THU POD @SpenceChecketts on PGA Tour Champ., Utah @ UCLA, CFB Kickoff, #RSL's Addition + more

All right, what's going on?

Drave time Thursday afternoon, six minutes past the hour, two o'clock.

Got some cloud coverage.

Today, little rain earlier this morning here in downtown Salt Lake City Talk. It's about eighty two degrees and cloudy outside. Kind of feels a little bit like a fall day. But as it is every day, it's going to have you along for the ride. Spence check. It's beyond the mic of that is Porter Larson, beyond the glass producing the show today. Happy Thursday to you. You're almost to the weekend. Hopefully you're having a good work week and have some fun plans for what could be one of

A lot going on.

The PGA Tour is focused on East Lake in Atlanta as the Tour Championship is going.

On as we speak. First rounds.

Colin morri Coowa is in the clubhouse at six hundred par shot at sixty four, but Justin Thomas is your leader. JT is seven under through thirteen holes. Fourteen holes now seven hundred through fourteen. Robert McIntyre trying to capitalize on a good weekend last weekend, even though he couldn't get the win at six hundred par Patrick Candleig Russell Henley at five under par.

So some good starts for a lot of the golfers at East Lake.

As the Tour Championship is going on right now, we are two days away from the start of college football. That's right, you made it. Two days away from the start of college football. Week zero gets going Saturday morning in Dublin, Ireland with Iowa State and Kansas State. Big game between two Big twelve teams. Some games of note may be interested in checking out Kansas as they host Fresno.

Of course, Utah will be at the Rose Bowl taking out on UCLA.

Brigham Young welcomes in Portland State and the Bronco and Benanhall era begins in Logan with a matchup against Utah. So two days away from the start of college football and two weeks away as of today from the start of pro football. The final weekend of the preseason in the NFL starts tonight with two games, the Steelers and the Panthers from Charlotte, North Carolina and the Patriots and the Giants at East Rutherford.

Speaking of the.

Giants, young Jackson Dart receiving reps with the twos today, So it looks like Jackson Dart potentially could be the backup quarterback to Russell Wilson, maybe move ahead of Jameis Winston.

So there you go.

Little local NFL news on the program today, we broke the news.

Well we didn't break it.

We read a tweet that broke it that Devon Vley is on his way to the Big easy to play for the Saints. A lot of people believe the Saints are tanking this year to potentially select arch Manning. Obviously, the city of New Orleans and the family of Manning savve rich history.

No guarantee that Archie is gonna leave school.

His grandpa Archie Manning legend has set on a couple of occasions.

He'll bea Texas next year.

Remember, Eli and Peyton both played four years of college at Tennessee at Old Miss for going pro.

So we'll see how that goes down.

Put a lot of football in the show today from college football in addition to some NFL. We're inching closer and closer to the start of training camp in the NBA and the NHL. So Jazz fans, Mammoth fans, your time will come, Ray Ause salt Lake making a couple of different moves. This one broke about an hour ago. Body Hidalgo is on his way to c F Montreal. Body has played ninety first team games for RSL, twenty three years old. Proud Davis County boy. I think he

If you missed that conversation, the head.

Coach of RSEL joined us and teased that they had potentially acquired a defender from Cincinnati with a lot of net tattoos, and if you look at Cincinnati's roster, there's really only one option. DeAndre Jedlin is on the ground and has been signed to a long term deal by RSL. So after acquiring DeAndre Yedlin, he plays the same position as Body does.

Body is now.

On his way to Montreal. So do a little RSL on the program today. We'll get to know this young man who is now on the ground plane potentially right back right away. I mean, we'll see if he plays on Saturday against Minnesota, which really is.

A must win in a lot of ways.

We talked about that with Pablo yesterday. But DeAndre Yedlin is a big name in the world of domestic soccer.

He played in a couple of World Cups.

He's been overseas with bubbs, including my Tottenham Spurs. He wasn't there that long, played in Miami with Messi, and then most recently has been with Cincinnati, and now he's on the ground for RSL, filling a void avoid quite frankly that's been there since Aaron Herrero was traded a number of years ago. So we'll get to know the new RSL player on the program today and bounce around

It feels like everybody continues to.

Talk about the Micah Parsons Dallas Cowboy drama. Jerry Jones cannot keep his mouth shut.

He went on TV.

Today and basically indicated that he's I mean, if you read between the lines with his comments, they're clearly low balling the best player they have on that roster and one of the top I don't know, ten or fifteen players in all of the NFL, final year of his five year rookie deal, and I get the side of it where it's like he signed a contract on or the contract, but ultimately not how it works when you're as good as Michaeh Parsons is. And if I'm Jerry Jones,

So a lot to do on the program.

Our first guest will be live in studio and I'm excited for this. He is in town for the Counting Crows concert.

I got a direct message last night from my guy Roxy Bernstein.

Now he's also in town. I've got to be careful here. He may be listening. If you are, Roxy, Hello, how are you love me? Some Counting Crows? But he has seen five for fighting on Friday.

Hell yeah, not hell ya.

But you know what, We're gonna be nice to our guy because he's going to join us live in studio, so we'll do some college football, We'll do some hockey with our guy Roxy as well. Rex Hoggard from the Golf Channel, Good day to have Rex on. I was watching Golf Channels coverage last night of the pre match kind of previ and Rex was highly featured. Nice of him to give us some time. I'm sure he's very busy today as it is a massive weekend in the

I knew that, There we go. I knew it. Okay, we'll get there at the moment.

But Kenna Scott, former you Wide receiver will join us and the newest member of ray Al salt Lake World Cup veteran and right back that should step in and start right away. DeAndre Jedlin will be on the show today. I tried to convince Trey to bring him in studio. Betray has changed because he's an angry, emotional man who doesn't want to take care of his friends that are on air. So DeAndre Jedlin will be a phone who should be in studio.

Betray has changed.

So we got Roxy burns See and Rex Hoggard Kenna Scott better known as Gooby, DeAndre Jedlin. They we'll do a little sports core with our friends from Handy and Handy as we are wont to do on Thursdays. Me Spence checkets all of you, the great listeners, and that guy Porter Larson, Oh on a Thursday afternoon. So when you set the rundown this morning, my initial reaction was because you said Gooby.

On the rundown.

Yeah, I'm like, wait, who's Gooby? But I knew who it was when you reminded me it was Kenneth Scott. I remembered it was as a nickname. But I will admit a moment of confusion. I'm like, he's booking some random dude named Gooby.

Yeah, who else would Gooby be? I don't know any other Do we know any other goobies? I'm not entirely certain where the nickname originates from, but I.

Don't know that I know any other goobies. No, and Dumby no Way or Gumby.

Of course I remember Gumby, that that annoying like cartoon figure that was really stretchy and flex with the green guy?

Was he Green?

Well, I you know you and I have this weird like connection. At one point we were both nicknamed Dooby. Yes, but no, I do not know any other goobies. But for a minute I was confused, and then you informed me it was Kenneth Scott. We'll ask Kenneth where the nickname came from, because I honestly don't know either.

A couple of doobies and a gooby. Now we're just getting weird. Only one handy for sports court. Which handy I think? Garrett today? Garrett today?

No Preston, Okay, Well, we got a busy show and gonna be in studio.

Right Well, he's getting red Iguana, so that might usurp us.

I think he's gonna be here on time.

Though, Yeah, you know what, I'm not gonna do it. Why do all of the media guys roll in and immediately go to red Iguana?

I mean, red Iguana is a good spot. It's good fun.

They've done a really good job of like co opting the thoughts of folks that are visiting to believe that, like that's like the only good Mexican place in town. You know who else loves himself some red Iguana is Frank is Soola.

Well, there's a sports media thing where and it's you know, Jason isbel right. You have to go along with it if you're like writing about sports for some reason, I like Jason's Bill's fine, He's not same thing. Red Iguana's fine. What's the they have? They have one dish that's just phenomenal. But for the most part, yeah, it's it's it's not the only spot to get good, good Mexican food.

Insula.

There was some other artists prior to like the Hey, if you're in sports media, you have to like Jason isbel Bruce Springsteen. It was Bruce Springsteen. And by the way, fine, I mean Bruce Springsteen. Respectfully. I've always believed to be a tad bit overrated. I know I'm not supposed to make fun of other people's music on the show. After the air and airing of the grievances, yeah, I will make fun of five for fighting. Okay, well we will

Dope, Nope, don't, don't, don't do it all right.

Roxy will be our first guest, whether it's in studio or via the phone.

We'll have to see how that goes.

But on this Thursday afternoon, beautiful Thursday afternoon here in Salt Lake City, courtesy of our good friends at Prize Picks, it is Todd now for your opening tip.

Welcome to the Drive with Spence.

Check its on Utah's number one sports talk now into the studios of ESPN seven hundred to set the scene for the show. The opening tip of the Drive is brought to you by Prize Picks. Use the code ESPN seven hundred and run your game with Prize Picks.

All right, here's the deal. Prize Picks a good partner of ours here on the show. And if you have not taken advantage of their free money. First of all, congratulations you waited for the right time. Second of all,

They focus on specialties.

So I usually rely upon the opinions of people that are focused on one thing when I try to learn kind of what the landscape is going to look and sound like, as opposed to somebody who's in on everything. Like recruiting is an excellent example. Once upon a time there really were not recruiting services that only honed in on that. It typically was an outlet that did a bit of everything, and when recruiting season came, they would

Now. It has been interesting to follow.

I won't say the fallout, but I will say the reaction action to the announcement that Bear Bachmeyer is going to start under center for Brigham Young. That has changed some expectations for certain people about what BYU will be. I don't necessarily adhere to that entirely, only because watching BYU a year ago, their success was not predicated.

On quarterback play. It wasn't.

I mean, did Jake make some plays here there? Sure there's some big moments, some big plays down the stretch. He made some big plays down the stretch. Up here in Salt Lake when BYU beat Utah, but their success did not rely upon the stellar player lack thereof of Jake, of Jake Rehetz laugh. That was not eleven win team

Have a chance to be just fine.

The one caveat here is that typically true fresh do get their head kicked in, and I will be interested to see how long Kale and a Rod decide to ride with Bear if he shows some of those true freshmen tendencies and mistakes, because there is kind of a narrative going around that potentially they made this selection for the future and not the presence. You know, I don't know if there's any any field like, Okay, we lost our quarterback, so we've essentially we need to focus on

We don't know much about him.

Bear was not on campus until late July, like he's been there for a handful of weeks. And I think the fact that he won the job is testament to the kid and not an indictment on the quarterback room. But it has changed the projections and prognostications for a lot of people that are trying to predict how the.

Big twelve is going to go.

Seems to be I would say consensus in that group of teams that people think could potentially win it, not necessarily at the top. Arizona State is your favorite in Vegas, and that, to me is the team that most people have leaned into. But remember a year ago, Utah was the team with the proverbial target on their back, and this year that appears to be Kenny Dillingham's team at Arizona State County. Crows are in town tonight at USANA Amphitheater Gaslight Anthem opening.

That is going to be a damn good show.

And our next guest is in town only to be in studio to do a hit with me, and actually has run.

Into some good fortune because.

He gets to see his buddies tonight, our guy Roxy Bernstein live and studio.

Great to see him, man, how are you? I'm great, Spence. It's good to be here.

Good to see you face to face for sure, and come on this time of the year. It's great to be here, and I'm excited for tonight. It's gonna be a great show. It's gonna be a fun couple of days from me here insult one hundred percent. And you've been coming on the show.

We just turned six last week, so I feel like we've had you on pretty much since the start of this show with our old connections with a PAC twelve network.

But face to face is different, man, So it's good.

I don't know that i've ever even you've been in town when I've been at games and you've been calling, like at Huntsman or whatever. But I'm not gonna like roll down in the middle of the first quarter and like interrupt you and Bill Walton.

May he rest in jeap.

But it's great to actually kind of put a face even though I've seen you on television. I'm not sure that we've ever met face to.

Know if we have.

Yeah, because yeah, I've been here, but then you've had other engagement when you've been out of town.

It's like two ships passing in the night. Yeah. So finally we're physically in the same place. Yes, and it's excellent to have you in.

So have you talked to I know Adam is your boy, the lead singer Accounting Crows.

Does he know you'll be in the house for the show that? Yeah, we're texting earlier day.

He knew I was coming out, Like I always, I always trying to pick a place Spence where there's gonna be none of our friends. Right, it's we can just hang out because like they played Berkeley last week, Yeah, and it was a complete zoo, just chaos backstage, and I did get to spend some time with him, but there's he's getting tugged in so many different directions. We're here, we can just go hang out. So literally, when I get done here, I'm going to hop in an uber

Tonight.

Now, the reason that's pertinent is, you know, Adam from cal right, so he has a lot of friends in that market.

And he grew up there and we didn't go to college. Adam's older than we are. You and I are the same age, but we had a bunch of mutual friends and that's how we became friends. And we've been connected now for I don't know thirty plus years. And he's, as you know, a huge sports fan, a huge cow fan, but he's a huge Warriors fan, Oakland A's fan. I'm not going to say the Sacramento As, but the Oakland A's. He was a Oakland Raiders say. He still follows the

That's and you know, as a child of the nineties, as a proud Jet xer, the Crows have a very special place in my heart. I've probably seen them six or seven times. So I'm not as jealous that you're seeing your guy to but I'm jealous you're seeing Gaslight because I've never seen them. I've never seen them live. I have listened them for years, but Gaslight Anthem and you were referenced. Their lead singer is a huge sports fan as well.

He is so Brian is a huge Niners fan growing up in New Jersey, New York area. Like, how did he become a Niners fan? Well, a bunch of people in his family were Jets fans, and the Jets of the Jets, right, and when he was growing up. He's a little younger than we are, not much, but I think of a few years, but the Niners were dominating with Montana and Rice and then to Steve Young and

I want to go in, Like, well, it's fifty miles away.

But then he took Brian into the cal equipment room at Memorial Stadium. They rated it. He puts on his Cal Football T shirt for the gig that night. That's awesome and he's like, yeah, now I'm a cow fan. So you know, bribery kind of worked its way, but now Cal's got a new big fan and Brian from a gasline anthem.

One more thing before we get into some sports. Is our guy Adam dating right now?

Yes? Okay? Well, and do we approve? Yes, we do very much.

So now the only reason I bring it up is my potentially my favorite bit because when you first said this on my show, I'm like, he's can't be serious. Is the fact that you legitimately were beefing with Courtney Cox because of the way she treated your friend Adam.

Yeah, it's there's a lot there. There's a lot to unpack Spence in that statement there.

But really I'm like, he's got to be pulling my leg, like there's no way our And you know, Adam during the nineties had a run.

Where he dated Courtney for two years? Was there two full years? Two years?

Wow?

I felt like every couple of years he was moving on to the next like celebrity, right, I mean, because he for a while he did okay for himself, but for a while, rock Syed The Counting Crows were potentially the biggest band in America for about four or five years in the nineties.

When they were in that conversation they burst out of the scene.

Was almost like overnight now they Adam struggled for a while. He didn't make it till his late twenties, which is kind of a rare story for somebody to make it that late. But when mister Jones and the album August and everything after, it just took off and it exploded to the point where he had to get out of Berkeley. Like he was living in Berkeley still and he had to move because it was just he was getting oversaturated in his front yard. People were coming to hang out.

It must have been so cool as a friend to watch that success, because you know, we only hear about it when they are in our consciousness, when they become famous. We rarely see the backwork, and it sounds like Adam was probably grinding on smaller.

Tours for years with other bands. That's so cool.

Like he was at a band called the Himalayans, where if you kind of google that, there's the original version of round Here, which is very different from the one Counting Crows perform. Yeah, but he brought it over and they tweaked it, and it was on August and everything after. But like the Himalayans, it was almost more acid rock than it was what it became. And it's interesting to hear the difference between the two.

That's really cool. That's really cool.

All right, let's start with I think most everyone including me around here, we know you from the Fact twelve network, right, and that obviously I don't know if you've heard that's not a thing anymore.

Really.

Yeah, So your full time, your full time with the ESPNS. Yeah, for some reason, I just thought you were like contracted out all over the place. But your full time with the ESPN. So what does the Roxy Bernstein fall calendar look like?

So I've got some college football lined up. I've got Arizona State's opener coming up on August thirtieth. Then I jump back into Major League Baseball labor day, I'll be in Detroit for the Mets and the Tigers. I have a family situation going, our family thing down in La.

So I always have almost like a reverent respect for people like you, because you know, another front of the show.

I an eagle, yeah, who can do anything.

And you do hockey, you do basketball, you do football, you do baseball.

Is there one that you prefer?

And what are the challenges of bouncing back and forth between sports?

The way you do The pacing is very different bence in terms of baseball. For example, Hockey and basketball are so quick, but baseball has that deliberate pace to it, and the back and forth, unless you're prepared mentally, can be a little different.

Yep.

And like I'll be going from football to baseball a couple of days later. But I love the versatility that I get to deal with and the variety of sports. Like, Okay, you have to have a certain amount of bandwidth to be able to comprehend everything and remember all that story, but I follow it religiously, like I, you know, I'm so invested in football, in basketball, where most of my relationships are, but major League Baseball I've worked for a

Is there a endgame that you have in mind, because it's you know, like Joe Buck did baseball for years, and he did a little bit of everything for years, and then he's the voice of Mounted that football, and so I would imagine if you got the offer to be the voice of Mount on that football, that'd be

I'm so happy with where I'm at now. That's cool.

ESPN has been great to me, and for example, they let me work for the PAC twelve network. Yes, I was fully invested in the PAC twelve as you know, and I'm born and raised, grew up on it, and it was gut wrenching when everything came crashing to a halt like it did. But ESPN has been fabulous to me and my family, and I love that they let me do all these different sports and they give me that freedom, that flexibility. I don't know if there's like a Okay, I have to have this job or that game,

Sure, but I.

If some opportunity presented itself, yeah, I'd take a look at it. But right now I'm thrilled where I'm at. I just sent my oldest off to college. She's a freshman at TCU. Very nice and my son has just started his sophomore year of high school. So we're in Trench in the Bay Area for now. Doesn't mean I'll be there forever.

Yeah, what if like a team came calling, Like is that the type of dream gig?

You know?

Baseball, basketball, football? I guess it depends on the team, depends on the market.

Yeah, And look, I've had opportunities, and I've looked at him, and I've talked with teams, and some have been pretty close to happening.

But it's.

It's tough with the family because look, it was just me Spence or just my wife.

Yeah, it's different.

The kids are in Trench and that's all they know, and to rock their world and turn it upside down would be very difficult for me to do.

Yeah.

I was eleven when we moved back east when my father took the job in New York with MSG, And it was a hard thing, man like when when you're uprooted from your friends, and certainly there's a little bit of a culture shock when you go from Salt Lake City to New York, you know, and then back again too. And my family's still back east. But I want to ask you about Bill Walton. You're wearing a shirt that says Walton on it, and you know one of the

Discretion is important.

Sometimes the albums are great, sometimes the songs don't land whatever.

Everybody has their own preference.

But what was it like working with him side by side and then getting to know the man outside of just the broadcaster.

It was awesome. Bill was the greatest, he really was.

And I think of Bill every day, and you know, I honor him wearing the shirt pretty often. It became a staple of my wardrobe.

But just his.

Impact on me, like we became friends. And I remember the first game we did together, and it was we were doing an n game at the University of San Francisco years ago and it was LSU at USF. First off, Bill was ecstatic to be there because Bill Russell was his hero and that's where Bill Russell went to college, won the national championships with the Dons back in the fifties, and so he was super excited. He's always extremely excited to be anywhere he's at, that's the best thing about him.

I mean that was synonymous with Bill.

And so we're about thirty seconds away from going on air and doing our open for the game, and Bill looks at me, takes out his gum and he says, what's your name again? I go Roxy, He goes roxy, I'll try not to get you fired. And then literally we're on the air, and that was the start of a friendship. We went to dinner that night, crazy enough, and they hate Ashbury right down the street from the University of San Francisco, which Bill probably spent many nights

Is Luke still coaching? You got he's an assistance. Yeah, that's right. You know, it's interesting.

Before my father actually took the job of the Jazz when I was a pup. We lived in Boston, he was with Bain And so my first NBA experiences were the Celtics of the eighties and Bill was the sixth man on a Celtic team that won the championship. So I'm not old enough to remember Bill Walton like prime

Is that fair to say? Oh, it's fair to say. I mean, he was the MVP in What's seventy eight and I'm like you, I didn't. I'm not old enough to appreciate him from his prime. And I remember that the broken down Bill that did come off the bench. It was a key part of that Celtics championship team in eighty six for sure, But the stories that I hear, for example, from my uncle that did. He's a retired doctor now, but he was doing his residency at UCLA when Bill was playing there, so he got in. He

Yeah, incredible.

You know, it's funny you bring bring up the Yokic thing because when Jokic kind of burst on the scene. Unfortunately for our show, Jeff Van Gundy is back coaching in the NBA, so I can't get him on. But when he was with you know, ESPN and NBC. I had him on almost every week, and Jeff was the first one when I asked him, like, does Yolkicic remind you of anybody? Said yeah, Bill Walton. Bill Walton was like the original of what Jokic is doing. Now let

You go on time. So let's move over here.

Talking about this yesterday the current state of college football. So Brian Rolap, who's the new commissioner or CEO on the PGA Tour, Friend of the show. We've had Brian on spend twenty two years in the NFL. For the first time, he spoke yesterday about his vision for the future of the p and I thought it was just dynamite.

He talked about innovation. I think he said innovation.

Five or six times, and I juxtaposed that to change for change sake, which is what I feel like college football continues to do. So the Big Ten floats out this twenty eighteen playoff model, and you're like, dude, yes, I'm a grown up. I understand that means more revenue, but there's a limit. You could have one hundred teams in the playoffs too, and you would make more money.

But at some point, if you do away with what I.

Perceive makes college football special, and that is the prescient nature of every weekend, the urgent nature of every game, certainly conference games. You kill conference championship games, you do away with the urgency of every single weekend. I do think you're in danger of diluting your product a little bit. And I guess the bottom line is there's nobody in charge. So the Big ten knows that they can float out whatever idea they want. So can the SEC and say, look,

I think for some, but that could be a small percentage spence of the traditionalist in college football. I'm with you, worried about it. It's going to get diluted if you do expand that greatly. Just the way college athletics is going. I've been worried for a while. And now that they're trying to get a hold of the nil model and make it a revenue share. It's all fine and dandy if you take it for what it is, but there's

Example, well, what's going to happen to the Olympic sports? Right?

Okay, football and basketball, they're going to be fine, But what happens to baseball, to volleyball, to soccer and all these great athletes that could be losing opportunities. And that's something that's troubling to me, is the potential for all these sports to be pushed away and the revenue share model. Look,

Mark Harlin on Saturday of last week addressed some Utah alumni and Utah boosters. Utah athletics reported like an eighteen million dollar loss last year. Final two years in the Pac twelve they made little bit of cash couple mill two or three, And Mark talked about the reserve they have. The president of the university right now is a brilliant businessman. His name is Taylor Randall. He's the dean of the business school before taking over as president. So I think

To maybe being in the red.

But did I read that Cal is considering doing something drastic with their football program?

Okay, no, no, no, that was somebody just threw it out there to be a troll it. It was an Oregon State fan that did that. Any problem with Twitter, it took off. There is Ron Rivera is now the general manager for Cal football. He reports directly to the chancellor. He circumvents the ad they are firmly committed to football, that they're determined to be successful and that's why they brought in wrong.

Good good good to hear and you know, it's it's interesting to hear Mark talk about, you know, the plans with the rev share. Every school now has twenty point five mil. That doesn't include nil. But the other element that I and I've always said this, college football to me has always been the hardest sport to predict, no matter what. Now it's even more so because most every school has at least thirty to forty new players. Bronco Menanol has eighty new players in Logan for Utah State.

For the youths.

Kyle Whittingham is number one, Yeah, just because of the culture he's established, and I know it's been a couple of rough years, but the consistency throughout his career gives me optimism that Utah can push and make a run in the Big Twelve. Look, nobody thought Arizona State was going to do what it did last year, picked last and they won it, and we're in the College Football Playoff. Now, all of a sudden, they're in the crosshairs.

Right.

Everybody is trying circling Arizona State on their schedule because of what they did last year and what Kenny Dillingham has done is phenomenal. But you know, I think Kyle's happy if you talk and just kind of lay in the weeds and people will look other places and he can just go about his business. But when they have the physicality upfront, which they do on both sides of the ball. That's where it's established for a Kyle Whittingham team.

Yeah.

No, for sure, there's no ambiguity about who's under center. It's Devin dan Pierre, who's in New Mexico transfer and they bring his offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, a running back and a wide receiver that played in New Mexico a year ago. I do think there's a little trepidation about taking this step up in competition from the Mountain West to the Big twelve. But we saw Cam Wore do it right and we've seen other players do it as well. What experience, if at all, do you have with the

One of my funnier moments we were doing the game down at the Marriott Center and Bill and I did the game. It was back in December. This was years ago when BYU was still in the WCC, and of course the youths were in the PAC twelve and Larry Stoviac was coaching Utah and I don't even think I think it was still Dave Rose was coaching BYU at that time, and so I couldn't get into town. First off, the night before to have dinner with Bill, So I set him up to have dinner with Tom Holmo b

I was gonna say, was it milk?

You know?

Because it was some punch, That's all. I'll say.

Fair enough, fair enough, all right, before I let you get out of here and it gets the show. We are a hockey city now, yeah, And you were one of the first guests that I thought of Devon as soon as the announcement came down.

It's no longer the Utah Hockey Club. It is the Utah Mammoth.

They were right in the mix for a wild card until the final couple of weeks. They've made a couple of good acquisitions in the offseason. What should we expect is it? Do you think playoffs are reasonable for our hockey team this year?

They've got to stay healthy this year, yep, Spence, especially on the blue line. The injuries that they dealt with, whether it was Jersey last year, they were beaten up on the blue line, missing Marino for as long as they did, and it was it made it tough for them. And then with Conning or minn atol lineup with his stuff going on off the ice. But I do believe that their talent is there. Certainly, Keller made a huge jump last year and has turned into one of the

Yes? I do.

The division is so tough when you look at Colorado in Dallas and those two teams you start there with Winnipeg and then Saint Louis made that push last year. Central Division is hard, and unfortunately, I think they're in the toughest division. I'm not saying they can't do it and get to a wild card to finish in the top three, but they need things to go right, and they can't have the barrage of injuries they had a year ago.

Well said, all right, favorite Counting Crows opener and closer. What do you want to see him do tonight?

Well, I kind of know you. No, no, I don't, because they make it up like it's not all of a sudden, this same generic set list every.

Night, but you'll know the set list prior to the show.

Roxy, jeez, I got a time my bathroom breaks properly and if I have to.

Go fair enough. So can I ask you what they're opening with tonight? I don't know.

I really don't know what they're opening with. It seems on this tour they have been opening with the new song, Oh Tulsa Spaceman Tulsa. Okay, that's a possibility. I'm not saying that's gonna happen, but it's funny. I had him as he's evolved over the years, realized there's about five songs I have to play every night.

For sure, and I would say more than that to be honest.

Yeah, but he's also trying to push the new album. Yeah, but mister Jones, Rain King Long December and King hanging around round here. Those are songs omaha. I mean, those are songs that are probably gonna be I'm guessing. I don't know, but they could be in the set list today.

All right, man, Well we'll set you loose. Thanks so much for brother enjoy the show. Okay, all right, special thanks to Roxie Bernstein from ESPN for rolling in live in studio today prior to his trip out to You Sanna to see his buddy Adam Dirts and count and Crows. We're gonna bring in Kenna Scott's former Utah Wide receiver the newest member of RSL DeAndre Yedlin Sports Court.

Later on as well.

But the eyes of the world of professional golf on the PGA Tour are on East Lake in Atlanta, where Russell Henley is now your leader at eight under par A lot of players going low. Always fun to catch up with our next guest from the Golf Channel, Rex Hoggard on a Thursday afternoon, Rex, how are you sir?

Amy?

Thursday after and in Atlanta.

I'm great.

How are you.

I'm good. I really appreciate the time.

So tell me about the conditions in the track and what's allowing these players to go as low as they've been going so far.

Hey, it's funny. We were told to expect in The PGA Tour announced this a few weeks ago that they wanted to make this a more difficult test. They wanted to add a little bit more risk reward. It was something that the fans told them that they wanted to see at the Tour Championship. So the golf course had been sort of set up a little bit different this year. I think the expectation was to maybe create a little bit more of a challenge. That's certainly not the case,

Field is under par.

And it has everything to do with if you've ever been in the South in the summertime, pretty much rains every single night. So it's just soft. And I don't care what you do to a golf course. If players have irons in their hands from the fairway and the greens are soft, they're going to be aggressive. And that's what we're seeing today.

No doubt.

So Russell Henley is now at eight under, he's your leader, he's through seventeen. But we got Colin Morikala, Patrick Candley and Justin Thomas in the clubhouse at six hundred par after carding sixty fours.

What does the weekend ahead hold?

Are we going to see conditions change or do you think we're going to continue to see low scores.

I think it's gonna be low scores. I think actually they moved up two times for tomorrow because there's some anticipated storms in the afternoon. There's storms around the area right now. Again it's sort of just rent and repeat in the south, so I don't think the golf course

Do you like the change?

I mean, I always found it hokey, and I'm certainly no expert like you are, but this feels any reference Scotty's comments about the new format, which he prefers. Does it feel like it's a consensus that most people do appreciate and like this new format now, Rex, I think.

There's simplicity of this. The players appreciate, certainly the fans I appreciate. You're not trying to figure out the mass on Thursday afternoon when Scotty's teeing off at ten under par. That doesn't make sense to a lot of golf fans. I will say it feels like a transition, Yere. I think the Tour is going to continue to tinker with this format. The new CEO, Brian Rollop, spoke yesterday to the media, and I think the tour is going to

I do want to ask you about Brian's comments, and I've had Brian on the show. We actually have family friends and he's from the same footprints that I'm from, and so you know, twenty two years with the NFL, and I think it's a great hire.

I think he's going to be dynamite.

But before we get there, it's interesting asking who you like now that we actually have some scores. But when it comes to this tournament at the end of the day, Scotty Scheffler has the shortest odds to win it since Tiger in two thousand and nine. Who do you think sold in the trophy rex at the end well.

And Scotty has played well, he's won here before. But he pointed out Calin more Kywa, what have won here last year? I had it not been for starting strokes, and calinm Moore Kya is right at the top of the leaderboard. So I would actually lean towards one of those players. Certainly Justin Thomas has played well here in the past. They both do the one thing you have to do, and let's drive the ball well around this golf course because you can score if you're in the fairway,

All right, When when are we allow to talk about Scotti Scheffer in the same sentence as Tiger Because when I've done that before my golf guests usually they scold me greatly. And it's interesting RECs Like whenever a stat pops up, Like, for instance, I think I read that Scotty just became the first player since Tiger to have back to back years where he won five times, and Tiger did that like seven times. So I'm well aware

You mean we weren't allowed to talk about it until now that that's not I even get that memo thank you talking about it? Thank you. Yeah. I just think I hate comparisons to Tiger Woods because I've done it pretty much my entire career, and it's always unfair to the player you're comparing and unfair to Tiger Woods. Like the things he did were historic, and I still think Scotty clearly still has some time. I mean, Tiger did

I was watching your coverage last night and Brandal Shambley actually anecdotally shared a story.

I can't remember who he was speaking to.

I think it was over in Dublin and somebody told him he thinks Scotty is actually I can't remember the verb. I don't want to say a better player than Tiger, but maybe a cleaner player than Tiger or something.

Like that. I mean, Brandal said that on the broadcast last night.

That might be a recent advice. I don't know about that. One can say again, Tiger sustained this over two decades, and I mean that's amazing to think about the things he accomplished over the course of his career. And even Scotty will dismiss this a little bit. He has had a magical three and four year run, and the things he's been able to accomplish we didn't anticipate because parody has become the normal on the PGA tour. But yeah, I don't see that. This is just starting to feel

Randall seems like an interesting fellow. What's he like?

I have nothing but respect for brand I've worked with him luckily over the last decade or so, and no one works harder. And that's the part that just blew me away. It's one thing. He has opinions on everything, and he's very good on TV and his knowledge of the game is amazing. However, it's the one thing when you get in the trailer with him six seven, eight hours before the broadcast and he is just grinding over notes and stats and historical references. He never goes into

Well said, all right, let's move on the comments, and we talked about it on the show yesterday and again for golf fans that don't know Brian Rollout, this is a dynamite sports executive, a sharp person and a very good guy. So for the first time we were able to kind of hear from him in you know, kind of an official media setting about what he sees as it pertains to the future of the sport. And they're putting together a committee that will be led by Tiger

The goal is significant change. What Rex do you think that means?

He's three weeks on the job. This was his third week on the job, and he stood in front of everyone and talked about and we're not talking about incremental change. We're talking about significant change and what he has proposed, and I'm sure what is actually being thought about it. It is going to be dramatic. When you look at sort of the three pillars that they leaned into, it's parody and we already have that. And when it comes to the PGA towards simplicity, we do not have that.

What is fair to say about Jay Monahan as he makes his exit from his position with the tour.

He certainly is happy. A couple of us talked about it today when we see him there this week, and of course he would be. I mean, the weight off his shoulders must be enormous. And I have not want to be the apologist for Jay Monahan. However, I will point out that during his tenure as commissioner, he dealt with a couple of things that were unprecedented, and the pandemic, which buy and large everyone says the Tour handled the

Faced, So, Rex, I have a confession and I'm going to ask for your forgiveness. Prior to my brother and sister in law reside in Carmel, Indiana, and I went to visit them a week ago and as I landed and we were driving home from the airport, he said, I have a surprise. And Scott O'Neill, who is the commissioner of Live Golf, worked with my father at Madison Square Garden, so we have a connection there. And he said, I got us passes to go to the Live Golf

I think Brian sent a clear message during his press conference that he didn't want to address live because he knew that was going to overshadow what he was trying to get across, and that's this new committee with everything he's trying to do. I also think he wanted to show some teeth and he certainly did that. Whether people agree with and Ron, I think you have to show strength in a situation like that. To be fair, I have gone through numerous live golf events, so there's absolutely

Yeah, and hopefully that happens at some point. Now, one more live question. So when the whole thing first burst on the scene, there was so much anger, there was so much passion, there was so much divisiveness. In retrospect, did Live accomplished something that we didn't see coming because it's pretty undeniable RECs. So the PGA Tour did make some adjustments after realizing, like, yes, this is a real threat.

Yes, I think that's perfectly fair, especially when it comes to Phil Nicholson that his argument all along was we should be playing for bigger purses and in big tournaments,

We are broadcasting about five miles away from where Tony Fenale cut his teeth, and you know, once upon a time it felt like Tony was evolving and growing into potentially one of the best players in the world. And I'm not saying he's not that now, but this was not a great year for our local player who we all pull for on the tour. What do you think plagued to Tony the most this year and do you think he can bounce back next season.

I actually was kind of going down the list and I was taken that he wasn't here because he's become such a staple and the Tour Championship is one of those benchmarks that you look at great players and how many times did you qualified for the Tour Championship.

I think this year was a.

Combination of things. It seems to me he lost something on the ball striking front, which, at least off the tee is what's going.

To carry him.

I mean, he has power that other players, most other players can't find, but if you look at it statistically, it's really on the greens where he seemed to at least lose that edge whatever it is that separated him from playing in the first playoff event and in the last playoff event being here at East Lake. So it seems to me across the board he regressed for some reason, and we don't know. There could be a very good reason for that. There could have been injury, there could

All right, Rex, before I say you loose, We also have a really cool new thing and I were stayed down south in Saint George Black Desert Resort. I've had a chance to play it a couple of times. It is awesome, And for the second straight year, the PGA Tour during their Fall Fall Tour portion of the calendar will stop at Black Desert for the Bank of Utah Championship. I don't want to diminish the field a year ago, but of course the best golfers in the world don't

You look at the guys who are scrambling outside the top seventy of those who didn't qualify for the playoffs, so those who are right there on the edge. I think the entire fall could be benefited by this. For right or wrong, but yeah, I think you could end up. I mean it makes sense for Tony to play there, certainly where he is on the points list. Jordan Speed is a little bit different animal because there are exemptions that he can fall back on from previous victories and

I lied to you.

I've got to ask you one more question, is the expert before I set you loose? Obviously, the Ryder Cup is right around the corner. Cannot wait for that. We know who the six qualifiers are at Scottie, JJ Spahn, Xander Russell, Henley Harris, English, Rice and Deshambeau. Who fills out that team? Rex, give me your best guest before I set you loose.

We were just going around and round about this. I think you can point to some I think Colin Moore, Kawar and JT are clearly say if they're right there on the list, that makes sense to add them to the team. I think Ben Griffin has done enough this season two wins to top ten finishes in a major. I think he should be on that team. And then you start talking about some combination of Patrick Cantlay, he brings so much to the team, Cameron Young breaking through

Rex.

Thank you for the time. We'll set you loose. Enjoy the rest of the tournament and love to do it again. Okay any time. Thanks all right, Rex Hodgard from the Golf Channel. Really nice of him to actually join us. He's been on TV all night and all day in Atlanta at east Lake at the Tour Championship where Russell Henley just birdied a team to cart a sixty one nine under.

Russell Henley is your leader in the clubhouse.

He's three shots clear of Colin Morikawa, Patrick Cantley and Justin Thomas in addition to Robert McIntyre. They're all six hundred part Tommy Fleetwood is still on the course as a s Scheffler.

They're both at five under par.

Then at sak Shape Tia Ludwig Obert, Rory mcelroyd four under, and then a grip of players at three under. This is a massive event with the best golfers in the world, so appreciate Rex of time.

Not sure you went to Golf PGA update.

You can dominate the tea with the titleist GT medals and experience faster speeds with longer, straighter drives that you went to golf and you went to golf dot com. Pull the phones. We have a Scottischeffler club throw Scotti Scheffler with a very uncharacteristic chip. He thinned his chip and went over the green, and he threw his golf club.

Porter, I've never felt so seen and heard.

If I can use the young people verbage right now, I feel seen, I feel heard today.

Yeah, he's just one of us, Spence, He's just one of us. Well, I wouldn't go that far. Brought to you by you went to golf indeed, indeed, but he did throw his golf club.

The Tour Championship is at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia. We're just a few weeks away, quite frankly from the Bank of Utah Championship up at the Black Does a resort down south in Saint George. Special thanks to Direx Hogar to join us live on site in Atlanta. We started things off with our buddy Roxy Bernsteam from the PAC. Twelve days he joined its live in studio. The newest member of Ryal sal Lake is DeAndre Yedlin. He's our guest on the other side of the four o'clock hour.

Then we'll do a little sports court.

But Utah football nine days away from game day. Our next guest, one of the best wide receivers to ever play at the You Kenneth Scott on a two excuse me a Thursday afternoon, Kenneth, Happy Thursday.

Man.

How are we doing?

Man?

Doing amazing?

Man?

Kn't complain? How y'all doing over there?

Though?

We're good? We're good. So give us an update, give us a life update. What's what's the latest in the life of Kenneth Scott?

Oh?

Man, nothing too much, man, Just out here trying to provide as much education and inspiration on whether it's through you know, public speaking at middle school, high school right now. I'm in higher education teaching as a professor, so you know, in one of those mediums you know, all allow us to do is just education is break man, That's basically it for me.

All right.

Where you live in these days? Are you out here? Are you back in Cali? Where where do we find you?

No?

I live out here in Houston, Texas.

Man.

That's the beautiful humidity weather.

Okay, very nice, very nice? All right, all right, let's get into it.

So we're nine days away from game day for the you to somebody who played for coach with played up here at the University of Utah. What's going on behind the scenes as we're getting ready for UCLA. At this point in camp, it's week three of camp. There's only one more week and then it's a game. So what's going on right now up there on the hill?

Oh?

Man, man, this year is extremely focused. I feel like this year doesn't have as much I wouldn't say, what can I say. I don't feel like there's a much expectation too much, you know, because last year, with cameras and everything, well, you know, we had a lot of expectations of, oh, we got to win the Big twelve. I think this year is more so where are they at? And then from there we're going to adjust our expectations accordingly.

So as a player, Kenneth, do you like it when the expectations are high?

Do you want people to expect you to Yeah?

Yeah, yeah, you know, last year, as you reference, most all of us, Utah would certainly compete, if not win the Big twelve, and it went the other way. Do you like when the expectations are high or do you prefer when you're kind of flying under the radar a little bit?

Man?

For some reason, I love the underdog mentality because it's like, all right, well I'm gonna show you, I'm gonna show you why I'm this and that. But it also does feel good to get the recognition that you know, we deserve as a as an organization, as a program, you know, throughout the year. So for us, For me personally, I loved coming in as the underdog so I can rise up through the occasion, rise up to it, or show

What about coach win, What do you think he prefers? Does he like, you know, the underdog role? Does he like you know, trying to find ways to motivate you when nobody thinks you're gonna do anything? Or do you think he prefers, you know, people understanding how good his team is.

Man coach with is the ultimate competitor that man competes with like compete, compete. So I feel like he loves the underdog mentality because he's the same mindset. He's like, I'm gonna show you. I'm gonna proved to you, Like, yes, I love the recognition, but I want to show you rather than you already putting me up there, I'm gonna

What's a what's a training camp like? Under coach Win? What's what you know? I think it's a little bit different now than it was back in the day because they don't go as hard. Certainly, the past couple of years for Utah football has been colored with the context of a tremendous amount of injuries and lack of health. So they're trying to make sure the frontline guys stay healthy but start to finish.

What's a camp like? Playing for Kyle Whittingham.

Yeah, like for for us and you know, in our program, I think the standard has always been the standard in regards to like we want to put each other to the limit every single day. But as you mentioned, you know, over the years, the physicality of it math tapered off.

So of course Cam Rising will always be remembered around here as a legend with with the back to back pack twelve championships and uh, you know, but ultimately, I think the past you know, year or so with Cam was tough around here because we just didn't know if he was going to be able to stay healthy. And now the programs across the landscape of P four are mandated to report injuries. We'll see if coach Wit finds

An ultimate an ultimate dog like I don't think people understand like at a time where we were like really searching for something, like.

Man, how can we get over this hump? How can we get to this destination? Like Cam Rising came in and put put us on that pedal suits, Like, oh man,

You know, you can relate to what Cameron went through, Kenneth, because when you were healthy, you were very productive, but you suffered some big time injuries because you had to miss a couple of years with injuries, and ultimately, you know, that's something that Cameron experienced as well. How challenging is it when you're relied upon by this community and this fan base to be playing and then you go down and you get hurt and there's nothing you can do

Man the injuries man. That that was the most challenging because you yourself see you as this figure of what you could be, but your body is kind of telling you differently. You still feel like maybe you can for the first couple of rests, but after a while that's fat kis seeing it. It's like, dang, maybe I may have lost the step. Maybe I you know, maybe I'm

Did you feel like you had that while you were here from I mean, of course you had it up at school with the athletic department and the football team, but as far as the community and the fans, did you feel like you had support when you were going through those injuries?

Oh?

Man, the support was crazy. I absolutely adored everybody. I loved everybody. It got to the point where people were bringing me, like making cakes for me and bringing me sweets and snacks to just make me feel better. And I thought out and that's why I'm forever indebted to you know, the state of Utah, the program, the fans,

I don't know how familiar familiar you are.

Kenneth with Devin Dampier, the new quarterback here at the University of Utah, who spent last season at New Mexico. He arrives on campus with his offensive coordinator Jason Beck and some other New Mexico transfer transfers as well. So again, not sure if you've been able to kind of dig in and get to know about Devin at all. But what are you expecting from Utah's new quarterback as we approach game day in just nine days?

Man, it's going to be a new dimension. I definitely I love I mean, I love the way he plays with utmost swagger and confidence. That's something kim Ryson has, that swagger and confidence. I love that about him. When you look at his game, it's pretty balanced. He he can't throw the ball and he can run that ball.

I think his named Ryan. I like what he does. He put up really good numbers last season. Like seven over seven hundred some.

Yards and fifty over fifty catches, So obviously there's chemistry there along with the other receivers that we have. And obviously our old lineman is freaking stacked and good. So you know, I'm looking forward to him being the leader that he is and like really moving that team and that offense along to where we can really make some noise on the officer and that kind of keeps up with the manstra of our program. And defense always wins his games. But I mean the offense and the hold their way too.

You know, the Irony Kenneth is a year ago, just an average offense would have put Utah in contention for a Big twelve championship because to your point, the defense is always stout, it is always prepared and is always ready to do. You have confidence that this year, based off the new personnel, the offense can at least complement the defense enough to put Utah in a position to compete for the league this season.

I'm hoping That's what I'm hoping. You know, It's always tricky because the new transitions, I know, I mean every year I was there at Utah, we had a different offensive coordinator and a different system, and so I know how that can take time, you know, to implement. But luckily for us, the quarterback and some of his weapons are coming over here, so it's not going to be as steep as a transition. So I'm assuming that we're at least i'm kno gonna win them. Hopefully we can

You reference the balance.

I'm really interested, Kenneth to see what that looks like this year on this team, because you point out the offensive line, all five starters are coming back ESPN ranked their top one hundred players in college football yesterday. Spencer Fino was number seven in the country regardless of position, so a lot of people think he's like a top ten pick. The other tackle, Cayleb Blowman's on the A sophomore Karen Kompa is a captain. Michael Mocafisi has thirty

That's what you bring up a good point. So I think since since we know that too outside looking in, I'm assuming other team's gonna think about the same and it's gonna be a more packed box, maybe a single high safety rather than too high.

Uh.

Single high safety just means there's gonna be more people in the box. You know the safety is gonna come down that it's gonna offer more opportunities on the outside to make plays and even the slot players too. So I think that's gonna allow us to do you know, have more masses on the outside for big plays and shoot with that type of offense, and having you know, our quarterback being a duel threat, he is shoot one

So you played the wide receiver position, and it is the positional group that most people have the most questions about because you know, Zach Williams kid was thought to be the number one wide receiver. He transfers to USC they're they're all they're all new, and if they're all new, they're all transfers.

We don't know much about any of them.

Soon as somebody who played the position, what should we be hoping for as far as watching a group of new players, what's it like to play wide receiver at Utah?

For Kyle winning him?

Man, I was hurt when Zack when he left the US. No, no, no, bring him back. Come on, man, he did so well and I think it was the UCF game he was balling. But you know what you can expect. I always say this, Man, it's not that we never had the like the talent at the position. It's just a matter of opportunity when it comes to it. And so if you are a receiver, just know that a lot of times you may have to put your ego aside and be like, man, you probably most likely are not going to get ten catches

Right.

It's just those unselfish acts that doesn't show on the stat sheet that's going to make you valuable as a receiver in this offense. And then when the opportunity does come, you just got to make sure what it makes sure it's your way to keep the possession going, or make that big play on the outside when it's one on one. You really and we really need it to shift the game. So I say all say all that have to say.

Current state of the sport is always something I'm interested to talk about former players with and let's start here. Is it still weird for you that the Pac twelve is dead, that there's not a home for West Coast football?

I am hurt by that. I am hurt. I grew up with the Pack Cans, watching USC and Oregon and even man, it hurts. I'm not gonna lie. It hurts me to the core being the West Coast guy. And no disrespect to the current teams in the in the new Pack, no disrespect, but it's not the same. It isn't the same. So I'm hurt by that. I'm be honest, and I don't like it, but I'm trying to understand it and be honest, I'm trying to understand it and accept it. But I don't like it. I'm just gonna be honest with you.

What do you think about Utah's current home, the Big twelve. I mean, it's just a different thing. It's a different footprint, it's different road trips for fans, it's an entirely new experience.

What do you think, Big Kennon, It's okay. I mean, I'm selfishly it's okay for me because I know we're gonna have a game in Texas like this year. I see we're going to Baylor, so obviously I'm gonna march up to Baylor. We Waco, Texas to watch them play Baylor. But I honestly feel the way our program is structured, we either belong in the Big ten or if we

The other thing that has changed, Kennon since you were on campus is the ability of football players to profit off their name, image and likeness and make a little bit of money and in some cases make a lot of money. I always wonder how that lands with guys like you that had big personalities and were really really good and probably could have made a lot of money if the rules were a little bit different. Are you

That it's too way this duality to it. So for me, I'm happy for them, But oftentimes the things I see make me unhappy because it lose the essence of like the realness of the college experience. I'm gonna be honest, man, that locker room is sacred, like sacred, Like I just remember the good times, but we didn't have as much where we'd be like man, bro we don't need noodles.

No, it's well said, and you reference relationship Ken Kenneth. So before I say you lose, which are your former teammates do you keep in contact with? How connected are you to the alumni base man.

I don't want to single everyone out because think of like, well what about me? But I do have a lot of folks that I do keep in contact with currently right now, I know, I don't know if I could say too much of it, but we're trying to put together a former athlete association type things where you know, we can always keep that bond through different eras, right,

Where can people go find you on social if they want to book you to speak? Where are some of the touch points people can find you, Kenneth.

Yeah for sure, So on Instagram or Twitter they can find me at Kate Scott Underscore too and if they would like to book me to speak, you can go on my website at Kenneth Scott dot me and it's they obviously email contact informations in there as well. And I'm excited about, uh, there's a future product that I'm going to be putting out here soon. It's a software product that's going to help you know, current high school

Good stuff, buddy, Hey, thanks for the time. It's great to catch up. You stay safe and we'll get you back on soon.

Okay.

Sounds great to me. Man, Thank you guys so much. I appreciate you all right.

Kennth Scott, former wide receiver for the University of Utah, now residing in Houston, Texas. I always appreciate the opportunity to catch up with Kenneth. What do you know, it's time to start thinking football and we're only a few weeks away from the best time of year, so it's time to prep your field. Make sure you're using IFA Step three for the weeks ahead when the weather is still hot. But as the dog days of summer give way to fall, it's time to start thinking about step

Time to hit the pitch on the drive.

The RSL Insider today and every day is brought to you by beer bar Head Downtown for watch parties and game day shuttles to the stadium. More at beer BARSLC dot com.

Scotti Scheffler Birdie's three of the final four holes to card sixty three and he is second all by himself behind Russell Henley at seven hundred par Russell Henley Carter at is sixty one.

At the Tour Championship in East Lake.

We'll get back to some college football storylines in the five o'clock hour.

Got a little sports score coming your way as well.

But it's a historic day for our local soccer club as ral Saw Lake made a splash, made an acquisition, brought in a really good player, and we are lucky enough to get to know him. Here on the program is DeAndre Yedlin is our guest an AE Thursday.

DeAndre Happy Thursday. Man, how are we doing.

I'm pretty good. Thank you for having me.

Welcome to Salt Lake, Welcome to Utah. We're very excited to have you here.

I wonder if you could enlighten us on this process, how this all went down, and how you're feeling now that you're here on the ground.

Yeah, it was kind of a whirlwind.

Salt Lake had had shown some interest a bit ago, so I've known about the interest for a while and you know, finally boiled down, you know, to the point where obviously ended up coming here. And you know, I think a big, a big thing for me was uh, you know, not just there, not just their commitment to me now, but you know for the future that you know that means a lot, and you know it shows just you know, how much they value me. So I

Now you're a Seattle kid at birth, and you've lived all across the world quite frankly bouncing around Europe, and you played in Cincinnati, Miami, of course, Seattle back in the day. What what do you know about Utah? What do you know about Salt Lake?

I know about the great Salt Lake.

I came.

I came down here when I think I was like ten years old. I got a picture of me floating into salt in the gray Salt Lake. Me and my grandfather did a lot of hikes growing up, you know, obviously, being from Seattle with the mountains up there also, so we also did a lot of road trips.

So I think that road.

Trip specifically was kind of down through Yellowstone and then to Arches.

So I'm a big fan of nature.

I love mountains, I love National parks, lakes, you know, whatever it be, as long as you have to do with nature, I'm a I'm a big fan of his. So you know that definitely, that definitely had a learning effect in pulling me here.

Now, what do you know about the club? What do you know? I mean, I mean, it's it's an interesting thing.

Yeah, I mean, it's a it's a it's as far as em Ols goes, the historic club in this league, you know, I know, obviously this year, uh, you know, middle of the pack. So I think there obviously improvements can be made, but you know, at the end of the day, I think there's a great team and a team that can really make a push here at the end. Yeah, at the end of the day, I think, you know, it's a it's a great club. They've had club legends here.

You know.

I actually was able to play with both Nick Ramondo and Kyle Beckerman. You know, Jason christ was a coach of mine and in Miami, so I know him pretty well. The GM Kurt was I don't know what his official position was in Seattle when I was in the academy there, but he was there when I was when I was in Seattle, so I know him pretty well. John Spencer, who also works works at the club. You know, I've known him since I was in high school. So I

So tell me, DeAndre, We're hoping to see your club debut on Saturday?

Is that the plan?

I hope?

So yeah, I hope.

So you know, I want to get started as quick as possible and kind of get integrated within the group.

So yeah, hopefully sooner rather than later.

What in your conversations with Pablo, who's a guest on the show every week and someone I've known a long time and I really have become fond of him.

He's a really, really good guy.

So I wonder what your impressions are of him, and during the conversations you've had with him, what what have you been asked to do so far?

I mean, honestly, the first time I've talked to him was today. You know, obviously known I've known of Pablo for quite a long time. I think, you know, everybody with an MLS has. My first conversation with him was actually today, and he's a great guy. He's a great you can tell from just from the get go. He's a great guy. He really, you know, not only cares about the player, but the human asked at it as well,

How familiar are you, DeAndre with this roster?

And obviously it's going to be a learning curve because they just brought in Roland Cruise as well as Victor Olatunji to big acquisition during the summer windows, so it is kind of a new group. And as you referenced earlier, it's getting late early. There's only eight matches left to try to get this club across the playoff line.

So what do you know about your new teammates?

Yeah, I mean I obviously know about a lot. I haven't played with any of them previously in any of my previous clubs, but I do know a lot of about the players here, whether that's been you know, speaking with players that I've played with the players here or whatnot.

So you know, I feel like I feel like I do know them, But today it is.

My first day of training. So you know, it's good to get out and get to know the guys a little bit. And it's a great group. You know, they, like I said, they welcome me in, you know, so so easily. So it was really good to get out with them. And you know, they obviously have some some great talent on the team, great young talent. And you know that excites me, you know because usually usually the the the young guys are super hungry, and I like that.

So ultimately, you are also married with two young children. And did I read that your wife is from the Bronx.

She is from the Bronx. Yeah, she is from the Bronx.

Yeah, DeAndre where I'm a Northeast kid. I grew up in Connecticut. It's a little where we're a little bit far away from the Bronx.

Salt Lake is not necessarily Bronx.

I've got to know what was your wife's reaction when you said, Babe, we're moving to Salt Lake.

Yeah?

She I mean, she's she's been amazing throughout my whole career. She was out with me in Newcastle. She moved with me when I went to Turkey, obviously, to Miami, to Cincinnati and out here. So she's she's all those places were so different. She's adapted to every to every place, and she truly is you know, she truly is that rock, you know, because obviously I'm on the road a lot, so you know, she's the one that stays behind with the kids and she makes my life way way easier.

So once upon a time, DeAndre, you were the youngest player on the World Cup roster in twenty fourteen, and look, father time comes for us. All you blink and suddenly you're thirty two and you're the wily old vet top to tell me about the evolution the process going from one of the bright young stars in our country to now this vet, how has your journey kind of colored that context for you?

Yeah, it's it's been a wild ride.

And you know, the crazy thing is I don't feel a day older than when I started, you know, so you know, obviously, you know physically it casts up with you, but you know, mentally, I still feel young, I still feel energetic. But it's been an amazing journey. And I've learned so much along this journey. I think even more than which are probably surprised people, even more than on the field growth off the field, I've grown a ton, and I think I see a lot of that credigois

Now?

Is there?

You know, when you look at your resume, you've accomplished a lot in this game, You've accomplished a lot as a player. Is there a single highlight. Is it a World Cup call up? Is it going overseas and playing in Europe? Is there one highlight that you're most proud of?

Honestly, honestly, it is just playing in front of my kids. That's that's really the biggest thing for me. I'm a huge family guy, and you know, I try to keep the main thing the main thing, and I know for me the main thing is my kids and my family. Soccer is second to that. So, you know the fact that I'm able to play in front of them and they're they're able to see their father, you know, play like they They still ask questions when people come up and try to take pictures of me, like why is

I've just got to know what it's like because I read that you you were the captain in Miami and then they then they acquired a player. Let me see if I can pronounce this name right, uh in Leonal Messi?

What what was it? What was it like to hand the captain's arm band the legal Messi?

I mean it was a pretty easy thing for me because I'm not going to be.

On the field with Messi and and and.

Be the captain. So I was like, yeah, you you take this, my friend, But no, it was it was an amazing experience. You know, he's he's a player that you know, not only myself, but I think probably everybody playing now like soccer nowadays, grew up watching and admiring and you know, he was a he was a hero

I mean, I don't mean to geek out on this dynamic.

I just think it's it's so incredible that he is here, and it's so incredible that we have the opportunity to watch him play in the United States. I never thought it would be a reality. So I've got I've got to ask you what was it like to experience just his brilliance every day in training? Are they are there things to learn? Or is it like he's just on kind of his own level?

Is it is it? Is it even hard to focus when you're watching brilliance like that?

Yeah, No, I mean he's on his own level obviously.

You know, you can try to replicate the things that he does, but you know you're not gonna be able to. So it's really just about it's just about accepting it and just enjoying the show while it's while it's on. You know, obviously father time catches up to him as well, and you know he's not gonna be able to go on forever. So you know, it's just really just about enjoying it and enjoying you know, that greatness and that brilliance. Well it's here, and then you know when he when

You know, you have such a unique prison in perspective, DeAndre when it comes to the sport in our country, because you've experienced the sport elsewhere, and you've also made a home in MLS and you've also played in World Cups.

You know, RSL has been.

Here twenty five years now, which is pretty wild to consider. How how have you seen the game grow domestically and do you believe with a World Cup cycle coming up, the game will continue to trend in the right direction?

Yeah, I mean the game is growing in an insane amount here. You know, obviously with the arrival of Messi that bumps it up. Then you know, you have the Club World Cup that bumps it up. The World Cup is coming that will bump it up. And just you know, since I've been back from Europe, the level of play has gotten exponentially better, the facilities, the stadiums, even even down to like how the fans understand the game, you know, because you know, back when I back when I started,

Or whatnot.

So, yeah, it's growing, going exponentially. It's great to see. I think it's only going to grow even more. And you know, all that means is is you know, better players being produced and you know, better talent for this country.

When you were a young player, when you were coming up through the youth ranks, did you have because I always find this interesting, you know, when it comes to the visions people had for their careers. Did you have the goal of playing in a World Cup? Did you have the goal of playing in Europe? Or has your career even outshot your own dreams what you thought you could do.

Yeah, I mean I I had a dream of going I had dreams of going to Europe. I had dreams of playing the World Cup. But yeah, I mean as honestly, as as soon as I really turned as I turned professional, it wasn't I didn't really even think about those sorts of things.

It was just kind of.

Taking it day by day and you know, just kind of going with the flow if you will, you know, it's there's It's not often I sit and think act on my career. Sometimes I take time to do it, but.

You know, so much of.

It is just day by day, and that's how I try to live my life. You know, tomorrow's not promised, so you know, I just try to live in the president, live in the present moment, and you know, what will be will be. Kind of I I personally is, especially with kids coming into my life, understand there's more important things than soccer, So you know, I don't want to make that like the you know, this is my ultimate

Oh, you and Pablo are going to get it.

You're going to get along with Pablo so well.

Yeah, I've heard. I've heard he's into grounding, which I'm very into as well. So we'll have to get some grounding sessions.

In grounding meditation. You will find him meditation.

Yeah, I love it. I love it.

You're gonna get along really well.

Do you do you have any boxes you would like to check that you haven't checked yet. I know you're an in the moment guy you're focused on right now, but is there anything you feel like you have left to accomplish.

I mean in MLS so far, I haven't won an MLS Cup, so I have won every other well besides like a Champions League here, but I haven't won an MLS Cup. So I would love to do that here in Salt Lake. I think, you know, we're building a great team to be able to accomplish that. So that's that's kind of a main goal here is to is to achieve that.

What do you like to do when you're not playing soccer? I know you got those kiddos in the life. Is it just family time when you're not playing.

It's it's family time. I'm a I'm a big creative person, so whether it's drawing or some sort of art fashion, I love. I love really anything that has to do with creativity. I love the mountain, so here I'll probably be hiking and you know, driving up in the mountains and you know, just enjoy being in nature. You know,

All right, before I say you lose, I gotta ask you this question. I asked Diego, Diego Luna the same question. I am fascinated with what I refer to as neck tattoo confidence, neck tack confidence.

Where does where does that come from? The neck tack confidence?

Honestly, I was like, all right, I've had I'm trying to think when I got it. When I got my neck tat, yeah, I was like, I've been playing for long enough now I feel like if I need to get a job after, I can do something in the game. So I think I'm safe to get a neck tat.

I was.

I was holding out on it a bit just because I'm like, I don't know if I'm gonna have to work a nine to five or something after. But I figured, you know, hopefully, if I if I'm gonna work, I can do something within the game, and and they're they're not going to be too pressed about it. Some necktats, So yeah, it's.

Uh, I love it. I love it.

I think it's I think it's awesome. I love Diego tattoos. I think I think they show us character and you know, allow him to be an individual. And yeah, it's it's awesome. I got asked the question today if we're gonna have a top tattoo count competition, so we we may be doing that in one of these one of these upcoming days.

No, I love it, man.

I think if you're in a scrap and you see a guy roll up on you in a neck tat, you better turn around and walk the other way.

Man.

I mean it's I think it's a.

Message exactly exactly, a little a little fake intimidation there, you know the vibe.

Love it man. Well, look, welcome to Salt Lake. I do think you'll love it here.

It's good living man, and best of luck, and we hope to see a debut on Saturday.

Okay, I appreciate that.

Thank you so much. All right.

DeAndre Yedlin the newest member of Raal sal Lake who's accomplished almost all you can accomplish as a soccer player. Certainly raised here in the United States, He's a Seattle kid born in Seattle, spent his early years in MLS with the Sounders, fifty six appearances with them, spent a minute with my Tottenham Hotspur, but was transferred to Sunderland and then made most of his European experience with Newcastle United one hundred and twelve appearances at three goals for them.

I think that was a DP acquisition for Miami.

Was named captain, and then Miami acquired a guy named Leono Messi, and then DeAndre gave him the captain's arm band because well, you know. Sixty five appearance with Miami, most recently with Cincinnati, fifty five appearances there, eighty five caps with the US men's national team. The only player that played for both the two thousand and twelve team, No.

You didn't make fun of him once?

No, I mean I wanted to pay respect, and also I'm trying to be better, a kinder, gentler Spencer and five for Fighting rocks.

No, they don't. They very much do not. But look, teach, what's the other song they have? Because or was that the Superman song? Superman is?

Uh?

Yeah, that's that's the other popular one. What was it? What's that easy? Yes?

That one?

Can you sing? Do you have pipes? I don't know that I know this about you. Are you musically inclined?

So my family is all like very musically inclined. My grandpa, my sister, my dad could pick up a guitar. Like, they're all really really good. I can't play an instrument for a lick, but when they're all playing, I can carry a.

Tune with them.

Okay, all right, good stuff. But I was kind to Roxy. I was respectful. I did not say anything about his choice to spend time actually seeing Five for Fighting in concert.

And ultimately, you know, you only have so many chances to see some of your favorite bands. Only you only get so many opportunities to see Counting Crows and Five for Fighting two days in a row.

Wow. See, it feels like Roxy doesn't strike me as a five for Fighting guy. A five for Fighting concert feels.

Like it would be similar to like a bare naked lady's audience, right is that fair, like that overlap of audience.

Yeah, I don't know exactly what that means, but yes, a lot of like maybe just some wine, some wine gals, some maybe like your friends that really really settled down right.

Yeah, a lot of married folk, a lot of people that don't have time. Like if you're married with multiple kids and like a really busy job, you don't have time to get into music. Like I was talking to my brother about this when I was visiting them last week. He's got a crazy busy job, he has six kids. And we got into a debate because he goes, hey, the Fray is here tomorrow night. Do you want to go see the Fray? I'm like, what, why would you bring that up? He's like, wait, you don't like the Fray.

Yeah, I don't totally disagree with you. Just to be clear, I was kind of playing Devil's advocate with the five for Fighting. I will say, I'm pretty sure. I'm pretty sure one hundred years is saved on my Spotify.

Well, and I'm sure it's probably saved on mine, right, And I'm sure the Fray song or I've got a few bare naked lady songs like Brian Wilson.

There we go. You know, So.

I'm being hypocritical because I'm sure there I have train songs on a playlist.

Okay, So like I'm not above the Fray. Look at what I did there?

Oh well yeah see bringing it back around, we do have the details. If you give a rip about the DeAndre Jedlin acquisition, RSL sent three hundred and four point seven million or a thousand that would be ridiculous. Three hundred and four point seven thousand dollars.

In GAM finally spend in which.

Is called general allocation money, and that's the number that since he had on their salary cap already, so RSL didn't really give up a whole lot. Buddy Hidalgo is on his way to Montreal, and DeAndre Yedlin is here in Salt Lake, all right. Day two of the Tour Championship tomorrow will be one day away from college football. Tomorrow it'll be Christmas Eve for college football fans, eight days away from Utah football and then under two weeks

A Football Friday, dare i say? Edition of the Drive Live from Dublin, our resident Irishman's Chris Camronnie will not join the program. Morgan Scally On a Football Friday on the Drive, Paul Pugmyer with the latest from the PGA Tour Championship, and then Trevor Riley will join the program. Of course, a little bit of over a week out from Utah football.

There you go, that'll be a fun Friday show. Get that weekend started out the right way and make sure to join us. We will say goodnight special thank you today to Roxy Bernstein, Rex Hoggard, Kenneth Scott and DeAndre Jedlinn For any of the sound from the show you missed. Website is ESPN seven hundred sports dot com. Make sure to download a mobile app and take us on the gop. It's how I listen to the station. ESPN seven hundred app is available in the App Store in the Google