FRI POD @SpenceChecketts on RSL sale, Utah spring game, Jazz offseason + more

Utah football and basketball all on your smart speaker at home, stay connected at home, or imna go with Utah's number one sports talk ESPN seven hundred.

All right, let's get a drivetime Friday afternoon, thirteen minutes past the hour of two o'clock. Happy Friday, to you, Happy Chili, cold front, randomly in a April scenario, to you on this Friday afternoon, it is cold once again cold yesterday about forty eight degrees.

We had a little snow this morning in.

The benches, and it's not pretty good up in the mountains, which will extend ski season for all you folks that enjoy such things. But as it is every single day, it is good to have you along for the ride. Spence checket's beyond the bike. That's Porter Larsen beyond the Glass today on a jam packed Friday edition of the radio show. We have a lot to do. It is whin excuse me, it is when and your in day. In the world of pro basketballs, the playing Tournament will

The NBA Draft will be on June the twenty fifth.

I will take this opportunity to remind you that our NBA Draft coverage, I can promise you will be second to none. It will be myself, that will be Bill Riley, it will be Gordy Chiasa, and we're going to bring in Smitty too. Richard Smith will stop by to kind of help us understand the landscape of what it's like, as Smitty was in war rooms for the Utah Jazz for forty years. So we'll do some Jazz basketball, we'll

So we will inch closer and closer to that day.

A day of interest for the Utah Jazz Spring football rolls on up on the hill. We're gonna bring us some sound from coaches and players today, a little spring ball today on the program as we will get you ready for the spring game tomorrow, the Forever twenty two game tomorrow. So the Forever twenty two game is gonna be a little bit of a mixture of a kind of a glorified scrimmage and maybe some fun skilled challenges and you know, most years not a ton of intrigue.

So that makes tomorrow somewhat interesting.

We'll get to know some of these new players as we kind of inch closer and closer to the fall.

So we'll do a.

Little Utah spring football on the program today. As we talked about yesterday, Utah football is going to welcome in a former four star wide receiver recruits named Micah Hudson who will be on campus coming up and wide receivers certainly a position of need. Coach would has talked about that himself on this program, on other programs, and on

Don't lie about it.

Elijah Moore Sarahcuse transfer on the ground to play for the University of You To. Alex Jensen has eight roster spots left to play with as he continues to try to fill out this roster for his first foray into

Some more information has.

Come out, some more details have come out about how this is going to work. So we'll get into some of this on the show today. And RSL as a game coming up tomorrow here in our market. It is a seven point thirty first kick they're going to take on Toronto in the midst of a road. Have you scheduled this is the one home match you get for a little bit. Utah RELs in action tonight taking on Chicago. That is a seven thirty first kick out of the NWSL side of things. So a very busy show, a

Tony Jones, one of our favorites who.

Covers the Utah Jazz when the Utah Jazz are interesting. Right now, he's on the Denver Nuggets beat. We'll do a little playoff basketball. We'll also do some local basketball with Tony, and some NBA draft and some NBA Draft lottery with our guy TG out a Friday afternoon. The RBC is going on right now. The world of professional golf as there. I've said on this tournament after the Masters experience last week out Augustus, so we will bring

Happy Friday, sir.

How are you? I'm well?

How are you?

Spencer good Man? I'm excited for the NBA playoffs? Not less I'm excited too. You mentioned it, man.

In college basketball, really just basketball in general, it's sometimes a slog once you get through the regular season. We've talked about this a lot. It's just meaningful basketball. That is what we want to watch. And once the tournament is on, once postseason time is here, man, there's not many better reality shows, many better dramas going on than the postseason of basketball, both on the college and the

Excited for I'm with you. I'm with you all right.

Before we get to the opening tip, I want to tell you about what's going on today with our friends at Homestead Stakes. So if you listen to the show, we were at Homestead Stakes last week out on location, and we were set to be there this week, but the weather kind of changed things because it is outside with no coverage and if it rains and snows on radio equipment, I might die.

So I chose to live today.

You can take that for what it is, but I am telling you last week when we were out there, they hooked me up with one of their meat boxes, and I probably have been eating too much steak over the past week, but this is high quality stuff. It's high quality cuts, and Homestead Steaks today are offering you twenty ribis for forty dollars.

It's their weekend meat meat deal.

Okay, So locations today at Fashion Place Mall and Murray, the shops at Southtown and Sandy and the Provo Town Center Mall. Okay, they're open until eight o'clock tonight. They're going to reopen coming up tomorrow at ten am. They'll stay open until eight on Saturday Sunday it's eleven am to six pm.

Twenty ribbys for forty dollars.

I'm telling you, it's a real thing, and it's actually good, high quality meat. It's happening right now. We were supposed to be out at Fashion Place Mall. So if you're close to Fashion Place Mall, roll on out there and take advantage of this deal. You save a grip of money and you get a bunch of high quality meat. You can feed your family if you want to have like a barbecue for friends. As Spring is well, at some point Spring will be here consistently. But our friends

Welcome to the.

Drive with Spence Check its on Utah's number one Sports talk. Now into the studios of ESPN seven hundred to set the scene for the show.

The opening tip.

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With our good friends at Prize Picks, I'll tell you who I'm looking at for the playoffs over the weekend.

I'm gonna take.

More on Kid Cunningham or twenty nine point five points against the Necks of the Garden. I'm going to take more for John Moran tonight to make two point five to three point shots because I think with that ankle, he's gonna be shooting a lot of perimeter shots. I'm taking more on Luka Doncic twenty nine points as he takes on the Timberwolves coming up tomorrow. And I'm taking less on Shrey Young twenty five point five points against the Miami Heat.

So those are my playoff picks for the weekend. Do with that.

What you will do, not come at me if you don't win it, because as I say all the time, you probably should keep your money instead of putting it on sports. But if you're gonna do it, do with our friends at Prize Picks. All right, NBA Action, Tonight it is win and you're in. The Atlanta Hawks are hosting the Miami Heat at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta is a slight favorite in that game. They're a

The Larry H.

Miller Family, in conjunction with Miller Sports and Entertainment has acquired the controlling interest in RSL and the Utah Royals. Ryan Smith and the Smith Entertainment Group are now out entirely, and David Blitzer and his group will continue to maintain a stake. And obviously, Dave Blitzer, I think it's eight clubs across the landscape of the world. He is the type of guy you want to be in business with.

So we'll talk more about this throughout the course of the show.

Christopher Lou the ESPN seven hundred that from the app store or Google Play, or enabled the ESPN seven hundred skill on your smart speaker and tell it to play ESPN seven hundred.

I've gotten my spine, I've gotten my Orange.

You see the song works on several levels today because Howard is an r EM super fan Orange crush. So I'm gonna ask you about the knicks. You see what I did there, Little Orange and Blue. This is not just a hat rack porter. There's actually an operating, functioning brain. Most of the time under the Hat.

I like it.

I like the any sublimin like song reference to the show.

I'm with it. Howard Beck, Happy Friday, my friend. Where do we find you right now?

I happy for Eddie. I'm home in Brooklyn and preparing, bracing myself, gearing up to be at the Garden tomorrow night where your orange and blue will be taking on what are they, red, white and blue? I think of the Pistons.

So yeah, I'm excited, Yeah, for sure. And this is a little bit of a throwback.

And you have to be very old to remember when the Pistons and the next played for anything that mattered, because it's been really a long long time. But let's stay out east. Then we'll kind of make our way out this way. And if my black hat media magic, you know, if I'm able to, you know, conjure up some magic trick, maybe we'll talk about the Jazz, but I don't know. So let's start with best case scenario for a fifty one team. It feels like it has a lot of questions. I've heard a lot of people

I think that Pistons have a chance. I don't think this is your average three to six matchup, and I think, you know, the biggest knock on the Pistons of the biggest doubt will be simply the fact that this team, in this construction of it, is making its first foray into the postseason. And you know, notably your your key players on that team, Kay Cunningham obviously, and Asar Thompson and many of the others are are young and new to this, and you never know how young players are

I will put on my red panda hat for a moment and balance and plates and try to bring a Jazz topic in here. I'm not going to ask you about the Jazz, but I will ask you about Detroit, who a year ago, Howard was the worst team in the NBA, and the Jazz are the worst team in the NBA. We're waiting to see what the lottery brings, but Detroit, for all their troubles, actually fell to five.

That's a good question where to start there. I mean, look, the Pistons have been in the lottery for most of the last two decades, so I don't think we should look to Detroit as any model for anything. If we want to just take the last you know, four or five years and say, well, you know, how have they finally gotten their feet under them again? I mean, if you're in the lottery enough times and you get the number one pick at least once, which they did to

Okay, So tonight we have the Heat and the Hawks in Atlanta for the right to face the Calves. Can either of these two teams make Cleveland even kind of uncomfortable in a playoff series?

Oh?

Man, I wish I could pretend that they would. I wish I could sit here and give you the Pollyannish kind of like, hey, you know, anything can happen in the seven game series or what. Let's be honest. There is one major exception this season, and there have been some exceptions in recent season and maybe more often than we used to in the past, but in general, the

The Cavaliers are winning for stre Now just let me follow up, because I'm taking copious notes so I can learn. So what you're saying is when a team trades a player, that player is no longer on that team.

Did am I understanding that correctly?

My vast research indicates that that is the case.

Oh, that is just gold on a Friday, Howard.

I appreciate that.

Uh, That's what I'm here for.

I know you are.

I know you are.

I will kick the tires with Pacers bucks because the Pacers found a little something over the final six weeks of the season, and Nola will be without Dame for at least one game. And look, I always cringe when I hear a media member be like, Hey, I had a torn a cl once.

Here's what happened to me.

But I will tell you that I had a blood clout once upon a time, and it SAPs your energy. I mean, it really does. I don't know what's what we can expect from Dame. He's going to be out Game one, but the rest of the series, like he is going to take a minute to get back to being full Damed.

But Milwaukee is Milwaukee and they have Yiannis.

So this seems to be a series that is a little more intriguing than the others that we've talked about.

What do you think happens here?

I'm very intrigued. I was intrigued before we knew what Dame's status was. But it's certainly great news for him and for the Bucks that he's on the mend. And it's great to hear I have not dealt with the blood clot, I have had a torn aco So I don't know what you know he's to expect from here. I'm imagining that it's going to take several days for him to just get back into game shape, and whenever we see him appear in the series, probably won't see

All right, let's move out west, and you know, let's start with the You reference the Warriors as the seventh seed, and you know, the the Warriors Grizzlies game was wildly entertaining and we had some real vintage steph fourth quarter moments, the you know, the triple pump, fake three and a couple of dagger threes and Jimmy was Jimmy over the

I don't think Golden State does.

So I've heard a lot of people say, even though it's seven to two, Golden State is going to run through them. I don't know, man, I think this is going to be a dog fight, a bit of a rock fight.

So Round one Warriors Rockets, what do you think.

I love the fact that we have like this just clash of all these different axioms or cherished beliefs, right like Warriors, of all the experience. The Rockets. It's their first playoff run with this group, and they've got a lot of youth. So we've got the youth versus experience thing, and we've got yeah, absolute legends, you know, with with Stephen Draymond and another you know stud with with Jimmy, all of them very proven. But we also have, to your point a size issue, where the Rockets have the

Okay, fair enough.

Since I asked you, I have a feeling you're gonna give me the same answer. But maybe not, because you know, it's it's so wild. Regarding what's happened in Dallas this year, the wildest thing is simply they traded Luca twenty five is a global superstar, a generational talent. But because of the kind of the ground swell of what the hell are you doing by doing that? We talk about Anthony Davis like he stromeles swift and he's awesome, right, and

Wow, it's hard to stay in part because like the key to Memphis being the answer is John Morant and jah is still ailing right now, Like I don't even know, like I haven't seen the latest update, but you know, I think he got some kind of injection and like he didn't practice entterday, Like is he gonna play it?

It they need.

If you don't have Luca, then you needed Kyrie and now you don't have Kyrie. They don't have Luca, by the way, because they traded him to the Lakers. And as we've established, once you do that no longer.

I'm adding the footnote to my earlier note, thank you hour.

Yeah, yeah for sure. So no, I don't trust these of these teams is going to give Oklahoma much of a challenge. But if it is the Grizzlies who emerge, I think that across the board, they're just better built because they didn't trade their superstar mid season. Right Like, we might have this conversation this time next year, and the Mavericks conversation might be very different, but right now they're a team that needs to take the offseason to kind of fix their roster.

The four five and the three six man two really good teams are going home after Round one. So let's go to Nugs Clips And you know I talked to you about this last week. Whenever Kwi is healthy for an extended stretch, we're all reminded of Oh yeah, that's right, he is still one of those guys, and Jeff Van Gundhi giving a lot of our guy here on the show. It makes me sad that he doesn't join us anymore.

How does this go down?

We are just like giving out some like incredible wisdoms. Yes, we like your audience. I hope they know how fortunate they are.

Yeah they should. If they don't, they should.

Nuggets Clippers like there is there's no such thing as an upset really in a four or five, especially when you've got an identical record. But to the extent that the Clippers are the lower seed, I think they're pulling the upset here, upset in like quote Marks, I really really really respect what the Clippers have been able to do this year, like I was, and I'll admit this outright, I thought, Wait, you resigned Kawhi Leonard all this money, but you're letting Paul George walk What are you doing?

I cannot believe I'm going to ask you this, but I will, because this year in the NBA, a lot of paradigms have been shifted and changed. If Denver loses Round one, is there any way that Nikola Jokic decides that he needs another place to play? And is there any way that like it would have to be a mandate, it would have to be you have to trade me. But hey, we saw Luka traded and if I'm Nikola Jokic, I'm looking around.

I'm like, did I'm the.

Best in the world at this and you need to do more or to take advantage of me before I'm thirty two to thirty three years old. If they lose Round one, what does the offseason look like in Denver?

In this league?

It's always fair to ask that question. There's a part of me that says, like, eh, like, we can't get ahead of ourselves. Let's not get crazy, Let's not stir it up too much on the Jokics front, especially given the Jokic doesn't seem to be wired that way, that he's not that kind of personality, right, He's not one running around making demands. He's a pretty low maintenance superstar.

All right, another good team's going home. It's either going to be the Lakers or the Timberwolves. You know, this is the last series that we have not talked about. It's the late game coming up tomorrow night. Obviously, the process of watching Luke and Lebron figured this out. Has been fascinating with two you know high IQ basketball players like that. You give the Timberwolves a puncher's chance here, what do you think happens round one?

Yes, puncher's chance. The Timberwolves obviously made a big trade right on you know, the eve of training camp when they swapped out Towns for Julius Randall. And it took them a while to get their feedback under them and and to really you know, integrate Randall and figure out what their identity was now. But they've been really good.

All Right, Howard, before I say you lose, I know I've talked to you about this, but now it's time to actually get serious. And you know, as far as casting votes and such, MVP appears to be still pretty highly debated. It's one of those things where I have an opinion and I do think it's Shay, but I also acknowledge that Jokic continues to be historic and I think he's the best player of this generation. Howard Beck take MVP Pro Basketball this year?

Is who and why?

It's it's Shae And Shay was on my official ballot that I sent in earlier this week. And it's not a knock on Jokic. It never is a knock and I hate so often the MVP discussion has become like how much can you, you know, tear into the other guy's case. Yokis did everything he possibly could and he had another incredible season.

So did Shae.

And if you want to say, well Yokis did historic things, so did she. And we don't have to get into the niteddy gritty of those stats. But it's all there, trust me. But there's also a long standing, you know, structure for this award that is not acknowledged, but it's there. If you look at the history of the award, with very few exceptions, it is usually a player on one of the best teams, and you can't say that about

One more quick one because I mentioned this earlier. You think Jeff gets a look as a head coach, you think somebody, Yeah, you know, I'm biased. I'm the wrong guy to ask aybody should hire him. I mean, that's my guy. But do you think after what's happened with the clips this year, somebody looks at Jeff van Gunny for a head coaching job.

I would think so, Spence. I'm not sure where Jeff's head is these days on that. Does he like, is he just enjoying now getting to be like the stage veteran on the bench with the younger head coach in Tylerue, or does he want that head coaching job again and everything that goes with it, all the stress and scrutiny. I know that there were years there during his run with ESPN where you know, he was certainly interested in getting back to the bench, and teams kept passing up

All right, my friend, Well, great time of year.

Appreciate your time and the intimate knowledge of how transactions work in pro basketball.

Howard, have a great weekend.

Buddy, will chat to you too. Spent right the great Howard back NBA playoffs. It is time. Howard Beck one of the best riders in the NBA. Writer ecosystem at Howard Beck on Twitter and then he'll send you to his blue sky because he doesn't tweet anymore. But I always appreciate Howard's time. All right, I've got a great deal for you guys. Okay, So last week, if you listen to the show, first of all, thank you, we were out in Sandy at the shops at South Town.

The neighbors will be green with envy.

Shopifan line at IFA dot co op or stop by one of their eighteen Utah locations Today.

Our good friends at.

A drive with Ben's Jackets is KA l L North Saltwake k x r k HD three ESPN seven hundred and ninety two one FM.

Yeah, this album is dedicated It's all the teachers that told.

Me I'll never mounted. Then, It's all the people that lived above the buildings that I was hustling from.

They called the police on them when I was just trying to make some money to feed my daughter.

It's all my people's in the struggle.

You know what I'm saying.

It's ah, it was all a dream. I used to read Word up magazine, Something Pepper and Heavy Tea up in the number of scenes, hanging pictures on my wall.

Every Saturday, Rap Attact, listen to Magic Calling Ball.

I let my take brop to my take.

NBA playoff basketball well begins tomorrow for the playing tournaments will conclude tonight.

We've got the Heat and the Hawks.

We've got the Mavericks and the Grizzlies and then a really really good Slave. The should be some good basketball, man. We have some good matchups. Our next guest, you know him, you love him. He needs no introduction, but it figured out. We give him a good little big track today on a Friday, Tony Jones, Happy Friday, sir. How are we doing?

How you doing?

Man?

Thank you for having me.

As always, I appreciate the time. As always, we won't do a ton of jazz today. But since the season is now behind us for the Utah Jazz, Tony just give me as a guy who's covered this team forever.

It's been our market for a long time.

It was a historic season for all the wrong reasons as they lost sixty five games. Are what are the thirty thousand foot view Tony Jones macro takeaways from the twenty twenty five Utah Jazz season.

There's a historic seasons for the right and for the right reasons. To me, I mean, like you know, I think we all knew that at some point, you know, the Jazz, we're gonna have to to kind of just tear it all down and kind of build it all back up again. And you know, this is the draft to do it. Cooper Flag is he is. He is a generational prospect. He is the best basketball freshmen that I've seen, uh since Anthony Davis and maybe even maybe

Theme So Tony, as you know, there have been drafts in the past where at the top as far as the number one overall prospect, everybody thought, and everybody thought of the time that that prospect would gone to be genera special So an example I'll throw out is Greg Odin the Greg Odin draft, where every general manager in the NBA would have taken Greg Oden with a number

I mean, obviously, you know the number two guy in this draft is Devin Harper. And you know there are guys beyond Dylan that are really good, you know, Trey Johnson, b J. H Com, Derek Queen, Case Bailey. I mean there are guys, you know, So you know, the Jazz this draft is not you know, Cooper flag dependent. The Jazz going going to get a guy who has a chance to be a very good player. That is, that is for sure, because there are five guys in this draft that really have a chance to be really good,

You know.

I think that he's a guy that has the best floor in this draft, and he also has the best ceiling in this draft. So he's going to come in from day one and he's an NBA starter, And if he hits one hundred of his ceiling, he's got a chance to one day be the best player in the world.

And excuse me, I want to be clear.

I very much agree that Cooper feels like he's can't miss, but we've all learned lessons over the years of quote unquote can miss products, can't can't miss prospects that ultimately don't turn out. So okay, So Cooper at one, If the Jazz fall to two, it's Dylan. If the Jazz fall to three, is it Ace? What do you think number three?

Jazz fall to three, then that's where the draft starts for them. And this is what I mean. If the Jazz get the number one pick, then we know who the pick is going to be, no question about it. They might as well not even bring in the prospect. Well, not for the number one pick. If the Jazz get the number two pick, we ninety eight percent certain know who that pick is going to be. It's going to

Uh.

He's maybe the best shooter in the draft, and he's maybe the best contested shooter in the draft. I know that, you know a lot of people look at Ace Bailey as the best contested shooter in the draft. But Trey Johnson is an absolutely absurd shot maker. And I think that he has ball skills, and I think that he can play on or off the ball. I think he I think that he has twenty five points per game

Whoa you would take Tray Johnson at three over Ace or VJ Yes? Wow, absolutely, Okay, all right, all right, okay, I like to take because I was going to ask you the worst case scenario for the Jazz is five. And you know, unfortunately we have a very recent example of this very thing going down, as the Detroit Pistons were the worst team in the league last year by far by like five games, and they fell to number five. So worst case scenario, Jazz at five. If that happens,

I like trade three. I mean, but you know, Trey Johnson could very well be on the board at five. And you know, let's let's be fair here. I mean, I'm not the Utah Jazz. Utah Jazz might not like Trey Johnson as much as I did, you know, but I do think that Tray Johnson. I think that at this point we have a consensus size, and I think it's those five guys, you know. So you know, I

Let's stay in the space. The Jazz will also have, excuse me, the number twenty two pick via Minnesota because of the go Beart deal. And then they have two second rounders as well. So I have a two part question for you. The second rounders at this juncture for the Jazz will be forty three in addition to fifty. Their second second round pick comes via the LA Clippers. Okay, so I have a two part question, generally speaking, what sort of value do you think will be there at

I don't think they're going to bring in four guys. You know, it's forty three and fifty. You know, maybe they try to consolidate those picks and move up. You know, maybe they try to put those picks off. Maybe they use one and put one off. Maybe they draft two guys, but you know, one of those guys just doesn't make it the camp. Maybe they take a flyer at fifty on somebody overseas and they stashed them overseas for a year.

More jazz question.

We were this smith, he was in studio and I've asked a couple of the other NBA guests this question, because if we go back to Marketin's first year here twenty twenty two to twenty twenty three, he was twenty six points to night nine boards. He was close to fifty forty ninety. He was basically fifty from the floor. He was thirty nine from three, He was eighty eight from the line. It was a really good year. He

And you know, you look at his splits this.

Year forty seven games played, nineteen points six boards. Everything is down, everything is down across the board. So Tony through your kind of your lens. Here, if the scale is Larry twenty twenty two All Star with all the numbers, and the other side of the scale is Lowry this year where everything's down, who is he? Who is Lowry marketing? In your opinion? Of course, he still signed for four more years with a Jazz. You count this year for the sake of the conversation, Tony.

I do, I don't I just throw this year out? I mean, he basically asked the guy, like, listen, the Jazz went to Lowry before the season. They told him what the season was, you know, And I mean, you know, he plays forty seven games. He's in and out of the lineup. He can't establish a rhythm, you know. You know, Isaiah Callier's the point guard. And you know, no disrespect Isaiah call Youer, but you know, I mean he had a great rookie season. I mean, but he still doesn't

All right, moving off the Jazz, now there are teams playing basketball, and before we get to some playoff thoughts, let me ask you, Tony, who's the MVP this year?

Who do you think who's the MVP and why.

Oh shag was Alexander easily not even question. Well, I mean it's uh, you know, look, let's let's put it out there. Nicola Jokic. And you know I saw this because I covered Denver pretty frequently. This year, Nicola Yokis had one of the best offensive seasons of basketball that we've ever seen, right, you know, that's that's acknowledged. You just don't go out and average a thirty point triple double. He was also one of the ten worst defender in

Nuggets clips round one.

It's interesting to consider because a really good team is gonna go home. One team as a generational talent in Jokic, and then the other team does too. But we forget because sometimes Kawhi misses a lot of time. When Kawhi plays, we're all reminded of, Oh, yeah, that's who he is. This is gonna be this is gonna be a rock fight. Man, I'm excited for this one. You cover the Nugs and you're familiar with the Clippers. How do you think round one goes in this series?

Yeah?

I think this series has seven games written all over it. You know, the Clippers are playing. Frankly, they're playing as well as any team in the NBA right now. They won eighteen of their last twenty one games. They won eight consecutive games. On Sunday, they went into Chase Center and beat a really good Golden State team to get into the playoffs. Kawhi Leonard looks like Kawhi Leonard. He looks like By and Kawhi that I frankly did not think that we would ever see this version of him again.

To follow up, what do you think the offseason looks like in Denver if they lose Round one? I mean, even the thought of Jokis playing anywhere else is wild to me.

But I just wonder if his patience runs thin.

Uh And we live in an NBA now where uh, no player is safe. If Luke and if Luca can get traded, man, anybody can get traded. I'm not gonna be the GM the trades Nicola Jokic. But if they lose Round one after firing Michael Malone, do you think Jokic starts to look around and go I need something different for the remainder of my prime.

Well, Demon is not going to trade Nicola jokicch and I don't see Nicola h asking out. I don't think he's anywhere near that point. I think that, uh, he's all in on that organization. You know. But if they do lose Round one, you know, the first thing they have to do is figure out, you know, who their coach is going to be, whether it's going to be David Adelman or whether they you know, actually open that

Does anybody will end on this? Does anybody get in the way of Boston?

Ok So, I think any one of the first seven teams in the Western Conference can win the West. I don't. I don't think okay see is is uh is? I mean they can win the West, and they should be, you know, they deserve to be the favorites. But I mean, you go down the list, Los Angeles can win the West, Golden State can win the West, or Clippers can win the West, Denver can win the West. You know this is this is not a okay see versus the field type of thing. This is going to be a very

Well, fun time of year, playoffs are finally here. Man, Appreciate the time today, enjoy the action over the weekend. We'll get you on next week.

Yes, sir, appreciate you. My guy.

I have Tony Jones covers the NBA for the Athletic covers the Jazz when they're relevant, and he'll be with the Nuggets throughout their playoff run and then maybe garner another assignment. Appreciate Tony's time today. Tony stops by courtesy of our good friends at Burt Brothers. With over thirty years of experience and nearly thirty locations, Burt Brothers AC

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Rains against your scheme super We got Christopher Camaraanie live in studio today. How about that for a little Friday fun. Historic announcement made earlier today out in Sandy in America, First Field, the Miller family have purchased the controlling stakes over al saw Lake and the Utah Royals. And spring football is tomorrow. The spring football game is tomorrow, Forever twenty two game for the Utes.

So we're bringing c K today.

But the world of professional golf is still buzzing from last week. Quite frankly, we will talk little RBC heritage as Justin Thomas continues to rake. But Paul Pugmyer Friday afternoon, Paul, Happy Friday, sir, How are you doing great?

Doing great?

Thanks for the time.

So last week Augusta the Masters doesn't get much better Paul than what we saw on Sunday.

But we'll start with and not bury the lead, as they.

Say in this business, sixth golfer of all time do achieve the career Grand Slam? And oh what a long, strange journey it was for young Rory mackelright, not as young as he once was. But how did you digest that final round? And put this in a context for us. What sort of history was made at Augusta last week?

Boy? That was one for the ages, wasn't it. Yeah? And you know, I appreciate you posing the question the way you did. I've been trying to think where does it fit in history? And you have to look outside of golf, I think, and you might even have to look outside of sports to put into historical context the level of accomplishment. It is certainly a kin to a triple crown in baseball.

It is.

A kin to somebody winning a points title and a rebounding title and an assist title in basketball. But look outside of golf. This is like an entertainer getting an Oscar, a Grammy, an Emmy, and a Tony. It's that rare of air.

It is.

The level of accomplishment is so broad and so deep, and the skill set that is required just it reaches again, so broad and so deep it is really difficult to wrap your hands around what it means. It's pretty good, pretty incredible stuff, and.

It was not easy for Rory, and he didn't make it easy on himself. Paul when he dumped that wedge in the water on thirteen, I just went, what are you doing?

But that wasn't even that, wasn't it.

I mean, I will say this, missing a putt on eighteen to win the Masters and to win the career Grand Slam, and then coming back and puring your driving, your approach on the first playoff, all like that takes some wavos, dude, that takes some cajones. I was impressed that he was able to kind of figure it out after taking all of us on such a ride. But what do you make of Rory's final round where he carded a seventy three and barely hung on.

You know, the final round I think was perfect. It was both encapsulated and contained, and it also was a metaphor for his entire career, his entire journey. And we started knowing about him as a sixteen year old amateur making noise in the Irish Open, going to wait, who is this? How is that swing?

That good?

That young? And he has taken us on a ride of both exquisite accomplishment and absolutely gut wrenching, inexplicable, exasperating failure as well, and all of that contained in this round on Sunday, all of that showed up the incredible shot making that you saw on fifteen turning over a seven iron around the tree, landing it short of the pin, that on the green, with the proper spin to make it move forward toward the hole, a shot that you might go a decade without seeing a shot that good.

But he also showed us the.

Grit, the determination, the unwavering self belief. And I think it comes back to another part of what you talked about and saying, you know, him being able to make the transition from missing the pet on the seventy second hole and then going out on the first playoff hole and hitting two incredibly pure golf shots. And I think that goes back to not only who he is and the grit that is inherent in his character, but the

You know, you've been watching and covering, and you know been in the ecosystem of golf a lot longer than I have, And honestly, I don't know if it's ADHD. The attention span more than anything else, Paul, to sit and watch something for four or five hours is nothing I've ever been awesome at you know, but but you know, something like that was so gripping you couldn't turn the TV off.

And the more and more you watch, the more and more you realize.

Like the best players in the world, don't you know, They don't pipe it down the middle every time, they don't pure every single shot, but they figure out a way to make a good score even when it looks like they're in a bad spot.

I mean that old Bobby Jones quote.

You get bad breaks from good shots, you get good breaks from bad shots, but you have to play.

The ball where it lies.

There are just so many life parallels to the game of golf, and I wonder what you think the final round scores of McElroy with seventy three and Bryson with seventy five, What does that say to you about the magnitude of that moment for both of those golfers.

Golf is hard, Championship golf is even harder, and nothing is as hard as finishing a Master's history makes that very clear, and I think it's just indicative of the incredible climb that is required physically and mentally and emotionally in order to get it done. At Augusta National and it. It was. It was amazing. And through it all you had Justin Rose who threw down a sixty five and clawed back from his debacle on Saturday, and there he

All right, last thing here, then we'll move over to what's happening right now with the RBC because JT looks like he's got a shot to win the thing, and obviously it's only Friday.

But before we get there, I.

Wondered how you kind of digested the win, and not just the win for Rory in a in a vacuum, the fact that you know, I think this is what is his it's his third win of the year.

Is it his fourth? I don't want to.

Jeff, it's it's his third. And look at the courses. It was done on right, They all were done on yeah.

Right, right, So so like what sort of ride could he could we be in for?

I keep saying, you.

Know, Rory McElroy untethered, right, because now the pressure of the Grand Slam is off, the pressure of the Green Jacket is off. It's been eleven years in the making, and longer than that, according to his you know, by his own accord. But you know, we saw Scotty with three wins last year kind of similarly, he also won the Players and Elevated Event and the Masters, and Scotty went on to have a season on the tour that we really haven't seen since Tiger. Quite frankly, what's the

This year?

Paul?

Watching Rory doing what you think he could.

Do, this could be a rocket right around the galaxy. Seriously so, Rory's mechanical technical issue always has been whether he is able to swing with freedom, to play with freedom, or whether he tightens up a little bit. And when I say a little bit, I mean a very little bit. The margins are so small, but nonetheless it's visible. It's something that one can see that when Rory plays with freedom,

Now, just out of curiosity. And look, I'm not blaming him at all. I'm just wondering, is Rory not at the RBC because he's just celebrating the fact that he's made history.

Is it just at home?

He just said straight up, he goes I'm going home.

His parents were not.

Able to make the trip over to the States for the Masters this year. They've been to several, but they weren't there this year, and he said, I'm I'm going home. I've got to go see my parents and I've got to go see my friends back in Hollywood.

Fair enough, fair enough, all right, this is an elevated event. Uh and uh, you know what, Let's start with you. Let's start with Tony, who did not make the cut at Augusta. He had a better round today than he did in round one. But there aren't cuts, right, They're not doing cuts at these elevated events, right they.

Did at Okay, Yeah, everybody's in the weekend.

All right.

I know you don't love that, but Tony Tony is tied for fifty seventh with some really good players. You know what, this is a good field. I'm not sure that I realized how good this field was. And Tom looking like Max Homa, so he tagala like, there's some really good golfers will Zalatorus and this course is, you know, really not going well for them. Even Ludwig is tied for forty six. But Tony struggling again, at least compared to the field. What do you make of it?

Tony hasn't had his a game this year. He's had some flashes, he's had some streaks where his talent takes over, and Tony just is Tony. And of course we know that he has had to come back from the knee surgery. Maybe there's something lingering there. I don't know, but he hasn't had his a game throughout the whole of the year, and he's slipped in the FedEx rankings, He's slipped in the Ryder Cup rankings. And this doesn't help him a whole lot, especially as you totally correctly identify this is

He does.

He said something about JT a few years ago when he was struggling and he ultimately didn't even make the FedEx playoffs that year. He came within a chip shot which you nearly hold out of making it, which was quite a moment. But I remember as asking you about JT, and he said something that's always stuck with me, and he said, it's his ability to.

Just go low.

And that sounds simple, right, but when he turns it on, man, you realize why. At one point he was world number one. He had a sixty one round one and like a three foot putt to break the course record that lipped out on eighteen. So he was awful today with a sixty nine. Just smirk a little bit, but twelve under a right, your leader through two rounds and a lot of golf fans love themselves a little. JT.

What do you make of where we're at and you think he can win the thing?

I totally think he can win the thing. And look, they're playing at Harbor Town, which I've watched for years and had the privilege of playing a couple of years ago. Harbor Town really rewards wedge play, and JT is among the best wedge players in the world. And when his wedge is on, he knows it and he just goes at every flag. He's superlative at this control with his wedges, and that's where his sixty one came from. He had had those working and when you get that close, making

Yeah.

I mean, look, the simplest explanation for the ebbs and flows of this game, now that I'm becoming more familiar with it, is the Rory Lion from the Full Swing documentary. Golf is hard, right, That's the simplest explanation. And you said it earlier, Scotty Scheffler after round one yesterday said the same thing, like it was funny, Paul because the interviewer I think stumbled over himself a little bit and talked about how he got he made it look easy,

Totally could be, and I hope it is. I think off is healthier with JT among the top players in the world. He has a swagger, he has a joy, he has a magnetism about him, and to be candid, those things are all diminished when he's not playing well. He doesn't have as much of the electricity about him when he's skanking it up, and I'm sympathetic to that. I can understand that, but I think the game is really well served by a helpie and really sizzling.

Justin Thomas, I referenced Scotty, who you know today? It must I think there's a little win today because the conditions weren't as prime as they were round one. But he carter a sixty four round one, seventy round two and so he's eight under, he's four backs, so he's very much in the mix.

Are we starting to see?

Scotty said, you're laughing because he's sixth, and he was like, you know, every single tournament, even if you don't win it, if you're finishing close to the top of Augusta, it's not like you're not playing well.

But I know you don't love the Tiger thing. I'm not going to do it.

But Scotty just kind of has the feel the Tiger did when he was going that you just expect him to either win it or compete every weekend all we're seeing him inch back to the form he was a year ago.

He's getting back to it. Yeah, and look, he hurt his hand, for heaven's sake, he had hand surgery. That's what connects you to the golf club, that's where the feel is on the short game. But look, Scotty's fine. He's fourth in the FedEx standings. And if anybody else was fourth in the FedEx standings, we'd be saying they're having a great year. But because Scotty is coming off of seven wins in an Olympic gold medal, we're saying, WHOA,

He's likely to win a major.

He simply is that good and it's just a matter of time he gets give enough starts, make sure his hand is strong, and he'll he'll be there.

All right. Before I say you, Louise, I want to ask you about one other golfer who is at this point you know he might be better, No, certainly will always be known for the major championships he won when he was younger, And now I feel like there's this you know kind of narrative around Jordan speeth that he's continuing to ride the momentum of what he did as a younger player, and maybe now is just more famous

Yeah. Absolutely, And I've got to say I was just shocked when they were talking about it being a decade since Jordan won the Masters, because I still think of it as a recent thing. But he Yeah, he is coming back, and as you noted, he was hurt.

He had the risk surgery.

That's a hard thing to get over. And where it's hard is fully releasing the club and fully releasing the club into the turf, because there's just a little gremlin in the back of your head that says this is gonna hurt, and so it's not a complete free release. But no, Jordan's coming back and this is a good course for him to do it on again. It's a course that really demands and rewards top notch wedge play. Well,

All right, Paul, before I set you loose, what's coming up on the program tomorrow? What's the latest on the local golf scene.

Oh man, we got some good stuff. Two time major champion Solheim Cup horse Britney Linscombe. We'll be on Utah Golf Radio tomorrow morning. She is coming to Black Desert and we're going to talk with her about that and about her career and her background. She is the first Tea kid from First Tea of Saint Petersburg. We're going

All right, Paul, good stuff, appreciate the time, have a great weekend and we'll chat soon.

Thanks, looking forward to it.

Two hours down, two hours to go. The PGA Tour is at Harbortown Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, RBC Heritage where Justin Thomas as a two stroke lead over Seawoo Kim Russell Henley heading into the weekend. Two hours down, two hours to go. Coming up on the other side, Historic Day out in Sandy, the Miller family as announce.

They have.

Second at a historic day today out in Sandy in America. First Field, unfortunately not downtown here in Salt Lake City, where there's a parking lot where a soccer stadium should be. Our next guest broke the news last night for The Athletic. He was able to actually get the price point that the Miller family has purchased the controlling steake for Real Saal Lake and the Utah Royals for a six hundred

We got you out of the house.

I'm impressed we're dressed like we're matching. Well, I mean we are matching basically.

Yeah, basically black hoodies? Are you protesting the cold weather with that? I decided to dress it all black because I'm protesting thirty eight degree weather in April.

I don't know what it is man, the older I get, I just feel like black is my color.

I don't know what it is.

No for no reason, no reason. Well, Porter will tell you this is how I'm dressed every day in the winter. Yeah, when the when the spring actually springs and the summer is actually warm, I'll mix it up a little bit. But give me my my black sweat sweatshuit all day.

Like a titleist polo.

Maybe you know my relationship with the breatheable golf polos.

I have several. Oh, by the way, I'm giving some away. Do you have any interest? Do you want to go through them?

I only accept Rome gear.

So okay, fair enough? Do you want to go through my golf shirts? I'm giving away a grip of them?

Tell Chris to back off the roa gear by.

The way, well, I'll split it equally with equally with with all of you. Well, Chris, it is great to see you, and we do have some breaking news about a striker the reportedly he is on his way to oursel. But before we get there, take us through what you wrote and your thoughts on this transaction. As RSL has now been sold to the Miller family.

Well, as we've heard today, they had their official formal announcement and press conference out at America First Field. All the major parties were there, involved, the governor was there. I think there were some church officials there as well, so all the heavy hitters we're out in attendance. In Sandy, my colleague and I Paultonio, who is our lead men's

And the Royals.

So I was digging into some of the specifics here. Ryan Smith Ashley Smith seg Entertainment Group out entirely.

Yeah, Paul, and I reported that I think at the end of March.

Okay, So the synergy between Dave Blitzer his group and the Miller family and their group, do you have any inside there? So the Millers are the controlling owners now, so they will have say in whatever they want. Dave Blitzer, I think it's eight clubs across the landscape of Europe the Blitzer umbrella. So that's a relationship that you want to maintain. So is the line of delineation as clear as the Millers have the business and Blitzer has the soccer or is it a little more complicated?

No, it's not.

Kind of said that today in his presser he said like he wants to be more involved now on the soccer operation side. He is a soccer junkie, like he grew up playing it. Obviously, he owns majority or entire stakes in several clubs overseas, and I think, honestly, this is probably the most useful area that that David can help rsl out in. I mean, he's a guy who is worth a lot of money and he has a lot of irons in the fire at all times. You know, as you know he's involved with the Sixers, the Devils,

Wow.

So yeah, I mean the priority for David Blitzer was to have a majority local owner who can run day to day operations. And you can make an argument he was lucky that the Millers were waiting there now, Paul and I did report that, you know, he offered Ryan Smith right a first refusal last fall with everything that Ryan had going on, bringing in the hockey team and the jazz and the Delta Center revamp and all the

Waiting in the wings.

But it had to be, you know, as they always say, had to be the right fit, and it was the right fit.

Sure sure.

And I worked for the Millers for seven years and I can speak to the type of company they run and the type of people that they are, and I know I know Steve Starks and Steve Miller and Greg and Gail had a chance to sit with them and some other media members yesterday as they walked us through

Yet again, Yeah, it's it's a franchise that finds itself in a very unique position. We don't see many major professional sports franchises change ownership three times basically in four years, but this is where RSL finds itself in the Royals as well. I'm going to continue to just be this guy on your show. Ninety fans just want and infeuws of allocated resources to make their team fun to watch and make them be good.

Bottom line, end of story.

It's a little it's easier in soccer as opposed to the NBA. You have if you're willing to splash the cash, so to speak, if you're willing to shell out the resources to maintain a competitive roster, both on the professional men's and women's side. You know, from a Royals point of view, like when they came in man heaviest hitters like World Cup stars Becky Sowerbroun, Kelly O'Hara, Kristin Press came here, this iteration of the Royals still trying to

The Royals piece of this is pretty interesting, right, So one hundred and ten mil for the Royals and valuations across the landscape of the NWSL have skyrocket's correct, yep. So what sort of and they you know, they Ali Senader is one of the bright young stars in America as far as female soccer players go, and she's been really good for them. So before we get back to the RSL side, we'll talk about the breaking news of

Well, I mean it's a package deal. It was always going to be a package deal, as it should be. The Royals are unique in that they are, like I said, they're trying to figure out who they are as a club. Still, they're trying to accumulate talent. You know, Ali sentin Or is one of the bright young American talents we have in our game. But beyond that, I mean, they're they're

So when the Royals left us the first time, the final year here, they averaged ten thousand fans per match, which was second to the Portland franchise at the time. I don't have up to date numbers, but I can tell you it's not close to ten thousand.

No, it's not.

So what sort of yeah, and you referenced the star power, like I don't think we fully realized like exactly how powerful that group was. What sort of steps need to be taken to get that number back up? Because if the fans came, then they'll come again if they have a reason to.

Yeah, and again is it it's all it's the almighty dollars.

Check.

The man with the gold makes the rules. That's your golden rule. And it makes sense always again, if you are willing to invest, fans will come, Fans will pay, fans will watch from home if they're not paying, Like, this is a market that is willing to fall in love with a team that is good at what it does, that has players that are good, that play an attractive style of whatever sport they're playing. We've seen that with the Jazz, We've seen it with RSEL over the years.

New World, New World, which brings us to and look, it's I'm smarting a little bit because every RSL guest I've had on over the past I don't know, two or three months since and you and I talked about this since the rumors surfaced that there was this ownership transition taking place, whether it was Kurt or Jason or

In and year out.

They strike me as a team that John Paul would use to beat me in FIFA one nil and you don't really make me upset. But this striker has had several caps with the Slovakian national team. He's twenty five years old. Robert hit me again. Bosanique, Bosanique. Robert Bosanique, according to reports, has been signed and is on his way to play for RSL.

So what's your reaction to the breaking news?

Coincidence on the day that ownership troupe, of.

Course, not right. It can't be. There's no way it's coincidence. They just all lied to me, and now I've got a bone and pick with all of them. Trek.

If you're looking at the player profile of what RSL.

Likes to go after at the moment, it makes sense.

A guy who has success with his senior national team, who is in and out of a decent club in Portugal from a starting eleven rotation point of view, but he's twenty.

Five six'.

TWO rsl guys have told you on your show ad nauseum that they are a sign and develop. Club now this is a potentially different deal, because LIKE i don't know what The portuguese, LEAGUE i, mean top, heavy if you're talking about Like Sporting lisbon And, porto it BLOWS mls out of the. Water but as a you, know if you're measuring the bottom of the barrel over there versus what we have, HERE i would imagine it kind of evens out a little.

Bit BUT i.

Can't i'm trying to.

THINK i last TIME i, SAW i think he had like thirteen goals in the last two years, there so not a tremendously high goal scoring. Rate but it's a guy who gets run with his national team In, europe and it's a decent national. Team it's a you, know a guy who used to play here for a while was on that national team In Albert, rusnak and he was a really good, signing you, know one of the

Well it has to be the thing we were waiting.

For AND i don't even, Like i'm not saying there's anything wrong with, That like obviously if you're if You're David, BLITZER i WOULD i Guess i'll Include. RYAN i don't know The ryan was ever all that committed to any of this. Stuff but if you're on the ownership side and you're you're the one that's being asked right to check because the reports are this is a designated, player so this is not a cheap.

Player we'll see what the final number looks.

Like you would want to wait for the thumbs up from your new, bosses who The millers are now they have the controlling. Stakes so, YES i would imagine this was something that was in the pipeline for a few, weeks as our Guy Tom boger talked, about and they had wait for the green light from the new ownership group to get it. DONE i, mean it's probably as simple as, That chris anything it.

Is But tom REPORTED i think late last week maybe or earlier this, week that talks have had stalled With bozonique and Boa vista and THAT rsl was looking at potentially other. Options so the fact that that got. Public, generally when that gets, public it means things soured and they have to move on to another. Target the fact that a very well sourced, report like the PREMIER mls reporter reported that and it's eventually got over the line is.

Possible and that's the issue because it's not just getting him, here it's getting them acclimated with the coaching staff and the players and the primary TRANSFER windo closes Next. Wednesday, yeah Next. Wednesday so how long then we'll move on to some other. Stuff how long is it reasonable to expect before he is on the, ground acclimated in the eleven and actually doing some.

Things so it'll depend on when it's officially. Announced there's a thing called AN, itc which is an international transfer CERTIFICATE i believe it stands For and that is the huge kind of.

That's just got to.

Go through relatively quick BECAUSE i think If i'm going back to my, beat right, days and my brain serves me. Correctly that is also usually contingent on helping a player get a visa as. Well and the faster you can get all that stuff ironed, out the faster they can be on a plane here and be, comfortably you, know starting to. Acclimate but if we're talking about what is today the, eighteenth.

The day is the.

Eighteenth if we're guess IF i was to guess what his first start would, Be i'd probably say a month from. Now and that's being, generous all.

Right last thing. Here Don, garber commissioner Of Major League, soccer was there for the, announcement as Was Dave, blitzer And don made a. Comment he looked around and, said people ask him all the, time will soccer make it In? America and he, said looking around at this, event it's clear that soccer has made it In. America the other thing that continues to be talked, about AND i Promise

About that's a great, question, Man, LIKE i, mean going back to, two you can make an argument that your dad doesn't want to bring a soccer club here if not for the success OF o. Two, like everything is part of a, timeline so to. Speak but if we're talking about domestic professional, SOCCER i don't know how much further we can go in the current setup of WHAT

League.

NOW i do think fans will get you, know excited once again next. Summer but for a lot of, folks it's kind of like The. Olympics it's like they get super stoked every four, years and after that they're, like, Man i'll go back to watching The steelers lose or praying The jazz Get cooper.

Flag you know WHAT i.

Mean, yeah, YEAH i just don't know what that next step is outside, of you, know a semi final for the men's national. Team the women's team has handled. IT i mean obviously you want to see you, know the pro the pro model here will grow on that, Side but other than, that IT'S i just don't know what the next step is BECAUSE i feel LIKE mls is pretty healthy compared to you know where it was you mentioned two thousand and two way. BACK i, mean it was it was on shaky ground back.

Then, man it was all, right last thing. Here then we'll catch a quick break in the stratosphere of The miller family and what they have in their stable now and what they're trying to do With Major League. Baseball the power district is right out, here just kind of let's, see it'd be northwest of where we're. At AS i always reference the irony of me working in the studio IS i can literally look south and see the parking

Not, personally our friends at The Trebvany larsen And Kevin reynolds talk to the mayor Of sandy today and apparently you, know The millers are wanting to beef up the sports and entertainment area In sandy around aff.

And it is right across the street from their main corporate ox.

Erect but if we're talking about this pie in the sky theoretical scenario that you, know The Tampa Bay rays finally say peace To florida and they move. Here they have an area. Earmarked it would potentially make a lot of, sense way far down the line for them to. Consolidate but in the, Meantime i've been told that their priority

Line fair, enough all, Right Christopher, Camaradie Liven, Studio we'll catch a quick. Break we'll do more coming up on the other. Sides stops spout today courtesy of our friends AT Ifa Country. Stores any drive to the basket begins with the first step on the. Court that's the ultimate power. Move ifhase step, one crabgrass preventer and lawn food is the first choice to.

Give your, yard the, healthy thick green look you.

Desire the neighbors will be green WITH nv shop if unlined AT ifa dot co op or stop by one of their Eighteen utah. Locations, today Marw ck coming up on the other side right here ON espn seven. HUNDRED i will get to the five o'clock hour of the program coming up in just a little. Bit the sun is trying really really. Hard sun is trying really hard to come. Out woke up this morning to thirty eight degrees in. Snow it's spring In. Utah Christopher camaraie live

I have not been told that concretely one way or the, other but it wouldn't surprise me If scott stays involved on the day to day soccer operation side of.

This, okay fair, enough so we'll learn more about how this is going to. Unfold and the news came down about an hour after the ownership announcement was complete That, robert.

You can do.

It bosanique nailed. It give me some, time, Okay.

Robert bosanique is on his way as A slovakian striker to play FOR. Rsl do you think there's any other? Additions do you think this is the only one we only got five days before.

Close IF i were to, GUESS i would say maybe in, league like a trade of some. SORT i don't.

KNOW i don't.

Know if The millers are like here you, Go, kurt Go, cook you, know like we're going to follow through on what we said we're gonna do. Asap my guess would be if there's another, edition it would come through the domestic.

Ranks, well you, know a lot of the conversation about whether or not The millers would spend money seems to have been directed towards, well they never went into the luxury tax when they ran The. Jazz the luxury tax bill in THE nba is like one hundred and eighty five million. DOLLARS i find that a faults like equivalency IN. Mls you don't have to spend one hundred and eighty five million, dollars but you, know spend twenty or.

Thirty AND i think The millers will do.

That were they ever in a position where they really needed, to Because i'm trying to think they sold The jazz In october twenty, twenty Like donovan was still on his rookie, contract.

Then like, YEAH i mean there's been.

Maybe the go or the D Will boozer.

Years maybe there's been some loose criticism over the years that they had a you, know teams that were really close to winning championship and they just decided not to spend the. MONEY i don't know that that's founded in a lot of, evidence you. Know but the point, is like they don't need to SPEND nba money ON, Mla, no not even.

Close if you, can if you can carve out an allocated budget for THE rsl front office and The royals front office to be able to go out and spend money and bring in good, players it is a drop in the bucket compared to what you would have to pay for AN nba contender in the luxury tax in the second apron, eight third, Apron, yeah fourth.

Apron you, know.

So what but last? Thing then let's move.

ON i, mean based off of what you've seen from them so, far it has not been a great. Start it hasn't been a catastrophic, start but it hasn't been a great. Start toronto comes in. Tomorrow they have not won a game yet this. Year now that we know a nine's on the, way let's give them the benefit of the doubt and let's say one more attacking piece is. Added what do you think we see FROM rsl this?

Year it's hard to. Say they.

Look so lost in the final third so. Often their only good attacking player this year has Been Diego, LUNA i, mean the guy that started The Champions league games For. Storri iago is now playing for The, monarchs which is kind of WHAT i mentioned at the, time like he was a very big band aid at the. Moment gonzalez had a decent run Against, nashville but nowhere near productive enough to you, know be what you're paying him to.

Be and their.

Defense has been pretty shoddy at. TIMES i, mean cabral has been a great. ADDITION i kind of shudder at the idea of what this first eight games could look like if not for him And.

Goal but.

It depends on how Quickly bosanique gets, acclimated if he can stay, healthy and if he can fit into the system That pablo wants to, play because you, Know pablo plays a very specific ale that he wants his players to adapt, to And chico was good enough and versatile enough that he was kind of given free reign to kind of drop. Deeper he kind of played like a false, nine you know, sometimes or even or like a secondary type ten When Anderson julio was up. TOP i don't

Goal AND rsl just. Hasn't they haven't been good.

Enough any part of you surprise that The millers decided to get back involved in team, sports you, know because they had such a great thirty five forty year run with The. Jazz you, know it's. Interesting Steve miller yesterday talked about how jazz games were, stressful you, know and oftentimes when you're in the operating space or the ownership space for a, team it's really hard to enjoy what you're doing because everything is life or. Death AND i

Right, yeah sometimes he, did sometimes he didn't.

Exactly and sometimes dinner was, great and sometimes we're throwing plates against the. Wall it's a really weird thing when you experience cheering for a team when your family's livelihood is literally at. Stake and part of me wondered if The millers would just enjoy their real estate ventures and buying daybreak and they sold the dealerships and the family has done such a great job of setting up this business in a way that generations will be taken care.

Glamorous it's not breaking.

News it's like the exact.

Opposite, yeah if you want to work like ninety hour weeks and be stressed out all the time.

And never get paid until you're at the top as an owner or top level, Executive LIKE i get people all the time, like, hey, MAN i badly want to work in. Sports what do you.

Think i'm, like.

Don't, yeah WHAT i think, is don't do.

It you, know go get your real estate, License.

Yes start a startup, business passive income side. Hustles i'm speaking AT alfa con later this, year so if you want to tune, in you can do. That are you surprised that The millers decided they wanted to take this back On.

WELL i Asked steve last night if it was a foregone conclusion that they would always get back into professional sports here in, it and he said it. Wasn't like, AGAIN i do think a lot of things needed to align for them to get back in. It And steve And Steve starks mentioned several times going back to what we were talking about last, segment just the growth of

Well and the other interesting, thing AND i honestly don't know how this is going to work, out but if you talk to, people and there's a juxtaposition, here Because Larry miller was a front, facing, energetic big. Personality he would go into the locker rooms after. Games there are stories of he And Frank leaden butting heads because of personnel, decisions And larry at one point thought maybe he could coach, too, right and so you, Know larry. Would he got in

You.

Well and you left Out John, kimball which is which is probably the most important name because he worked At, oursel then was at The, jazz then went back to oursel during the most tumultuous, time.

And he was at The jazz when The millers were the. Owner, correct we work closely With steve's. Correct, YEAH i.

Would this would be my.

ASSUMPTION i don't know this that this deal and The miller strike me as A we're going to entrust you to try to do the job as best you. Can we're going to be in the box with our, friends with our. Kids let's we're going to give you all the tools necessary to build two rosters IN mls AND nwsl and let's see how it. Goes but, AGAIN i think fans will hold their feet to the, fire like you can't come in and spend six hundred million dollars on two teams in your own, backyard a place that

SURE i wonder if you think the because The miller's track record with The jazz speaks for. Itself, okay, yeah never a band or never a, championship but so many, years LIKE i don't, know, man it's three Straight springs where this building downtown is quiet during THE nba, playoffs AND i hate it because it's one of my favorite

Jazz but how they're going to do it WITH.

Rsl do you think the awkward early tenure of The Smith Entertainment group ownership over The jazz where they're losing at a historic level and they've had missteps here There Neon. Jerseys we could talk about a bunch of different things that we wanted to. Do you think it's changed the way that jazz fans view The millers as the owners OF, rsl with the way that as the owners of The, jazz with the way The jazz have been are being run right, NOW i don't think.

SO i, MEAN i just think the roster was set, up the coaching staff was set up for, success and as all those guys have, said it just didn't work out for a multitude of reasons and weapons in, sports like sometimes things don't go your, way and a lot of times they, don't which is why we don't have a banner here at The Delta. Center BUT i don't think that this is a indictment on The smith ownership group on where they are. Now they they made a move THAT i you, know as an, outsider as a sports,

Probably be third or.

Fourth, Yeah jokich OR, sga you know T wolves are you know they are, right they'll PROBABLY i would assume they're going to lose to The lakers in the first. Round but the Point i'm getting at is that THE nba is so.

Different.

Man you have to build it down to the, studs or you have to break it down to the studs to build it back up and have it be worth the Damn and it, sucks but it's the.

Reality, well and AS i keep talking, about it's one of the only businesses in the world that has an incentive. Structure if you suck it really, does there's an incentive structure in place to the victor goes the.

Spoils the teams that.

Win, championships that compete at the highest levels and win games will always be.

Rewarded at the highest.

Level but if you're not one of those, teams and if we're, Honest, chris every year in THE, Nba i'll tell you WHO i think is gonna win. It and if you give me three or four, Guesses i'm gonna tell you who's gonna win the. Championship it's gonna win the. Championship some years it's. Easier for like six, years it was,

Numbers now the good.

News is the group over, here if you're our worst, salesman we're still going to give you fifty. Grand like the world doesn't work like, that but it works like that in pro. Basketball so, YES i understand why The jazz have been going about their business the way that they. HAVE i think they should have done it three years.

Not and, frankly if there was a quote unquote bad rap out, there it's from people who don't know the historical significance of what The millers mean to The. Jazz, like Without, larry The jazz are where are?

They?

Spence are they In?

Minnesota minnesota is the danger prior To spence sequels yep making the deal With larry and he deserves a lot of credit here because he completely leveraged himself multiple, times multiple.

Team putter on the line.

Multiple, times doubled down multiple times to make sure that The jazz stay. Here But minnesota was primed for a franchise situation and instead of giving, them you, know an expansion, team the talk in the league office in the early to mid eighties is let's move The jazz From Salt lake To. Minnesota that, HAPPENED i think in nineteen eighty. Eight,

That fans will always find something to be pissed. About you can get your boots stuck in the muck and meyer for as long as you. Want but the reality is, is maybe Maybe i'll go back to my tried and true. Cliche utah sports fans are beyond spoiled on a multitude of, levels and the professional and on the collegiate.

Level so.

If you're A jazz, FAN i guess the scariest thing imaginable is that the lottery rules have changed and now there's not like a scale tipped in your. FAVORS i guess it's three teams that have an equal fourteen percent chance of Landing cooper.

Flag. Yikes if it.

Doesn't if the ball doesn't bounce their, Way, man we're gonna have to Get Tony jones in here to tell me who they're gonna draft at number two or.

Three stay tuned five o'clock.

Hour there we. Go ck BEFORE i set you, loose what are the most exciting elements for? You you, know pondering on what we're gonna see tomorrow For Utah spring football forever twenty two game baby, Coming i'll see you up there.

Are you, Going we'll be on the. Sidelines of, COURSE i wouldn't miss hear no pad. Out, now you were on The utah football beat for.

Years was there ever anything that you saw in a spring game where you're, like, yes There it is.

Never, never not? Once, RIGHT i will, SAY i don't know what the setup. Is but out of all the, years out of all Of kyle's, years going back to like this is probably like the first time in almost When kyle's been in twenty one, years maybe since like six o, seven that there are, actual like really, legit tangible questions that need to be answered everywhere and at players are going to see a bunch of people that they've never seen play before and at the most crucial of.

Trophy Dark horse nailed. It SO i will see you at the spring. Game Then i'll see you out at our sell the. Morning sounds. Good good to see, It Mann Christopher camaradie from The Athletic Stop spoturday courtesy of our friends AT Ifa Country. Stores any drive to the basket is The. Uh it begins with the first step on the. Court that's the Al it's been power MOVE Ifa step One Crabgrass preventer plus their Lawn food is the first choice to give your yard the, healthy thick green look you.

Desire the neighbors will be green with.

Envy SHOP ifa online AT ifa dot, com co op or stop by one of their Eighteen utah locations. Today all, right let's get a drive at five Time friday afternoon, style about seven minutes past the hour of five. O'clock it has been a really really chilly couple of days here in Downtown Salt Lake, City, utah unseasonably. Cold quite, frankly it was about thirty eight degrees and snowing this, morning working our way up to the mid to upper

We have some decent weather over the.

Weekend and as it is every single, day it's going to have you along for the. Ride drive at five today and every day it's brought to you my friends At Courtland. Roofing Courtland roofing is your go to for all your, reroofing roof repairs and roof maintenance, needs free insurance analysis and free estimates and senior. Discounts more information can be found At Cortland roofing dot. Com utah Football spring game coming up, Tomorrow forever twenty two game At Riceccle.

Pory you were up At.

Utah media availability today and we've talked about The utah spring game all. Week Christopher Camaradi Liveman. Studio you, KNOW i do think we are high speed ahead to the day of the spring football either going away or being more of kind of Like Pro bowl skills. Exhibition what are you expecting to see tomorrow during the spring game and what are some of the things maybe you're most looking forward.

To, yeah, MAN i think with this, team the question marks ARE i think fairly.

Clear. Right you are.

Pretty established defensively at the linebacker. POSITION i think you've seen a lot from some of the defensive. Backs you know what you're gonna get at the defensive end. Position but really the question is how do you fill the whole Of Junior tafuna And Keanu, tonavasa, who of course one going to THE nfl and one going To. Provo those are Two All conference type players That i'm not Sure utah knows how they're going to.

Replace.

Now they have bodies a Leak I, Vamahi Dallas, fokalahi guys that they're very confident, in but they play a little bit different the defensive tackle, Position so how that works out the rotation with the defensive tackles is my main question mark on the. Defense, offensively, again you kind of know what you're gonna get with a lot of

Really really has to do with.

How Jason, beck the new offensive, coordinator manages, reps manages how he wants to divvy the ball. Up but plenty of tools for him to work with with The devin Dan, pier With Wyshawn, Parker Zach, williams and at the tight end, position Which Freddy whittingham told us he's really really confident.

In that's kind.

Of the quick rundown of what to expect at spring. Camp and again that is if we get to see much at, spring at, spring at the spring game that you, know this is a scrimmage That Kyle whittingham will decide how much we really get.

To see as far as the transfer portal, Goes typically the way the bio rhythms of the calendar kind of, work as college football has had this dynamic now for a number of, years is after spring is, done we do hear a lot of names into the transfer PORTAL byu has lost five players and by the, way some tough news FOR byu. Earlier Keeland marion is in the transfer, portal one of their top returning wide. Receivers of, course

Royals so The LARRY.

H miller, family in conjunction With Miller sports And, entertainment has acquired the controlling interest for both these clubs and the price tag is around six hundred million. Dollars according to a story that was written by our Friend Chris camraaddi was live in the studio And Paul tenorio for The. Athletic so about an hour after the news, broke we now have news that a player is on his, Way Robert. BOSE i believe it's Bo Zinik, Bosanik Robert. BOSANIK i

Alone but at least a number nine is on the.

Way so a good day today if you're A raal Saw lake fan as you get your strike biker on the way to provide some support For pablo's group and a new ownership transition that seems to have a lot

Steaks here's the.

Deal this, weekend you guys need to stop by The Homestead steaks locations because they're offering twenty ribs for only forty. Dollars, now we were on remote with them last week out In, sandy and we were supposed to be on remote with them today At, murray but the early incline at weather knocked this out because we're literally in the middle of a parking lot with no. Cover so twenty rebbys for forty. Dollars but last, week after the show was over In, sandy they sent me home with a box of their.

Out twenty rabbis for forty. Bucks. Man it is an excellent. Deal.

Porter if you had to give up either steak or football for your whole, life what could you what would you give.

UP i GUESS i gotta give up football.

Now, Listen, wow, listen steak over.

Football i'm a football.

GUY i know you, are but you're also a steak.

Guy i'm a nourishment.

Guy you, KNOW i don't know that that.

Football although it provides me with much, joy it doesn't provide me with any you, know proteins or lipids or iron or.

You, know you can go. On you gotta get the. Lipids people do not give lipids enough, love. Dude lipids my hot take for A. Friday lipids are highly. Underrated they, are they, are.

But they're also problematic in way Right wait ta't?

It too many lippets so you have to balance the. Lipids lipids are just fats. Mostly so, yeah, okay so you're choosing steak over. FOOTBALL i. Guess.

Wow, listen you gave me probably the worst ultimatum you could give. Me those are two things THAT i consume on a daily.

Basis, okay so fair.

Enough give me one series porter one playoff series in both The east and The west that you are most looking forward.

To M.

That is a good.

QUESTION i think the series That i'm looking forward to most is Probably Clippers nuggets in the first. Round that that one to, me just from a a personnel, standpoint you got the best player in the world versus a team THAT i know The. CLIPPERS i Know James, HARDEN i Know Kawhi. Leonard we're used to not necessarily seeing them all on the floor. Together but just from a hoop,

That i'm not sure anybody gets in the way OF Okc, boston but we'll have to. See tony thought thinks of it a little bit. DIFFERENTLY i do think That denver clip series is going to be a barn, Burner blakers Te. Wolves The west is so, stacked, man and there're gonna be a couple of really good teams that go home after round. One so playing, tonight the playoffs get roll in tomorrow from a local. STANDPOINT, rsl with their sparkly new ownership, group The miller family will play tomorrow night

Show on A monday edition of The, drive we'll recap THE nba weekend that, was talk SOME nba playoffs with our Guy Tom haberstrow on THE Nba Daily. Assists Josh furlong will Recap utah spring football in At Utah gymnastics going for a national championship this, weekend we'll talk SOME nfl draft and offseason With ben Soul. Lack of, course It's draft week next week on THE nfl, side and then we'll wrap things up talking SOME rsl on A monday. Show but not, first not before you tune into our

BEFORE i, MEAN i hope you guys listen To sean on our radio.

Station he's.

Excellent he's been a great addition to the station as far as calling, fights he's.

Elite it's an elite scale that he.

Has he's ON tv right. Now so shout out to our. Dioc you recognize the guy that just took that? Elbow that's you got click called by the, way oh, Clip, WOW i didn't Realize friend of the. Show not a great, moment but, hey you, Know friend of The, SHOW i didn't realize that Was Clay oh bummer THAT i had to look up and see him get his head caved in by an. Elbow great way to start A. Friday all,

Its it's available wherever you gets your.

Shows, subscribe, rate, review say nice things in the, comments give us all the. Stars it actually does help for. Porter I'm spence, saying AND i have a great. Weekend, everybody congrat you made. It begod to, yourself begad to each. Other we will talk to you on A Monday drive as all as you can catch out right here ON espn seven hundred and ninety two AND. Ffm we are proud to be part Of UTAH'S Espn radio network