This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services and Sure Your Most Prized Possessions kat z R two SA at iHeartRadio Stage Yet.
Hey, good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, You're Henry, You're Matthew, and now we have David silver back in the studio today. Welcome to the show.
Dave.
I'm glad you came back. I'm glad the nil money is sufficient enough for you.
When's when's that supposed to come in sometime? Okay, don't quit on me. Okay.
Like it's happening at one place, I'm sure it's happened in others. In fact, to Matt Monno and Troy Hunchinson talked about this about a month ago. I almost fell on my chair when we talked about it. We're gonna have Matt coming in the show later on and talk about that. But did it shock you whatever word you want to use. But the UNLB kid who left the team because he wasn't getting paid, it was like.
The first thing I saw on the news this morning, what they're three, and oh, they're doing pretty well, and all of a sudden he's announced he's going somewhere else or he's going to leave the program. And I forget exactly how it was worded originally. Was he a business decision or something like that, But I guess that's the
way we are living again. I talked about this yesterday where things are have definitely switched up a little bit, and these guys are business people now and they're supposed to be getting deals, and apparently he wasn't getting what he expected.
The players are now running the program, yes, pretty much. Even before this, I thought this, and it's what a world we live in, right. I guess I'm just reading something now that the university in Las Vegas put out a statement that what he's saying is not true. There was never an agreement between anybody. I think that that's what I read yesterday or this morning, where the assistant coach promised him the one hundred thousand dollars and it.
Didn't come through.
I guess he was thinking three thousand a month, which is for student hell is pretty good, but those days are wrong gone, so I guess he They issued a statement, and I guess some collectives at the school issued some statement and now what they're definitely doing is saying we've wiped our slate clean from the kid and he's gone, you know, just like that. Yeah, So it's not a it's not a shock to me having listened to Mett what I know and and Troy Hudsonson talking about it
a while back, because it was surprising to me. And before we went on the air, we talked to you and I just briefly about the Gundy thing with Oklahoma. We're not going to talk an I l because now it's my time. I'm the coach, and you'll deal with that at the end of the year. And we've seen this.
We saw this a little with with with Miller Sean here because I remember the Wisconsin coach back in the day saying we're not going to rent a player the one and done's and not that Miller paid or didn't pay or whatever, but he was kind of renting players right having in here four years.
So this is the world we're going to live in.
It's gonna be interesting because you know, you think of like the DeAndre Aightens and you know, whatever, the situations where there were here. They're seriously, they're here for just a few months. Get them through March and then off they go. Does the nil money stop at that point? Well, you wonder how these deals are worked out.
Who knows.
At some point we're going to try to get an nil a guy in here. We've had ray Wells in a number of times. The question I never asked is when do the kids get paid? And I said this to Jay last week after the performance of Kansas State. What world do you live in where you get paid up front and then you do the work and if your work sucks, do you get the money back? Probably not exactly. So, So if you get paid and I'm not saying that's going on, but you get paid and you look like crap or what's.
The motivation to do well?
Yeah, well, then you also look to it. The news that came out last week with Reggie Bush from USC he's trying to get nil money from.
Fifteen years ago.
It's happening here too. He was playing if you maybe google Jason Terry and A. J. Brown, they're going back trying. They're suing a bit because the a the likeness image and likeness from the turn the national Championship ninety seven. Sure, because there were photos all over the place, and so I think they're suing the n C Double A and CBS because those videos were everywhere.
Of course, so what point's gonna be. That's gonna everybody can do that? Yeah, I mean those videos were been part of college sports. I'm trying to find my face anywhere that was worthwhile. Your citizen pictures were. I know my son loved that citizen picture.
Yeah with Jason Terry. Yeah, yeah, with Jason Terry. Yeah, everyone has that. I have that one. But but who knows. I mean, good luck with the n with the with the n C Double A one and the schools because they're gonna probably lose again.
Right right, I don't know. I mean this is gonna be interesting to you know. This is this one guy, this kid, Matthew Sluka from un l V.
Who's next.
I mean, there's gonna there's obviously gonna be more stories like this coming out, uh soon think yeah.
So here's the UNLB athletics statement. Football player Matthew Shluka represented a representative and made financial demands upon the university and it's NI NIL collective in order to continue playing for unlv you andl athletics and interpreted that demands as a violation of the NCAA pay for play rules as well as the Nevada state law. Unability does not engage in such activity. Yeah, nor does it.
Respond to threats even so clean.
Yeah, but but that's what it's come to. Hey, I'm six and oh can I get a raise? Or or what's my money?
Man? Yeah?
Well, I mean you wonder sometimes can they renegotiate in the middle of the season, or how to how this works?
Good? All of a sudden some guy blossoms and he's their star.
We didn't talk about this yesterday, I don't think to an extent because you were in the media business. You went to the other side to the development for for the foundation and then another and we talked a little about that. Just the difficulty in like the Lumberto right Lumberto. He gets pretty much the kids to stay, quarterback and receiver to stay and they're done.
Well, I need more.
But he also made a huge gift to the Ler College to create a you know, a school there too, So he's he's probably not the best example other than the fact that he's kind of helping both parts of the university and that in that regard, whereas a lot I've had other I remember when I was working there, there were times where people came to me and they said, listen, I'm getting letters from this collective.
What is that?
They may not be as close to it as you are or who was at that time, so they weren't even sure what was going on. If they give money, is it going to athletics, is it going to just a basketball team or player?
Sure?
It was confusing, and we've talked about that for the collective when they had the Arizona assist one right for basketball and because you know, the fans here either they love you or they kind of love you, or they actually despise you, but mostly they love you or like you a little, but they want to see them win. And I'm saying, okay, what's your level of love and what's your what's your commitment to the team emotionally, financially or what if it's financially. I can see the heartache
when they lose. You can see emotionally, well that's on you. You fell in love with this girl and then she breaks your heart. Well, whose fault is that? You know?
So if you're willing to help.
Give them ten, give them to twenty dollars, give one hundred dollars, and then you know the number one question is that you probably heard a thousand times, where's the money going? Right?
And how do I know what's going there?
Yeah, well that's in the development world. Speaking as a former employee there, I mean that was kind of our main thing was we had to make sure the money was going where the donor wants it to go, whether it was to you know, support the golf team or to support the journalism apartment. There were there were specifics and they would sign an agreement. We would we would lay out exactly where things were going to go, and that was important.
Well, so to you guys, Henry and to Matt and to Dave. You have this guy, he's quit on you. He wanted more money. He was the star quarterback or whatever. He came from Holy Cross, so he didn't come from like Michigan or whatever. There's three and no in the upside Kansas, there's not the team now. He wants to go to Team X. You're a Team X.
Do you want.
Him if he can win me football games?
Yeah?
But I'm not gonna not ignore what he's done in the past, that quitting on his team after three games, that is something you're gonna check. But if he's if you're a smaller program and he's the best option you got, you're still gonna take it.
Henry, I mean Matt, Yeah.
Same as a coach, I'll definitely look at what he can add to my team. But to pay him one hundred K I don't know coming from.
And I'm not and I'm not asking that. I'm asking as a former player and student here. Now, do you want a dude who's playing for you side by side. You're the running back, he's the quarterback, and he wants more money and you're thinking, dude, we're all.
In this together.
No, no, no, I agree with him. I agree. I one hundred percent agree with him. As a former player, I agree with him because coaches promised you certain things and they expect you to deliver on your end. So when it's time for them to deliver and they don't show up, I personally don't feel like that's fairst.
Okay, but you're the other coach, You're the other your team, the next next coach.
I also think we have to look at it from other players standpoints, they're not gonna want to go to UNLV after seeing this.
That's a great point. That's a great point because you know this, both especially Matthew, and we know this. Covering recruits. You're promised stuff, right, You're promised playing time or whatever numbers. Guess what, most of the time it doesn't happen exactly. So yeah, come on, sure, we'll take care of you. Don't worry about it.
And then it's not there, right, So if that happens, I feel like the player has every right to do what he wants for his personal game.
Meantime, he's he can't go anywhere until December. The portal is closed right now, so he can't. I mean, he's done. I wonder if he's going to claw.
This is just I'm wondering, because he has to continue his eligibility and then how how is he going to look on campus?
It looks like.
You know what I'm saying.
And he's already been at holy Cross with three years.
I think he's going to be one of these six year players if he wants to go maybe one more year someplace else, yeah wow, and get some money there somewhere. If he's you know, if he can get even one hundred thousand in Vegas, what can he get.
In a big, big cas Sure? How good is he?
Well, you saw he's a Holy Cross, which is not a football mecca. He's going to UNW which is not a football meka.
So how good is he really?
He go to Arizona or somewhere else, I guess would he'd be a second stream quarterback?
Right?
How much of those one hundred thousand dollars you.
Get to tell me?
I don't think so, I don't think so. I'm just a little surprised by you, Matthew. I was hopeful that you'd say, I'm not sure I want him on my team, because he's not.
He's in it for himself. It's a it's a fellow, Matthew, that's why.
Well, yeah, what do you mean a former?
What do you mean also named Matthews? Okay, okay, Matthew. But you know what I'm saying.
I feel but I guarantee other players on that team.
Agree with you. Yeah, I can see it. I can see it. But God, here's this dude that we're at New Mexico or whatever. That's when it's called I know, uh.
I'm not sure.
I want that dude who gave up on some team that we're THREEZ and will he give up on us?
I mean, yeah, that's that's that's a question. Yeah, you can say that.
But again, let me ask you a personal question. You don't have to answer this. You can give me the eye side whatever. It's like being cheated. I was gonna ask you, have you been cheated on? And okay, no, go ahead, good answer. Let's assume that you had been would you would you trust that woman again?
No? Never?
Well, what's that? But that's not the same thing. Now, that's that's that's far from the same thing.
Wow.
So this guy not that he cheated, but he he left you.
Yeah, you promised them something and you didn't deliver, and that three K is literally what every player on the team.
Yeah, right, And that's what they're saying.
Yeah, that's what they're saying.
That he's no different than any of the guy that we're promising the same amount of money.
Right, So I don't know if you promise me something he don't deliver. I feel like I have the right to do whatever I need to do to get some advantages.
Dave, I need some sound line in this room.
I'm just looking at I'm just looking at the big picture and all these other remembers. Jaden Rashata got Florida and had all this.
Money he had. Now he goes to Georgia. He's all over the place.
It's like, I offer you a job and tell you I'll give you one hundred K for this job, and then the job comes and I'm paying you not what was on the contract.
How would you feel.
I don't need it under I don't need a sensible intern here, No, no good example to get me sure of course. And the thing about it, there was no contract, right, there was no contract.
But that's most of the time.
That's kind of how I going.
Sure, sure, no, no, no, I get it, I get it. You know, come here exactly care.
Yeah, we promised, right, I promised to you forever and then you know, oh dude, I'm sorry.
Found somebody else. Yeah, I get it. To go with my example, Yeah, I don't know. I'm just waiting for the next story. Interesting. I guarantee you, I guarantee you.
I would bet whatever you want, Dave, And I hope you're not a gambling man that that this is going to be the first straw you're going to see more more publicly publicly, and and and and we'll have Matt, like I said, and they warned me, Steve. They're kind of like, why are you so naive? And I think I'm not naive. He says, why do you think there's so many transfers at the end of the year.
This is part of it.
Yeah, another runner back on the same team did the same thing.
And you want to.
Before this just right now, like now, oh, just so he jumped to just because he wasn't getting paid either. So I'm saying, you got to start looking at the coaches now. So you're promising players' money and you're not delivering.
I feel like, hey, yeah, but guess what if it's happening there are minute that was quick for it's happening there, I guarantee you it's having other place.
Oh gosh, yes, I mean we heard some of the dollars that were being a float around USC during the Caleb Williams era.
You know, well, and we know it's been going on forever, right, you know, I don't.
Know about it that magnitude, but I mean those numbers were ridiculous.
Us c your guy, you guy Bush, Reggie had so many things right, you know, what do you mean?
My parents?
Not me? Yeah, if I'm not mistaken. You know those Heisman commercials that they run, isn't he in them?
He isn't one.
I was watching the other night. It's like, wait a second, he's already. He's already in the Heisman house. He's already back.
Give it back.
Okay, okay, so hey, good, good discussion here. We'll talk more about it obviously. Later we're gonna take our first break. We're gonna have Ed Bosberg, major league, major leaguer. We're gonna talk about the playoffs. He was in a few wonder World Series. Y so we'll talk about baseball.
Are you ready ready to discover your soul, your wildside, your passion, your joy and excitement. From the latest slots and table games to award winning dining to world class entertainment to a luxurious resource, Discover all this and more. Discover with Soul Casino Dell Soul, the Soul of Tucsione.
Are you ready enterprise so Fasco Yuki?
Try The window Depot has everything you need to create the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams. Browseyisles of Instock cabinets available in a variety of sizes and configurations and instantly elevate your space. Today, visit a showroom and let our experts guide you. Whether you're choosing for ready to go designs or creating a custom masterpiece.
We can help you select the perfect.
Wood type, color and style and top it off with unique hardware to complete your look. Find a location near you at the window Deepot dot com. The window Depot more than a windows store.
Steve Rivera here to talk about Dorato Rocky Materials. I needed a lot of gravel for my driveway, so I called Eric at Dorato rock You found out out and color I needed and boom, it was taken care of and at a great price. How do I know radio commercials work? I heard one of his on the radio. Doronto Rock and Materials provides a wide range of landscaping materials, including decorative rock, boulders, gravel, soil, and sand for residential
and commercial use in the Tucson area. They are locally owned and have been around for more than fifteen years. Given we'll call at five two zero four zero zero for two three three.
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 leading edge and exercise equipment on twenty second just west of Wilmot.
It's award season for summer sports leagues and time to look at trophies for baseball, softball, volleyball, and swimming seasons for youth and adult leagues. Summer has arrived and it's time to replenish your promotional products for your companies. Giveaways keep your employees looking great in fresh new apparel, polos and caps with your sharp looking logo. Creative Awards is
here to serve your professional and promotional products needs. Visit the Creative Awards Idea Center at two twenty eight West Drackman Street or visit them online at Creative Awards az dot com.
At Nova home Loans, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy the independence that comes with home ownership. Paul Volpi is ready to help you find an option that best fits your needs, whether you're a first time or veteran home buyer or want to get cash out with the refinance. Nova has a variety of home loan programs
to meet your unique situation. Visit voltpeteam dot com. That's Volpe team dot com or called five two oh six eight five six two six Today n MLS three oh eight seven arizon a BKO Ninez two nine four two Equal Housing Opportunity, how to commitment to lyric syn credit rates and available loan programs or suthing to change?
Don't notice? Did you know?
Sports cards at Memorabilia are setting record sales last month of nineteen fifty two tops Mickey Mantles for twelve point six million, Lebron James rookiees So for five point six Also, collecting cars is a family fun 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 community for twenty five years. They are
located on e Speedway. That's Showtime Cards.
Ready to save but not sure where to begin, Take the Pyramid Federal Credit Union ten thousand dollars Saving Challenge and we'll guide you along the way.
Save five hundred.
Dollars over six months as a member and you could win big. Watch your savings grow to help you reach goals like buying a car, owning a home and more.
Visit Pyramid FCU.
Dot com Slash ten k challenge to get started today.
That really insured and CUA gut bugs, termites, bees, or rodents. Arizona Pest Control will hunt them down. Arizona Pest Control is your complete desert pest management specialist. That's can't run or hide from Arizona Pest Control. They use only the latest and most technologically advanced methods of pest elimination available,
which minimizes the effects on the environment. Let Arizona Pest Control get rid of your bad bugs, termites, bees, or rodents serving Tucson and Southern Arizona since nineteen forty seven. Go to azpest dot com to schedule your free evaluation today.
Selling your home want to get more money for it? Will Danny Roth can help you? He told me about as you Flip the Home you Own program. The program allows for a homeowner to fix up their home to sell without using any of their own money. They will be able to sell the home for a much higher price. Danny Roth with Omni Holmes International is the real estate
consultant in Tucson that offers this program. He has consistently been the top agent in Tucson for the last thirty years and has sold over ten thousand, five hundred homes. For more information on this program or just buying our selling a home, call Danny Roth at five two zero four nine zero four thousand.
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 app just Searge I on the Ball.
Hey, welcome back to Win on the Back here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm se Ribera.
Be with me today.
Is Dave Silver Now and if only have Ed Rosberg MLB player, longtime player, one of the only how many of you guys played in the Little League World Series, Collegeural Series and World Series?
Ed, there's three, There's there's three of us, Michael Conforto and I and then Jason Birds. I was the only pitcher, and then obviously Jason was a catcher, and then Michael Confordo. Obviously he's still playing an altfielder playing with Who's he playing with?
The playing the Diamondbacks right now?
Right, so it's a giant.
He's playing with the giants. Who's actually a giant?
Right now?
You guys should all get together and take a photo.
I know, I I've often thought about that.
I've often thought we got to do that though, while we're still alive, right right.
Yeah, Hey, it's Dave Silver, good to hear from you. Hey, Dave, did you know that Michael Confordo's mother went to the u of A. She was a synchronized swimmer. Tracy really, that's his mom.
I did know story. I did hear that.
I do remember.
I remember when I was going to the u of A, you know, being friends with some of the synchronized swimmers and they were really really good gals.
Yeah, that's that's right right around your era.
I'm pretty sure, because it wasn't it like Tercer Leiz and Candy Costy something like that.
They were good. Yeah, they were.
They were that level. And that's his that's his mother.
Oh wow, wow, Yeah, they they were. I guess synchronized swimming, was just getting.
On the map then, right, yeah, no, do you I know you missed the times of being a ballplayer like these times? Uh, what are the guys going through now that or have a chance to make the playoffs?
You know what's interesting, guys, I have not watched that much baseball until like the last year and a half. I've been watching a lot of Diamondbacks. Brent Strom and I are friends, and you know, he really got me out of a punk once one I was having a really kind of a tough year, got traded over to the Dodgers. He was the triple A pitching coach in Albuquerque, and Brent really helped me a lot mentally got me back on track. And we've always kind of stayed in touch.
So we communicate a lot, and like almost daily, I always text him, not after like a bad game like yesterday, but normally we just kind of chit chat about stuff, and you know, I try to still try to pick his brain and kind of see what he's thinking. I keep telling him, I don't know how he's doing it because it's hard to watch at home some of these games.
Well, yeah, last night they've kind of had really kind of a weird last couple of weeks because they were really playing great in July and August, and the Diamondbacks have kind of hit a spot right now where it's not a good time to go into a slump. You know, what is the pressure like in late September, knowing you've only got what like five more games to go and you really need to, you know, at least win say three or four of those.
It's hard because you don't want to try to make it bigger than it is. It's still a game, but it's it's important as heck, you know, you like, right now they need to win. I think they got a half a game lead on the Braves, and I think they're half a game down to the Mess.
But it's hard.
You know, you try to tell yourself, don't make a big deal, but it is a big deal. I think once the game starts and you get out of there, you kind of forget. You get out there and you kind of forget about things, the pressure that you know, the amount of the intensity that each win has. But you know, it is once the game starts, it's still a game. But I think it's before and afterwards where you think a lot about those things.
So you said you hadn't watched much until recently. What was the thought behind that or the reason?
It was just hard?
Like you and I have talked, it's hard to watch. Hard to watch the fact that there's only three guys hitting three hundred. There's only you know, so many guys are hitting horrible there.
It's really all or nothing.
And one thing I really appreciate about the Diamondbacks is, and I told Brent this, I go, the Diamondbacks play the game the right way.
For the most part.
They play hard, you know, they bunt, they run every ball.
Out for the most part. The pitching has been good. They look like they're having.
A lot of fun. And they kind of play, to me almost like the old Saint Louis Cardinals played with using their speed, good pitching and good bullpen, which uses a good formula for winning games.
Makes sense. Yeah, the game has changed so much. I was gonna say the exact same thing. The game has changed so much. There's just I mean, it's basically, you know, home runs and that's about it. I mean, you kind of seem to seem to be living for the three run bomb all the time.
And pitchers don't pitch like they used to.
And I know I keep seeing, you know, Greg Maddocks does podcasts and stuff, and I just love listening to him, and I love listening to Tony gwynn Old videos of him talking about hitting.
Because those were two of the greats.
Those guys, you know, Mike, Greg Maddox knew how to pitch. He moved the ball around, he changed speeds. He didn't throw real hard, but he was a master. He was called the professor. And then you obviously had Tony, who didn't strike out, he put the ball in play.
He was just a student of the game. He was such he was so prepared. I told Steve all this time.
You know, he used to watch He was the guy that first started watching video and it was such an advantage knowing what the other pitchers that he was going to face, what their ball did, the tendencies, what they were going to throw in certain counts, and he was so prepared and that's why he was I think to me, he's going to go down as one of the greatest, even though you know, everyone says, oh, he was a singles hitter, Well, what he did as far as you know,
Greg Maddocks never striking him out over a hundred at bats.
He was he was a magician.
He had that bat was like a magic wand he could put.
The ball in play and hit pitches that were just you just scratch your head. You're like, how did he hit that thing? But he was just phenomenal.
Did you get him anytime? Did you face a few times?
I did?
As a matter of fact, I've told this story many times. I was with the Marlins and we were going into.
San Diego to play the Padres and I came in and faced him and actually struck him out. And I threw him a fastball down and in and he swung over it, which surprised the heck out of me.
And so after the game, the reporter says, what did you you know?
He's like, Wow, he struck out Greg Maddox's struck out Tony and he goes, that's really hard to do. And I said, well, guess what. Tomorrow night, I'm going to have to face him again and probably he'll probably hit a ground ball between third and short to win the game.
And what did he do?
The next night? I had to come in and face him.
And I made a good pitch and he hit a ground ball to the left field for a game winning hit.
So, but that's why Tony was so good. He used the whole field.
Can you imagine if Tony they played the shift on him, he'd hit a thousand.
They couldn't. They couldn't do the shift on him because he was so good.
Let me ask you, so, how long was your career as double digits, wasn't it?
I played twenty one years and I got about seven years, you know in the big leagues, you know, with the various teams. My longest run was with the Rain I was there in ninety five, six and seven, and that's when I got traded in ninety seven over to the Marlins. They able to enjoy that postseason that they had. So yeah, so it was spread out and over over three decades.
So let me let me ask you this, given today's world, how would you have fit in?
Now?
You know, it's a good question. I often wonder how would I fit in?
Because I wasn't a hard thrower. I threw uper eighties, I hit ninety you know. But I really think the gun is not legit. I think I think they got the ball coming out of the hand, which I think makes everybody throw a little bit harder.
You know, a lot of the old school guys that I still talk to, we talked about the radar gun and how ridiculous it is and how it it's not legit.
But I think if you can change speeds, And I look at Logan Webb, the kid that pitched against the Diamondbacks last night. He's not an incredibly hard thrower, but he's got really good move in his fastball. Sinks, he's got a good chance up in a good slider.
I mean, I was a guy that.
Had to keep the ball down and I had the ability to do that. I think I could still pitch today. I had a good change up. So I would love to think that I could still pitch pretty much in any era.
I mean that's what I tell myself anyway.
It's kind of interesting when you watch the Diamondbacks, at least the team that I seem to watch the most, and they seem to like, if they can just get into the at least the sixth inning with their starter, they've got it all lined up sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth pitchers. Is that is that kind of a new thing or was that happening while you were pitching.
You know, I think Tony LaRussa was one of the first guys that really did that. He had, obviously denissecres ly at the back end of the bullpen, and he was such a smart guy. He was an attorney, and he pretty much broke the game down and he realized if his pitcher could go sixth and then you had somebody to come into seventh and the eighth, and then you have deniscers Lye, who he made that transition from starting pitcher.
To relieve, right, you know, And that's a lot of a lot of really good teams are doing now. They break the game, like Tory Lavello.
You know, they had Sea Wald and obviously he's he kind of underperformed that he's not in there anymore. But I think a lot of teams, like the Dodgers, try to do that with Dave Roberts. And you know, it's sad to me because I was a starting pitcher most of my career. My first six years in pro ball, I started, and I always tried to get into seventh and the eighth inning and deep as I could. And you know, I think every starter wants to do that,
but they're they're protecting the starters so much. With all the elbow injuries that have happened in the last you know, ten or fifteen years, it seems like everybody's having Tommy john You know, you look at Berlander, who's come back from to Tommy John's and shures or all these guys, you know, having one and two, Daniel Hudson still pitching.
He was an ex diamondback. He's had to Tommy John's and and so it's I think they're really trying to protect the pitchers, but it seems like it doesn't matter.
Still still get hurt.
So you were talking about playing, you know today, I asked you, how would you fit in today? Let me tell you, guys, you might have heard this joke already. It wasn't jokings a reality. Some guy asked Pete Rose not too long ago. Uh so, Pete, how do you think you fast? How do you think you do against the today's pictures? You know I died about uh maybe
one ninety five. Really, Pete, it's that tough. He's this time of year or not this time of year these days, and he says, hell, I'm eighty years old, but.
I know I did I hear I did that Pete.
I've heard that's.
He's a character. I do, you know, I don't.
I don't agree with the bedding on the baseball thing, and I really personally don't think he should be in the Hall of Fame because that.
But you certainly can't.
I mean, he was Charlie Hustle. He hustled, He played every day. He you know, he ran into Ray Fosse and on the All Star Game. He's notorious for for always that head first dive. You know one thing about
Pete he played hard. And you know it's funny. I was listened to the Diamondbacks game and you know could tell Marte, I guess told his manager he needed a day off, and I you know, when they got five games left, I'm like, cal Riff can play twenty six hundred games in a row, and basically the last, the last.
Game, he just said I'm gone.
And he wasn't even hurt.
He could have kept going. But the guys just I don't know if it's the money they're making or what, but you know, everybody they have days off, and like like the Diamondbacks have. I think they just had a day off, but it's just like it seems so different.
Look at you know, I always think about Lebron and you know, all the games that he's missed, and then you think about somebody like John Stockton who played and never missed games, and he was a point guard and he used to get beat up, and you know, things have changed. I think the athletes, I think have kind of gotten soft.
You don't like load managements? Isn't it the term we use in the meeting? They're trying to get rid of that? I think a little bit.
Yeah, so what about this?
You were pretty good back in your day, the Francona Tito and all these guys who could have made a ton of money had the thing been the same back then. But then you see the the Vegas quarterback Lee because he wasn't making the money that was promised.
What do you think of that?
You know, I just when I when I keep thinking about, you know, these these kids in college making money. I know, DeAndre Aid and the whole Sean Miller thing.
That's a whole nother story.
But I mean, I I think that, you know, why shouldn't they make money?
But I just think it's kind of ruined things. I mean, you know, these kids are.
Transferring so many different schools, Like like the Candiati kid that pitched for the u of A last year. I got a chance to know him a little bit. He'd been to five different schools in five years. And I tell you, I just I enjoyed my four years at the u of A.
And if I had to do it.
Over again, I would do the same thing. I loved playing for coach Kendall. You know, Arizona, Tucson's my hometown. It was a it was an honor and I wanted to be a Wildcat when I was a little kid. So I know money has changed things. It's changed athletes, it's changed sports, and look at all the betting that's going on nowadays.
I think the world's.
Different and not necessarily a better place. But I still enjoy watching, you know, the game, and I love watching the NFL and it's exciting.
You know.
I'm an Aaron Rodgers guy, and I'm hoping that he can stay healthy and lead the Jets because the Jets, of you know, haven't won since Joe Nameless was there.
So I still enjoy it. But things have changed and money.
Has not made it better.
You still let me ask you so we've got about a minute left. Who do you predict will win it this year in baseball?
Or do you care?
It's it's tough.
It's tough to say.
I mean, you look at the Dodgers with the great team they had, with with what Otani did you look, It's hard to predict.
I just think the team that is on a roll.
I know that when I was with the Padres in ninety eight and at the end of the season and you know, we were not playing very well, and I.
Thought, what are we going to do in the playoffs?
And we ended up getting to the World Series and losing to the Yankees.
It's hard.
Look at what the Diamondbacks did with their run last year.
Nobody expected them to beat the Brewers, you know, and then to beat the Phillies and then get or beat the Dodgers and then the Phillies and then get to the World You just never know whoever's hot, whoever pitchers are pitching the best, and it's all about timely hitting. I just love to see the Diamondbacks get in because I think if they get in, I think they could they could go far.
Who knows they could win it.
I think baseball is excited to see Otani in the playoffs for the first time too, right, this will be his first appearance, and it is and it's exciting.
You know, myself being a position player most of my career until I got to pro ball, and I really hated to see, you know, the National League get rid of the DH. But I think it's so exciting to see a guy that's got that much talent, that could run and still fifty bases and throw the ball one hundred miles an hour and hit fifty fifty three home runs, and he just he seems like such a likable guy. He's so humble, he bows to everybody, His teammates look like they love him, and he's been so good for
the game. I just it'll be really interesting to see next year when he comes back and he's.
Able to pitch and hit again, how he does Yeah.
Yeah, well, and thanks so much for joining us today.
Could you hear from you?
Yeah, it's awesome. Love love listening to you guys, and you guys are Dave. It's been a pleasure you.
I love watching you when you're on Channel nine and back in the day, and you did.
A fabulous job. You guys are really good and keep doing, keep doing what you guys do.
Love to hear it, Thanks Ed, Thanks.
Ed, It'd be well. Hey, let's take a break come back on the other side. Was a men's basketball fan. You know it's been successful for newly forty years now. Take a look back at the Ludelsen era. In my new book, Listens from Lute. 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
loved coach. Lessons from Newton is an insight to how he built the program into a national powerhouse. What one email media Steve dot rivera ninety five at gmail dot com.
Hi, this is formal while get lemanhunly with Arizona Health, Imagine how home GM can change your health, your comfort, and your time. Arizona Health is everything you need to transform your personal.
Space and your life.
We off a complete line of caudio machines, multi gms and freeway equipment. I'll certify fitness experts and technicians will set you up with the right equipment and training to get you started to keep you going. Visit our shareroom today at twenty second in Wilmot, Arizona Health the lead to edge and exercise equipment.
What's your goal a new career or career advancement? How about transferring to a four year college. PEMA 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 financial laid available, it's time to earn the degree certificate you need to prepare for the career you want. PEMA offers free career exploration classes so you
can choose the field that's right for you. Learn how at Pima dot edu slash Someday.
Hey you soon. Steve rivera heir, and I've got a tip for you. Want to be in good hands while cruising the desert or kicking back at home, then you need to call my friends at the Edmond Marcus All State Agency. These guys are the MVPs of home and auto coverage. Whether it's a fender bender or leaky roof, They've got you covered. Don't fumble your chance to say call them today and score big on your insurance with the Edmond Marcus All State Agency. You're always in good hands.
Visit them at twenty seven nineteen Lord Campbell, or call them at five two zero three two three nine three three three.
Ladies, have you ever dreamed of playing the main event at the World Poker Tour. The Royal Rebels is a ladies only poker league and we are looking for new players to join us this fall. We have a new poker season starting October third. We will be playing seven games online and the winner will represent us in Vegas at the World Poker Tour. This main event seat is worth ten four dollars. For more information and to register, go to www dot Royal Rebels Poker dot com.
Streaming live on the iHeartRadio WAPP. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jake Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
Hey, welcome back to an the Ball here Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. I have Dave Silverton with me with my co host, Have Henry got Matt here? We got a call. You're on the air.
Hey you guys, this is a Gabriel calling you, calling you guys, how are you guys.
Doing Gabriel, We're doing well. It's only Wednesday. It's better than Monday because games coming up. Yeah it is.
Let's see what happens. Arizona's offense needs to score points and not get shut off, stot out, and Arizona's defense needs you eliminate or trying to maintain, not to have Utah's offense run all over them.
So give me, on a scale of one to ten, the chances of them winning.
Well, let me just say this, this team is not last year's team.
So the number is lower because last year they ran right through Utah. Yeah yeah, no, no question about that. And they're on the road obviously. So so have you called since the last game, since the Kansas State game?
I think you did, right, Yes?
I did, Yester, I.
Did any any hopes? Any what if they okay, what if they lose but they play well?
Are you okay?
Yeah? I'll be fine with that.
Just do not get blocked.
Just do not have the game like Kansas State did.
Yeah, yeah, no question.
And with with Dino Babers, come on, get the offense going right.
I'm not sure it's that simple, but I mean yeah, I think we have to give them a little benefit of the doubt. It's they played three games, and so you know, the new coaches and they're trying to learn everything and trying to get their system in place. So I think we know that Dino's got the potential. They got the players to do it. So let's just say they can perform.
Well, actually, let me correct my stamen. Let's let's just have like like a po like a run and pass offense. Have have something like that. Don't don't be like, uh I don't know what's my offense gonna be. Come on, come on, get your head.
Out or you know what, well, you know that's who knows. If that's what they want.
Put the Noita in that position to run half the time.
He's not a big guy. Yeah, thanks for calling.
Thank you, you guys, bear down, Arizona.
Keep calling, keep counting, keep calling, Gabe, thank you. All right, I think he still think you were gay. You're Jay.
It's all right.
Oh you call me. You don't call me late for dinner, Okay, Dave, we're gonna have I think we're gonna have a call here. Matt's gonna call a little bit.
Uh.
I know we're trying to get some things posted if you saw our feed on Twitter, you saw our guests. Uh, everything will kind of continue with that on Twitter and Facebook with our future guests moving forward.
Thank you Matt for doing that.
And then we'll just continue to get calls five two o four one, six, seventy four, forty if you want to call in, Uh, talk about whatever, talk about the playoffs, talk about football, talk about basketball. We had Tommy Lloyd today. He greeted us like, you know, good to see you, but not really, but that's him joking with us, of course.
Uh.
And we spent about twenty five minutes with him, great, great stuff. I asked him a few questions just about this team compared to the previous three.
What's he gonna say, right right?
Pretty much the same practice starts, Well, it started yesterday or this week today. It was like practice too. Okay, you're not gonna see anything different. It's gonna team that's gonna be run up and down. It's kind of funny. He talked about it's a program where he wants to be physical. Yeah, yeah, they're not a physical team.
They're just not.
You can want to be physical, but it's not. Yeah, they're gonna be it for some wars. I think in the Big Twelve, it's going.
To be sure. Did talk about that, Yeah, when we talked about the Big Twelve. I guess the schedule comes up tomorrow, the official you know when and where and all that stuff. So I can't wait because it's gonna be fun. I'm not going to go on the road anymore. I might go to Kansas at the end because apparently that's the last game of the regular season, and then right after that they have the Big Twelve Tournament, which
is going to be fantastic. And I think we talked about this yesterday, Dave that that I think they could finish third or fourth in the league but still have a good chance of winning the turn the championship.
Oh yeah, I mean that's the story of Arizona basketball, right when they won them a championship.
Ten that year. I mean, yeah, there's gonna be some great battles.
And we've seen you know, individual games through the years with the Houstons and TCU and in Kansas, and so we've seen those those teams either here in Tucson or
on the road. So it's not going to be totally brand new, but to have to kind of go through that schedule for a couple of months is going to be an interesting, interesting run for the for the program and right fans to watch and get used to watching games that at you know, five o'clock in the afternoon and different game times on maybe a Sunday or Saturday that we're not.
Used to, right, right, right, We'll see what happens. And then I asked him about Caleb when you know what he expects from him? Today was one of those games. And Tommy does this fairly well or too well where you ask me a question and he's very not specific. And you've been through thousands of these, right, they don't tell you specifically. They kind of tell you, but don't
tell you. Like his role for Caleb maybe a little different, he says, maybe kind of uh can't use the word improve or not improve, but kind of progress and work in all the right phrases. And I said, could you explain?
And know you can't. You know, if you're a coach, what do you want from from what do you want from Caleb? Yeah?
I mean he was great last year, he really was. He you know, he had a lot of kind of moments near the end that didn't work out. But you know, he's got so much potential, and he's obviously the team leader, and they're gonna they're gonna expect him to score between fifteen and twenty five a game.
I'll get back to that in a second. I got a caller, Hello, you're on the air, Steve Matt. Matt, but I know, hey, hey, hey, so let me tell you something. How long you've been on the show, maybe about a month ago. You and Troy at the same time. I think Troy was my guest, and we talked about nil and and kids transferring because they weren't getting money. All of a sudden, we have a story on it. It didn't shock you, did it, not one bit?
I mean it shouldn't shock anybody.
I mean, this is kind of the way things are going and have gone. And we talked about Jane your shot, I think the last time you had me on, and this is kind of following along those lines. I mean, kids want their money, people are being promised money, people are not signing contracts.
You have a lot of people that don't know what they're doing involved and this is what you have so.
Well, you know, I'm not naive enough to know that payments or promises have been made throughout the years of sports in college basketball, football and all that stuff, But in this case, it was a promise that was never fulfilled, right, or that's what it sounds like.
It depends on what you're listening to and how it goes. I mean, if you're listening to school, it was, hey, you're not giving us enough when you want to renegotiate. If you're listening to quarterback and family, it's you never paid us what you promise. So you know, he said, she said, he said, he said, I guess, And.
You know, that's the world we live.
And that's why, you know, players need to understand they need to sign paperwork and things need to be in writing or else. Nothing's guaranteed, and so interesting families get a lot of kind of a root awakening about what's to await them, you know, at the pro level and what it's like to be a professional. And some people are learning some hard lessons on both sides, and so, you know, I think it's you just have too many
people involved right now. They just don't understand the full scope of what's going on.
I think there's on both sides.
I think schools are still trying to figure out exactly how to maneuver and work with him. You know, the laws and things that are being added down in courts, and so there's just a lot of things, a lot of layers to it, and not a lot of knowledge. And at the center of it people trying to make money and some.
People, you know, get involved.
All these players have agents and they want to make their cut and people and players who didn't have agents before that are now having to deal with that. And a lot of people don't know what's going on and are jumping right into it and at the end just want their money. And it's a lot more difficult than that. Yeah.
The statement that came out from Blueprint Sports, which runs UNLV's collective says, quote, there were no formal nil offers made during mister Sluca's recruitment process, and it quote did not finalize or agree to any nil offers while he was part of the team, aside from.
Completed community engagement event over the summer.
So you know, if he expected one hundred thousand dollars, he probably maybe didn't sign that contract to get that kind of money or whoever promised him that, I guess be that question hasn't been answered yet either.
Yeah. I mean from the sounds of it, there is no no document sign which is yeah, I mean that is just you have assistant coaches is handing out money and saying they're gonna pay money. And again a lot of people just don't know what's going on and making decisions and making calls that they shouldn't be making or don't have the you know, ability to make or shouldn't have the ability to make and kind of get what you're getting now. And so this is not gonna be
the last time that this comes up. And eventually I've said, it's all gonna be over the table, and eventually there'll be contracts that everyone knows about and everyone knows exactly how much everybody's making. Maybe this speeds it up, Maybe this seeds up that process, but there's eventually going to be camp hold out. I'm telling you, if we're not far off from players going, hey, I had a really good season. We never renegotiated my my anil or my contract.
I'm not showing up to the training camp. And so we're kind of we're kind of at that point now where players are saying, hey, I'm not playing any more games.
I can preserve my red shirt. That's what I'm gonna do.
And maybe it happens faster now because now are getting you know, into lawsuits and things like that, and we'll see, but it's kind of a gigantic mess. I'm surprised it hasn't happened more often. Like I said, it's not the first instance of somebody being promised money and not being paid. Maybe not everybody has taken it to a quarter made it as public as it's become, you know, outside of.
Jay and Rashata in this situation. But this is not the only time this has happened, and so.
A lot of people need to get on the same page, and there's probably to be fewer people involved and more people involved who know what's going on.
And can kind of handle all these conversations.
That's why you're seeing some of these, you know, general manager positions coming, like basketball at Arizona and football and things like that.
Right and real quickly.
I think Matt told us about twenty minutes ago that I guess the running back from you and LV has done the same thing right right the bet Yeah, So he just nodded, and so it's the crumbling UNLV football program.
Meantime, they're going to go to the pat twelve.
Yeah, how about that.
All of a sudden. Okay, Matt, Hey, thanks a bunch, appreciate you, Thanks for calling in. All right, all right, So there was something I wanted to say regarding all of this crazy times. N I L YadA, YEAHA, I can't remember what the.
Heck it was.
Keep thinking about it.
Uh, well, the next domino the domino fell the days the next day, right, And I was gonna say, make a prediction of when when the next domino fall somewhere else?
I mean in terms of n IL and then I L school or whatever. It could be anywhere it really, it could really be anywhere. Who would have thought NLV yesterday? Yeah, it could could pop up anywhere. So right, I'm sure others who are seeing this story are gonna probably think about it themselves.
Yeah, especially maybe second stream quarterbacks. Third stream quarterbacks. Guys. You know I'm not gonna play here.
And we saw it.
You brought up a name yesterday, Ruben Douglas. Right, Uh, he played here, pretty good player. He came and joined with Gilbert Arenas. Luke record had come at the time, and you're thinking, oh, man, I got to compete against these two dudes. My playing time is going to diminish, and get the hell out of here. Go to New Mexico. Score thirty points a game, which he did. He led the nation I think in scoring. And you know, either you're a good player or you're an NBA player, or
you're not. He was not, even though he scored the thirty points. That's that was the issue back then, right, you know, competition. Now it's where can I get more money?
Yeah?
And they also had to sit out a year, right, I didn't Reubin have to see that, I think so in those years you had to, you know, when he transferred. And that has just changed really in the last few years, where now it's you know, she's a hardship or something.
Yeah, it's craziness now.
I mean, this kid could transfer in December and be in spring football for a team next year and be in his third or fourth school.
So that's kind of the way things are going. Good luck, good luck. We got a minute left, okay, so we're good show.
Good first hour with the good bay quickly when we have funy things to talk.
Good to talk to Ed Vrosberg. I mean, I like he mentioned you know, I've been in town kind of watching his entire career. I didn't I was not here for the eighty World Series team. But that team, you know the legacy of Terry and him and Craig Lefferts and the group that came out of that team, you know, had nice longs that as sportscasters, we were always keeping an eye out for them when they would come in
and fetch your play or do something big. And obviously Terry has had a Hall of Fame career, right right.
No, those are the good old days. Yeah, and then there's still some good days left. Okay, let's take a break and come back on the other side of breaking news, right, Henry.
Yeah,
