's by six?
Right, So I've been on the slump, so you know.
When day when Jay's on a lot slump, which is most months. I hate taking no advice from Jay, So I know you're kind of got down from so I'm not listening to you. What is it? Did you see it's five? Are you looking at right now? Checking it out right now?
Yeah?
I think it's about five and five and a half, which is is uh more points to take. We'll see what happens now with who's out the dbate Dbi's Yeah, who you know? Who's out? Got her gunner and gunner and and the other kid, not Davis, but the other kid. You know, I know, you know, I know you know, skinny skinny guy h dB.
Uh blank name didn't play no, no, god, I can't know. He just lost his name. And then he got hurt last weekend.
I don't know, son of a gun. He just got hurt. Who's the guy on the sidelines with the hands on the weekend he was someone's gonna text me on Someone's gonna text me and say, uh someone I know, No, No one's texting me yet Uh come on the other good dude. Uh another good stup said, Sukes, why why why am I blan? You gonna tell you're going and tell me something.
You'll remember freshman year, at least my freshman year, Stukes was you know, he.
Was a he was a number two pencil dude. Yeah he was. But so you have that impression of him now even now he's got better. Now he's got he's gotten better. I think obviously when we've talked to you, when you first shrilled up here, you don't think Davis is a first round draft and people are talking that, yeah what what what? What do you see that?
Honestly, it's just whenever it goes like like, for example, that Utah game, Yeah we beat him, but their number one receiver went for like one hundred plus yards and what was this thing he used to play here? Yeah, singer he went to Yeah he went for over one hundred. So like, to me, a first round dB should I mean take that away. Davis did win the Big twelve Defensive Player of the Week that week. I think it's his biggest issue is he gets beat deep.
That's sometimes TV though, Can you allow that? Yeah, that's what he's got to fix.
But now he's good. Though.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking I'm not talking to this. I'm not trying to downplay the kid. You know, I pray that he guess all that he's earned. But when I heard first round, I was like, whoa, Well, yeah, to.
Me, it's the stretch too, And and I know, I know he's he's the good gut. They have good body size, tall and thin. But I still think you need to be right.
And even even when you were watching them last game, the commentators were saying he was a first round pick too. I heard with Davis, right, yeah, with David and Stukes. To me, and I remember what you're talking about three years ago, very thin almost like what are you doing right? If I want to big play was happening like it was because he messed up or like got beat deep or something.
But you're not the same dude.
Yeah, he's definitely like he's definitely gotten better, but they're playing him at the at the nickel position.
You know, he's a it's working from him. Well, it's going to be a big deal because you guys you said yeah, Gunner and then you have Stukes. God, I can't remember why space that name, but I'm old. Uh so those two dudes that they're lacking, But I guess Genesis can fit in pretty nicely there. Yeah, which is but if he was it was that good, he'd be starting, that's yeah. Yeah, that's true. No fault. You know, I can't play the position, so who am I to talk about?
But still, would you lose two starters, that's a big deal. Definitely, Yeah. I guess the right team too. Yeah. So so we haven't talked. We talked about it, possible money, right, Are they gonna win this week?
Yeah, we talked about a little you pick you picked them to win? I think I said I wouldn't be surprised that they win. Right now, I'd probably lean towards Arizona, but just because it's based off yeah yeah, because of how they they work.
Yeah, and you're and you're right. I mean, I wouldn't fault you if you picked them because of that reason. I would take the points for that reason. Yeah. Well, I think Brian was saying that, like b Yu doesn't.
Have the most explosive offense, so that's especially during the day for whatever.
Yeah, and they're bad during day games. Yeah, yeah, I don't know if you guys, I don't know if you guys are trend players. I know you do dabble in the old DraftKings stuff, but you know I'm a trend players, but I'm a I'm a trend player. If I beat Henry ten straight times, Henry not due, right, I'm gonna bet them eleven times? Right? Yeah, that makes sense. So so we'll see what happens with a lot to talk about. Thanks guys, You guys are my co hosts, which is nice.
Get some young guys who don't forget names like me too, like Stukes. But let me tell you who the guests are. Today. Should be a fun show. I won't even ask you about this. Do you guys know who Matt Meilblock is? Not in my research? Though he played basketball? Okay, yeah, very good. Yeah, he was the winningest player here ever, never lost to McHale because that he was during the heyday of U A and and Mike and Mike and
loud Olsen. Uh So he never lost to McHale. U some other people surpassed him in terms of wins at McHale, but I'm not sure if that's officially official because those games were were removed when when Sewan got in trouble, So I think it's kind of iffy, but he had he I think he wont like one hundred and seventeen games. He might know what is uh from Kansas City. I want to talk to him about just this year's basketball team and his hometown of the city. Who's killing it
with the Chiefs and with the with the Royals. So there's that. And he's a pre frequent guest too. Uh he works for ESPN and all the stations doing doing games. And then we're gonna in the second half, we're gonna talk to Rocky the Rose. She's one of the former former ads here. What did you call you? Deputy deputy? Which is great, could get deputy ads back in the day with Cedric Dempsey and Greg Burn and all that.
But I wanted to touch her and we've talked her about this before, all the craziness that's going on with you know, college athletics and yeah, no, great, great, I want to touch her now about the national letter of intent. Now you know what now? I mean, come on, you guys are young enough to know uh uh kind of the past, especially you, Matt. But but it's gone berserk. It's gone bunkers. I feel bad for high school kids. Man,
oh yeah, you gonna sell. Well, let's just go ahead and you see the breaking news of that one, that only one. Yeah you know what did you get back?
Yeah, we got the NCAA approved elimination of national letter of Intent program today.
Yes, Now I don't, I don't, I don't even like what does that even mean? Like you can't, Okay, so once you commit, you don't have to sign a letter anymore. So, like you could commit because.
You could get a bigger payday somewhere else. I guess, I guess they'll I don't think it's been finalized. There's a final hearing scheduleized for April next year, so that's the one they'll determine whether it's final or not. But like you were saying, Matt, if you're a senior, what's gonna happen?
So what I'm saying, like if you're if you're not even if you're not even ranked as a high schooler, like I'm sorry, you might have to go junior college or so. I don't know, because the transfer portal, everyone's like coaches don't even need to go to high school. No, more to get quality players that could just go into If you're not.
A dude that's going to help you right away or or right away after your first year or whatever, exactly, there's no need to talk you. We talked about this a lot because for the reason you just had transfer portal.
If I'm going to go and get Matt at at Santa Barbara or wherever, you know, Fresno State and he's good, dude, why would I go after a senior in high school when I know my mad ass had experience, right and you've been through there, you've been through, have done that, and you don't know what the high school kids get exactly. You got to develop them. Here's the other issue, the
kid from the high school. And we talked about this with JC guys they go to j C. Well, now we know that you're not good enough to play D one right away, So what use am I going to do with hal for you in a year or so when you move up or try to move up. It's tough.
But junior college, you know, No, junior college to me is always I feel like that will still be around because there's quality guys playing junior college, you know, and sure schools are always looking for sure gym.
But you're going to have to be a stud, right, not that you had to be or couldn't be a study or had to be a study before, because most of the studs get found right right. Whether if you can playing, yeah, if you can play, they'll you just got to get into the school academically.
Yeah, exactly, And that's mostly sometimes why players go to you go to right right.
Dude, it's not you guys were in your early twenties twenty years ago when you were born.
This is never even thought. I mean you were telling me tuestion. No, I don't know if it was you. Probably tuestion here was like four thousand, so yeah, change it might have been almost yeah, it was probably yeah, four thousand for the year. Yeah for like yeah, I was like what the yeah, no, it was crazy.
But back in the day, I'm sure that people are listening down and saying, yeah, it was about that. Yeah. Sometimes definitely have changed, man, yeah, no, it has, especially if you're an athlete. So we'll talk to Rocky Lowers the Rose about that. Maybe if she get an idea of what you would think about how to improve it. That's the million dollar question or the however, million million dollar question, because I don't know anybody knows how to fix, you know, and it's gonna be like, it's gonna take
a while. Let me ask you something.
If and I gets too out of hand, do you think they're gonna take it away or no?
No, no no, Because now now in the next they're trying to solve the problem of having to pay the students twenty million dollars a year. I mean, that's gonna bev and that's that's that's on the table. Yeah, that's not gonna be taken out the table. So imagine you guys are born at least four years too early, because if you were born, I.
Like, even right now, it's like even my age is still guess how I'm like, I mean, you got Travis Hunter making like commercial.
Five million dollars, but then yeah, in five years, it's gonna be even crazy.
Imagine now twenty million in college. Now I don't think you I don't know, I don't think you will no, no, but.
I'm talking twenty million dollars for the university sports athletic deportment. Whoever's playing right play gets gets coined. That's still a lot of money. Yeah, I'm not sure where they find it. This is already you guys are broke. I'm assuming you guys are broke kid in college. Yeah, but having a good time. You have some run, you know, but now you're kind of broke. Now they're asking you to get dig more deep into your pockets. But I'm already broke.
Or do you find that money? You don't? You just yeah, I don't know. Now they know why Arizona's debt the millions because they went too deep. And then if you're already too deep, or you get that money to replenish the deep, got some loans, I don't know. That's been part of the Yeah, that's been part of the problem. You know, you guys part of aren't studying economics, so
I didn't got those mic pockets are deep. But you know what I'm saying, it's that your parents tell you, son, I can't I can't get you this thing because we don't have enough money. They wish. I wish I could. But if you do get it, guess what we don't need.
Yeah.
Yeah, so we'll see. Hey, it's already to be fourteen. Good discussion. We're going to talk to Matt Melbach here on the other side. Thanks Matt, Now.
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Streaming live on the Ihearts radio app. This is High on the Ball with Steve Rovera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
Hey, welcome back to In the Ball Hero Fox Sports fourteen fifty tons Steve Rivera in would be to day, Henry and Matt. Now we have Matt Meulebox on the phone. Matt, how are you.
I'm good, Steve.
How you doing? I'm doing fine. Hey, good to talk to you. You're like mister mister world traveler everywhere you go. Are you Are you settled here in Tucson for a little bit.
Oh yeah, I'm always settling Tucson. But great home base and uh, you know, got.
Some fun things that I get to travel for, certainly you know during the basketball season and uh, you know that's that's all coming up.
So do you do you already who you're working with? Now there's no PAC twelve, So what the heck you doing?
My employer is deceased.
Yeah, so you know we're hopefully it's gonna be a number of different networks. Uh, you know, I've I've done stuff in the past with FS one and Fox. I'm waiting on my schedule from them.
I've got some ESPN Plus games.
I've got some actually some pack I don't know what you'd call it right now, pack two, pack six, pack eight, I've got some of those games. So I've got like a myriad of things going on. And yeah, so I'm gonna be doing games again, and not sure exactly what the schedules, you know, last couple of years or the last ten years. Really I had a pretty good idea as of this time, at least kind of conceptually what
it would be. But you know, it's gonna be a little bit different this year, but it should be fun nonetheless.
Yeah, no question. And you're gonna be going to your old stopping grounds at least in the areas right of the Big twelve. I'm sure you're excited about that.
Yeah, you know, again, I don't know the whole schedule, but yeah, that'd be awesome. Spent my one year, you know, one year in Kansas City, my senior year in high school. And my family's from the Midwest, so you know, know that part of the of the country pretty well, huge, huge KU fans in that area. In fact, my in laws are all KU people and pretty passionate fan base.
It's going to be fun to you know.
I mean, we're seeing a little bit at football, which I think has been fun, but you know, I let's let's be honest, we're going to see it in you know, even more in basketball, just because of the quality of that conference, the best in the country, right right.
Yeah, no, no question. So so I was telling I'm sorry. I have a couple of my interns here today, Matt and Henry, and I was telling them that you're the winningness of U a player in the history of the program. And I'll say that with an asterisk because I don't know if that's changed or not. But you never lost in Michale. Do you know if I think you want one hundred and seventeen, I'm sure you know right on the top of your head.
I actually don't. I don't know what it is.
I do remember that dussan Ristitch I think cast.
Me yest year. Yes, so I know I think he was ahead of me. There may haven't even been one other person.
I don't know who it was, but I think I'm still there, like top two or three there is.
But as you and I may have talked before is okay, Yeah, there ahead, but uh, I think that Sean got knocked a few games on his probation or whatever.
It was, so they just played.
They just played more games and uh so. Uh in fact, I know they played more games these days because of all the.
You know, non conference tournaments and that sort of thing.
We used to have, Like if we had one tournament a year, it was a lot, and we would have as you know, like some made for TV stuff we have, like the tip Off Classic in in in Massachusetts or whatever.
And sometimes there's just one game.
Sure, sure, And and I'm not trying to promote you or to alibi them or whatever or you uh, back in the day, you guys had tougher schedules.
We did, and and you know, to some degree, I mean there's some complaints about it, but you know, look, there's here's the deal. Their's on a fan base wants their team to do well in March, right. I think I think that's more important. As much as we'd all love to see, you know, six seven home games at McHale that are due in Michigan State, et cetera, et cetera.
You know you're gonna get one. You know, and maybe two.
And the way it works these days, it just it just happens to work that you have to play in those those non con you know, away from campus stuff, and it's it's all, you know, it's it's a huge art. It's not a science. It's an art that they've got to figure out every year, and it's it's it's all about placing them in the best position in March. And I get it, like, if you're a season ticket holder,
you'd like to see you know, the bigger ones non conference. However, I will say, like, you know, now, let's just call it what it is. You're gonna get better games at McHale in the big twelve. You just you just are and hopefully you of a will continue doing like a
game or two in Phoenix, maybe in Vegas. Of course they're gonna have those tournaments I just saw there and then Maui coming up the next year, the following year, so you know, so he can go see him in those locations if they if they have the means to do it. And you know, I've always said it's pretty awesome to sit back the night before Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving and watch your team plate Duke you know, like in New York and see him win, you know, like those are those are some pretty cool things.
Granted it's not a Michale.
We'd like to all have it, but the way the way the schedules are set up these days, they just have to do it.
It's it's part of the team.
Yeah, you know the schedule better than most and you know the conferences, given the Big twelves power and how good they are. And we've we've valueued this this topic last ten days whatever. So Arizon is now in the Big twelve. It's gonna be a fantastic schedule. Like you said, they'll probably take more losses than they have in the past. However, they'll be prepared for what's important, and that's March. But will they have been beaten up by the time they get to March? So is it a catch twenty Is
it a catch twenty two? You're kind of prepared more at least to know what you're gonna be up against. But if you're tired and you're beat up and you're whatever, what does that mean?
Yeah? I think that goes into it, right. I think Tommy's Tommy and his staff have to do a good job of understanding that you know, playing you know, maybe not playing the same minutes they've played that that could be an issue. But you know, look, I'll use the Kevin O'Neill line. You know these guys are twenty years old. Yeah too, Like like you know, we at that age, we all love playing basketball. We all we all bitched if we went out. Yeah, nobody wanted to sit on
the bench. So if I'm playing thirty five minutes, like you got to, you gotta kind of bring it. And you know, and these guys are young, their bodies are like, look, they get pounded. Like I've always said, what what college athletes do, like in basketball or football and especially through athletes. Your body's not made to do that. And you know, you find out about it when you're you know, in your fifties like me.
But at that age, you know, you got no problem doing it. You can do it. You know it's now.
Granted, I get it what you're saying, and I should say too, I didn't even mention this with that non with those schedules that we just talked about. With it said, and with the challenges of playing home games, Tommy plays the hardest one of anybody, like go around the country and look at everybody else's non conference games at home, Like, you know, he plays as hard a one as and
as fun for the fans as anyone does. You know, you're gonna get Duke at home, you know, in Tucson, Like I would rather have Duke at home than three good middle of the range games, you know.
And and to your point too, like you.
Just mentioned getting beat up in the Big Twelve. You can't have a schedule that's Duke Carolina, Kentucky and you know, Michigan State in November and December and then jump into January and February and the Big Twelve, because then you really.
Will get beat up.
Sure, hey it's bad here.
Yeah, so we already know Arizona is going to have a tough season because of the new conference during but like, what's what's your expectation after the season when we talk about final fours and all that, what what do you want them to do? I know we want to go all the way, but like what would Yeah.
I mean, here's my take.
My take is this.
You know, you get to a final four, any team in any school, when you get to a final four, you're you're like legendary status.
You go down in history.
And if you win it, then it's like next level legendary. But if you get to a Final four, it's legendary. It's what we all wanted as players. It's it's the kind of goal from especially the u of a program from gig one. My my my take is this, it's like a golfer. You know, you can't always win a major, but if you put yourself there on Sunday at the start of the round or on the start.
Of the back nine, and you're in the mix, you're to win some and you lose some.
And I think for a team like this and Tommy's done it. Tommy's done it, what two out of three years that he's been in Tucson. You get your team to a Sweet sixteen. If you get there, you're two games away. Like it's just it's two good, solid games. You got to shoot it well, you gotta play well, and you are in legendary status. Now, they didn't get there. You know, three years ago they got a horrible seed against Houston. Houston should have been like a one seed
or a two seed. That should have been a final four game. Not to mention, they got into San Antonio, So it was a really tough matchup. Last year, I thought they were better than Clemson. They had a rough shooting game, they didn't shoot.
It well and they got bounced, you know.
And so my thing is give yourself opportunities to keep getting yourself into a sweet sixteen. If you do that, you know you're gonna have times where it connects, you're gonna get the breaks, the ball is gonna bounce the right way, and you're gonna get some final fours.
Would you say this year is like the best year for them to go all the way?
You know, it's definitely up there. I thought three years ago they were outstanding. Let's let's remember they had three like top thirty picks, and yep, they were. They were pretty outstanding. But I think I think Tommy and his teams have matured. I think they're a little more physical, and I think so let me just jump into this year. I've been to one practice. I'm going to go to some more in the next couple of weeks. I got their first couple of exhibition games, and what I noticed
more than anything was two things. I noticed two things just how physical they were playing, and you could see it was already a thing, it was already talked about.
They were implementing a more physical.
Style, and I felt like I felt like there was more focus on defense. And I'll tell you I ran into Caleb Love somewhere in the last few weeks and I was talking to him and the first thing out of his mouth was, Hey, We're gonna be better defensively, And I thought that was that was telling.
Me, we are you mostly excited to see when the season comes.
God's a great question. I hadn't thought about that. You know, for me, the two guys that probably jump out are Jade and Bradley. I want to see him play the point with extended minutes. You know, he looked really good the last three or four games of the season last year, like a guy that is going to take not a step or a leap up, but you know, like two levels up.
And so I'm excited about him.
And I think for the same reason the guy that played kind of opposite him when they would come in off the bench, kJ lewis like both of those guys from our position, do they like there's no pun intending is kJ can bounce, but do they bounce up? You know, levels this year and become you know, like NBA like like for sure NBA guys that you're like, damn, those guys are good.
Yeah, no question that. I had Rhino on yesterday and I talked about those three with love and kJ and Jayden as you know, the best some of the best three back in the back court since you know, the Reggie and Celine, dun and Damon and played and then you had Bibby and Miles and you had Dickerson. So but let me ask you, let me ask you a question. I don't think I've ever asked you. Uh, you're talking about the Sweet sixteen and the success. It's been twenty four years since, uh it was on a went to
the final four. You were just a young man back then. But but let me say, what if what if lut had never won the title? What do you think his legacy would have been? And because he had a couple of chances even after that, even after that.
Title, Yeah, you know, I think I think, sadly, it would have been less right, it would have been you know, there's some teams out there that haven't closed the deal. I'm trying to think of like a Purdue, Purdue, you know, a. Purdue has always thought of as a really good program. But I think was last year the first final four they've ever had, maybe the second, maybe the first.
But I don't, I don't put them like I don't think. But let me put it this way.
Had Arizona won five championships, fourst they would be in the top status. They would be with Kentucky KUH even U c l A all these years later because they won eleven of them. But Kentucky KU, you know, do those teams but they didn't.
They didn't. So I think as we sit.
Here, I think you have as you know, historic is is sort of that second level. It's Arizona, Indiana, Syracuse, Michigan State, you know whatever. That kind of second frame of teams is, which is amazing, you know, which is just you know, think about when Luke came here.
The thought of that.
Happening there, you know, was probably you know, one in a million, yea or maybe not that high, but you know, you get and but but but I say this, you don't put.
For doing that category, you know, you don't.
You don't putting Georgetown eight teams, Georgetown, George, even Georgetown who fell apart, you know at times the last thirty years.
So you know, Arizona's in that second level. And I think it's not only because of the longevity the dozens of NBA players and stars and contracts and just historic games and all that stuff and a million I think I read something from the staff this year that they during the PAC twelve and PAC ten era won twenty eight different either the league or the tournament championships something like that, like no one's even close, right, and and but I don't think Arizona's in that level without a title.
Yeah, yeah, I was just curious with your thoughts. In fact, I might quote you in a story that I'm gonna do the in the guards. So let's go to the guards real quick, and then I want to ask you about your your your hometown, Kansas City. It's kind of gone bersik, But let me ask you about the three guards that they have compared to the other guards I mentioned with Bibbie and Miles and Dickerson, and in those of them, Oh.
How do I put how do I stack them?
You know?
I think I think that this year time will tell, right. I think the the greatest guard combo you would have to say was Bibby Miles and Dickerson right and carry off the pitch like, I don't think anyone touched those those four now now right, probably in second place or almost a tie for second. You would put the ninety fourteen with with Reggie Stodd and and care and then you'd probably put them in the tie with the one guys with uh with you know Gardener, Gilbert and Ke
and Luke and Luke. Yeah, yeah, and so you know, I I uh, I mean that's that's those are probably the top three of all time?
Is this group in that? I mean, I think I think they're in the conversation.
They've got a lot They've got some stuff to prove this year because again, like I said, you know, Jayden hasn't done it as a starter yet, and he will. I think I have a lot of confidence in him. kJ same thing, you know, he's he's now sophomore year, is going to be a starter. Hell has gone. He takes over that position.
And same with Kayleb. You know what's interesting about Caleb. I believe Caleb is the first player since.
Sean Elliott that won the PAC twelve Player of the Year to come back to college. So his it's it's funny because you know, he had such a great year. He's the PAC twelve Player of the year. Those are those are like the type of things you go into the Hall of Fame for at u of a right and what do we remember about him? Kind of the last game he didn't play well, didn't shoot it, and people kind of almost dismissed that he's back. He's the PAC twelve Player of the year.
That's pretty sensational.
Yeah, No, that's a great that's a great come. I have to go research, I have to fact check you, but I think that's a good one.
That's right.
Lastly, because we've got to go in a little bit, your hometown, hometown team is the Casey Royals and Casey Chiefs. What the world's going on with this thing?
Well, as you know, Steve, I moved from Casey to the Barria, so my team's growing up were Casey Royals, Chiefs and the Lawyers because the Kings had left ca C. So I became a Warriors fan grow up in the Brea had nothing to do with Twenty five years later.
One of my best friends became the coach.
And I went other than the eighty five Royals won the World Series in eighty five.
Other than that, I waited fifty.
Years until the Chiefs went to a Super Bowl. The Royals were one of the worst teams in baseball.
The Warriors.
I waited for forty years to do anything, and all of a sudden in fourteen, I've had the Royals in two World Series. And since the last ten years, I've had the Royals and two World Series, the Chiefs and four Super Bowls, the Warriors in five World Championships. So I've been you know, we all have our teams. Yeah, typically, as we all know, in the year crying and hoping for a better year next year. Yeah, And I've been lucky.
I've had ten great.
Years with those teams that that usually doesn't happen. For fifty years, I didn't have it. You know, it wasn't happening the Matt mule Buck. All of a sudden, the Matt Mubu.
Yeah.
So now you know, root from my hometown team, the Wildcats, and see what see what they can do.
Well, it's been It's not like the girl in the title Lady in Titanic. He's been eighty four years. But it's been a long time since you've been to the final four.
That's right, that's right, right, Well, I think Tommy is the guy to do it. Tommy's Tommy is a special coach. He's a special guy.
He gets he gets it on many yes, right, and he's going to figure it out.
He's going to put us in position and tea not us, the team in position, and you know, hey, I think it's going to happen, and it's going to happen probably.
Well, you're a US. You've been there, done that and all that for you. Hey man, good to see you, Good to talk to you. We'll talk to you again soon.
Thank you, Thank you always fun.
Yeah, thank you. Matt Mulbach for Hoopster now attorney, no TV guy know everything. So let's take a break. If you're an Arizona men's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now take a look back at the Ludelsen era. In my new book, Lessons from Lout It was a labor of love through the eyes of twenty five former players, coaches, and friends that give insight to the coach and the man who led them, competed against them, and inspired them. Twenty five chapters for
his twenty five years as Arizona's beloved coach. Lessons from lut is an insight to how he built the program into a national powerhouse. What one email me at Steve dot RIVERA ninety five at gmail dot com.
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Streaming live on the iHeartRadio AB, This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
Hey, welcome back to Iying the Ball here a Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera in today with me, is Henry and Matt. Matt's working the board, doing a pretty good job first time. Thank you, Matt. A couple good questions, right, I'll just get to talk more. If you guys want to call, please do five to two zero four one six seventy four forty. I hope to hear from you and we'll get to your calls no problem. We've got a lot of calls yesterday, all at the
same time. So if you if we missed you, just give us a quick call. Just give us a quick call and we'll get you on. I know that we're going to going to del Sol tomorrow. If you have a chance, go and see us, see Jay and I. I know we have a few people going. We're trying to get a special guest here. We haven't heard back from the special guest. Uh, that's gonna be out there if you want to stay kind of bs with us
and we're gonna have dinner. Kind of stay with us if you like, and we're gonna be in the sports book for from three to five and enjoy the enjoy the show, enjoy the atmosphere and things like that. While you're there. You can kind of go through movies, great food there and then go to the sports book. Obviously we're gonna be there, play some things that you know, the slots or the the and the roulette or whatever. There's a lot of things going on. You can have
been down there, probably smart man, stay away. You used to college students. Yeah, you haven't just turned twenty one. Your your issues are more on the what's to eat tonight? You know exactly. I was gonna say the draft Kings stuf right right, Yeah, anybody you're gonna break the news with the baseball don't say what it is, but yeah, is it still going?
I was gonna talk about right now the Jonathan give me an NBA draft analyst. He released his top one hundred and there were five Arizona guys.
In the really top one hundred, Okay, top one hundred. Don't say what they are until we get breaking news on the other side. Do you have the list there?
Yeah?
I mean we could talk about it. You have enough stuff for next hour? Yeah, go ahead? That okay.
We got Carter Brian at thirteen, Crevass at seventeen, kJ Lewis thirty four.
Wait wait, wait, so go go slow because I just was looked Carter Bryant thirteen.
Really really for this year, for the next twenty twenty five during.
Yeah, yeah, I'll tell you why, but go ahead.
Uh, crevos Is at seventeen, kJ Lewis is at thirty four, Jaden Bradley fifty five, and Caleb Love eighty nine.
What's anything they're surprised you? I think that Hi, yeah, well that's one. I think that's the second high, the second thing for me. I think Carter Bryant, that's fair. I think fair, you know, in my mind before Matt thinks about what he wants to say, I think kJ Lewis is the shoe on or shoe in for being the best NBA prospect right now.
I think they're gonna take away the fact because he's a sophomore. Because you know, the NBA teams I love their their freshman guy.
Freshman, but he's but he's Yeah, but if he's the best prospect, why would you have him that low thirty something? I bet you, I bet you now that he goes in the first round. Yeah, I agree, I think once the season starts. Yeah, and you you talked about Bryant being shocked to.
Me, wait, is this all time? This is just for the draft draft next year?
Yeah? So Brian Bryant, I know he's a talent. I haven't really seen him a whole heck of a lot in high school some you know, red blue, What do you learned from there? Or nothing? But no question, he's versatile, he's good. But seventeen, I'm not surely he'll even have that much of an impact on this team. Although he's gonna have an impact, I won't go not say that, but I think that kJ Lewis and and Love and the other guy is gonna probably have more of an impact.
He was at eighty nine eighty nine, So this tells you what? Doesn't that shock you too? Yeah? I think that the age is definitely a big thing for that. Yeah.
I don't like how they they overvalue young guys too much.
Nowadays, we like a negative stigma and players staying yeah, no, I agree with you there, because if you could play, all right, you could play.
Here's the problem. Go ahead, you guys. Remember that one guard from Seaton Hall I forgot his name, Powell.
Yeah yeah, us now you're so called.
Yeah, but I feel like because he sayd four years, people looked at him like but he was.
So But if he's good good, why wouldn't he be able to play in the NBA. You know what I'm saying. It must lack something because if you're good, the NBA teams are gonna say, come and play for us.
It's still not teams that are players that go four years still, you know, get like home Hawk is he played four years, he's still first because he.
Can play and he's worth something. For Caleb, I wouldn't know what he's lacking, but he's obviously lacking something where they don't trust him offensively, they don't trust him defensively, or they just don't they know things that we don't know.
I think his offense can get to the NBA level, so I don't sure, but he has to be more consistent, more consistent. But the guy can score here's your issue. Do we get a call? Okay, Hey, you're on the air and nine on the ball.
This is Steve maybe in real hope. You're on the air and eye on the ball. This is Steve.
No.
Hello, we're trying. We're trying. If you're hearing us, Hello, Hey, you're on the air and eye on the ball. Hey who's that?
Yeah? Yeah, it's the guy that makes the most remotes. But I can't come tomorrow.
Oh hey, Howard, how are you good? How are you doing good? What's the word?
The word is?
I know? I was like ready to push the pianic button. And then you talk with Matt about the rough and tough Big twelve. It's like, aren't you allowed twelve scholarships? We you know, a couple weeks ago you said we only have nine.
Right, that's the way he's choosing to do it. It doesn't make any sense to some of us. But he's going to only go nine deep anyway with the season if he goes that far. So it's kind of a conundrum or a puzzle for us right now because he's not gonna go with twelve. He wouldn't play twelve anyway he has right now, He has ten walk ons, ten eleven walk on So there's that.
I've got that many.
Well, yeah, but for whatever reason. You know his son, well, let me tell you. His son's a walk on. Desiree's sons a walk on from Zuri. He has Grant Whiteman and a others from last year as GA. You know, a long time guys for five year guys. So the bench is there, it's just not it's just not a really playable bench.
Well it's white man. I guess if you're a walk and you could play twenty.
Years, right, you could play at least five right.
So just it seems like he's been there a yeah.
So let me ask you, are you concerned with the PAC twelve packed Big twelve schedule?
Well, not really. I'm just I'm still amped up. I can't wait to.
Go to games.
And when you're a young man, they're read the rankings of how they're supposed to come in the NBA. I think I have to buy some cards when they're rookies the next year, because I agree. I saw k J. Lewis and the warm up line of the three Point Contest live. I thought he was the best player.
Yeah, I think he's the best NBA prospect. To have him that low right now, to me is kind of a shock. Uh, and Crevis that high, like said, because he's also but he's not freshman.
He's a sophomore too, so well he's yeah, he's a somber, but he's a yurope and they're pretty strong. He's just got to work on his body.
Well, you know, that's it. He's not he's not a mobile big guy either.
Yeah.
Yeah, putting more bulk is not gonna make.
No, no, no, he's he's more of a he's more of a plotting center. And how many plotting centers do you have in the NBA?
Well, most of them are our Phoenix Suns guy. But he's slimmed down. But it's just like he's he's must be taking notes from our our woman, Lady Cat's coach because she just likes to not have many scholarships because of her drama. Just ladies have more drama.
Oh yeah, that's send letters to Howard, not to me. All right, Howard, Hey, you're not going to be at the Caacino tomorrow.
I assume no, because I got I'm going to play poker later that night right by my house and my son and I are going to go up to the casino in Phoenix. Plus, I'm gonna attend a card show.
Busy George is doing it. I saw that. I saw that I need to check. I saw that it's a big card show this weekend.
Okay, yeah, because I can put some.
In for well, let's talk. Let's talk off air. What are you gonna be going up to Phoenix Saturday Sunday.
Oh, it's just we're gonna stay Saturday night because I'm gonna put my cards in. Oh, okay, you know, to get for this other company. It's funny. I came here from a card shop. Not George is the other guy. He's a real nice guy. George is so personable, he's friendly. The other guy that has a card shopped right right right, he's a younger guy and he's really nice and smart. Right Matt, But okay, I went to him. Were you guys off air?
No, no, no, we're on. We're still on. We're still on. Okay, so we'll we'll talk this week.
You might call tomorrow.
I don't know.
Okay, thank you later, thank you. It was Howard, Thank you Howard. We only got about a minute left. What does it say there, yeah, fifty four, fifty four got about a minute. Okay, cool, Hey, thanks calling for calling Howard. Maybe we revisit. You're gonna have some more breaking news, right, Yeah, you don't think that the kidom loved thing is weird?
I do, but you know, I'm not surprised by it, I will say, after what happened, after he didn't even make the get a combine invite, he only got a G League combine.
Yeah, there's something there. There's something there that that we don't see exactly or don't know. Yeah, okay, are you ready. We'll take a break and come back on the other side with breaking news