FULL THU POD @SpenceChecketts on issues in CFB, Utah Jazz & NBA news, Utes FB + more

All right, what is going on?

It's Drive Times on a Thursday afternoon, about six minutes past the hour of two o'clock. Mary, post Christmas to you. Hope you had a great holiday yesterday. Hope you had a great time with friends and family, maybe getting some time off of work, or if you did not and you stayed on the grind, shout out to you. But it is Christmas Week and we are back live on air for the first time since Monday. Had a best

But I thought it was a.

Fun day for people to maybe be reintroduced to NBA basketball if you've not been watching A friend of the show. Chris Harring wrote a piece for ESPN dot com today outlining some of the great storylines that are happening in pro basketball. So we'll get to some of those on the program today. The Utah Jazz are in action tonight. It is a late tip. It's an eight o'clock tip, as they're up in the Great Pacific Northwest to take on the Portland Trailblazers. Both these teams are not very

No one's gonna hop on the show tomorrow.

I want to see what his experience was like calling NFL football on Netflix. So we'll get to some storylines in that direction. There are some breaking news as pat Riley has come out and said they're not going to trade Jimmy Butler. Now we'll see if that changes, because Jimmy Butler is the one name on the pro basketball trading block right now that, if moved, could certainly change the landscape of a team and maybe the landscape of the league. So the latest on the NBA trade deadline.

We'll get to it.

The latest on the transfer portal, I know what you guys want. Latest on the transfer portal for Utah football. Latest on the transfer portal for BYU football. Had a couple of interesting conversations while we were off. Shed a little light on just exactly how BYU was able to land aj Debanta and where they're at kind of with their collective efforts and their nil efforts and the people that have stepped up the much needed people that have stepped up in provo. Is the same thing happening here

Eight teams left standing, and.

Of course BYU and Colorado to play what, in my estimation, should be one of the most exciting non CFP Bowl games. Excited to see how BYU stacks up to Colorado and excited to see how that game plays out. So a lot to get to on the program today. The Utah Hockey Club back in action tomorrow, They're off tonight. College basketball starting to get interesting. University of Utah men's hoops will get rolling with their Big twelve slate coming up next week against Baylor. So a ton going on today

The TV voice of the.

Utah Jazz, Craig Bowler, Jack will stop by prior to him calling the game tonight with the Jazz and the Blazers. Then we'll visit with Gordon Monson. It's the big Show, Big hour. We do it here on the Drive every Thursday afternoon. We'll bring an Eric Weddle former Ute stops by today as well, and then Zach Harper NBA Daily Assist style. So busy guest list, a lot of college football, a little NFL and of course some NBA and some Utah Jazz on the show today. So Jim Herman, Craig Bowler, Jack,

It's time now for your opening tip.

Welcome to the Drive with Spence Check. It's on Utah's number one Sports Talk. Now into the studio of ESPN seven hundred to set the scene for the show. The opening tip of the drive is brought to you by Standard Restaurants Supply, your one stop shop to build the best tailgate in town. Restaurants Supply thirty five hundred Southwest Temple.

So this time of year, when it comes to the college football, the current state of the game, current state of college football locally and nationally, it's kind of an interesting media cycle to consume, and certainly as part of this job, to do the best I can to keep up with all of the pieces of news that come in fast and furious, and then listen to what other people have to say and try to understand exactly what's

Nobody has done that with this.

It has been summarily dismissed, and it feels like it's a consensus of how stupid that it is that a sport has free agency while games are still being played. You save free agency for the offseason, because, of course you do to be analogous, can you imagine in football or basketball when the biggest games are left, because that's

Now you can make trades during the year, right And.

Ultimately, I always kind of scoff at the whole loyalty conversation with players who do leave via free agency.

As fans, you get stung.

You know, you're bummed when your Fourth of July is ruined when Gordon Hayward decides he's going to Boston.

And I get that.

But if you work in an industry where essentially, if your boss decides you're somewhat disposable, he can just trade you tomorrow and give you a call in the am and say, hey, you live in Cleveland now, then you should have an avenue and the ability to decide where you do, what you do, and where you're gonna play basketball.

I always go back to the Kevin Garnett thing.

You know, Garnett gave Minnesota basically a decade, and they had a couple of good teams when they had Sam Cassel and the Treil Spree. Well, they went to the Western Conference finals, but they were never close to winning an NBA championship and quite frankly, never that close to winning the West, even though that had a couple of

I want to go win a championship and.

Minnesota and Kevin McHale at the time did right by him by trading him to Boston and their executive Danny Ainge built a championship team around Garnett and Paul Pierce and Ray Allen and I had no problem with that. Now, if you're a Timberwolves fan, it sucks. And if you're a Jazz fan, you're watching Donovan Mitchell have a career year for a team in Cleveland that is just nasty.

But Dion brings a lot of eyes. BYU is a big brand.

There will be I don't know, I would guess four or five six million people watching that game. BYU getting like a six million dollar payoff. This is a good bowl game, and BYU's earned it because of their ten

That one stings.

So does Cameron Calhoun Keanu unless I missed it because I'm not one who lives online. I don't record TikTok videos or coming Twitter for information. If he announced something, I just haven't seen it. And so that of course continues to open up the possibility that maybe thought of us that lands back here, and that should be your hope, because man, he's good. A lot of these players, all due respect, you know, from Utah that have entered the

You know, Isaac Wilson has elected to come back, so that's good.

But a lot of the players you just kind of say, all right, best of luck, congrats on whatever you were able to get in the open market. But a ton of us and Calhoun, those two specifically, they hurt, they do. And you know it's not just Utah, of course, it's every program across the landscape of the state, every program across the landscape of college football that ultimately are trying to figure out how to traverse this. I mean, the latest BYU list as far as and I have this up,

And it's almost just unfair, it's almost impossible.

And some of these programs will be rebuilding every year. In pro sports, you run into a rebuild situation. And by the way, it's no matter where you are. It's New York. The Knicks felt like they were rebuilding for twenty years. Nobody talks about the Nick van Exel, Elden Campbell Laker years, but the Lakers were rebuilding for years. The heat were horrible for a long time before they

Fun to consume.

And that's why even though the current situation is untenable, and I believe that it is, we still sit down and watch. So can you imagine what this product will look like when all of the ducks are actually in a row? And when will that happen? Hopefully it's sooner rather than later. Hopefully we don't have to wait four or five years. And hopefully when the dust settles and there is a new reality where college football looks very much like pro football, both Utah and BYU get that

And BYU before we catch a break.

Okay, So if this pro model comes to fruition and there are forty teams that are in sitting at the right lunch table, that are in this new college football reality that very much looks like pro football, you know, is it the ACC versus excuse me? Is it the SEC versus the Big Ten? Do they come up with new names just for reference? Think AFCNFC. It's going to

It will be blue.

Bloods playing blue bloods almost every single week, and brands playing brands every single week, and that'll be really exciting. In the meantime, there's just a lot to figure out for these people that are in charge of this great sport that we all love it. We're gonna bring in Jim Herman coming up next, continue the conversation about the current landscape of college football. Bowler will stop by, so

How are you, sir?

Merry Christmas to you, Spence, Thank you. Yeah, good for having me. Good things are good. Got through Christmas, survived and enjoying it and excited for the new year. I can't believe it's twenty twenty five already.

I know, man, I know what does Christmas look like in the Herman household?

Man, it's great. I got three boys, they're all married. I actually hard to believe I actually have grandkids, as crazy as that is. Wow, So I get to see them. I got a couple kids living in LA right now, building a business and everyone's home and so we're having a great time, family and fun and all sorts of great things. And I grew up in Wisconsin, so I actually have some Wisconsin family that owns a place up in Deer Valley and they're coming out. My mother in law's coming. So yeah, good things.

Very nice, great to hear, great to hear.

So I started the show off today Jim with just what I perceive to be a broken sport, albeit a great product in college football, and you know, it's it's insane to me that essentially what we're dealing with is free agency during the year, right, So you have coaches that are trying to coach their team up for bowl games or CFP games to try to win national championships, and then after practice they've got to run collateral damage to make sure their players aren't being contacted by agents.

It's crazy, Actually, I agree with you Spence. I actually think it's worse than free agency because free agency has some rules and some guardrails, and there's actually seems to be a method to the manus. Certainly at the NFL level, people change teams. At that level, it's a job, and they're looking out for opportunities and places to go enhance

I wonder what your thoughts are, Jim, on what could be next, because I wholeheardly agree and I've talked on the show a lot about rip the band aid off

So move to the pro model.

I know there will be unfortunate collateral damage of athletic departments that don't have the same amount of revenue.

Because football is the cash cow.

But I also believe Jim, at some point and you exist in some of these spaces right now as well, private equity guys are going to get involved here and they're gonna start buying college football teams, buying stakes and college football teams infusing the programs with money up front with the promise that their investment will pay incredible dividends once this pro model becomes a reality.

But in your opinion, you're a smart guy. What do you think is.

Standing in the way now of college football just getting this done? Because I believe it would solve the majority of the issues that face the sport right now.

Yeah, couldn't agree more Spence. I mean you and I are fully aligned. What I think standing in place is just to echo what I said, it's central leadership. I you know, lover hate Roger Goodell he represents the owners right. And I was a union member when I was in

I wonder, And let's just one one more thing here, then we can move on, because I want to ask you about the Bowl game and colonial all.

That good stuff.

But let's let's talk through this real quick to see if there's anything there, because I do think a game changer will be private equity money. You know, venture capitalists coming in to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the sport. Is there a way that you could get enough?

And you know, these guys you're in the space.

The one thing that they will not do is invest the money unless they think they can get great dividends on the back end.

Exactly right.

So if they're willing to step up and write these big checks, could they as a group gardner enough power to pick a Roger Goodell of college football and say this is the guy that's going to run this thing for us.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, it does. I mean certainly being in the space. For those of you who don't know, and not that I work for private equity firm. Actually, my partners in the Hall of Fame in the NFL and in the Hall of Fame football, Steve Young and our partners in a private equity firm, Hunting Gay Global capitalis GGC, and we have lots of money under management. We are looking we have a thematic sourcing initiative within our firm to

Lot of good stuff there.

It feels like you guys need to get involved because I know life is really good for Steve, but you could do worse as a college football commissioner.

The Steve Young.

Yeah, yeah, life is good for Steven. Steve. Steve is very smart, he said. I mean, I mean, I'm certainly biased, but I mean I studied my a off for the l SAT and got eighty four percent, and I don't think he's studied once, and he was in the ninety nine percent. He's he's a smart guy. He's connected, he's he's respected, and he sees the he sees what the opportunity is and he's cold pete at the highest level of both and and you know, and maybe it's him,

Let's move over now to what's going on to your alma mater. And you know, as soon as the NIO, as soon as it became a reality, when the NCAA was basically thrown out of court and told that you're a serial anti trust violator, get out of my courtroom and go figure it out, and suddenly the landscape started

So it feels like BYU.

Right now, with their collective and their NIL initiatives, have figured some things out and it's going in the right direction. Can you shed some light on the mechanisms about how they've been able to kind of make this work?

Yeah, I mean, and you know, it's interesting to hear your perspective, and I totally agree. One is, I think what Bery has figured a bunch of things out right. One is, you know, it's it's good to be liked, and it's good to like other people, And I think BAU has figured out that. Look, you know, I went to BAU is a non member kid from Wisconsin. I didn't know any LDS people back where I grew up. I'd never heard of THEYU. I went there, I had

Right.

They're they're looking to bring people in from other universities and other places. I mean, my goodness, they have a you know, they're starting quarterbacks, a Jewish young man who's embraced being a Jew at BYU. And what that means all the positives around that whole scenario. And I think I have not had a chance to see an age

Great stuff, Jim. I appreciate your time today. I knew it would be good, and I'm glad you had a great Christmas. I wish you a happy New Year's and love to have you on again at some point.

Okay, appreciate it. Hey, come to our next golf tournament. Was great to see you.

For sure.

It's going to be the same fours now.

I'd love to Jim.

Thank you, sir, Okay, thank you, appreciate you.

Jim Herman played college ball at b YU, was the captain of that nineteen eighty four National Championship game, played in the NFL for Dallas and Cincinnati, and now working with Steve young Over in the eventual venture capitalist Space Private Equity Money.

Good dude, sharp guy.

Thought he would have a good perspective on the current landscape of college football, which you did. So if you missed that, it'll be up on the website of the podcast page momentarily. All right, we'll shift gears. Craig Bowler Jack joins us. Coming up next, the TV Voice the Utah Jazz on a Thursday Drive. So keep it right here on ESPN seven.

Hundred line the new Swimm size with a single pill underneath. Sing the seasons of the Battle Queen Space.

And the Bears, Seahawks and the Bears. Today Thursday Night Football. Right after we say good night, it'll wrap up the week seventeen slate. Hard to believe that we're almost done now with the NFL.

Great stuff.

Jim Herman today, former b YU Cougar, former NFL player for a number of years, and now doing some work with Steve Young in the venture capitalist private equity space, So appreciate his time. Today we are efforting Craig Bowler Jack, the TV voice of the Utah Jazz.

Jazz aren't action tonight.

They're taking on the Portland trail Blazers, and so we'll get to some stuff here.

They've been better as of late.

My fear is that they're going to accidentally win twenty five or thirty games and draft eighth or ninth again, which we'll just put this thing in a perpetual rebuild, which is of course what nobody wants, so we'll see how it plays out.

But they have been better. So it's a late tip tonight.

It's eight o'clock because they're up in Portland and let's bring him in now, the legend himself, the TV voice of Utah Jazz on a Thursday afternoon, Craig Bowler, Jack Bowler.

Happy post Christmas, sir, how are you?

I'm good, Spence, Happy post Christmas and happy almost New Year.

How about that?

I love it? I love it.

Were you able to spend the holidays with that great family of yours?

You know it was we got in late late, I had you know, I love Christmas Eve. I enjoyed that, had a little Christmas morning and then on a plane and we got a hit for your last night around six thirty. So yeah, quick, a quick turnaround. But that's that's the life of the NBA.

Yes it is, Yes, it is.

So before we get to tonight specifically, you know, I think it's fair to say the play has been improved over the past ittle did.

Of course, wins always help.

Back to back wins against a couple of teams that are kind of in the same spot.

The Jazz are and then they played the Cavs pretty tough.

Gives I know, nobody gives a rip about that, but over the past i'd say three games or so, Craig, it feels like they've been playing a little bit better.

They're a little bit more competitive. What are you see in from your seat?

Yeah, I think you see the younger players, and I'm talking about the second year players and even the third year player and mister Walker Kessler seems to be a much more confident big in this league right now. Sends the ball has had a moment or two. Jusang has had his moments as well. It's all about consistency, Spence. You and I've talked a lot about that with Gordo, and you know that's probably the biggest issue that will

Right?

And I thought against even Cleveland team in the NBA, look, they were full, they weren't. They brought everybody, and you know the Jazz, you know hit a three point shot nineteen and forty four, Walker had a huge rebound game and you know, five players again in double figures. The Vets have played a role. But I think also some of the some of the younger guys are beginning to be I hate to keep using the word but connected, you know, more cohesive. They understand who they are, they

You know, we've talked about the dynamic Craig and you know this as well, if not better than anybody. Oftentimes, for whatever reason, and the reasons vary, a lot of really good players for the Jazz end up going elsewhere and never fully recapturing what they were when they were here.

It was great.

Honestly, it's hard not to just embrace the guy the smile. Five years in Salt Lake, you know, with the Jazz, I think the pressure is off a bit. I mean, Darius Garland is having a tremendous year. Evan Mobley, that's a tough threesome with the big guy Jared Allen, you know, two in the middle, and their bench with LeVert and

I mean the go Bear combo. Uh.

It's sad that COVID hit and the issues from the bubble began to bubble over or not to play on words, but in reality, that's what it was.

Time to move on.

And it is interesting that I've talked to Booze. We got to put him in the conversation along with you Will and Heyward. There's a lot of players around the league that have great memories here and think, boy, I shouldn't have listened to, whether it's family, whether it's friends, whether it's your agent, that they had a good deal going. Boozer and d Will had a pick and roll going like Carl and John in a lot of ways. That was a very good team with a lot of good pieces.

So I wonder I referenced a couple of wins the team was able to snag on the road, and yes, neither Detroit or Brooklyn are very good. But it has

You know, when your seven wins Spence and yes and at the time five and you get two on the road, I think it had to rejuvenate just the whole way you work out, the way you react to your teammates. And you know, I've talked to Will about it. Players you know have to win. I mean that's part of it. Look, they know the score too, young developments, you got the vets in here, try to help, and then you have

All Right, Craig, I don't really fully know how to ask this, so we're just going to give it a try, because I'll say, like when they have when Lowry's healthy, first and foremost, when Clarkson's kind of doing his thing, and obviously he's a little bit older, but there have been some pretty vintage Jordan moments over the past few games, including a nice night against the Calves and Collins got it going a little bit, and Walker, who you reference

Yeah, Spence, It's the hottest topic of conversation is that there are talented players on this Jazz team, Okay, and there are the veterans and Walker, as you just said, it's been rumored to be in multiple conversations, and a lot of people like what Walker can and.

His defense has improved.

His free throw shooting has not, and that's going to be the biggest issue for him moving forward in my opinion. But he put together the players you just mentioned, and you let them run free, I think, and let them play an intermix with some of the younger guys that the Jazz have drafted. Yeah, I could see thirty wins and flirting with in or out once again of the playoffs or the play in I should say that's not

I think it's the way it.

Went, and I think it's kind of probably the same game plan to see what draft, you know, more picks that may come Danny's way if they do decide to move the Vets, who I think have helped themselves with another contract or potentially a team that needs them to push them further deeper into the playoffs. But again that's going to play itself out. But I don't think Sexton has hurt himself. I don't think Jac's hurt himself. I think John has really improved after his first year with

Yeah, I mean, and none of these decisions are are easy to make. It just it just makes you curious as to, you know, how long it's going to take to get this thing on track, because it just feels like there's so many people around the community that are just bummed out that there has not been a tremendous amount of tangible progress over the three years now almost three years since they traded go Baron Mitchell. But it's hard to do in the modern day NBA, Craig, because

They leave after a few years.

So as far as as far as the macro view long term, I guess what I'll say is what gives you the most confidence that you're going to be calling winning basketball sooner.

Rather than later.

Well, that's another question, you know, I asked myself, I'll be totally transparent. It's difficult t and I talked about it all the time. Look, I'm into business because.

I love the game.

I like, you know, I love football as well. Anything they've given me a chance to do during my career. I jump in the booth and I want competitive, competitive game. I love winning. Of course it makes my job easier. But you get to know these guys, especially on the Jazz side, and you go, wow, they're good guys on top of it. You know, it's hard not to like sex, and it's hard not to like JC. And I've got to know John Collins.

You know, good guy.

But it may be a while.

Honestly.

You make a great point that the Jazz have developed players in the past, but yet they choose to leave, and it does happen in other cities as well. Salt Lake is not by itself, but it's still is probably the biggest concern the franchise has. And I've watched it myself, as have you over the years, and Donovan would be one of those. The Jazz decided to move Rudy and got assets back, but he liked it here. And I think the foreign the uptick and foreign play and talent.

Before I saw you lose Craig some good stuff there.

I want to bring you into really what's become the national conversation surrounding pro basketball about lack of interest and lack of ratings, and the conversation at this point has become exhausting because I think there have been a number of different theories thrown out there that are just basically

Now, I don't agree with the statement.

That I've heard a couple of times all the teams play the same because teams go about trying to get their looks differently, and when you have Steph Curry, it's a little different thing than if you have Colin Sexton. I'll due respect, but you travel and you go on the road, you call all these games.

Do you think the product is down?

I mean, I feel like there's more talented players in pro basketball now than there ever has been, and that's just evolution and growth of the modern athlete. But do you feel like the product has suffered what a lot of people believe to be the reason for these declining ratings this year?

Yeah, these conversations are everywhere and Spence talk about it on the road in the press room, and there's concern there absolutely what's wrong with a mid range jumper because analytics have started to come into play more and more, and that's something I think the league has to step back and ask. You know, basketball has three levels of scoring, not one. You know, you can go play low in the post, and the old big man day came and gone, and the mid range game has come and now it's

You can do.

You can knock down eight threes against us, which he did the last time out before we saw him in Cleveland a few days ago, but then he warmed up again. So it's it's how we all absorbed the game and what we see. And I think in network television the three ball is celebrated quite a bit. Steph Curry obviously is a master at hitting the three, and we lose our focus on what Durant actually and Booker do in Phoenix, two of the best mid range shooters in the NBA.

All right, bowler, Well, I appreciate your time. On a game day, I'll be hoping for a good game tonight, if for no other reason, so you can call some good basketball jazz Blazers, So have a great call. Travel safle chat soon.

Okay, thank you, thank you, since that's the key, be competitive, man, so that that impacts the fans. Right the TV sets stay on and you'll like to see good competition. So that's all I pray for every night, man. That's what I'm hoping for.

Tonight, no doubt, Thank you, sir. Be well, okay, all right, take care, all right. Coming up on the other side, Gordon Monson stops, but I will get back to some college football at Gordon as BYU is in action on Saturday against Colorado. The latest on the transfer portal for the Utes, and we'll do at a little NFL if time allows.

With Gordon. We also have Eric Weddle on the show today.

Former Ute, you can called out about a half hour from right now, move over to Zach Harper later on. We'll say goodnight at six o'clock in time for some Thursday night football to drive on a Thursday, So keep it right here on ESPN seven hundred.

We're Bullhos on the road tonight.

God Garret Weddle, he's gonna stop by just in about twenty five minutes from right now. Former Youths always appreciate his time. Zach Harper for a little NBA later on as well, but joining us now the day after Christmas, My guy, my old radio partner, still over at the Salt Lake Tribune doing great work. Gordon Monson on a Thursday afternoon, Gordo, happy post Christmas, sir.

How are you?

I'm doing just fine, Thanks Spence, and same to you. I hope you have a good one.

Yeah, no, it was fun, just real quick.

Are you still participating with the crew diss festivities by making that little bean cast role while least asked to make everything else?

No?

I do that for Thanksgiving, but for Christmas she does. She does an old family tradition Italian dinner that I try not to mess up. So in fact, one time I tried to help, she kicked me out of the kitchen. Oh dear, yeah, she kicks me out. So no, but we have a really good day. And I got to tell you something. Do you have a turntable?

I have a record player?

Record play well whatever?

You know.

My daughters gave me that yesterday along with four Beatles albums nice And I can't tell you the last time I actually took a needle and put it down on some vinyl. Man, it was it's been fun. Let's hear it for the old style.

I'm with you. It's a great way to listen.

And also I still like listening to albums, and these days, you know, these days it's like they released a single, you call up Spotify and you can listen to albums. But what I like about my record players, I just turned to put a record on and listen to the entire album.

So I still very much enjoy that.

Yeah, it's and there's something about the sound, even you know, the little imperfections at times.

It just makes it.

It makes it feel real. And so I just listened to the White album and it was it was fantastic. And by the way, you know a lot of people say different things they like about John Lennon, but that song he wrote to his mom Julia, is that not just the sweetest thing you ever heard? I mean, it's just fantastic.

Yeah, tremendous songwriter, one of the best of all time.

You know that I'm a Lennon over McCartney guy, But McCartney's awesome too.

You can you can like both, Gordon. You're allowed to.

Write, Yes, indeed, mcclemen.

I love it, love it all right, really illuminating conversation with Jim Herman earlier. Jim used to join you and I on our old show from time to time, and he's a smart guy. He's a former Cougar, played in the NFL, and now he's working with Steve Young and you know, in the private equity VC space and they've been very successful, very smart guys. We were talking about just the current chaos in college football and Gordon they have free agency while the season is still being played.

I mean, you know, it's like beyond insane.

This can't continue, yes, I mean you have coaches preparing teams to try to win a national championship and then they wrap up practice and they've got to run, you know, the interference to make sure their players aren't transferring. DYU has players in the transfer portal that will not play on Saturday, and they're even teams in the CFP that have had players enter the tand like, this can't continue. Yes, this has to change.

Yeah, So I agree with you one percent. They've got to do something. There's a lot of things. It's amazing to me that something that's as popular as college football can have the numerous problems or issues that it needs to have solved, and this is one of them. And it seems like it would be fairly easy at least to make it look like it's done without the chaos.

So I mean, ultimately, and I talked about this with Jim. You and I have kind of kicked the tires on it. I just Gordon, I feel like they've got to rip the band aid off and they've got to lean into the pro model. And that's not a super popular take because from what I've read and from what I understand, coaches want that.

I think it would be better for the players.

The players aren't necessarily being adversely affected right now because they're finally making money, which they always should have been able to do in a free market system. They now just have the same basic economic rights you and I have, So I'm for that, But there really isn't any issue the teems to be plaguing college football right now that can't be solved by simply leaning into the pro model and allowing players to collectively bargain and unionize. And the

And it feels like a lot of.

These private equity guys are going to get involved and buy stakes and teams, and maybe there's something there, but there's a lot of red tape you have to traverse. I know administrators don't love this idea. They don't want there. I'll just use the term even though I'm gonna puke in my mouth. Student athletes to be employees, you know they don't. And schools are owned in no small part

They want to make sure their money's taken care of.

This feels like an angle where maybe the guys in charge the money and the golden rule is you know, we know the golden rule.

The man who has the gold makes the rules.

Maybe they can come up with a governing body with central leadership to get this thing going in the right direction. So give me your thoughts on that type of approach, because something it needs to be done.

Yeah, I agree, however that will be formed. Please don't let the government get involved in it because I mean, legislature screw everything up. They screw up a lot of things, right. I don't want to get political or but it's just there's got to be a way. But it just takes college football. It just takes them forever. It's glacial the

Page probably excuse me strictly from a BYU standpoint. You know, it's interesting when the Aj Debanson news was announced and then the nil figure of seven million dollars to play basketball at brigab Young for five months was floated out there, automatically folks pointed to Ryan and Danny, Ryan Smith and Danny Ainge. Danny, of course, was in Massachusetts when Aj was growing up, and my understanding is he met with a family a couple of times Ryan sent out on

At this point, because.

They do have the money, they have access to the money. It's funny because in the past and by years gone by, they've always had certain people in place to help them. It was a matter whether the institution itself, by institutions, they take it all the way up to the church, whether they would be willing to accept that and set that model in place. And so the money has been there, and contrary to what a lot of people think, I

That's where I wanted to go next, because we both have sort of teased this potential good news coming down the pipeline for Utah football, and I continue to try to gently walk around the subject a little bit without betraying the trust of people that have informed you of certain things. But I know you've been informed of similar things, and I've been told the timeline hopefully you know, end

And I don't know that I can say anymore.

I don't know if you have anything else to add, but right now, the narrative around town is that in this arms race, BYU is lapping Utah. And certainly from a basketball standpoint, when you lock in a generational talent and then a football standpoint, when you just come off a ten win season and have an allible bowl matchup against an intriguing team, it's easy to connect the dots and say, right now BYU appears to be in the lead.

But any anything.

Else you'd like to add about this potential really exciting news for Utah Athletics that is coming down the pipeline within the next few months.

I think, yeah, you and I whispered back and forth about it, and I know you have your sources, I have mine. I think Utah well is in a good position to uh, to get a little deeper pockets and to close that gap that you were speaking of. As far as the way it's gonna pertain to basketball, that I don't know, because it just seems like utall basketball right now. I don't even know how to really describe it.

I believe.

Yeah, No, I concur there with that last point. So as of now, according to twenty four to seven Sports, University of Utah has the number twenty two ranked transfer portal class.

They have twelve commits.

BYU is down at this point fifty seven with four commits. There have been a few BYU players who announced that they're in the portal that will not be playing on Saturday, which is wild as we talked about, namely Crew Wakeley, one of their really good defensive backs. But from a Utah perspective, they've had to rely on transfers. Twelve in coming thirteen actually with some news that came down with the Utah state wide receiver. But they're losing twenty two players. Well,

Two different models. Are you confident that both can work?

I mean, Arizona State just showed us and Kenny Dillingham just showed us that you can get this thing going quickly. I mean Arizona State was a program left for dead after Herm Edwards left it in in shambles, and they're winning their champs of the Big Twelve. They're in the CFP with a first round by So if you're a BYU fan or a youth fan, I guess right now mostly just.

A youth fan because BYU had a good year.

There are models to look at that indicate that you can get this thing going in the right direction in the Big Twelve quickly.

But if you're a.

Rebuilding like Utah is, how realistic is that next year.

Well, what is contrasting to this idea of what Utah will need to do is what they've done in the past. Think about how they've developed players in the past. Well, the past isn't the present. I mean, if BYU wants to try and follow that model because they had a successful year this year and they think they can develop by recruiting high school athletes and then maybe filling in a few transfers here and there, then if they think they can do that, then.

They did it.

They did it this year. But you know a lot of BYU's games were pretty tight, and so for I've heard that said by some of the folks down at BYU that hey, we had a really good year. We don't need to change a whole lot of things. Well, you got to keep progressing because if you just sit where you were, I'm not sure that's going to get it done. And maybe some of those games that were so close this last year, you know, it just it may not work out in your favor moving forward.

Now.

I understand that all the teams are whittling down to that one oh five number, and so they've got to unload some players. But you heard Kyle Whittingham say as the season ended that they were going to go out and get forty new players, half of them via the transfer portal, and that that's right on schedule, and the others are other recruits. And I just don't think the

That matter, Utah State.

You know, Bronco's got work to do, And I'm just curious as to get your take on how long you think this will take Bronco to kind of get on the right direction.

They have two incoming transfers.

Miles Davis, who was at BYU last year, is going to go up and play at Utah State. Kidnamed Brevin Hamblin, who I don't know much about, is also going to play up in Logan Auto Tea, a really good wide receiver up there just announce his intent to come to Salt Lake to play for the youth.

So he was in the transfer portal and now he is not coming back.

They currently have twenty seven players in the transfer portal. And we talked last week about Broncos pedigree of really being able to He's been tasked with turnarounds at at least two different spots, if not three, and has shown that he is up for this challenge. But for our Aggie fans, Gordon, how long do you think it's going to take Bronco to get this thing back where it needs to.

Be a little while it won't be immediate, but you will see immediate improvement. Why Because bronkleman and holds a good coach, and he knows how to motivate players, and I think in some cases recognize what needs to be plugged in where I mean the first year he was the head coach at BYU. The fact that BYU went to a bowl game that year unbelievable with the talent they had at that particular time. What were they I was six and six. I can't remember the exact numbers.

Okay, okay, I like that, but it is going to take a minute, for sure.

But his pedigree is a program kind of rebuilder, is undeniable. All right, before we set you loose, I don't know what to ask you about the jazz, but we had Bowler on last segment, and so what I'll ask is the same question asked him. If you looked in the Gordon Motts and Godfather Crystal Ball. When will Craig Bowlerjack be calling high level winning basketball.

Again, I would Well, I'll say it this way. At first, all the Jazz fans out there are the root.

For the Jazz to lose.

That's just what has to happen. You and I have talked about this before. Root for the Jazz to lose and celebrate every time they do. That's a good news bad news thing, because yeah, you want to develop a few of the players that you have, but I think some of the few useful pieces of the Jazz can improve greatly as talent is added to them. And the only way they could really do that unless Danny Inge is going to outsmart somebody in some kind of big

If I asked you to send me a picture of the bean cast role next Thanksgiving, is that something that you're willing to do, Because I'm not convinced that you actually do this.

I will send you a picture. You know, I'm surprised nobody has asked me for that in the past. But I do have testimonials if you're willing to accept those, but I will take a picture and send it along. I do that. I mean I made when Quinn Steinder was here, he came up with that chocolate dessert pie thing, ice cream pie thing, and I replicated that I took a picture of it and sent it to him, and

The Galloping Gourmet let's see when when was this? This was like nineteen sixty eight. Gordon, what do you do referencing a show that was on in the sixties.

Well, look my favorite music. When I talk to you about the Beatles, you know, I'm maybe I'm then just stuck in that time war from some sport. I don't know, but I do remember that show. And like I said, I'm just trotting along. It's trotting, not galloping. Trotting.

Hey, well, it's better than standing still.

As long as you keeping you keep moving forward, Gordon, that's all we ask. All right, my friend. If I don't see her, talk to you. Happy New Year to you and yours. Thanks for the time, and we'll get you on soon.

Okay, all right, Bence, thanks a lot.

All right, the great Gordon Monson from the Salt Lake Tribune, my longtime radio partner back in the old days, brought to you today by Clearwater Distilling. It's the only distillery and Utah County open on Sundays. With the holidays around the corner, make Clearwater a one stop shop. With their bottles, swag and gift cards. They make the perfect stocking stuffer. It's a perfect time, right now because they just did a major rebrand of their cinema and whiskey. It's now

NBA daily assist style.

Good NBA games yesterday, a couple of NFL games that were just blowouts. The week of pro football wraps up tonight. We have the Thursday night game. It's the Bears in the Seahawks. You'll hear that right after we say it out at six o'clock. But let's do some more college football. One of our favorites, the legend himself, Eric Weddle, on a Thursday, he went, happy post Christmas, buddy, how are we doing.

I'm doing fantastic merk Christmas to you and the fam. I hope everyone had a great one. Good to be on.

Appreciate your time as always.

And you know, we find ourselves in such an interesting landscape Eric, as you know, and I've been talking about it all show with college football guests, excited to get.

Your take on it.

We have free agency while the season is still going on, you know, like coaches are trying to coach, like Kalonie's getting ready for a good game Alible Bowl against Colorado. He's got like ten kids that are in the portal that aren't going to play in the game.

And then there are teams.

That are trying to win a national championship and coaches are trying to prepare for the biggest games of the season and their players are into the transfer port Like, help me fix the sport that you and I both love.

Gosh, I mean, that's gone a whole hour about this, the way the state of college football is and how it's affecting the high school kids the most. I mean, of all the kids that are getting the shafts and all this, it's the high school kids. And now it's a JC rule going through. If it stands, why would any coach recruit high school kids when you can recruit JC kids that have two years that won't count against

Tell me from your end, because you referenced how it's affecting the high school kids, and that's your space. Now you're doing some coaching, I would be genuinely curious, is somebody like you who knows how to lead? You did it as a player, both in college and the pros. What do you say to your kids as they're getting ready to enter this space where they're going to hear from colleges and potentially agents, Like how does a high school coach handle the modern landscape of college football?

Right now? Eric, you got to have a good head on your shoulders, and you got to what's most important to you? Is is it to make a quick buck or is it to make relationships that I last the lifetime? Is it somewhere where you can build the right attributes to be a great man someday and to learn how to handle adversity, learn how to be a good teammate,

It's it's difficult because you also have a situation here in Saul Lake Eric as we move over to the University of Utah. I mean, coach with referenced the number of forty players that they want to bring in. And that's both with high school recruits in coming to campus and then the transfer portal as well. And that essentially means that Utah football will be entirely rebuilt in one year. And in pro football or pro basketball or pro sports, you run into rebuilds every I don't know, six seven,

Sure, yeah, I mean I don't. I don't have the answers to that. I just know turning over your roster isn't in my opinion, Kay, I'm not in it, So take my take my opinion with a grand assault, right. But I think that if you build, you know, maybe the number is fifty to fifty high school support of kids, maybe it's seventy thirty. You pick holes that you need an immediate starter right now, but you develop from within you.

It's hard, and it's unfortunate. You know, it really is too bad. But I will say, what does it say to you about the product of college football and the sport of college football that even with the chaos off the field, the ratings keep rising and people still watch. I mean, it has to speak to the power of what this sport is that regardless of how bad the business is run, consumers still consume it.

Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say it's a great product. The product is less than a year in a year out with the rule changes with the amount of turnover on your roster every year. That limits what you can do offen defensive festivals. Okay, so that means you're limiting what you can do, limiting what you can put out there on the field. You can't stress them enough. If they were in the system for one year, two year, three years, will they know it? That means you could

See that's really interesting.

So let me follow up because I've not heard very many people offer the opinion that the product is suffering on the college football landscape, and you kind of outlined reasons as to why. So I guess what I'll ask you is, do you is there like this permeating fear that, in your opinion, the product will continue to suffer unless we get things figured out where there's a little more continuity. And are you concerned about the future of the sport?

Well, I think I think a lot of it. I'm speaking more of the NFL compared to the CAUSE. A lot of how the NFL is run is you're limited on added practices. You're limited on how much tackling you're doing. Most cases, second of the year, you're not even intact at that moment. So it trickles down to college, like how much are you really practicing blocking and tackling? That is football? Okay? The great teams that win block the best and tackle the Bestay, it's not seven on seven,

Okay.

So I don't know. In my mind, I'm never gonna sacrifice steam and scheme because that gives us an advantage every time we cross the field, right, that is our advantage. We're not just gonna sacrifice that so other guys can just quickly if they can't adjust, it shouldn't be a part of our program, and maybe you should developed within. Like that's my opinion on that.

Some really interesting stuff.

Like I said, I feel like the narrative is a lot of folks continue to watch and really love college football despite.

The kids watch.

Ye, the ones that played know, the type of football that we're watching is not high level football. You could ask any old player that's played NFL or college, and when you watch it, it's not sophisticated. It's not high level x'es and o's. You're not seeing in timing, you're not seeing you know, multiple things offense, defense, Schematically, it's very vanilla, basic line up and play.

Are there exceptions to that? Are there coaching staff? You like, who do you like to watch?

Shoot, you're talking collegia or NFL.

Either way, either level.

Well, the top organizations in the league have a standard and they do what they do, you know, offensively, I think Detroit Ben Johnson, I mean, he's on he's on another level, uh, dramatically and how he draws up plays and gives the team advantage. I think Sean LeVay obviously

So tell me what the confidence level is Eric with you and you know your friends that played up at the University of Utah, Because what you just described, in my opinion, describes a Kyle Whittingham program. Player development always has been and it's a new different era in college football. Do you feel like Utah and the coaching staff have adjusted, and will they still be able to use the old approach that works so well in the new day and age of college football.

I think it can work, but again I'm I'm not in there. I don't know what's going on. How those conversations happened for a guy like Kyle hun Did they have a meeting with them? Did they talk about what he's getting paid? Does it need to be up for a high level starter in the Big twelve?

Like?

I don't know those questions, right, And I don't know what he got at Alabama. My point is, why is even in the portal? Right?

Like?

How does that even happen where they think I can get more? I'm not happy here? Like what is when is enough enough?

Right?

And so I don't know. I think they're going too much portal kids and not enough younger guys and keeping them. But I don't know the situation. Are they being told to leave right?

Like?

Do they not want to be there because they're back? Und I don't know those questions. So it's hard for me to say what I wish we would do because I'm not intimate in those conversations in the roster buildings and what they have compared to what they need. So I just would say what I would do, and I would try to do it like sixty forty seventy thirty of high school development and then those two to four players you need to plug and play because you have a hole. You go find those guys and get them.

When we last had you on and Eric weddles with us to the former Youth Legend Super Bowl CHAMPI when we last had you on, Eric, we weren't sure if coach wit was coming back and there was not an offensive coordinator. Well in the time that's past. Kyle whittied Ham is elected to come back for year twenty one and Jason Beck is the new OC. Just wanted to get your reaction when you heard those two pieces of news.

Yeah, I mean I expected coach with to come back. I mean if I doesn't want to go out like that, you know, with the situation with Morgan hanging in the balance, and was it this year? Is it next year? Like, I think that needs to be communicated with everyone, right, Like we're not hanging at the NFC for the recruits for the program, but I'm guys coming back. He's the legend. You know, I wouldn't be here today I'll coach with so I think it's better that he's around and moving forward,

It.

H interesting perspective, all right, Before I say you loose, I just want to get I know you're in a lum and I know you love the staff, and I know you love the team, and I know you're always going to look at it through a ute positive lens.

But there is a there's a feel around here.

There's a nervous feel from the fan base that after a rough, rough year and you know, a new coaching staff and talented players leaving either via graduation or transfer portal, that this next season might feel like the last. I'm going to ask you Eric, before I show you loose, what gives you the most confidence that year two in the Big twelve will look better than your one did well?

I mean, we have a standard, and the standard is that we're a top knots program on and off the fields. Okay, that didn't happen last year for a number of reasons. Reality is, we didn't get it done, So changes were made. You got to hope and believe that the higher end on the offensive side and the system that he's going to bring in place is going to be a good one that to maximize our potential offensively defense, we're always

Well, all right, Eric, I appreciate the time, man. I always appreciate the truth telling. So I'll wish you a happy New Year. Thank you for your time. I'll love to have you back on soon.

Okay, you got it, but anytime.

All right.

The great Eric Weddle legendary career here and then killed it in pro football, won a Super Bowl probably high speed out of the Hall of Fame. Certainly should be appreciate Eric's time. On this Thursday afternoon, we're gonna shift gears and do a little NBA and some jazz. Coming up, we're back to college football in the five o'clock hour. Zach Harper will join us on the other side of a quick break. But let's welcome in Ryan from the

Ryan?

All right, we'll try to get Ryan back on. He dropped. My guess is he's driving around town running Samarons. So we're gonna bring in Zach Harper. Coming up, we'll get back to college football in the five o'clock hour. Want to remind you that you can hear the final game of the Pro Football Weeks last weekend coming up tonight on the station. It is going to be the Seahawks and the Bears live at Soldier Field in Chicago. It's a must win for Seattle if they want to stay

That's eight oh one four too four dish.

You gonna bring in Zach Harper coming up next right here on ESPN seven hundred. The Red Hot Utah Jazz are in action tonight, taking on the Portland Trail Blazers. The Jazz have won two of three two teams in an't graded basketball we'll do battle. We had a fun

Yeah, it's the only acceptable substitution.

Okay, good, I'm glad I knock that out of the park. What did Christmas Day look like at the Harper household this year?

Oh?

Man, it was great.

We cooked, we opened presents, we we watched basketball, We played Clue, we played that.

We did everything you played Clue, the old school board game.

Oh yeah, that's a big battle with with my with my nieces and my sister and my brother in law. Like it's a it's a big battle we do every time they're here.

Gotta love it.

I'll tell you what, man, The Christmas Day NBA slate was great.

Football games were a blowout.

But what were some of the more enjoyable moments of watching NBA basketball on Christmas Day?

I mean, I think, like we could start with Wemby right, Like Wemby forty two points eighteen rebounds, Like he was just remarkable. And I think, you know, while he's been good for a while and we've obviously known that he's great and everything, and we've seen some incredible stat lines out of him. He had a bad game at Madison Square Garden last year as a rookie. I was very early on in his rookie season. He hadn't really found his footing yet.

But to follow that up, I.

Think he had like fourteen points on fourteen shots in that one. To follow that up with forty two eighteen four and four hitting six three is like, he's just unreal.

And then and then that whole moment.

With you know, Steph leaving that comeback against the Lakers, and and and then Austin Reeves getting that lay up at the end. I mean, it's just that was That's the kind of action the NBA needs. When the NFL starts encroaching on everything that they're doing on Christmas Day, do.

You feel like it's intentional? Do you feel like it's an and I thought Lebron after the game, I love the NFL, but this is our day.

Yeah. Is it?

Is it calculated by the NFL to do this or do they just exist in a different stratosphere where the rules don't really apply to them.

I mean, I think I think it's both. Like, I think it's intentional and I think the rules don't apply to the NFL because they're the NFL. But they I mean, they've played, they played two football games on a Wednesday. Like, you can't tell me that's not intentional. If it falls on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday. For them to throw games out on those days on a Wednesday, it doesn't even make sense with their scheduling in the slightest and so

Welcome into the Bill Simmons Podcast with Zachar I just playing, kids, I just playing, and I you know, I thought I thought it was a good day for the league.

It's interesting.

I don't know if you heard this but Bob Myers before before the Laker Warrior game, he said there are only three superstars in the league right now, Lebron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Well, what's your take on that? What your and why do you think he made that statement?

I think those are the three stars the NBA knows how to market right now. I mean, you know, like even I don't know how real these numbers are what they mean. But you know, there was some top ten list of like the NBA put out of like the most viewed players on on social media, and seven of those players ended up ended up playing on Christmas Day. But like you know, John Morant was number two for most viewed on on social media. LaMelo Ball was in there,

Why do you think that is?

Because it seems to be something that if it's not going to affect you now, like Lebron's forty and Steph's thirty six, and you know KD hasn't been able to stay healthy for a full season for.

A long long time.

Like what do you think the deal is with the NBA's either inability or unwillingness to lean into what will come next after these players decide they're done, which is not going to be very long.

Now, Yeah, I mean I think it's you know, I'm not equating them to this quality of whatever, but I think marketing Lebron and Steph and KD, it's it's like deciding to have fast food for dinner, right, It's easy, Like you know what it is. You know what it's gonna be, and it's easy and you don't have to do much to prepare for it. Whereas oh, I got to figure out how to make Memphis and job Morant exciting. It shouldn't be hard. Just show clips of job Moran

As David Stern was.

And I think David Stern could make stars out of just about anybody. I think Adam Silver struggled to do that. But you know, to your point, they've only got a couple more years until they got to force these other guys, and maybe Wenby will be so good by then that it won't matter, and that will be the goliath to topple. But you know, it's it's just something of them he

At marketing well.

And also they really I mean, say what you want about the tired discourse of ratings going down, but the NBA has not done a very good job of telling their story as to what the context is with those And Kevin Durant came out with some interesting comments and when when when Durant gets insightful and honest and he actually wants to give people time. He's pretty good at this stuff, always has been. It's just these moments are

Yeah, and I don't think they want to tell that story right because it's probably a harsh reality in some sense. I also don't think it's a big deal in the grand scheme of things because of that media rights deal

One of the consistent things that I've either read or heard or the you know, we've got a lot of good NBA guests on the show, and it's not everybody, but a lot of people have indicated they do believe the product has suffered. Now I feel like there's more talent in the league than there ever has been. And I've never been the whole like let's go back to the nineties guy. But I do think at times the lack of effort is pretty obvious, you know, if some of the All Star game stuff is spilled into some

Like I would have said yes a year ago, But I like the start of the season, the basketball is in awesome, Like it's it's really been incredible, and so I kind of think it's a it's a lazy criticism of the product on the floor, Like people just look at three point now and say, oh, it's too many threes. Yeah, it might be too many threes. But for the most part, the game so far this season, the product on the floor so far this season has been excellent. It can improve.

Is that mainly in your estimation a result of influx of talent younger talented players growing, Like when Minyama just looks different this year than he did a year ago, and he looked awesome a year ago. And you've got a lot of young players that are kind of growing them you know, growing into themselves a little bit. And also it should be doted like I referenced earlier, you know, Lebron and Stephen kd and these guys are probably retiring

Yeah, I mean I think everything you just said is part of it. Like I do think it has become such a young league, and as we know, like it's really hard to win and play consistent basketball even when guys have good numbers. But with such young talent, it's really hard to create the winning culture in a lot of places, so that's definitely part of it. How does it think the change the league made with allowing more physicality, Yes, it still needs to be called consistently and that's still

Now do you think either you know, I'll just say all three if we're continuing with this theme of you know, Lebron, Durant staph As the most marketable players and the biggest celebrities or whatever superstars according to Bob Myers in the league, do you think any of the three teams Lakers, Warriors, Suns has a legitimate chance to represent the West and maybe win a championship this year?

I don't see it. With the Lakers.

I do think they're not as bad as everyone says, but I don't think we've seen a championship level from them. I do think the Warriors can get there, but they need to find a little bit of help. But we've seen through flashes here and there. We've seen them look like, you know, kind of that twenty twenty two team that won it all, and then before Katie got hurt this season, it was I mean, the Suns looked legit, you know, like, I don't know if they can get back to that.

The deal with Phoenix, man, then you know this, Zach, like, tell me that they're fully healthy for four rounds and we can talk.

I just don't think they're building in one round right right, right round?

Yeah?

Do you do you really think they can stay healthy to make a long run.

We haven't seen it.

No, I think, you know, they haven't been together that long, but but no, I mean, this team made the finals in twenty twenty one. They made big changes, which anybody would do. Getting Durant, you know, you can argue about the bradley Field deal, uh and whether or not that was a good idea in this era. But but no, like that team is legitimate. That team has been good for a few years now. And yeah, if they're healthy, like sign me up. But there, why would we believe like they They're kind of in.

That zone of all right, I got to see it.

I got to see you be healthy to believe it.

Yeah, all right, So back to yesterday, A couple of different things. When when the seventy six ers are fully healthy and back to the health thing, but when they have all their players and when they're playing like their best basketball, because there are moments yesterday obviously it's the Celtics and everyone else in the East.

Maybe the Cavs have something to say about it.

What is the best What's what's the Zach Carper best case scenario for Philly this year? If everything kind of falls into play.

Man, I don't know, like I think, I don't see anything pass the second round.

I want to be optimist.

I have been more impressed with them over the last you know, eleven games or so. They they look better there. It's been nothing dominant, but it's not incompetent, right, which is what we saw in the first you know, nineteen games or whatever whatever it was, seventeen games, and so they're obviously much better when those three guys are healthy.

So far this season?

How many times is Paul George of different things so far this season? Like, there's just no reason to believe in their health.

Who's the one Eastern Conference team that you think keeps Joe Miszoola up at night?

Oh, that's a good question.

It might be Cleveland. I still haven't completely bought in with Cleveland, but decide the three point shooting, the wrinkles to Kenny Atkinson's offense that he's implemented from what they were doing last year. There is something there. I don't know if it's enough to take down Boston, but that's there's a lot of talent on that Cleveland team.

All Right, before I say you lose, contractually obligated to ask you a question about the Utah Jazz.

So here's what we're gonna do.

Well, how about this.

I'm going to the game tonight.

Oh you are Jazz Blazers.

Yeah, I'm going so ask.

Me whatever you want.

You're from Sacramento. What's the Portland tie?

My parents?

My parents live in Oregon. So we're all going up, niece's and nephew. We're all going up and checking out the game.

Do they know anything about basketball or do they ask you all the questions?

Oh?

No, they like they play basketball.

That's with basketball.

Yeah, no, they're into it all right.

I guess what are you most excited about as the seven and twenty one Utah Jazz take on the nine and twenty Blazers tonight.

Ooh, that's a good question.

I think hmm, I think I'm most excit. I had to see if we can get a great offensive game. Like I don't know, like neither of these teams offensively are very good, but I do think, like, yeah, Anthony Simons could go for forty, Lowry could go for forty, like you could get you could get a good game out of this. I just don't know that we that we should expect it. But I do think when you have two teams in this zone, there's a chance you get a good game.

And you know, I was actually talking about this earlier. We had we had boller On. He's calling the game tonight. And there are moments when the Jazz are fully healthy. First of all, when marketing's on the floor and we've seen a couple of vintage Clarkson games, he's not that guy consistently anymore. But then Colin kind of gets going and Keyante just doesn't screw it all up and Walker

Yeah, agreed, I think I think that's again. I mean, look, it was one moment. But that game against Detroit, what was that a week or two ago? Whenever, that was a fun game you had, you had Kiante George with that big dunk on Jalen Durham.

Like stuff can happen in these Jazz games.

They can be fun.

They're not, but they can be right.

And hope this time of year is a good thing, Zach. So we'll end it there.

Enjoy the game, Happy new your brother, Thanks for the.

Time, appreciate it. Happy to you. Thanks.

All right, we'll catch a quick break in and do a quick sports court with our friends from Handy and Handy. Then we'll get into the five o'clock hour, which will be college football. Jim Herman joins us. So a lot to do before we say a United six and time for some Thursday night football right here on ESPN seven hundred.

All right, it's time to check in with Preston Handy and Garrett Handy of Handy and Handy for sports court. Handy and Handy are your accident and personal injury attorneys ready to assist with any related questions. You may have visit them online at Handy Law Utah dot com. Big firm experience, small firm attention. Now let's get out to sports court on the drive with Spendle check. It's on jutus number one Sports Talk, ESPN seven hundred.

It is sports court time. We do it every Thursday right about now. We're they're good friends over at Handy and Handy. It is Christmas time, so Preston is playing Scrooge and Grinch somewhere and you know, dampening the Christmas spirit. So we want to keep things positive. We're bringing in the more positive of the duo. It's just me and Garrett today, Garrett Handy, Happy Christmas season. How you doing, Buddy?

Hey, Happy Christmas to you.

How are you?

And Preston, if you're listening, we love you. I'm just teasing. I don't want to hurt our guys feelings.

We do love Preston, We do all right.

So we're going to do something a little different today. We're gonna do like a little year in review of some of the biggest and best stories we've covered on throughout the course of this really fun segment that I look forward to every week with you guys over in

Now, yeah, and you're.

Right, Spence. I mean, that's definitely. I think the biggest story of the year is just week after week it seems like the NCAA getting hit with some new lawsuit and most of it revolving around nil right and the rights of athletes versus the NCAA and their ability to participate. And so the big lawsuit, of course was the House

I think I also want to touch on the NCAA transfer rule situation because it is such a hot button topic right now with the University of Utah essentially rebuilding their team from the ground up in one year, it's such a tough thing to do. So let's review that a little bit, and then I'm going to ask you, from your vantage point with your legal expertise, whether or not you think there will be more changes moving forward so they you know, don't have free agency while this season is still going.

Yeah, right, So I mean this this started out at the beginning of twenty twenty four. I mean there was a you know, preliminary injunction was granted and the and Justice joined this lawsuit as well.

But it allowed players.

To transfer and play immediately, where you know, you used to have to sit out of here or whatever, and you know, athletes would think twice about, well do I really want to transfer? But now it's hey, transfer and play right, We've got the transfer portal and twice a year, and so it's it's been a felt like kind of a moving target. And you know, I think another issue to kind of talk about and think about is really does a college degree really you know, how's that going

Any thought on what they may look to do, and we can move off if you don't have a take on it. But I'm just curious from your vantage point if you think they're going to actually try to corral this thing a little bit, because it's not it's not sustainable, Garrett, not as of now. Do you think they're going to try to do something different between now and the next college football season.

I No, I agree with you. I don't think it's sustainable. I mean something's going to have to change, and I you know, we've talked about it before on sports Court. You know, there's been been discussion about like federal legislation. You know, or does each state try to tackle this. But there's this it's an arms race right between all the universities that you know in the states are included

As we go.

In addition to constant stories about the NCAA being labeled as you know, serial anti trust violators and having to go to this court. In that court, a lot of coaches brought lawsuits against their former employers throughout the course of the season. So let's start with a review of Blake Anderson. It's a local angle who of course was up at Utah State and then let go along with

Well, for sure, I think this was a really big story locally for us. I mean, he just filed it and it was it was finally filed in November, but a fifteen million dollar lawsuit against Utah State, and he also named I think the athletic director and a few other people. But of course he was fired for cause over some employ reporting requirements. I mean, that's kind of the technicality, right of how a situation was handled and whether or not he reported that correctly. And so there's been,

I also wanted to revisit the John grudens that you because he's now Barstool sports newest employee and he continues to be in the news. And you know, once upon a time, John Gruden was thought to be like a wonder Kins head coach and then a wonder Kins broadcaster. Didn't take a lot of time to settle in as a great voice on Monday Night football gets back in the league and everything goes south. So let's review the John Gruden stuff before we move on to the other stories.

Yeah, and John Gruden, just like Mel Tucker and Brian Flores. I mean, you've got these NFL coaches with lawsuits, but Gruden in particular, these cases are just they're going on forever, right, And his firing was over these old emails that were leaked to the media and he felt that those you know, his allegation has been that the NFL used these emails and that Roger Goodell did to kind of weaponize those to pressure the Raiders to fire him. And so that's

Right?

He ends up being judge, jury, and executioner, and so right now his case, I think the latest on it's it's headed to the Nevada Supreme Court. They're going to review that issue. So again still going on, but you know, it's provided a lot of stuff to talk about, for sure.

All right, your reference Utah state.

They're among the topics in our next kind of a little silo, which is conference realignment.

Lawsuits also seem to be a very consistent theme.

Fsu clemsed in against the ACC, the Mountain West against the PAC twelve for poaching schools. Then you toss the end against the Mountain West for exit fees. Another kind of gift that kept on giving for content for this segment. But as you look back on the and they're also continuing, you know, the latest on the conference re alignment lawsuits.

Yeah, no, they are, so, I mean, yeah, I think the trend is whether it's a school or a player, right, they're looking for, Hey, where can I get the best deal? Right, whether it's at a certain school or for these schools, what conference can it be in? So yeah, Utah State,

Right.

That's the argument is these guys know what they're doing, what they're getting into. They benefit from these conference relationships and the revenue sharing with broadcast deals. But as soon as there's a better deal to come along, they want out, and they want out of the contract, and so I think these cases are going to go on for a long time as well. I mean, there's just a lot

Right over to actual nil lawsuits.

And once that door was open, I figured, you know, thousands of players would walk through it. And of course time will tell if other players add them themselves to this list. But former players include the eighty three wolf Pack team shout out Thorough Bailey, National champ Center, Jim Valvano, they're not Robinson, Broylan Edwards, who were really good for Michigan, and then Terrell pryor Ohio State.

That's kind of the headline names.

Some others will follow suit, and then they're the current situations as well. Let's start with the former players who've elected to try their hand with the nil lawsuits.

Right, So again, the House settlement really just covers back to twenty sixteen, So you've got these former player players saying, hey, well wait a minute, my school or my conference, you know, for years has been profiting off of my name, image and likeness. And so you know you brought up to the eighty three wolf Pack team. And that's true, right, I mean, whether you know, every time you turn on March Madness, you're going to see the highlight of that

The current player situation is also fascinating because again we're so early in our understanding of what this landscape is. Precedents will be set and others will follow suit. That's how it works. So it's Jaden Rashada who's suing Florida over a fourteen million dollar nil deal. Then the situation with Matt s Luca, the NLV quarterback who just left the team. Get it in writing, always get it in writing. But do you think this is the big getting of

Sue with.

I think it is the beginning of a trend. I mean, and I, like you said, what we'll probably see is just there needs to be some more sophistication from the players and the schools in negotiating the terms of these nil deals, right. I mean it's in writing, right, You've got these recruiters from different schools going out and making big promises to players, whether it's money, and you know, A, do they have the authority to do that? And B

The final little silo we're going to attack.

And I don't mean to laugh, because legal problems are not laughing matter. But I've just reas remembering, like waking up to a text like, Hey, did you hear Scotty Scheffler got arrested trying to go into the tournament.

I was like, no, he didn't.

He as a choir boy. The Scotty Scheffler did not get arrested. And then the Tyreek Hill situation of bad luck, and of course Joey oh Tonnie, his translator, was found guilty and he's going to go to jail for a long long time. So let's hit on these individual legal issues, some a little bit comic and others pretty sad.

Yeah, but I.

Thought these were kind of the big ones from the year. I mean, the Scheffler and Tyreek Hill. I mean, it is kind of funny, right, You've got these two high profile professional athletes on either you know, Tyreek's on his way to the Dolphin Stadium and Scheffler's on the way to PGA Championship and they're both getting pulled over what kind of start out as kind of traffic violations. I

The fall for it.

But we have had a few cases we've talked about on sports courts where you know players are betting, right. I mean, it's just it's easy to do and I think we'll see more candles regarding sports betting in the year to come.

All right, Garrett, before I set you loose, For any of our listeners who have legal questions, how can they get ahold of you?

Over at Handy and Handy.

Yeah, be happy to talk to about any legal questions you have as social innaria personal injury, which is what we do. But you can reach us at eight zero one two six four sixty six seven seven or go to our website Handy Law Utah dot com.

Thank you, my friend. I hope you had a great holiday and we will catch up next week.

Thanks you too, Spence, ce Ali.

Garrett, Handy, get ahold of them if you have any legal questions. Really good people that are willing to help. We'll catch a quick break Drive at five comes Away coming up next than Jim Herman College Football the rest of the hour, and then we'll turn it over to Thursday Night football in the Pros. Little Bear Seahawks, and you can listen to it right here. AUDIESPN seven hundred.

The five o'clock hour is here, and your commute home is begun. Let us keep you company during a rush hour on the drive with Spence Check it's it's time for the drive at five, all right.

We were talking earlier about the potential of We had Eric Weddle on the show Fun Conversation with Eric. We're talking about the quality of the NFL games juxtaposed to the NBA action we saw yesterday. NBA had a good day. NFL the two games were a blowout. However, we have the data now. The doubleheader on Netflix resulted in the

Superior to any other league.

Even if you're not a football fan, even if you're not necessarily huge NFL fan, people are going to tune in, like your relatives want to watch it, maybe your sister wants to watch Beyonce or whatever it is. Like their television product with their primetime marquee events, really dwarfs anything that any other league does. And now we have the data. Have not seen how many people watched the NBA games yesterday.

So the Christmas Day games.

Average seven point seven million and peaked with eight point three to two million when the Warriors and.

The Lakers were playing. So that's a good day for the NBA.

But a good day for the NBA is essentially one third of what it is for the NFL. And it was two games that were blowouts. I mean, how many of you watched all the NFL games unless you had some side situations manifesting themselves.

My guess as you turn them off.

All right, Jim Herman's going to join us, coming up back, We're going to do some college football. I want to tell you about my friends at prize Picks. It is the best place to get real money sports action. With over ten million members and more than our billions of dollars, I should say I've awarded winnings, Prize Picks has made daily fantasy sports accessible to all. It's very easy. Use

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All right, wrapping up the show on a Thursday afternoon.

Hopefully you guys had a fantastic Christmas, and we'll wish you a happy holiday season, happy New Year as well. Although we'll be back on air tomorrow and back on air next week. Tomorrow we're going to be out and about Tim Dolly Nissan on remote, so come by and say hello. But hopefully you had a great holiday, spends the time with friends and family, ate some good food, took some time off work, all that good stuff. It's

Got little Rutgers kse State.

If you want to watch a little big twelve football that's going on right now, Arkansas State bowling Green That is the Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama for the sixty eight Ventures Bowl. And then earlier today at the game above Sports Bowl, saw Toledo beat pitt in six overtimes. So you got a little college football action tonight, little NBA action tonight, and hopefully you enjoy your Thursday. And we have a very fun jam Pat Friday show for you guys, so make sure to join us for that.

We'll talk to you tomorrow right here on ESPN seven hundred