THU POD @SpenceChecketts on NBA Playoffs, Knicks/Pacers up 2-0, Utah Mammoth, Rimando HOF, Runnin' Utes + more

to get to on the program. I will admit I had no faith in my New York Knicks going up to Boston and grabbing Game two at TD Garden after stunning the Celtics in Game one, but that is exactly what happened. We'll do some NBA playoff basketball on the show today. The Oklahoma City Thunder absolutely pantsed the Nuggets on national television after Denver was able to grab Game one. That's what OKAC looks like when OKC is doing OKC things.

So a couple of takeaways from the games last night, and we've got one game tonight, only one game this evening. It's at six thirty Mountain time on Turner Sports on TNT where the Warriors we'll try to take a two to zero lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves. We're only a few days away now from the NBA Draft Lottery. You don't forget coming up on Monday here on the radio station.

We will say goodnight just a little bit early on the program and then bring you the NBA Draft Lottery live during the five o'clock hour, when we will find out the fates of the Utah Jazz and where they will draft, and what that means for the offseason plans and what it means for the future of this franchise.

I think I probably say this every single day, but I just cannot help but think about what a bummer it is that we have not had spring basketball here for three years, and we probably won't have spring basketball here for quite some time. Because if you're watching the NBA playoffs, you understand that this tournament comes springtime, and pro basketball is really the payoff for the regular season,

which at times feels like a grind. And I can promise you and being on both sides of this stuff, it's a grind for players and coaches and front office people. It's a grind for anybody involved in the NBA, and it's a grind for fans in a way that it didn't used to be because the regular season just does not feel like I used to. It just doesn't. And I know I sound like the old dude every time I talk about that, But there was a time where the intensity that we see in the playoffs did permeate

for the most part throughout the regular season. But it just doesn't anymore. And so this is if you're a basketball fan, this is the payoff, and if your team is not involved, it makes you realize how much you miss it. And it has been way too long and will be probably another few years before spring basketball is here in Salt Lake. But we will do some NBA

draft lottery today on the program. University of Utah football program locked in a transfer that will tell you about and we're gonna do some Utah basketball on the program today. Top Basketball continues to kind of fill out their roster. It is taking shape. Alex Jensen's staff is taking shape, of course, Mark not Mark Pope. Mark Pope is in Kentucky doing a great job. Kevin Young is the coach of BYU. Mark Pope grabbed another recruit by the way, that's why he's top of mind. He's doing a good

job in Kentucky. But of course, what Kevin Young has done I'd bring him Young in one short year has been nothing short of very impressive. And now it's kind of up to Alex and his staff to answer the belt. So we'll get to some of that stuff on the program today. We are one day closer to match day for Reale Salt Lake RSL is going to be on the road again, this time in Dallas six thirty Mountain Time on MLS Season Pass on Apple Television. Do a

little soccer on the program. Off season NFL stuff kind of quieted down, of course, rookie rookie camp's going on after the draft, and now we'll see kind of what sort of hand we've been dealt with some of these rosters as we kind of inch closer and closer to the fall. So busy show today on the program. Great to have you with us. We will start things out today with none other than the seventeenth head coach in Utah men's basketball history. We've been efforting Alex Jensen for

quite some time. We run into a complication on afternoon Drive that some of the other shows just don't. Most of the time, the football team is practicing during the fall, basketball team has stuff going on. So we've been trying to get Alex on the program ever since the announcement was made. I've known Al for a long long time, his wife Natalie, and we made that happen today. So our first guest will be Alex. Alex Jensen right out of the gates. We're gonna do some hockey today with

Belle Frasier, our friend from the Salt Lake Tribune. It is good vibes all around these days. Hashtag tusks up as the Utah Mammoth. It's going to take a minute. I might just call him the Hockey Club forever, just so you know. But we have a new name. It is the Utah Mammoth. They had some lottery luck last week where they will draft number four, moving up ten spots. Bell wrote a really good outlining some of the prospects

that could be available at four. Or does Bill Armstrong elect to utilize that as a chip, a trade piece to bring in a veteran presence to expedite the growth of the third youngest roster in the NHL. So we'll bring in Bell today. The Stanley Cup playoffs have been incredible because they are every single year, and I do think we're going to see Stanley Cup playoffs here in

our market next year. Okay, So while we'll all miss the NBA for quite some time unless something miraculous happens, if you're watching this tournament in pro hockey, you realize just how special it is. The Hurricanes and the Capitals will start at five o'clock in Washington, d c Caps trying to even that series up, and then in Vegas the Oilers will try to take a two zero lead on the Golden Knight. So that's your hockey action coming

up tonight. After Bell stops by, we'll bring in Dave mcminnimon, who covers the NBA for ESPN. We'll do some NBA with Dave on the program today. We're gonna bring in none other. Then we can add something to this list. The greatest keeper in MLS history, one of the lynchpins that allowed RSL to win a cup back in the day, the Wall of the Wassatch and now we know him, know him as Hall of Famer Nick Romondo on the

program in the four o'clock hour. Then we'll do some sports court with our friends from Handy and Handy, launching at the five o'clock hour before we say good night at six Busy Show with Alex Jensen, with Belle Frasier, with Dave McManaman, with Nick Romondo, with Me Spence Check. Its all of you, the great listeners, and that guy Porter Larson. I think you believed a little bit more than I did. I'm watching that twenty point comeback for

the second straight game. You're shaking my head, dude. No part of me thought the Knicks were gonna win last night.

NBA championship, it seems a little bit unbelievable. As a Knicks fan, I was like last night, as you can tell by my text messages, I was pinching myself a little bit, like what am I watching Jalen Brunson clutch it's it's something a little unfamiliar if you're a Knicks fan who wasn't alive in the you know, seventies when Walt Fraser was playing, So you know it was fun. I'm enjoying it a lot. I don't want to. I

don't want to jinx it. I don't want to. I'm not that superstitious, but with the Knicks, I'm a little superstitious.

the show that way. I try to approach a little bit more authentically because I don't have any respect for broadcasters that think they're playing for the team and talk like that. So, yeah, you let the fan die in you a little bit. But this has been man, it's just been fun, and it's so much sweeter that it's against the Celtics. All right, we will bring in Alex Jensen.

We'll learn a little bit about this roster. We'll talk about his staff, we'll talk about the process that led him to make his decision to land back here in his home market to coach his alma made, the University of Utah. But before we get to aj on a Thursday afternoon, courtesy of our good friends, and you're good friends too at Prize Picks, it is time now for your opening tip.

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With more on nas Reed twelve point five points, and I will take less on Anthony Edwards with twenty seven point five points. So that's where I'm going tonight with my prize picks lineup. You guys can always follow along and hopefully make a little chatter. All right, real quick, a couple of thoughts on what we saw last night. We'll start with because it wasn't interesting at all what Oklahoma City did to the Denver Nuggets. They hung eighty seven points in the first half. This game was over

after the first quarter. Russell Westbrook tried to do the hole like, hey, I'm gonna be the hero thing, but they were already down thirty by the time that happened, completely neutralized. Nicola Jokicic nobody on Denver really showed up. Jamal Murray was atrocious, and this looked like a little bit of a Okay, we got game one. Let's go home with a split from the Denver Nuggets because they waved the white flag with about six minutes left in

the third quarter. They outscored Oklahoma City thirty to twenty five in the fourth. But it was bench guys. Really, it was like Zeke Naji and Peyton Watson and Hunter Tyson. But that is who Oklahoma City is when they just simply do what Oklahoma City has done all year long. They shot forty five percent from three to fifty seven percent from the floor. Most shockingly, and this is who they are. They went to the free throw line thirty six times and they made thirty three free throws. Are

you paying attention, Boston Celtics. Yeah, rebounded Denver that. I mean, there's no reason to spend a ton of time on it. That was just an undressing. They blew the brakes off the Nuggets and now they go back to ball Arena for Game three. But what we saw up at the TD Garden where the New York Knicks just continue to show this unexpected mental toughness medal against the defending champs Boston Celtics for the second straight game. As porter reference

during the intro, it has never happened before. The New York Knicks came down from twenty points to actually get the win. Game one, it was seventy five to fifty five with about four minutes left in the third. The Knicks closed out on a fifty three to thirty run the fourth and in overtime to get that win. Game two, it was seventy three to fifty three with three minutes left in the third, and just like Game one, I'm making a mental note like, Okay, this feels like it's over.

How can the Knicks get back into it? And look, to be very clear, this is just as much about the failures of the Boston Celtics and Joe Mizzoula as it is about anything the Knicks are doing well now. The Knicks deserve a ton of credit. They were a seven to one underdog in Vegas to start this series, so I'm not taking anything away from New York, but I am shocked at the lack of simple adjustments to

no time and score. When you're up twenty points with his twenty points with fourteen to fifteen minutes left in the game, and you're at home and you're the defending champ, there's no way you should ever even come close to losing one, let alone two straight games on your home floor. And the criticism about Joe Mizula has always sounded like, Okay,

he stumbled into this job. It was emy Udoka's team, put together initially by Danny Ainge, who of course is here helping the Jazz roster construct, and Brad Stevens added his flavor to the roster, and then of course the Emmy Udoka stuff goes down. He loses a job. That job should have gone to Will Hardy, as I've talked about Will Hardy. If Will Hardy would have waited two more weeks, he would be the head coach of the

Boston Celtics right now. And who knows who would be coaching the Jazz maybe Kevin Young, who knows, but Will Hardy was Emi Udoka's first assistant. Emi gets fired as a result of some improper behavior off the floor. Will Hardy takes the Jazz job, and Joe Missoula, a lot of people believe, just fell into it, fell into it

with a roster that was top shelf. I still believe on paper, the Boston Celtics have the best roster in basketball, including Oklahoma City, including the Lakers with Luke and Lebron. The best roster on paper in the NBA belongs to the Boston Celtics, and that's credit Danny Ainge and its credit to Brad Stevens.

So a lot of people believe Boston Celtics. The Boston Celtics run to the championship last year was a little bit fool's gold, and a lot of people were kind of sitting back and waiting to see what Boston did this season, because when you repeat, nobody can say a thing. When you go back to the finals and win it for the second straight time, that alleviates every single portion of criticism that could come your way. The other thing about the Boston Celtics, and in a way, this is

applicable to Oklahoma City. Both Boston and OKC at times were so good this year that they blew teams out, and when it came down to close games, both those teams, when you look at the metrics, aren't as dominant as you would expect based on their regular season record when they both just had insanely good regular seasons. So the criticism about Joe Mizula is okay. This offensive system that

was implemented when Emy Yudoka was the head coach. You simply inherited the roster and you have so many good players that you just don't screw it up. That's your job as the coach. Don't screw it up. Right. It's like when Steve Kerr took that leave of absence from the Warriors and Luke Walton took over as head coach, and I think he was like thirty five and two. Nobody thought like, hey, Luke Walton is really good at this. It's like, No, Luke Walton just simply got out of

the way. Because Luke Walton's had a couple of other stops as a head coach and it hasn't worked. Okay. So that's always been the criticism with Missoula. And you do have to give Tom Thibodeau a lot of credit because the Knicks have changed their defensive approach a little bit, and the defensive approach that they've changed has allowed them to stay home on shooters in a little bit of

a different way. They're not switching everything, and mostly that's because Ogannanobe has been insanely effective as an individual defender on both Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown. Now, Boston has been successful at times and getting the switches they want, but there have been so many possessions where Og has had to run through three or four different screens to fight through action to be the primary defender on Tatum or Brown. And that's what you want because mckel bridges

is a solid perimeter defender. Josh Hart isn't necessarily bad himself, but Og is the elite perimeter defender on this team and one of the elite perimeter defenders in all of pro basketball. And he is driving Jason Tatum nuts and at times he's getting into Jalen Brown as well. But again, as far as what really and I do want to say this, I have never been a big Cat guy.

I've never been a Karl Anthony Towns guy. There's a little bit of a Donovan Mitchell Field the Cat, which is tremendously skilled, really good when the playoffs roll around and the physicality is up to who are you exactly? And Donovan's had plenty of great playoff games, but Donovan's never been out of the second round either. His Cat that was the best Karl Anthony Town game I've seen him play. Maybe in his career considering what was at stake.

What I love is he only took one three and that was say, seventy foot heave at the end of the quarter wasn't even a real three. He actually played like a big He had seventeen boards, he had twenty one points. The Knicks are getting insane production from Mitchell Robinson, who allows some rimtion protection in a way the Catches doesn't, and essentially they are calling Boston's bluff to say, look, okay, we understand your five out system with spacing, and you

want to take as many threes as possible. That's fine. We're going to stay home on shooters. We're going to make you take contested threes, and when you go to the rim, we're going to make you feel our presence. So you're taking contested floaters, dunks, layups at the rim that are contested by Mitchell Robinson or some of the other players with length on the perimeter like a Josh

Shart or an og Annobi or Michel Bridges. Now, last night, without what mckel Bridges did in the fourth quarter to start things off, the Knicks are not winning that game. So Tom Thibodeau elects to sit Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony Town to the start of the fourth which is what Tom does. He staggers the minutes to make sure that Jalen is arrested for crunch time, because that's where Jalen shines, and playing Mitchell Robinson and Duce McBride a

little bit of campaign. At the start of the fourth quarter, the Knicks are down twelve, fourteen points, and mikel Bridges shows everybody why the New York Knicks traded five first round picks for him. He scores individually fourteen points in six minutes of action in the fourth and that allowed the Knicks to stay with it. But again, and we'll finish here, this is as much about the failures of Joe Miszula and the Boston Celtics as it is about

anything the Knicks have done. When you are up twenty points no time and score no situation, stop foceing threes every possession. And yes, I know that's your system, and you want a championship a year ago, and you're the favorite to win the East this year. And I will say there is a big part of me that's still very skeptical about the Knicks chances to win this series.

The Boston Celtics will have a game and it could be coming up at MSG for Game three where they go like twenty two of forty three from three and they beat the Knicks. I like thirty points. That is going to happen. And here's the thing. The Boston Celtics at home this year were twenty eight and thirteen. On the road they were thirty three and eight. This is a team that has a championship belt. They're the defending champs. Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum have been the five Eastern

Conference Finals, two NBA Finals. The garden will be absolutely insane. I was actually kicking the tires to maybe see if I can make it back there because I just cannot wait to see what that atmosphere is going to be like. And the NBA has done a smart thing. They put it on Saturday afternoon at one thirty Mountain time on ABC. That is going to be off the hook, but it

will not affect this Boston Celtic team. And when you look at the second spectrum data, expected fueld goal percentage based off of the quality of shots you're looking at, and I don't love that metric. It's one of the metrics all the Jazz Homer broadcasters used to use about. Hey, the Jazz expected fuel goal percentage under Quinn is this Okay, good thing we have a scoreboard, and good thing we

can actually tell how many shots you're making. But when you look at what Boston is expected to be shooting based off these quality of shots that they're getting, the storm is coming for New York. It is, and it might be Game three, and it could be Game three in Game four, Like, no part of me believes the series is over at all now. NBA history tells us the teams go on the road to win the first two road games win the series eighty six percent of

the time. But don't forget the Knicks were a seven to one underdog to to essentially lose Round one, and they lost all four games to the Celtics in the regular season. And the Knicks were solid at home this year twenty seven and fourteen, but not great, And thirty three and eight on the road is like historic Boston is a historically good road basketball team. So I will admit that as a member of the media and somebody who tries to do this job authentically and not with

a homer take calling a team WE or US. When I'm doing a broadcast, I do try to put my fandom aside, but I don't run from the fact that there are two NBA teams that I have always cheered for and will always cheer for, and one is our local team, the Utah Jazz, and the others the New York Knicks. And this has been fun. If we are honest, the Necks have not been this relevant in twenty five years.

There was a three or four year stretch where Mellow was their main guy, where they were a playoff team and won a couple of series, but they were never serious. Do I believe they're a championship contender? I cannot say that with any authenticity or honesty on the program, but as this has been fun so far, it has and to wrap it up, I just every time I'm watching playoff basketball, I just miss how fun it is here in saw Lake when the Jazz are in the playoffs.

Hopefully they can make that happen at some point soon we'll have to see. Welcome back to the Drive with Spence Checkets.

since the season ended in Dallas. We all know that you were doing a lot of work even when you were coaching with the MAVs, but since the season ended with Dallas. What have the past few weeks been like?

for those that are associated with the program. But no, I'm getting I'm optimistic.

left in his future. But the difference this time around that led you to taking the job was what out.

kind of the timing of everything that it worked out well. But again, I think I think personally, like in my in my life that you know, I was more of a place for if that makes any sense, me and my family, it makes.

up being a head coach. Did just out of curiosity, did you do some calculations to maybe believe that that was not part of your future and this was your best chance to have your own team?

jobs aren't in a great situation. And and I've always said this, I don't care if I'm the head coach or I just want to be in a you know, a good place surrounded by good people, which I wasn't with the Jazz for a long time, and and just to be able to do what I you know, have a passion for and I love. But like I never, I never, never, you know, it was going to take a job just because it was a head coaching job, if that makes sense, Not that I was, you know,

had a you know of those opportunities. But yeah, no, I think it just like with this job this time around. I think it was the timing of everything, and I think it a lot of it has to do with the people that you're going to be doing it with.

hired to be fired. And when you see a guy like Michael Malone lose a job a couple of years after getting a ring, and a guy like Taylor Jenkins lose a job after being the most successful coach in Memphis Grizzly history, I would imagine that even underscores how nice it is for you to have a bit of a runway and also security, how where you and Natalie have roots, right that had to play into it.

Like if you had that scout, it was it fun to do because it was you know, you'd love But yeah, same thing with with Mike Malone and Denver and you know in the NBA is you know, it's a great league, and it's uh, it seems like it's more you know, unpredictable and yeah, like the stability, and I think, you know, it's interesting because I thought I kind of looked at you know, college with the nil and everything, and I think as time goes on, they'll they'll put more like

regulations in and I think it could actually kind of be a you know, it's a little wild right now, but I think it, you know, it could be somewhat of a good thing with a.

teammates or anybody close to the program. Obviously you know, Britton Johnson's good friend of mine, and they always tell the story that, you know, you were always his favorite and you were always the one that he uh, you know, trusted. I think trust is the word that I land on when it comes to my view of the relationship between

the two of you. But talk about as a guy who played for him and coach next to him, the expectation that you think is realistic and the expectation he set for you as a player and a coach, and whether or not that is something you kind of use as a north Star if that makes sense.

learn the game, if that makes sense. And you look at a lot of the great coaches, you know, Phil Jackson and George carl and I think even Van Gundhi, Like you know, this always interesting to see where they started. But you know, being able to play for coach mcjeri's and coach with them, I got to see, you know,

two different sides. And you know, the best thing I got from him, well, the first thing is when people asked about, you know, the thing you took from like, I always say this, like he ruins the game for you in a lot of ways because you can't watch a game with that without critiquing it and seeing what

everybody's doing wrong. So it's kind of interesting. But at the same time, the one thing that that to this day that I think that he was remarkable at was like he was like we had long practices when I first got here, but like he coached every even if he was eating a hamburger or in the middle of it, he was still he was one hundred percent there coaching and intent and seeing everything and you know it spence not to get long winded here, but like I've never

been never played football, never been around it. But when we were in Dallas, Bill Belichick came and talked to us. I've listened to Mike Tomlin and I love those guys, and they always talk about like just grinding week to week. And it always reminded me of the jerifs because whether it was a preseason game or an NCAA tournament game like it was, it was always he never talked about we want to make the tournament, we want to win

the league. It was always the next game, right, like getting better and then then everything else will take care of itself. So that was like a good thing too.

I did that early on in my coaching career. But yeah, no, he's he's the standard bear, and that's what you know, kind of everybody from since then, and you know after me will be kind of be compared to. But you know, I look at it as it a good thing because a lot of people remember those days, and when we talk to recruits now we can talk about it and they might be too young to remember it, but you know their agent or their coach or they will remembering. It gives us some credibility, so.

you guys are at. We'll have some more guardrails in place, and hopefully that brings a little bit of stability but I would imagine. Now I don't want to speak for you, and I'm not leading the witness, but you would not have taken this job if there weren't promises in place that you would have the bankroll that you need to stay competitive with your peers. Is that fair to say?

got to get money and got to get money. But when I was going through the process of taking the job, and even after I took it, I kind of like, maybe I'm naive or trying to be too optimistic mystic, but I like the position that University of Utah is in. You know, they're smaller schools that you have success, you

have no chance at keeping and players. And at the same time, like I don't I right now, I don't want to be I don't want to get in a bidding war and you know, pay a single player like a ton of money, because I think it's you know, coming from the NBA, like you see the problems that that can cause. But I think, you know, like we're I don't want to say a middle ground, but we've got you know, good resources and you know, getting kids

that you know, money is always part of it. Like you'd be lying to yourself if you said it wasn't about the money, but also you know kids that see the opportunity here. So yeah, like it's uh, it's very it's transactional as the word a lot of people in the NBA are they used now, which is kind of a you know, I think college is getting used to it and it's it's turning professional for sure.

and I know who Wes is. I don't know him personally, but you know I was at the OKC Jazz game with Scott Layden recently, and Scott he's been doing some work for the King, so he's been working with Wes. And he's a bright guy. I mean, you know this, You've known him forever. What ultimately led you to landing on Wes Wilcox as your general manager?

what they've done. And you know Wes was you know, he hired me in Cleveland as the DA LEA coach. I means one of the guys that I had asked to ask, you know, for advice. You know, different situations in my career and and I you know, I first approached him about asking, you know, any maybe younger Diuce he knew and you know, there was a little interest there.

Then it grew and I didn't think I would get somebody as uh seasoned and as good as West, But yeah, that that that's it's been huge and I think I think more colleges will go that way. But I think there's the distinction between somebody who's done that, who's built rosters, balanced robsters, negotiated contracts. It's a huge asset and it's

made it that much easier for us now. But and again it's a great a partnership, you know between coaching the fern offles like you're together but separate, like you know, throughout this whole year, that's what he's going to be doing. Well, you know, I'll be coaching the team. We'll talk basketball ross but like that's that's his job and then I have my job. That makes sense.

hour and a half before, just watching everything. And you know,

it's funny. We were playing in Boston and he was scouting when the rumors started about me, and we went to dinner and he brought it up and expressed interest in coming, which and at that time I wasn't I don't think I was really deep into thinking about taking it, but and that, you know, I'm grateful that he did that he wanted to be here, and you know, that's that's the one thing I think that that's hit me since you know, my staff has been here and we

talked about with the players, like, you know, I had a good job, Wes definitely had a good job. Chill Rafael Chill had a great job, and like, we're here because we want to be here, not because we do, not because of money. But I think it's rubbed off on a recruiting But yet Chill coached Phil who's often everybody calls him, knows everybody, and could take multiple college jobs every year. So I'm flattered and we're lucky to have him.

a conversation with coach wit with Kyle Whittingham. I wonder if you could provide a little context on why you decided to talk to Kyle, what he told you and how that ultimately helped you decide you wanted to move the family here and coach the uts.

and he's you know, and I respect him. And that's why I respect a lot of football guys because usually in football, you start and you work your way up, you know, the NBA, a lot of guys, you know,

you skip steps. But no, like he's I you know, every chance I get, he's a guy that I would approach with advice because not only has he been I've been in and out, but he's been around it and uh, like I said, just admire what he's done, and and uh, you know somebody that I'll is every chance I get try to you know, learn from and get some advice from you know the challenges and obviously you know talking about the challenges and uh, you know the good and

bad of it all, which which comes everywhere you go. But no, he's uh, and again he's been here for what thirty years and put the programs come a long way in thirty years.

will all take care of itself. I mean, obviously it's something that we want and everybody else wants us to get and I think it just starts, you know, in the summer and just like what we do today, you know, instead of talking about it every day. That's our goal. That's our goal. Whereas we have our you know, do goal about our daily business and have our goals and accomplish what we need to like, that'll that'll eventually happen.

But yeah, I don't think that's something that anybody you know, ten, fifteen, twenty years ago, whatever of predicted have a you know, a ten year drought from the NCAA tournament.

of a bunch of new players. But what would you say to the Utah fan base chomping at the bid for success and tournament appearances and such that they should expect year one from you and your staff in the Big Twelve.

to play. And that might seem like a simple thing and you think everybody does it, but you know, the hardest thing for a coach is when you have a player that doesn't care about it as much as you do. And I think we've done a really good job with those guys, guys that compete, love to play. And then after that we go into the you know, the physical attributes. But no, I'm actually looking really I'm getting excited to be able to coach these guys and to see where

we go. And that's the fun part about it is I don't think I could even anticipate how things will turn out, but I am optimistic and we have a good grow it of players and coaches.

end of the year last season. So I'm going to give you the space with whatever direction you want to go as far as talking about a couple of these new players so our fan base can kind of get to know this roster a little bit.

a coach, like I wanted to point guard. You know, we were we were hurt in Dallas and even after the game, I'd say, okay, point guard, we need a point guard. But you know, Terrence Brown is one of the first guys we signed out of Fairley Dickinson hid from Minnesota, and uh, and I just you know, he loves it. He's in Vegas working out now, but he's one guy. And then and we got uh, after that,

we got Elijah Choppa Moore from from Syracuse. He's originally from the Bronx, and uh, you know, you know, I think the one thing we had, you know, James the Conquo who's actually originally from London who played Acklan last year, Jackai Howard from Auburn, Don McHenry and Babacar fey Or coming from West Virginia, and Sadu Traillery who's from the Bronx,

who's coming from Iowa. It's kind of kind of dawned on me that they're kind of I don't know the last time, you know a Feutah team has had two kids from the Bronx or you know, Boston London, so it's it's actually and you know, Keanu is a local kid. But I think it's uh again, they I feel like they have all those rights. They likes to compete, they like to play, and they want to get better. So anyway, yeah, I'd love to come in sometime too, Spence, and we could.

We could spend more time with each one of them, because it's a good group. I think.

Utah Hockey Club for the Salt Lake Tribune. Always fun to welcome in Belle Frasier on a Thursday. Bell, Happy Thursday. How are you good? I'm good? All right? Here's my question right out of gates. We have a basketball team in midtown Manhattan that's about to return home to a Rausius Madison Square Garden fan base to watch the Knicks try to beat the Celtics. I hate to rub it

in Bell, but the Rangers obviously not involved. What is midtown Manhattan like when the Rangers are in the Stanley Cup playoffs come springtime?

three Rangers. I mean, of course NHL playoffs are big, but New York is kind of more of a basketball town, I would say. And it seems like it's the highest price to even get in that the Nicks have ever had, and it's second round, so I think that's saying something. But yeah, I'm pulling for my Knicks now that no Rangers to root for.

Utah Mammoth Bell. What do you make of kind of the process and went down and what are your thoughts on the name now that we know what it will be henceforth then forever.

swished it back to Utah Hockey Club. So I think it was getting to a point where everyone had a feeling it was Mammoths, so why not just make it official. But it was one of the coolest days on the job yesterday just seeing it all happened. We were counting down and so we could post our stories and sort the whole public to know. And I think seeing the

fan reaction was really special. I mean overwhelmingly positive. People really liked the jerseys, they really liked the names, and I think that's the product of the fact that they voted for it. And I talked to a lot of fans yesterday over the phone, and that was kind of the main theme that came through, was that they said, we feel like we're woven into this jersey, that this is something that we wanted for our state and that we got to choose. So it makes it all that

more special. And I think some people maybe we're second guessing, is Ryan Smith is really going to keep his promise of letting the public choose it. And he made a joke at his press conference that he wouldn't go through this process again, just you know, collecting millions a million votes during an NHL regular season and everything else they had going on. But it turned out great, and I think everyone, fans, players are excited for the second year.

It builds kind of the hype of momentum for next year having a legitimate identity.

They were doing the tosts up, so I think it's really energizing for the players to to kind of see the investment FI Entertainment Group and the fans that they wanted to make it a big thing. They wanted to take time with the branding. And I mean, we don't need to talk about free agency, but it's a pretty exciting time for Utah right now. They get the name, they get the fourth overall pick, they have a front facing owner who's spending lots of money on them right now.

So I imagine it feels really good to be one of those players. And we talked them throughout the season, they said they didn't fully care about the name. They just wanted the fans to be happy. So I imagine that's still the same.

young piece to this core. They're already the third youngest team in the NHL, and we had Smith on yesterday. Neil was good to walk us through how rare it is for a draft pick to play right away. A lot of these kids are seventeen, eighteen years old. They're going to go back to college, they're going to go back to junior so we're not really sure what it

would look like. But the other option Bell is to utilize this, certainly as a trade chip and a piece to maybe expedite the growth by adding a veteran player. So you've had a chance to hear from Bill Armstrong, You've had a chance to kind of dig into this. So your thoughts on Utah getting the number four overall pick and your thoughts on what they may or may not do with it.

a bottom feeding team is I mean, it's incredible. They missed playoffs by seven points and are up and coming, unlike a lot of the teams in the top ten of the draft right now, So for them to be able to add a franchise player or like you said, trade for someone that could come in and provide immediate help really changes the trajectory for this team. So I cannot underscore enough you know what a game changer this is for the organization, not just next year, but for

the next ten years. Like you said, a lot of these players will go back to play in junior or college for a year or two. And Bill Armstrong definitely likes when his players get a little bit more developmental time. So Utah fans shouldn't be disappointed that if they keep the pick, they don't see the draft ye right away, But yeah, I think it is really interesting to think about what they what else they could do with it. And Bill Armstrong was very clear he said, we'll never

shut that door. That's always been an avenue for us to get players in terms of trading a pick, and a lot of teams who thought they were going to be in the top ten or top five are not. So I imagine Bill Armstrong is going to be getting a ton of calls from organizations who are further back in the rebuild than he is and want a prospect. And you saw him do it last year. He traded the forty ninth overall pick for John Marino. He threw two picks in the Mikail Serga chev trade, and those

guys are Utah's top two defensemen now. So it's definitely about that he feels comfortable taking, and I think it'll just be what the team needs. I think they're lucky that the top five in the draft. A lot of them are big centers, and I think Utah could use a big goal scoring two way forward. So it'll work either way. And I think that's what Utah Hockey I was going to say, Utah Hockey Club. This is hard Utah Mammoth fan should be excited about. Is you can't

really lose here. You're either going to have a big time player come in next season or have a really exciting prospect to look forward to.

in the past. But you outlined some of the options that could be available at four for the Utah Hockey Club. So for our listeners that have not had a chance to read what you wrote, let's talk about some of these names and some of these young prospects. You think A will be there at four and B makes sense for the Utah Mammoth.

But then also Jane Pagan's a year ago everyone thought he was going to go number one. He actually goes to Boston College. But he's a great player nonetheless, kind of a smaller center, but he grew up in Islanders fan He's from Long Island, so who knows if they swing that way, So those guys might be off the table. But I could also see Hagan's dropping because you just never know what the other teams are going to do. But I think Utah fan should definitely look at Porter Marton.

I think he kind of fits the forward depth and scoring touch and save the advantage for Utah. He fits that bill. Eighteen years old, he had ninety eight points, which was thirty seven goals and sixty one assists in fifty seven games. I believe he was the captain of the Ohls Branton's Steelheads this season. And he's six foot three and two hundred and eight pounds right now, so can only imagine what he'll be put on weight at an NHL shape in the next couple of years. And

he's a right winger, so not a center. But I think Utah just needs some size reinforcements in its top six and if that's someone they could develop, that would be great. And I think it's realistic that he could drop to four. But I don't know it really is. I think teams will say that they'll draft there the best player available, but I think it's a little more

me tailored than they'll admit. So someone else may want him, But I think that's someone that Utah fans could be excited about and start watching a bit.

he's in Saint Louis. Thompson was drafted to the Blues and he's actually on a line with Clayton Keller and Loping Cooley at the World Championship, the Mentoral Championship. Right now, he's on the Buffalo Sabers, who are the ninth overall pick, I believe, but at a brutal season. I mean, it's going to be a long long time until that's a

winning team. So you could really imagine that they would want to trade up in the draft number four, and teams like Santose and the Chicago blipops to the second and third pick are also in the rebuilt, so they're not going to give up those picks. So it would seem that if Buffalo was going to trade with anyone. It could be Utah Thompson's. He had seventy two points, forty four goals, twenty to assists in seventy six games. He's six foot four, would I want to say a center,

but can play the wing. He's kind of exactly what you want it. This kind of fits exactly what Utah needs and he could step in immediately. But I mean that's just hypothetical. Who knows what Page Shompson actually wants to do. I think he would have to cry him out of the Buffalo Sabers hands. That is not a guy that they want to see leaves. So yeah, just the thought. But I think that's the type of caliber

of player that Bill armsheawan was trade for. He's not going to give up the fourth overall pick for a mediocre player and then a couple of depths people. I think it would have to be for a star like him.

players as they kind of jettison and takeoff. So whether it's the players that are in action with their countries or players that are not necessarily playing anything competitively, any thoughts on what the front off is and the coaching staff are expecting from these players come off season so they're ready to go next year.

good outlet to be able to do that. This year it's in Sweden, in Denmark, and some guys I'll dalg it of it on a yearly basis because it's only, you know, a month after the regular season ends for hockey, so guys can be heard or just want some rest time. But there's kind of another layer to it this year because the twenty twenty six Olympics are coming up, so it's almost like a test run or trial to get yourself in front of the decision makers and just the organizations,

the national teams that will be making those rosters. I personally think that's a huge reason that Clayton Keller went. He was left off of the four Nations roster for Team USA this year and played at the chip on his shoulder for the rest of the season, finished with a career high ninety points, and he's now captain of

Team USA for the World Championship. You mentioned Looking Cooley's there with him, Michael Kestering's there, Josh Jone is there, Barret Hayton playing for Canada, and then Carel Venlka is playing for Chechia. So good amount of Utah. Oh my god, Utah Hockey Club. This is going to be bad mammoth representation.

You tell mammoth mammoth and mammoth representation at the World Championship, And yeah, I mean, I imagine management likes to see their guys sitting in the extra work over the summer, but there's so many injuries and layers to it that is not made to the public or that the media knows. So I think it's good for those guys to kind of put their name in a hat for Olympics and just get some extra reps. Like Kessoing just said, it's good for his development, for him to be confidence over

the summer. He's probably not done into the Olympics. But for someone like Cooley and Keller, I think it's a different story. And those games actually start tomorrow. The tournament will run May night through May twenty fifth, So if you tell Mammoths fans are missing action, you can watch that on I think it's IIHF TV streaming and then NHL Network also streams those games. If you're missing Utah.

those games. And then ultimately, as you and I have discussed, you've got to be better at home and you've got to be better at holding leads. All of those things Bell indicate to me that this is still a young team that needs to learn how to do those things. The offense twenty first and goals per game power play

was fifteenth, so those have to improve. So before I set you loose, we're already talked about potential trades, but twenty one point five to three million in cap space, how does Bill Armstrong go about his business during the offseason to improve those areas? Or is it simply allowing this team to grow in order to make the postseason next year, which I think is a very realistic thing to expect.

to spend unwisely. Just because you have that cap space and you know are in better conditions as an overall organization, doesn't mean you need to spend it all on someone like Mitch Murner if it's not a fit, or you know, someone like Niklai Eelers if it's not a fit, who's probably going to get more money because the CAP's going up as well. So I think they're taking a cautious approach. But they've also been rumored to be one of the teams that insiders like sports Nets Elliott Friedman think is

going to take a really big splash this summer. So I think, if the deal's there, and Bill Armsheank has said this as well, if the free agent is right, if the fit's right, if the conversations with them and their agent and the number is right, and it phil the need that they need that they have, and I would say that's going to be a top six forward. I would not think they would go after a defenseman

as much then I think they do it. But yeah, I don't think they're going to just go sign anyone because they feel like they have to, because it's their first off season as the Utah Manis and they have all this cash, so I do agree. I think they need to bring someone in or a few people in to turn that corner. But it's also, like you said, not like they were losing by five to six goals in those games. It was overtime. It was shootouts, which almost make it more frustrating. But Ian Cole had great

quips at the end of the season. He's like, that's on us. If we turn a corner, that's on us. Everyone needs to dig in and decide if they want to win or if they want to focus on other things. So I think there's a good understanding in that room with the players they have now that it's you know, one more check, one more block shot and they're in the playoffs. So that mixed with some new personnel, I think will put these guys in a good spot moving forwards.

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good one. They're a worthy champion, and anyone who watched them this year, I think certainly they have the best level of play when.

the defenders to stay home. So a lot of the Boston Misses are can test it, but a lot of the Boston Misses are not contested, Dave, So, do you feel like we're in for like a regression to the mean situation? Part of me believes one of these games Bostons is going to go like twenty two of forty two from three and win by like thirty.

NBA playoffs run. You know the Kimberwolves, who I've covered now in the first and second round, they open up Game one against the Lakers, they hit twenty two threes. These last two games between Game five against the Lakers and Game one against the Warriors, they're twelve for seventy six from three.

we do? Tip off for Game three, play our best forty eight minutes of basketball, and then you know, continue to get back into the series that way.

rotational decisions and such. But look, man, you're up twenty with thirteen or fourteen minutes left in the game. The easiest stat Dave for me from Game one is after Boston goes up twenty with three and a half minutes left, ten straight possessions they shoot a three and nine of those possessions the ball didn't even break the pain. Like, at what point do you say, okay, our style and the personnel we have to your point that is suited to play this style won a championship a year ago,

has led to a tremendous couple of year run. But maybe it's okay to try to attack the glass and get twos and ones when you're up twenty with fourteen minutes left to play, Like, at what point do you kind of scrap the whole approach in the name of just running the game out so you can get to win.

for the Knicks in Jalen Brunston. I mean, he has every single three level score type of bag to his game, whereas you know Tatum right, like that's what he's kind of been critiqued for over the last several years where when he goes to that mid range step back, it's not a very efficient shot for him, And so you wonder do they have the personnel to get those shots you're talking about on the fly, And also like who is their penetrating guard too?

all of a sudden look vulnerable. Now, I think the numbers will bear out and they're gonna win with that style in the long run personally, but I mean, they are certainly playing with fire going into Game three.

of falls into it. So the criticism is, did he just inherit a roster and a system that is self sustainable because of the roster that Danny Danny Ainge then Brad Stevens put together, which I still believe is the best roster in pro basketball on paper, and so the criticism has kind of been, all right, it's an auto drive car, like you don't really have to do much.

I'm not sure how fair that is. But what are you expecting from him as it pertains to adjustments that people think that he needs to make, or do you think he just rides with the system that won him the chip a year ago?

hundred and twenty four million dollars in change. They have a new ownership group who I would imagine would not be thrilled to pay a luxury tax bill for a team that lost in the second round. If Boston doesn't get back into this thing and win, what do you think the offseason looks like for Joe Missoula and this roster?

I don't know. I think it certainly would have them reevaluate things and and look again at the the brunt excuse me, the jail and Brown situation and him with Jason Tatum and and figure is just really our best pathway forward paying both these guys incredible sum of money

when there's still a bit of an overlap. I would tend to think that they would try to keep them together together one more year, because again, you're gonna be talking about the big picture of this team is that this would be a second round exit, right, but over the last nine years, it would be that would be the earliest things that they had. I'm including two finals appearances, a championship, and six conference finals appearances. So do you trust the eject button on that? I think probably not.

But I do think some of the kind of the role players, you would have to look at, what specifically will we missing against the Knicks, and is it going to be something that we are going to achieve by continuing to pay some of these role players, And I think obviously there would be some degree of a shakeup.

a bunch of dogs. Man, they got a bunt Nie Smith. Now, I mean Benedict Matherin wants to fight everybody all the time. And you know, and we love Donovan.

Garland has been out since the first round. You put up forty eight I think you have nine to fix four steals, and in the last two minutes and thirty seconds you can't hold on to a seven point lead, in part because you missed two free throws and you have a bad turnover, and of course mass Screws also had a terrible turnover. But I mean, that is devastating,

and you know, he said the right thing. Okay, we got to go down to Indiana and get to and like, I hope there's confidence behind that statement because this is a really tough Indiana team and a lot of I mean, the commentary is through that lens of the Lakers, JJ Reddick was so high on this Pacers team all season long. He thought that they play with an incredible pace, they are really sharp rotations defensively, and they have the size

and physicality to give you problems on the wings. And this Cavs team, they are very, very deep, but all of a sudden, there is a big drop off. Whereas you know, Dean Wade getting knights Man minutes, they seem deep, but when Dean Wade's getting six man minutes.

on Tyrus Haliburt in that situation. So I think, whereas this is Cavs team I actually watch a lot because I spent four years cover in Cleveland, and I really enjoyed this group.

has never experienced a hamstring injury period. He was asked if even experienced tightness at some time in his career and he said no. And so the plan here is to give him a full week's rest, which means Game two, three, and four are out, and then see where he is at that moment. So right now it's just treatment round the clock. He's doing stand still shooting. I think probably just to you know, not have himself go nuts during this process more than anything, and then we will see

where the series stands. If it's going back to San Francisco for a game six. I think everyone involved with the Warriors like that is the tie in the sky. Hope is that we can get Steph Curry on the court that game, but we don't know if that will be a Willis Reid Steph Curry and he's going to

be there just to get the crowd riled up. You know, people forget Willis Resonas scored four points in that game when the Knicks won it, or he will actually be able to recover from this thing, a Grade one strain. It's one of two weeks and it's something that if you rush it back, you're automatically out for another one to two weeks. So it's a tough situation for them. I think the Wolves is sixth going into this series.

I think it pace still goes that direction. But I do think when you get a guy like Jimmy Butler, that's a pretty good alternative to having. Of course, Steph Curry is, you know, an all time great, but Jimmy Butler is someone who will not blink at this task that's placed on his plate right now. He will come out, He'll come out with a game plan. He would be ball dominant. They're probably not gonna score a ton again. But they're going to grind out this game. They're gonna

be physical. They out rebounded the Wolves by ten in game one. They're going to try to do the same thing here. And if they can get a hot shooting night from you know, Brandon Puzhevski or you know, Buddy Healed, they could have a chance to stay in this thing. Basically, all they got to look at the next three games. We got to win one and that'll assure us that this thing goes six.

if you get the whistle on your side. Chris Finch certainly doing his part politically to play the rests and put it out there that Rudy Gobert wasn't getting a fair whistle in Game one, and a lot of times that does work. You get the league's attention and it sways back the other direction a little bit. Yeah, I would be very I would be very impressed, but I'd be very surprised if the Warriors even make this a game.

tremendous performance. Jokis was so good down the stretch in game one, the play where he caught it above the foul and he saw he had Caruso on him, and he just immediately put it in like Dad in the driveway mode and backed him down all the way to two feet from the basket and around plopped it in. And then a couple of mostons later he gets it now top of the key partner scene on him surveys, you know, jab steps rise and fire makes it like

he's so good now. Tremendous credit to okay See for having the right bounce back, But I don't think that means like the rest of the series is going to.

That never happens in pro basketball. He would be the third longest stenured coach right now if he coaches through the end of his contracts. Are your thoughts on the decision of the Jazz to offer and Will to accept.

You are going to be there for now and for the future and for the extended future, and you are going to be the guy to lead us out of this. I think it was a great decision by them. I think it's still going to be very hard for Will Hardy to actually go through because you know they are not close to being a playoff team, let alone a contender. However, the lottery goes you know, in their direction, and you end up with you know, I'd say top two picks

are both should be like can't miss guys. I think that it will be a fruitful journey for Hardy.

use a ton of superlatives. The Wall of the wasatch the best to ever do it in Major League soccer, and now we can add to it. Nick Romondo Hall of Famer as Nicky was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame as part of the twenty twenty five class just a few days ago. The first RSL player ever to be inducted so Nick, the first thing first, man, so proud of you. Congratulations, how you.

for twenty years. You know what it takes to play for that long, to be able to take care of your body, have the trust from the organizations and teammates, your coaching staff, and to stay the longevity of just being at a club for so long, like Real Salt Lake.

as hard as they could. And I'll never forget what he said. He said, my dreams never got this big. I never got here in my dreams. Were you did you dare to dream that something like this was a possibility for you when you were starting out playing soccer or did your dreams never get this big?

the playoffs. That I was just a competitive person. And obviously when you start playing for as long as I did, to act like you start to, you know, accumulate a little bit more and more, and if you win, if you do well, you know, your name might get you know, shine bright a couple of times here and there. But I think if you ask anybody that has been inducted, they don't They don't do it to be in the Hall of Fame, to do it because they love the sport.

And yeah, as you continue to play, those ambitions get a little bit bigger and bright and as I, you know, won the MLS Cup, it's like, what could I do next, Let's go to the Goal Cup, Let's let's get on the national team. And then obviously the goal was to make it to the World Cup, and and uh, to be able to achieve that that goal the biggest goal of my of mine and playing in one of the biggest soccer tournaments or sports tournaments in the world was

massive to me. And I guess when when you're done playing, maybe there's a little hope that that there's gonna be some recognition somewhere here and there, and and and to be recognized by the Hall of.

get the starting job for a minute. You guys want a cup, and then you lost your starting job and ultimately you landed here in uh in a in a trade that brought RSL. Freddy you do and you turned out to be the gem of that deal. But at the time, I think there were some questions. Did you ever question yourself during that time when you had lost your job and you landed here, grabbed the starting job and the rest is history? But did you ever have doubts during that process?

I wouldn't be where I'm at. It's those setbacks and injuries that again made me and made me go through the hard times in my career and really really flourish and the good times and you know, push me through to get to those moments, you know, winning in two thousand and nine, going to the MLS club and even losing I think I believe it was twenty twelves a KC. Those feelings stick with you and and and you don't

want to feel those feelings again. So you get back on that on that on that field and in the gym, and you try to do whatever you can not to have that feeling again of losing, and just pushes you through. Everybody has motivation in their own way, and and and mind was through the losses and and and those learning experiences and how to get back on that horse.

would be great. I'm back to where you know I'm from.

all about. So again they open up their arms to me and let me be the coach version of myself and see if I.

the presence you have. I wonder I want to kick the tires with the coaching stuff for a little bit, Nikki, because from my experience interviewing players and coaches over the years, and specifically players like you that decide to get into coaching, nothing will ever capture the buzz of playing, right, I mean, I think that's fair to say, But does coaching come close at all? And what's your experience been like so far?

me involved. You can't buy experiences, and the experience I've had in the game, I think, you know, real real moniks for the academy kids that I've been working with and even the first team as if there's you know, I see him around a lot in the locker room and we you know, small talk hand they're about games. But I think you're never going to get that same

filling of being the player. But I hope that you know, my presence on the sideline on the training training field will give these players an upper hand, you know, with my experiences.

Obviously you have to be you have to think of Diego Luna as well, who's and we could get back on track, you know, we've had some injuries. I'm trying to get you know, I think some some Uh let's.

I feel like Nick has literally every record in MLS history that you can carry as a goalkeeper.

on it. And you know, it's interesting to consider, you know, Nick's Nick's story is a really really just simply a really good life lesson because, as I talked to Nicki about. Ironically enough, Nick's career started out in Miami with the Miami Fusion. They picked him thirty fifth overall in the third round of the draft, and the starting keeper in Miami at the time was a guy named Jeff Kassar,

and Nick took Jeff's job. Ironically enough, Jeff was the goalkeeper coach under Jason christ here in saut Lake, so Nick was started as a rookie and then started twenty five games the next season, and the Fusion won the Supporter Shield in two thousand and one. With Nick and goal Miami now has a soccer team. I don't know if you've heard they've got a player. I don't know

how to pronounce his name. I think it's Messi. But Miami was contracted after the two thousand and one season, so Soccer and Miami was done and the players were dispersed via an allocation draft, and Nicki was taken by DC United, who was coached by Ray Hudson, who coached

Nick in Miami. And in two thousand and two, Nick played in every game and three he missed the end of the season with an injury, but then he lost his job to Troy Perkins because Ray Hudson lost his job, and I want to say, Bruce Arena took the job in DC and then Nick actually took the job back and they won MLS Cup that year, but then he lost out to Troy Perkins again in two thousand and six,

so he was their second string keeper. And I think what a lot of people may forget is we had Nick here for a minute, but then Nick lost his starting job here in saw Lake to a guy named Scott Garlic, and so Nick was sent back to DC United. Okay, so he was sent back. Excuse me, he was actually traded to the New York Red Bulls. Okay, So he was traded to the New York Red Bulls because Scott Garlic won the job here. So Scott Garlic was going to be the keeper here. He was the first choice keeper,

he had won the job, and Nick was in New York. Well, I'll never forget being in RSL's offices when a phone call came through and the general manager at the time, Steve Pastorino John Allinger, was kind of making most of the decisions, but John Ellinger informed the staff that Scott Garlic was retiring from Major League soccer because he got a good job in real estate. And I can remember thinking like, Okay, this is not the NBA, this is

not the NFL. This is a different league. If you're starting keeper who had won the job and was under contract and probably had three or four years left to play, decided he was retiring from soccer because he wanted to

pursue real estate. This is a different thing altogether. So John Ellinger, to his credit, had to scramble and he calls New York and as the story goes, New York I believe gave John the choice between two keepers, and Nick was one of them, and John said, just send Nick back to us and let's see what we can do with that. And the deal again for Romando, was made to acquire Freddie Adue, who was thought to be the future of American soccer. He was a teenage kid

when he was receiving national team call ups. And Freddie had played for John Ellinger at the Bradenton Academy with the developmental program for the national team. So the attention in that transaction was on Freddie and not Nick. Nick was kind of a throw in, and then they had to panic to get Nick back because our keeper retired. They made Nick the number one overall keeper in two thousand and seven and all he did after that was go on to break every record that MLS has for keepers.

So pretty phenomenal story and Nick deserves a lot of credit because obviously RSL went on to win MLS Cup in two thousand and nine. They went onto a CONCACAFF Champions Final, almost becoming the first MLS team to win the CONCACAFF Champions League, and then nearly won a Cup again but lost to KC in the final. And then Nick played through twenty nineteen, so played another five years after that and will go down as one of, if not the best keeper in the history of this league

and certainly a legend for RSL. Utah Football picked up a transfer today. His name is Dylan Battle. He's a defensive lineman who transferred to Utah from LSU. A cool six two three twenty. What would be like to be six two three twenty. That is a massive, massive human.

is is obviously going to be there. A kid that was pretty highly recruited, played at an SEC school and now transferring to Utah where well, I don't know if you've heard they had some changes that de tackle the offseason.

And then the Jazz moved down. Yeah, sorry Thurle, Sorry t our guy. Reminder coming up on Monday, we are going to say good night just to sco Shirley, just to scoach.

view that as a massive risk. Now, the reward is Jazz get number one overall, happy wife, happy life, as they say, The risk is they fall. Good luck, dude, good luck at home.

and then set you loose for the weekend. There you on Mondays.

Store of the App Store as well. Then, finally, for what we do in our space every afternoon for four hours, check out our podcast page. It's called The Drive with Spence. Check it's that's available wherever you get your shows. Subscribe, rate, review, say and nice things in the comments. Give us all the stars. It actually does help. Reporter. I'm Spen saying, and I have a great weekend. Give Scott and Porter your attention coming up tomorrow. I'll be back on Monday.

Be good yourself, be good to each other so always you can catch all the action right here on ESPN seven hundred and ninety two and FFM. We are proud to be part of utah's ESPN radio network.