Hi final hour with a program on this Monday afternoon. We have done something a little unique today, back to kind of our regular scheduled programming for the rest of the week. I was out Thursday of Friday last week, so I was not able to be on air after the passing of frank Leyden last week at the age of ninety three, so we are honoring his life in legacy. Phil Johnson joined us. Scott Layden live in Vegas, Dave Checkets live in New York. Richard Smith is good enough
to join us in studio live in Salt Lake. Now we go across the ocean to the Rock where the great Ron McBride is good enough to give us some time on a Monday afternoon. Coach Mack, how are you, sir?
Good? How'd you guys doing.
We're good, We're good. I'll just ask you the same question I've asked all my guests. What was it like to be frank Leyden's friend?
Oh? Man, he was special and ill A number of things that in favors he did for me over the last thirty years or artist unbelievable because whenever you call him for something, he always said, no problem, I got you and even when he started out, he still showed up. And I think in the last ten years we had twenty three events and he showed up for twenty one of them. And the only ones he did show up was this year because unfortunately was on a huge declaim.
The coach. It's really nice for me to take a few minutes to visit with us about about Frank today. Tell us, tell us about the unique relationship that you two had, because I've been fortunate to be around you guys in some public settings and also private get togethers, and and you guys always just seemed to have a unique special bond that goes beyond sports but was more of just a personal thing involving just how you felt about.
Each other about it was a personal thing. And and we we did a lot together. You know, he had dinners together, events together, Uh, games together. You know. I can't I can't tell you how many times he spoke to my football teams. And it was awesome pre pregame speaker and and it's funny, you know, and and uh, you know, just he he had a way of of reaching every every situation. Then you know, he had a way of just okay, what what what's what do you got to get get across there? What do you need
to say? And then I'd say, Frank, if you cover this and this and this, and then he gave him ideas and then he would just take it from there. You know. He was he was funny, he was he was passionate, he was you know, he was everything you could ask in a in a person. You know, he just was uh and we had you know, we had a great relationship probably from day one. You know. I come omber the first time when they when the jazz came here and and I said, who's the guy who
makes all the decisions? They who are getting Frank Layton? I said, well, I need to get hold myself. I need to see if I can we can buy some tickets for some recruits we have coming in and to see whether so I called. I said, so, I called him, and he got on the phone. They were talking and yucking it up, and I said, look, I said, I got these. I got a few guys. He said, okay, how many tickets do you need? And I said, well, you know we could use around thirty And he says,
what time can you be here? I said, And from that time on, you know, I mean we became became great friends, and and that spends alone, you know, a long time. And and he always you know, it doesn't matter what the community asked him for, he always did. It didn't matter what, you know, he was. He was great with the with the team, great with the players, and he was great with my players. You know, you
couldn't ask for a better person. And and him passing, he's a huge boy in my life because I was very dependent on seeing him and and uh, you know just uh he was. He's just one of those unique people you know that you that you come across in your life guard Well, I know.
Coach, uh you you and Vicky were some of the last people to be able to visit with him. And and uh, I know you guys had such a such a close, uh close bond, you know, with the Leaden family and uh and it's just so heartwarming to see that how you guys always uh interacted with each other.
I mean, so I had I forget what you have been in the night he passed away. I have been doing something pretty much all day and when I when I got home, I said, I said to Vicky Kelly, I said, you know, we need to go on the seafront because I don't think he's I don't think he's doing I don't think I don't know what. So we my daughter Kelly said, Okay, you guys, get in the car. I'll drive you up. And I could tell that that you know that, you know he was he was not
going to make it, you know he was. It was just heartbreaking because he fought this for a long time and what you can tell you you know he was he was satisfied with with with what he did in this life.
Coach. I've been asking people this question all day, and of course most people know Frank is a great coach and a very funny personality. But upon his passing, he and Barbara were married sixty eight years. I wonder what sort of insight you have as far as your friendship with them as a couple and Frank as a husband.
Well, we did a lot of things with him as uh, you know, we got to eat kind of a and Vicky would happen once with Barbara and a group of ladies. They're using me, you know, once or twice a month,
and they kid and Barbara were real close. And and then of course we have the old timers lunch, you know that that that he done, that put together and that was and I, you know, I'd always show up a little bit late, and I would always stay afterwards, and that's when we that's when we'd have our real conversations after once was over and kind of everybody was gone, and then Smitty would stay, Frank would be there, I would be there, and then we get down to serious,
serious business of what was going on. You know, he loved to talk to baseball, you know, he's a baseball fanatic, love to talk about his hometown and uh, and his his love for Barbara was just uh unique, you know, you know, such a great relationship and and uh and how much he depended on on on her and uh, it just was you know, it's just you know, I don't know what to say except I know that that at least a huge voyd And uh he was a huge supporter of my foundation for kids, and he was
always always great with that any just anything anything you want, you know, and and uh a very intelligent man, you know, just just as far as you know anything about you talk anything about sports and uh and politics, you know, he was he was he It's fun to talk to about politics here he and my wife were on the same wavelength, you know, and on politics, so so that that was always an interesting conversation between Vicky and Frank about you know, the today's today's world, about what was
going on and uh and uh he had opinions and she had opinions. But uh, it was I mean, what what can you say? I mean, this guy thought there was a ever day one since since the jazz came here. When I got to know him, we were instant, you know, we had an instant connection. And if I could ever do anything for him or he needed me for something,
I was always glad to do it. But but his his favorite saying all the time was you know, in closing a phone call or or or when you're getting ready of leaving, or what can I do for you?
You know?
That was his. He said, Well, just let me know what I can do for you. And I said, you don't need to do anything for me. Well make sure you if you need something, just tell me and I'll do it. And I can remember Schmitty would bring him to two events and he'd say, Wow, I don't know how long I can stay, but I'll stay until until you say I can go, you know, I said, hey, you go wherever you want to go. But he'd hang and he hang and hang, and he'd be there just talk.
He'd greet everybody when they came in, and you know, he just uh he gave up his time and uh, he loved to talk to people. He was a great, great communicator. Uh. You know, I had a great belief in the in the in the jazz, you know. And obviously they they practed some great players during this time and and they were able to develop these guys and and uh, you know, make it a make make us
a great a great product. And uh you know, and with the event of John and Carl and Jeff and that group, and you know, there was a special group of players here yea.
Coach uh shifting gears for just second, we need to publicly, uh congratulate you on your selection to be uh inducted into the Utah Ring of Honor at the University of Utah. Congratulations. Tell tell us a little bit about that, about your uh, how you got the phone call, how you found out about that.
We were we were at a event, you know, for our and I think it was our uh you know, our golf our golf tournament. Then we had a deal on Friday night, so the Mark Harlan had called uh Vicky and said, make sure the coach is on time. And I'm thinking, why is the athletic director that you don't worried about it from out time to the event. And then I get on but he says, we have to be on time to this event. I said why, said, I have no idea. I thought, well, maybe they're going
to take my tickets away from you know. So so then uh Mark Mark said, hey, I like to make an announcement, you know, I be home. My god, what's
what's this going to be? And he says that, you know, coach Max went into the ring up honor them and the job was just so you know this this uh excited about it and and appreciative and uh uh I appreciate it to them, particularly to the uh to the players that played for me, and and the and the and the families that that that built you know what started day and and players and you know, and so we had a we had a vision a long time ago of what this place could be and uh and
and the vision is still right there, you know, and and and Kyle obviously has has done a great job and and to take it to the next step. And he's hired the right people and he got you know, a great you know, most of less defensive staff that played at Utah and and uh and and then in the desire the new offensive coordinator whim running back coach Jake Kukus and you know, so they got a lot of people that I know quite well that are working
for him in their home. They're all happy, and they don't want to go anywhace else and they're committed to what Kyle's vision is at the University of Utah.
Well, Coach Mac, thank you so much for your time on this very special day. We will set you loose, enjoy Hawaii and say travel sir. Okay okay.
I would like to say then closing that how much I love Frank and how much I'm missing and he was a real guy, you know and smite but you did for him in the last twelve years thirteen years of taking care ofing, being his sidekick, being there all the time. I can't tell you, uh how much all of us appreciate what what what you did for what you did for him, especially through the tough times. And that's what tells you a lot about people, is what you do when somebody can't do something for you, and
it's gonna thank you. Thank you for giving up for yourself and caring about front.
Very kind of your coach, Thank you for those words.
Okay, have a good have a good day, you guys,