TUE POD @SpenceChecketts on Utes CBC trip, RSL early-season struggles, Jazz latest, Final Four + more

last night in this morning. Landed from Vegas about an hour and a half ago, and back in Salt Lake, back in studio after a quick trip quick John down in the city of sin to watch the University of Utah the college basketball crown, of course, lasted for one game the Butler Bulldogs and the season for the Utes. And we're back home one night. Maybe we'll do a little story time. Your guy hit the tables for a

minute after the show last night. Not too long. I want to get in bed early, catch a flight back to Salt Lake. And there's nothing quite like leaving sixty five sixty eight degree sunshine weather and landing where you live in April and taking the uber home to find your car buried in snow and having it dig that damn thing out. Anyway, I'm in a good mood. How are you happy? Tuesday? A lot to do on the program today, good guest list, We're gonna talk, of course,

some college basketball. We'll do some Final Four, we'll do some NCAA tournament, We'll do some Utah, We'll do some BYU, We'll do some brackets on the program today. How your brackets? You're holding up our right? Do some college hoops? Of course, it is the madness of March that is now spilled to April, as we have turned our calendars to April. And while I'm on ree to start the show, can I just say, who's still doing April fools pranks? Don't

just stop? It's dumb, mostly just annoy people. So I'm just curious if that's still part of your deal as it is April Fool's Day. Technically, how does the stretch running the NBA playoffs? Not a lot of interesting storylines around here with a Jazz, but some interesting storylines around the National Basketball Association. Ramona scheld more in a couple of other NBA riding about the firing of Taylor Jenkins in Memphis. Some interesting stuff there. But we're starting to

get a feel of the playoff picture. Certainly, several races still going on. Utah Jazz are part of the race to the bottom. Tanka Palooza twenty twenty five. The Jazz are one of I'd say eight teams right now continuing to try to lose basketball games for the honor of drafting Cooper Flag. Let's see, six games left for the Jazz. Six games left. They're going to take on the Rockets tomorrow in Houston, and the Jazz are the worst team in the Western Conference and right in the mix to

be the worst team in Pro basketball. So down the stretch we come with Utah Jazz. It's going to be at India excuse me out Houston tomorrow than at Indiana on Friday. Added Atlanta Quinn Snyder on Sunday, then home for a couple of games against Portland and Oksee. They'll finish off the season Sunday, April thirteenth at Minnesota. And as we say here today in the race for Cooper Flag, the Jazz have some company in the name of the Washington Wizards, who are sixteen and fifty nine. The Jazz

are sixteen and sixty So congratulations. The Jazz are the worst team in the NBA. And this is the worst Jazz team in the history of the organization. By record, No Jazz team has ever lost sixty games before. So what is this team fifty one? I guess two years ago we'll call the team forty nine. Team fifty one the worst team in the history of the Utah Jazz. And hopefully Lady Luck shines on the Jazz in the second week of May and the lottery balls fall their

way in order for the Jazz to draft Cooper Flagg. Otherwise, what has all this been about? Offseason in the NFL brings rule changes, and we have some rule changes that some have become official. Others, namely the tush push, potentially will be banned. That vote has been tabled for now, but the NFL offseason news cycle is kind of quieted down. Of course, spring football goes on at the University of Utah high speed ahead of the Forever twenty two game

coming up in a few weeks. So it's always a good time to talk a little college football on the show. All right, Tuesday afternoon guest list goes like this, Tom Haberstrom, NBA Daily Assists, He'll stop by, we'll do some draft, we'll do some prospects, we'll do some jazz, we'll do some NBA at A little bit of everything with Tom. Today, the author of the book on Luka Doncic The Wonder Boy, that a lot of people are reading, including Richard Smith,

who rolled by with a copy in his hand. Tim McMahon will roll by the program today in the three o'clock hour. Get to bring in Ken Pomeroy, our college basketball sage, our college basketball north Star, to talk tournament, to talk Hutes, talk Alex Jensen, talk b Yu and it'll be excited. It'll be fun to have Ken in today. And then the head coach over a Al Saal Lake Another result went the wrong way, but Pablo Mastroni will stop by today as RSL got got last week and

we'll see if they can get back at it. Coming up on Saturday again, it's the La Galaxy. So Tom Habers show, Tim McMahon, Ken Palmroy, Pablo mash join any me, Spence Jackets back here on the ground and saw Lake City Happy, snowy, cold wintery April Tuesday to you and that guy Porter Larson, Tuesday afternoon. So are you proud of yourself for picking all the number one seeds? You go to the final four? Do you think that's actually a guy to mine analysis by you?

I didn't feel happy. We said it the day leading into the bracket that I I was having reservations about how my bra get played out because I like picking the underdog. I like cheering for the underdog, and in fact found myself cheering against my own bracket much of this tournament because of that. But yeah, man, the cream is rising to the top more so in college basketball now,

and we know why that is. The Almighty Dollar does a lot when it comes to the sports world, and when it finds its way into college athletics, it's going to change the game and it.

So Will, being the bright young man that he is, also has all four number one seeds in the final four, and he is winning our family bracket. So it worked. It is a strategy that works whether you're a basketball savant like Porter, the producer of the show, or you're a nine year old that likes Pokemon and not college basketball, so you're in good company.

RBIs first, any runs. Take your pick of more or less for your shot to win. Up to one thousand times you cash one time, one thousand times your cash to excuse me today, So check it out on Prize Picks. On Prize Picks, you can mix and match player projections from different sports. You can combine your favorite baseball players with players from basketball, hockey, e sports, and much much more. It's really easy. All you have to do is pick more or less on two players stat projections and you're

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game all season long. Starting this week, a new feature with our friends of Prize Picks. I'm not a big social media guy. I think with this job you're supposed to be, but I just think it's a cesspool. But anyway, if you follow me on either a Twitter X or whatever the hell they're calling it these days, or Instagram. I'm gonna start posting my price picks picks a couple of times a week. Yeah, they've asked us to do that, so it's just my name, easy to find out. Spence

check it's whether it's Twitter, Instagram. I think those are the only two I'm doing. I'm never on Facebook and TikTok is for children. All right, Tom Haberstrow will be our first guest right out of the gates. We were in Vegas yesterday for the University of Utah men's basketball challenge in the College Basketball which unfortunately only lasted one day, and you know, we talked a lot about it on the program yesterday. Sean O'Connell host our midday show here

on the station. Definitely give him your support. John's a very talented radio host. Stepped in for Bill Riley who was on vacation to call the game, and Sean Mooney was alongside of him, so we caught up with those two yesterday. We also caught up with Richard Smith and Josh Furlong and just real Quick in the segment kind of furthering the conversation that we had yesterday about the

current state of the Utah men's basketball program. Ultimately, I respect and understand the endeavor of accepting an invitation to the college basketball crowd. I mean college basketball crown had some real elite brands, not real elite teams. Boise State's pretty good. Outside of that, you know, a school like Utah who is an elite historic basketball brand, a school like Georgetown, Arizona State in Butler, you know, right with Gordon Hayward and Brad Stevens, but not a lot of

great basketball. We did our show following the end of the Utes game, so we saw Boise State George Washington, and then the game ended while we were still on air, and so the nightcap we caught a couple a couple of minutes of that as well. So well, I understand, you know, because I referenced this yesterday. Yesterday when we had Smitty on the show. When I was walking from the entrance over to where we had set up the tie line to do the radio show, I counted more

NBA and college scouts then I did almost fans. Quite frankly, there was nobody there. Well, I think the I think the team that I saw with the probably the most fans and loudest fans, probably Nebraska from my vantaged point, but not a lot. And you know the media row that you walk past if you go to a Jazz game, and you see, you know, where a lot of the guys set up to watch the game, at least down low,

although the media is up top of the Delta Center. Now, that was mostly college scouts and some you know, smattering of pro scouts looking to see if they can find some diamonds in the rough. So as we enter into the Alex Jensen era, and we are now officially in

the Alex Jensen era pretty much starting today. I mean today is the first official day of Utah basketball with Alex Jensen as its head coach since the uts lost yesterday, and we await as to whether or not Alex and the staff are interested in bringing any of these young men back. And Sean Mooney had some interesting perspective on this.

You know, he essentially was informed that Alex has been holding some zoom calls with a lot of these players and it really has been more of like a collaboration about what's best for you, you know, is it something that you're interested in as far as coming back to the you and playing for me. Are you looking for a fresh start? I think ezra Asar has a couple of kids that are in the Midwest. Maybe he wants

to get closer to his children. You know, some other players might not have a great taste in their mouth as a result of their experience at the University of Utah where they didn't win a lot of basketball games and their head coach was fired the guy that they

came to play for. So as we kind of await, you know, this this period where we're wondering what the rest of the staff is going to look like, and we're curious as to whether or not any of these players are going to come back, It's it's interesting to consider what it could look like starting next year. And I will talk about this throughout the course of the

show with some of our other guests. And I want to be clear once again, this is just a gut feel and you kind of look around at some of the other reclamation projects in college basketball when coaches have taken over for a coach that has been ousted, and a couple of things often happened. First of all, players typically leave before the coach has a chance to kind of sell to them his vision for the program and his vision for how they fit in. And for an example,

you look down South. After Mark Pope took took the Kentucky job, Jackson Robinson immediately transfer portal went to Lexington with Mark. Colin Chandler, who is a great, great young talent, played his college ball up up north in Davis County. BYU commit and a lot of people think he has pro potential. He's still fresh off the mission. He needs some time to get his legs back. Promptly de commits

from BYU, goes to Kentucky. But one of the key things Kevin Young was able to do right away is convinced Dalan Hall and Richie Saunders to say because Mark wanted both of them in Kentucky, and a lot of reports or that Creighton made a big time push to get down Hall to sign on the dotted line there.

And the fact of the matter is, if we can talk all we want about yegor Demon their best pro prospect, we can talk all we want about them getting kVA Cator from the U or Fustreori the most prolific field goal percentage here in the history, Brigham Young, Dollon Hall, and Richie Dallan Hall and Richie Saunders don't come back to play for Kevin this year. That team is a

lot different. Richie was their best player and whenever Yegor struggled against pressure, Dallen is more of a gritty, tough point guard who had big twelve experience, came in and kind of call him the team. So is that a

model that Alex is looking at? Are you looking at a Keanu Dawes who for whatever reason didn't get concent and big minutes under Craig, But Josh Eiler liked him, and in the seven games Josh coach, Keana had five double doubles, including nineteen and eleven yesterday eleven or nineteen points on six shots because he went to the free throw line nine times and knocked down eight of his free throws. You know, there are some intriguing pieces I

think that Alex will look at. But if I had to guess, I'll go back to what I was saying yesterday, and I'll continue to reiterate. I just get a feel that al wants to do this thing right from the beginning and do it over. Hit the reset button. And build Utah basketball the way he believes that should be. Ken Pomeroy Kenpalm dot Com talk some college basketball, How your brackets doing? Pablo mastoinning the head coach at where Il saw Lake. Midweek conversation with Pablo before they're back

in action coming up against LA. Has not been a great start of the season for RSL. But our first guest on a Tuesday, Tom Haberstrow, Tommy, Happy Tuesday. Just so you know, snowy cold, it feels like it's a February in saul Lake. How we holding up? Where you're at?

And when Cooper Flag got hurt in the ACC Tournament, I was actually there here in Charlotte, and I was a little worried because I was like, man, it would be great. As much as it pains me to say, as a kid who grew up as a Tar Heel fan going to UNC basketball camp and then going to nearby Wake Forest, there was a common enemy among those

two schools, and that's Duke. But I found myself watching Cooper Flag and Malwatch and Canipple and these guys and feeling like they are it's already scripted, that they are that good, and that talented, and it was good to see that Cooper Flag made it back on the floor. And I just feel like this team is that much better than everybody else. The rest of my bracket.

Because the Jazz just became the first Jazz team in fifty plus years of an organizational history where they've lost sixty games. It's never happened. This is the worst thing we've ever had here. And so whenever the Jazz come up, it's not very long tim me before Cooper Flag's name

come up comes up. So a lot of these people are probably watching him for the first time, and it, you know, during this tournament experience, it continues to be wild to me that in this day of college basketball, with the COVID year allowing extra eligibility and the transfer portal, allowing players to play sometimes into their mid to late twenties. I think Trevinell from BYU is about to turn twenty seven.

He's older than Luke. Cooper Flagg, who should be a senior in high school reclassified just turn eighteen in December. Seems to dominate in every single way every time he plays. He's not perfect, nobody is. But what has been your takeaway with the performance of Cooper Flag during this tournament run for Duke?

to play basketball. That God himself looked at this dude and was like, you know what, You're going to play the sport of basketball because your body, your energy, your competitiveness, all of it manifests itself in this sport where you take a bouncy ball and throw it through an orange ring ten feet off the ground and it's hard because he's white. That we have a tough time comparing him to guys other than Andrea Kirilenko or you know, that's

an often comparison for a Cooper Flag. And it's tough because our minds play, our mind plays tricks on us that our brain wants to compare him to someone who

looks like him. And I'll remind you that KG, the kid or the ticket, he came into the league as a as a teenager, as basically an eighteen year old who averaged in his rookie season ten points and six rebounds, And I will remind you that that guy was considered the most competitive, was considered the most menacing, was considered the most talented, also the most unsupported superstar of his class. You look at how long it took for him to win a championship. I had to go to Boston to

do it. And then once he went to Boston, people were like, oh, yeah, he's one of the best ever to do it. And I think Cooper Flag is built from the same mold competitive as all had skilled in every facet of the game. And if you remember, I think you've seen it before Spence the clip of Team USA where KG goes length of the court in a one on one battle with all of his Team USA players,

his teammates, and he's not beaten. He no one beats him in a full length one on one game where it's kind of survivor where if you don't beat him, you step aside and KG continues on with the next contestant, beat him, step aside, and KG keeps going. And I think Cooper Flag is similarly skilled in that there is no weakness in his game that I can see, and he has that competitive edge that KG has and Cooper Flag at this point he's just turned eighteen. I think

he's six nine six'. TEN i think he can grow another, inch AND i think the comparison is And Danny ainge famously GOT kg to win a championship With Ray allen And Paul pierce and probably has the same vision with this, Guy Cooper. Flag you know?

Game and The Grant nelson kid From. Alabama you, know there have been several instances where opposing players or opposing fans have tried to get on him and try to rattle. Him and for an eighteen year old, kid he's just. Unflappable you, know he just goes about his business and doesn't seem to respond to any of the you, know any of THE ba teen that seems to be done in his. Direction it's pretty impress it.

was unstoppable the rest of the. Game when his team needed, him he rose above and he, dominated AND i think at a certain point in this season the team just kind of let him loose and was, like go be you and ball, dominant ball in his, hand high pick and, rolls playing like a, guard but on the defensive, end blocking every, shot deterring every. Shot AND i think that's kind of the apex Of Cooper flag is that there is not a part of the game that he cannot.

Dominate AND i think in AN nba context and the right coaching, staff on the right, teammates he can be AN mvp, because like you, said he's unflappable and he has between his two. EARS i think he's got a wonderful thing about him and EDGs to him that, again you look AT, kg you look At, lebron you look At Chris, paul these guys who have lasted very long in THEIR nba. Careers it's a lot to do with

how they think about the game and that competitive. Edge Stephen curry as, well it's JUST i think he has, it AND i think there's a really good reason why The Utah jazz have registered their first sixty loss season of their franchise.

Whatever but most rookies come in and even if when they are fully baked four or five years later THEY'RE mvp, candidates it doesn't look great right away because they're, young they're learning how to be a. Pro there is a toll on the, body and we're seeing that with some of The jazz rookies hitting the proverbial rookie. Wall THOUGH i think there are a lot of players that have won two to three can coun this about a month. Ago but what do you think it's gonna look like

With cooper right? Away what's a reasonable expectation? Stats generally, speaking what do you think he can post his first year of pro?

FLAG i, suspect you, know some of the great rookie seasons of all time aren't necessarily the great harbingers, of you, know future. Success Blake griffin comes to, mind where he had a year off because of. IT i think it was a foot, injury and then he came in and was dominant right away and just wowing people with his athleticism and dunking everybody, over everybody In Lob. City BUT i would also caution that at his, PEAK i Think Blake griffin would have had even higher peaks if he

hadn't had that injury in his first. Year and just because you average twenty two and twelve as a, rookie remember that, Dude Blake griffin was twenty one years old as a, Rookie SO i think it's all relative and keep age if you've been hammering this with your. AUDIENCE i think it's. Smart guys Like Cooper flag have dominated college basketball At duke, before but not at this. Age

this is something. Else this is a unicorn of, unicorns AND i think That Victor Webbin yama is a good proxy for what we might see as a. Rookie but Remember wemby was a year older than what we're going to See Cooper flag next.

weirdest dumbest. LIKE i don't know if it's a. TICK i don't know if it's a habit THAT i That i've been doing this twenty years AND i still do not eat with enough time during the break to come back without having to wash it down While i'm talking, it and, LOOK i know That i'm doing, it BUT i just still do, it like porter's good to let me, Know, hey we're back in thirty or. Whatever it doesn't stop. Me i'm, like all, right that's enough time to get

a peanut butter and jam sandwich down my. Throat and it never.

Kentucky she's. Incredible AND i had this confession THAT i was, LIKE i love goober grape and she goes me, TOO i have it all the, time nice and it made me feel, like you know, what it's, Okay, spence if you need to do a lunchable or incrustable or a goober, grape that that's. Okay some of the best chefs in the world with the most pristine palettes also agree it's. Delicious AND i do think you're onto a question AND

i interrupted you so. Rudely so if you'd like to, continue we, can or if we want to sidebar this into a food, podcast we can as.

what you gotta. Do SO i will reset the question and Then i'll just let you run with, it And i'll make it shorter instead of another weird you know TENDENCY i have is to be long with questions and too long with. Goodbyes but let's move. On what do you Think cooper flag looks like fully developed in THE?

Player does he have goat potential written on? HIM i don't think in the same way That wemby. Does BUT i also think that there's a tier Below wemby And lebron And i'd probably Put Cooper flag in THEIR kg where it's it's filled with guys Like shack And Tim, duncan where it's they're not in the goat, conversation but they're considered one of the very best at their. POSITION i Think Cooper flag somewhere in The Tim DUNCAN kg range is his.

all the guests that we. Have So i've been told, like if they are able to Grab Cooper, flag this does not indicate they're gonna hemorrhage the rest of the roster and start with just, him like their timeline would start just. NOW i think they Like lowry a. Lot you, know The lowry marketing of the past couple of years has been forced to play in the sandbox with, children and he was An All stars first year, here but he Had Mike conley next to him and some other veteran.

Pieces he hasn't looked the same because as he doesn't have teammates that know how to play pro basketball. Yet AND i think they Love. Walker so that would be your front. Court Walker, Kessel Lowry market And Cooper. FLAG i have a ton of questions about almost everybody else on the, Roster but what do you think The jazz would look like next year if they basically bring back the bulk of their roster and they Add Cooper flag to. It what does that look.

offense and that resulted in a hunt of. Winning and sometimes it happens that, quickly is that you think that it's a developmental, year, retooling tanking, year whatever you want to call. It there's a moment in time where they, realize wait a, minute why are we trying to develop skills without like trying to win these? Games AND i think that would be the case next. Year is marketing

is good. ENOUGH i think he's Tall Klay. Thompson, offensively he might not be the point of attack defender That clay was at his, peak but you put that skill set next To Cooper flag and then you have a rim protector Like Walker, Kessler they're gonna win a lot of. Games AND i think with the playing tournament the way it, is where twenty teams have an ability to get into playoffs at of, THIRTY i think they would be very

much in that. Conversation, NOW i think that would be premature to suggest that that's when you build up into a title, contender to start adding disgruntle veterans superstar players from other teams and say let's try to win right now with an aging. VETERAN i don't think that they should go trade For Kevin durant this summer if they Land Cooper, flag but if it Was John, moran or if it's someone else that was younger and might be

able to be. Had Dearon fox comes to. Mind with The San Antonio, spurs they did something like that in year. Two significantly into year two they, said let's go get A deer And fox and accelerate this timetable a little. BIT i could see how after year one The Utah jazz would reevaluate and, say all, right now let's go

get another. Guy let's get a shooter who can distribute the rock and not Have Cooper flag having to create everything that might happen after year, one BUT i think in year one you could realistically With Cooper flag on the team and with a re Engineered Walker kessler And Larry, MARKINEN i think you could win a lot of games with those.

far has bred two top ten. Picks one Is Taylor, hendrix AND i actually still Think taylor has a. Chance we just don't know because he got hurt so, early and all indicators are he's getting close, to you, know getting, back and he should be ready to start next. Year So i'm gonna Put taylor aside for a moment And

i'm gonna hone in On Cody. Williams And i'm going to try to do this without being unfair because he's twenty years old playing for a team during his rookie season without a lot of grown ups in the locker. Room you, know to really help him understand what he needs to. Do but the fact of the matter, is there just has not been much of Anything tom to look at to make you think The jazz may have made the right. Decision i'm not saying they did or they did, not because it would be a fool's air

and to anoint or dismiss a twenty year. Old but they're just you, know even when he was down with the, stars there were moments here or, there but nothing really. Consistent and As will has leaned into playing young players and Giving cody minutes and, starts you see a lot of bad. Decisions you don't see a lot of good. Shooting you don't see a lot of finishing with. Physicality

he gets pushed around on defense because he's. THIN i just think you'll want to see a little bit more throughout the course of the season from a top ten pick to indicate that maybe you made the right. Decision so what's fair to say about a rookie year from a young man who just simply has not shown much of anything as far as promised that you, know maybe The jazz made the right call.

know fifty. Games it's happenging about twenty minutes per. Game and we've never seen a player IN nba history with this low productivity with this many minutes in their rookie. Season So i'm going to say that, Again Cody williams with a three point seven player efficiency, rating might not be the best metric to go, by But i'll just give you this as an example of his productivity. Levels he's shooting thirty two percent from the. Floor his true

shooting percentage is forty one. Percent the numbers are, gory but when you compare it to all rookies who have played one thousand minutes in their rookie, season he ranks dead last in THE nba. History and so that's. Two it's telling me two. Things one he's not very, productive but two there's you, know there's reasons why he's getting so much playing. Time is because they have an incentive. Structure they're responding to an inside of structure that rewards

teams for being bad or not winning. Games and so in another climate or another, team he might not get any run and he might be in THE G league the whole. Time but under This Utah jazz, team you're looking At Nicolos Ketish, peely The denver high draft pick who had a four point nine peer his his rookie. Season Dante exum a better success, story but also one That utah had five point, Seven Austin rivers five point.

Nine the success story you want to point to Is Demonisa bonus was at six point nine and okasee and later became a Perennial All star candidate who was thirteenth on this. List That Cody williams's, FIRST i don't know if it's one you want to be. First And Rashad vaughan From Milwaukee buck you might not know him. Well he was nineteen and had a four point two Per this is all to say a lot of these players in this conversation are not. Hits there are players that

have hit. That Danny avdya is another one that had a really tough rookie season and has now developed into a guy who's a twenty to ten guy over his last fifteen. Games it can't, happen but just like in anything, else you'd rather be on the other end of that spectrum than this. One AND i think it's tough to grade him based on the goals of this, season but

there's no doubt about. It what you're, sniffing it smells that and that is the rookie season For Cody williams that is statistically among the worst that we've seen with this kind of, Minutes.

every week With amin Al hassen and Producer Anthony. Mays so it's a lot of, stuff but you can probably just catch me over on Ex Tom haverstrow and find all the many things THAT i do on this.

bot today courtesy of our good friends at I Fa Country. Stores, yes at some point it will get warm, consistently at some, point it won't start snowing randomly in, spring and you, WANT i want to start thinking about your.

boy On Luka. Doncic is great to Have tim McMahon back on the show on A. Tuesday Happy, Tuesday, tim how.

Night NOW i guess one Of. JOHNSTONE i Guess John stockton probably has some other assist records NOW i think about, it but he did break the franchise rookie assist. Record nice little season and of the number twenty nine overall Pick you know me a guy who finds silver linings While i'm up on those mountain chairlift type of, things and NOW i have to pass four thanks To Isaiah colliers house stay in rookie. Season so why don't we talk about.

the late maybe second round With. Philipowski but do you Think isaiah's got a shot to Make All?

know he has had a good rookie. Season talking About, collier, now as you, say, preferably you'd like for the guy you had in the you draft in the lottery to be the candidate that you're promoting later. On but you, know there's got a chance to be a nice player

and is off to a prompting. Start and you, know the thing About collier is there was a point in time where he was expected to be maybe even an early lottery, pick and obviously didn't have the kind of season people anticipated last year FOR, Usc so you, know he's not your typical number twenty nine overall pick in terms of potential.

Cody williams and you Know Tom, aberstrow your. Buddy last, segment you, know dropped The haberstrow numbers on. Us And cody has the worst you, know player efficiency number based off of he's played more than a thousand minutes in the history of THE. Nba AND i just think you want your top ten pick as will has gone all in over the, past you, know six eight weeks or so, on giving these rookies, opportunities starting, them playing them big,

minutes Including cody And. TIM i can point to all of, Them, Isaiah, Kyle, KEYANTE i could keep, Going Bryce sensebos been knocking down. Shots all of them have shown in stretches that they do HAVE nba skill sets Besides, cody and he's your top ten. GUY i don't know if you talk to him over, there and he's only, twenty but is there any worry that this may have been a swing and a?

to build. Around they've got to face the. FRANCHISE i don't think it means that they're going to be competitive right, away but it means that there's you, know a clear foundation, piece which you, know as of right, now that guy is not necessarily if there's really not the like the big foundation piece on the roster at, ALL i think the question is can market and be your second or third best player once you get good and then you, Know Walker KESS i think is a complementary piece and

potentially can be for a long. Time but, look The jazz are in desperate need of a franchise player And Cooper flag would step into that void right. Away doesn't mean, like, look there's no such thing as a. Guarantee you, know nobody is guaranteed to be a, superstar but you know he's pretty close to.

that they made with some of the international coaching. Hires and you know HOW i think it was oer and eleven against winning. TEAMS i still tim am very shocked That Taylor jenkins lost his. Job now that it's been a little while and time has, passed what exactly happened, Here.

bring in the front office brought in two. Guys one is now their interim coach To Thomas, zallo who was kind of, considered, oh this guy's this, bright rising offensive mine In, europe but you know it coached the Euro cup championship team last. Year, okay you're bringing him. In and Then Noela, roach who's a player development GUY i was doing some consulting stuff for The, spurs had some really, interesting unique offensive, ideas but those guys' ideas didn't really

mesh and so you had this tug of. War and so, look everybody in the league knew That Taylor jenkins probably wasn't going to be back with The grizzlies next. Year you don't have your staff gutted like that and then give up control of your offense to two guys who you didn't know until the interview process started over the summer without your job being in. Jeopardy the anticipation Was grizzlies would get bounced in the first, round then it would be. Done so the surprise Would taylor was that

it happened when it. Did that happened with nine games left in the regular. Season the bigger surprise to people who've been filing the Grizz is this, season, though was That noel La ross also got. Fired this is a guy they gave him a seven figure salary to lead the player development, program but then he was essentially serving as their offensive coordinator and all this new kind of, interesting creative stuff that they were doing this, year very unique

stuff that they were doing this year was. His so what that means and by the, Way joe hated it because they've set in the fewest ball screens And Drew landolph since the tracking stuff started more than a decade. Ago so what this really means, Is, Okay taylor wasn't going to make it after the, season let's just do it, Now and then they went away from a system that had worked to a certain. DEGREE i was really creative and,

unique but their, face the franchise hated. It so this is attempt, to as somebody there told, me to try to Optimize, jaw and really it's an attempt to try to Make jaw happy because there's also been a lot of, noise and not the drinking's part of, it but getting rid Of Nola rosi and the offensive systems and attempts to Make jaw happy because there has been a lot of noise About jaw's not, Happy jos. Grumbling you know what's going to happen With John? Memphis is that going to?

Be is that gonna you, know be something that bubbles up this? Summer and you, KNOW i would say we will see about all, that but doing it the way the whole last year In memphis has been messy from a coaching staff, perspective was there any?

Roster they do have a cornerstone And John, moran do you know if there was any feedback From jaw or his camp that they wanted to make this change based off of your comments on how upset he seemed to be with his offensive.

ALL i don't know if any issues there. NOW i was told That taylor had quote unquote lost the locker room in the, players Including, jaw had tuned him. Out but guess, what that's the kind of thing that happens when you had the coach off at his knees by making him cut his whole staff and bringing people that don't know and turn over the offense to people that

he just. Met, like players aren't, dumb they can read the tea leaves on, that and so he lost the locker room To whiz who you, know of course he did you you you newtered the guy for everybody to.

Charge and so they're going back to a more pick and roll based, offense you, know which obviously is more in line with everybody. Else in THE. Nba you. Know the interesting thing about, it, though is The grizzlies are you, know when they made the, firings were the six ranks offense in THE, nba and they had started to incorporate more of the pick and roll, stuff which is kind of a way to try to Appease jaw in the first. Place but the other thing Is joe is a mediocre

pick and roll. Player over the course of his. Career points per possession when there's a pick and roll For jah zero point ninety, nine the ranks thirty ninth out of fifty six skys who have had at least five thousand ball screen set forms since he started his. Career, like that's like the epitome of. Media.

downhill there's no doubt he's. Awesome but pick and, roll, like, dude you're just going to go under the screen on, Him like If john's going to step in the jump shots playing pick and. Roll you live with that all day. Long and so when you can just go under a screen kind of, guy it makes it a lot easier to defend.

i just can't imagine The. Suns are you going to catch? Them and, look the manis right, now we're sitting in the ninth. Place The kings are falling apart. Too SO i think The mavericks are a playing. Team they might even host the first playing. Game you, KNOW i will be shocked if they actually make it out of the play. In i'll be shocked if they because that would mean BEATING i, mean, hell it might end up Being memphis

Or Golden State clippers or The. Wolves it would be one of those four teams waiting in that and you, know the second, ROUND i guess you would call it the play. IN i, mean but it's the one game, thing so you never. Know The mattericks might mess around and stumble their way and again Their butts worked in the first round of the.

Butler but if you hone in on The, timberwolves who probably are playing the best basketball they played all year, long what sort of ceiling do you think they present come playoff?

where it was seven games of blowouts in each. Direction but their team that went to The Western conference finals last year obviously a little bit different Because cat's And alonger there and that trade. Happened you, know they are a team that can be one of the best defensive teams in the. League so you know you have to at least respect him as somebody that's not going to be an easy. OUT i. WOULD i would rank them pretty far down the list of real threats to The.

Thunder but, look, man whether It's minnesota or The, clippers maybe even The warriors or The, grizzlies it's not like The thunder get some kind of lay up in the first. Round, no they.

With pablo coming up in just a little. Bit he apparently is the only good sport over there because he continues to join us even though there are not a lot of awesome things to discuss right. Now good stuff earlier From Tom Haber show And tim, McMahon but even though It's, April The Madison marsh continues The Final FOUR Us, here our next, guest our college basketball north Star Ken, pomeroy of, Course kenpalm dot. Com, Ken Happy, tuesday. Man how are we?

didn't quite work. Out so they had to invite a you know a few of these interlopers Like, butlers but they had to Invite Boise state and Whether George washington was, there and there's like three or four of that seems but, yeah that's the, exciting that's the. STORY i, mean that's pretty much.

Approach but you, know on the show When i've talked

to you about another. Guest since the news came down That Mark carlin moved on From Craig smith And Alex jensen became the Higher we're just doing our best to figure out what this new era is going to look, like How alex is going to How alex is going to approach, it and whether It's Josh, eiler the interim head coach who took over After craig was, fired with twenty years of experience in The Big twelve as a player in college and a coach in, college or a

guy Like Jake kallen Or Keanu does who had his fifth double double in seven games After josh kind of played him in a way That craig just. Didn't we're just trying to figure out who will be, back if, Anybody And i'm starting to get the Sense ken. DID i don't think anybody's coming. BACK i don't think he's going to make hires off this current assistant coach coaching staff that's left coaching the, team And i'm not sure he brings any of the players back. Either that's just my.

Guest tell me what your thoughts.

multiple staffs and is a local. Institution but for the most, part the staff changes, over AND i mean, lately for the most, part the team change is, over you, know not not necessarily. Entirely Chare calhoun was able to convince you, know two or three key players to stay At Utah, state AND i was really important to. Him but you, Know Danny sprinkle and he was. There he started over

the whole new team and that worked for him. Too and so, YEAH i WOULDN'T i wouldn't count on much of the roster as much as the eligible roster coming. BACK i, mean it does seem like you can certainly start over with the clean slate in this era of player. Movement but the flip side of that is, LIKE i don't know how much of a Honeymoon alex is gonna. GET i, mean he might get a little bit because

He's Alex. Fenson but you, know if you come out and you, know end up at the bottom of the of The Big twelve next, year, like it's not going to be a ton of patience for. THAT i wouldn't think just because you can go out and get players now there is there's no there's no longer a rebuilding. Situation you don't need three gears to build a. Roster you need know one year to kind of show what you can do in the transfer.

THAT i, MEAN i guess that's where we're. At with the basketball program around here In Salt Lake, city so they did overshoot. Expectations but based off of the knowledge you have of this roster and the games that you, watched are there players eligible to come back that you Think alex should go?

you know how you want to play the. Game but obviously that's not a factor here because you know you have a new coach and so you know you're gonna have to teach everybody a new system, Anyway so from that, standpoint there's not going to be a lot of incentive to bring back role. Players but you, know he somehow could to Mental sorr to come. BACK i think that would be of some, value you, Know but certainly this roster is can just be heavily populated from from.

wilcox And Raphael. Chilius but you, know the rest of the stuff is going to take, time and it makes it impossible to analyze Who utah will be next year because we don't know who's going to play for. Them but let me ask you a question about The big, twelve because you read about Apparently kansas has a stacked recruiting. Class houston's going to be awesome. Again B yu brings in De. Banza i'm not going to tell you That i've, Got,

LIKE i can't tell you WHO ucf is going. AFTER i haven't done a deep dive on all, this but this was not a conference that was the best team in college basketball this year that went to the THE. Sec but year and year, out The Big twelve is going to, be if not at the, top close to the. Top so what's ken expectation conference? Wide how strong will this conference be next year when alex is trying to make his way.

TEAMS i think the one, thing you, know the one one of the reasons utahisticked last in the league was partly because not much was expected from, them but also because there it wasn't obvious like who the worst team would be in the, League like all the teams were were. Decent you, know there wasn't a team that you look at and, like, oh, yeah that's that's gonna be an easy,

win and it'll probably be the case again next. YEAR i, MEAN i THINK i think this year was somewhat of an aberration with THE sec being as strong as it, was but certainly the top three, leagues you, know THE, sec The big twelve To big. TEN i, mean what we're seeing from those three leagues is that almost every team in all those leagues has some, talent and so there are so on the one, hand when you're picked

last in the, league, yeah you can. Overachieve like there's probably like seven or eight candidates heading into this last season that you know could have been picked last for the league and you thought did overachieved to some. Extent the negative is that learn an easy wins out. There so if, SOMEHOW i, mean it's great that the alex is taking its, time AND I i guess in some RESPECT i admire that he was able to work out this relationship where he could finish things out with The

mavericks and somehow still be the head coach At. Utah but you, know he's still on the trigger to fill out a, roster and it doesn't take long before a lot of these you, know attractive transfers are. Gone, YEAH i, COULD i would be a little bit concerned about how next year is going to.

Quickly And i've talked about this With Larry, Scoviak Jim. Boylan, coaches typically the narrative is in college's, like all, right they need four, years give them four, years because that way they get their recruiting cycle in over a four year.

Period and sometimes here it's even more complicated because you have the mission stuff and sometimes you need more than that to let you, know recruits that you dialed in when they were seventeen or eighteen that serve a, mission you need an extra couple of years then to get back so you can see what sort of hand they've been.

Dealt what Is what is your take on how long a coach needs now in order to prove to a community that he was the right hire because you don't to your, point you don't need three or four years anymore to develop a program and build a.

gonna be bottom quarter of the of the. Conference but if they were to end up, ranked say one hundred and sixtieth in my, ratings you know they'll probably like pre, season let's say, eightieth they end up like one hundred and, sixtieth that would be that would be a pretty bad. Sign like not you, know not so much that you're going to fire a guy after one, year but there are reasons for concern at that. Point and again it's

not true for. Everyone you can find rare one offs for guys flip it in year two and over achieve after, that and it's not really clear like what the transfer portal, era how that changes this. Dynamic but certainly if you under achieve, early not a Great if you over receive, early probably a really good. Sign so you don't want to put the heat on a guy in year. One but at the same, time history would tell you that, actually like you, can you can learn a lot about a guy in their first, year.

transfer and. Decide but what do you anticipate based off of your knowledge Of alex in his time with The, jazz in a couple of years With, dallas and of course being a, pedigree, uh you, know a PROTEGES i should say Of rick majeris what, schematically conceptually do you think the type of Coach alex will be for youth fans to kind of expect next.

know most young coaches are are doing these. Days like The jarrifs was very much, about you, know controlling the tempo and preventing. TRANSITION i mean that was like probably his you know One hallmark was, like he's not going to give up transition, buckets and so he didn't really attack the offensive. Class offensive possessions took a long. Time

defensive possessions took even. Longer hard to really hard to really have a super successful offense if you're not willing to take shots early in the shot, clock if you're not willing to take a lot of three, pointers and so you'd have to, think you, know THE nba experience Of Alex jnsen would alter that somewhat like obviously you know some of Those jazz teams he was on the bench floor took a ton of three, pointers and so

he should be comfortable with. That SO i don't know exactly what he's gonna still hold over, from you, know playing for and coaching Under, majeris and you know what he's gonna bring with him from THE, nba but hopefully it is more of the latter outside than the.

to put your program on the. Retrojectory because when a player Like ajed De banta decides to play for you and announces that on first, TAKE i ultimately immediately ups the visibility of your, program and other players want to play for you and with aj and by using the mix with some other. Is but before we get, there my question with The alabama game is, simple because it was you who brought up the dynamic Of Brigham young's

lack of three point. Defense you know that was a metric you had that indicated They're they're not just, bad they're one of the worst teams in college. Basketball so Did alabama make shots at a historic level or DID byu fail guarding the three point line or somewhere in.

was just unrealistically hot for the entire. GAME i, mean there's nothing wrong with allowing a lot of three point of. Times, so, like in, general it's kind of a sort of a sort of a stylistic. Choice and we've seen really good, Coaches Jim bayhein perhaps most, notably you, know play a style of defense that allows. That it's just a little

bit different when you Allow alabama to do. That because they're so willing to take shots early in the shot, clock they're willing to take shots from three or four feet beyond the three point. Line you, know they have four or five guys on the court that are all

willing to shoot. It so, YEAH i mean it was it was certainly there's something a choice that what you, made and it could have worked out like they you, KNOW i really actually thought even in the second half that Like alabama was eventually going to go on a run where they missed like ten in a row or something and by you would get back in the, game

and it just it just never. Happened it just seemed like this YEAR'S yu team is a little more capable of instead of relying on kind of a gimmick and you, know forcing their opponent or allowing their opponents to take fifty three. Pointers you, know they could play more straight, up more aggressive. Defense you, know they have a little bit of rim protection in the, middle so that if you Forced Mark seriers are driving the paint like you're not necessarily you, know just going to give up an

easy bucket to. Somebody so, yeah, OVERALL i thought it was just a little. Puzzling there was never really an adjustment made.

Rebounds like you AND i discussed, This one of the things THAT i thought that made THIS byu team different and a little bit more potent and dangerous than the one a year ago that went to the tournament also as a sixth, seed IF i remember, correctly was their ability to beat in different. Ways what do you make of what they did or did not do offensively to counter What alabama took away from, them which was selling out the.

eighty eight. POINTS i, mean you should be winning the, game, really but at least be in the, game and they weren't even close to, that which is just. Stunning SO i think you got just about everything you could get from the. Offense obviously they could have stopped the three, better but we've talked about this, Too like the thing that made THE yu offense so good this year was that they could survive without making three point. Shots, like when they made three point, shots they were explosive and

they could beat just about. Anybody but even when they weren't making, threes they were one of the best two point shooting teams in the, country number twenty seven to forty two on two point shots Against, Alabama SO i would guess that's the best performance on two pointers That alabama allowed all. Season so, yeah the offense was was. FINE i do. SHARE i share your bewilderment, about you, Know foos not getting more. MINUTES i think that was it was always the story of his. CAREER i mean

it was whether It's Kevin young Or Mark. Pope it was like he would always put up pretty good numbers for the minutes that he. Played AND i realized he was kind of an unorthodox, player BUT i always felt like he was, clearly you, know a big twelve level type. Player and, yeah it's kind of a shame you never really got, TO i guess, play you, know be the the, man be the starting, center and play twenty five thirty minutes a. Game he never really got that opportunity in his.

Byu but there are levels to this. Stuff and WHEN byu ran up against you, know one of the top one or two seeds in this, tournament whether it Was houston in the regular season Or alabama in the, tournament it was clear that there was a gap and there are there are levels to this and there are different types of styles and teams and bigger teams and faster teams and stronger. Teams so with The bans coming in and potentially getting the bulk of this roster, Back Cannon

catchings is at the transfer. PORTAL i Think iegor is. LEAVING i JUST i think he. SHOULD i thought he had a GREAT ncaa tournament. Run most of the mock DRAFTS i see indicate that he is a lottery. Pick how DOES byu close the gap to go from a really good team that made A sweet sixteen run to a team that doesn't look like they are A jv team against The houston Or.

able to score uh in the paint as. WELL i, mean the offense was, just you, know super fun to. Watch AND i mean one guy WHO i thought had a great. TOURNAMENT i Mean devin was, fine but Like Richie, SAUNDERS i, mean to, me he looked like he was the one guy in That alabama. Game they really looked like he, belonged you, know y on both sides of the.

Court so so, YEAH i think there should be a lot of, Optimism like you're not gonna probably get this whole roster, back but if you get the main pieces, back, yeah it's. UH i think there's reasons reasons for. Optimism you, know you're always gonna. Focus, yeah you can focus on Those houston. Games you can focus on The alabama. GAME i Mean, houston they were like probably won't not be remembered way but one loss and dig twelve, play you, know really an historically good, team you, know in the

modern era of guys going pro and massive player. MOVEMENT i, mean this is a historically good team that unfortunately also has to play a historically good team against you, know in the final. Four so, again they might not be remembered for, that BUT i wouldn't take those losses too. Hard, like, YEAH ba is not a top five team in the.

Country we get it, There they're in that twenty to thirty, Range but that's a tremendous step, forward AND i think, again you keep that, right you, know keep this roster bring in To, bonsa especially with a veteran roster Like, YEAH i THINK i think next year could be pretty very. Promising not a top five, team but you, know if they're in that ten to fifteen, range that's you.

Games so what's the ken pob take for number one? Seeds and how do you see the rest of the thing plan out? With who do you?

haven't been. Closed it'd be one thing if you didn't have a lot of upsets and there were a lot of close, games but they really haven't been that many close, games and that kind of speaks to the way the regular season, unfolded especially for these really top four to. Eighteens is certainly the top four, team so so hopefully we get a little more drama in the final. Four it's interesting that The Duke houston game is the second game in the lineup On. SATURDAY i, mean that is

going to be a difficult game to. WATCH i Fear houston first of, all just to you, know play an exceptionally slow pace on both sides of the, ball and you got a taste of that really in their last two, games but certainly in The sweet sixteen game Against, perdue which ends, up you, know being one of those close.

Games it did come down to the, wire but also it was just a, brutal you, know fifty seven possession grind with a final score of sixty two to Sixty that kind of takes you back to like pre shot clock era, basketball you, know not the way college basketball wants to be viewed at this. POINT i fear The Duke houston game is going to be the same. Way it's going to be very. Physical duke a little more modern.

Offense they will push the pace a, little but their defense is forced the longest possessions of any team in the country this, year and he saw a little taste of that Against. Allabamba not that that was a slow paced, game but you did hear the shot clock buzzer go off a few times for The Crimson, tide which was something that would have, been you, know unthinkable in THE yu.

Game so do gets a way to grind it out defensively as, Well so that's you, KNOW i, Mean clear has a clear, advantage you, know just more talent pretty much one through. Seven but it's gonna be extremely, physical AND i fear a low scoring. Games so it's gonna be hard to imagine due getting the kind of separation Against houston that they got Against.

drawing the short this short straw every? Week are they making you come on and talk to? Me because nobody else wants to discuss this.

of the lack of talent in the. Attack that's just my. Opinion where are we, At? Pablo what are these players going to be on the?

out different ways to do, that you. Know and and so you, know so if you're if the tip of your spear isn't isn't the sharpest, right and you're not able to score the goals that that you need to win, games and then What i'm saying is we just got

to get better on the defensive. End but it's a it's a catch twenty, two, right because if you do concede first then the hope and the confidence of the group dwindles because they know that the tip of the spear isn't isn't the sharpest, Right and so it's it's constantly and and deal and just managing emotions and, saying, okay this is that we we just got to get back to compete in the right way and defending our box the right, way and, hopefully if we if we

get some results with with a great mindset and defending the, box when the tip of the spear finally, arrives we're going to be. Flying and so that's the Way i'm processing all, this because the truth IS i don't know when it's going to, happen and there's a chance if it, happens but this is a situation that we're currently in and we got to do the best we can and put our heads together to find a solution in the.

group that you have to. COACH i, mean the players that you have at your disposal are the ones you have to, maximize but you reference when the group knows the tip of the spear isn't very sharp when you go down a, man or excuse, me when you go down a. Goal, WELL i guess a couple of games ago you go down a, Man but when you go down a, goal it feels almost insurmountable because the group knows that the potency isn't there in? Attack is the

confidence of the group taking a? Hit do they realize that the solutions that you have up top right now are not the right ones given the results so?

is real privy to. It and the other part of that, is you, know the guys that we do have up top are twenty twenty one and twenty years, old, right and so, like it's not fair to those guys who would typically thrive if there was there was an experienced player that had accomplished a. Lot that's when players do their best learning right when their peers are these examples.

in the, attack then you've got to fortify the. Defense and that's got to be our mantra to get us through because, again if we go into halftime at zero, zero again there's set pieces that you, know We gego And diego are capable of scoring, goals but obviously that's not they're a strong point. Either they're they're more goal

facilitators in the are goal. Scorers so we we've got to find a way through committee and through managing the game the right way and have a collective understanding that we've got to get to halftime zero zero and if we're up one. Zero that's that's a. Bonus but we've got to get there zero. Zero so now we can start to like really grind these teams, down create pressure

through our possession and find the way into the. Net so that's that's the way we're talking about it, internally and you, know just meeting with the leadership, group you, know once a week and making sure that we readjust our focus on not what we don't, have but what we can be really good at in the strength of our.

BIRD i can't tell you, who but it seems like everybody over there has told me over the past month like we are a few days away from getting this stuff across the. Line and you know, this but for our, listeners the primary transfer window closes three weeks From, thursday three weeks From, Thursday so like we've got to stop messing. Around to your, point like you can have the idea of bringing this player into that player and then something

gets in the way and it's two or three weeks. Later, Well, pablo if it's two or three weeks, later now it's not happening until the. Summer so have you been given any sort of an assurance that at, least you, know within this window Before april twenty third comes and, goes you will have better talent your disposal to.

Everyone and now you can have everyone playing with a sense of freedom and and and and players playing authentic to where to who they. Are you, KNOW i think in this, moment you, know sometimes you, Know Diego luna is trying to do too much to make the game when if he just does his, job he's an excellent creative.

Player but if he struggles to find someone to link with higher up the field that can take the pressure off, him you, know it's, difficult and so you so at the, moment you're also seeing guys trying to overplay and guys trying to do too much in the absence of this of a player that's not even. Here so but there Has but again we're talking about. It LIKE i said,

yesterday we identified another player that hopefully we can. Secure but until that player, arrives it's it's it's tough to feel confident that that you.

we talk about, defensively it's defending in. Transition so the first part of that is making sure that you're defensively prepared for any any, turnover, Right so that is more communication from the guys in the, back it's better positioning from our, midfielders and then it's putting out, fires you. Know AND i think the majority of the goals that we've conceived this year have been through those transition, moments and it hasn't been like we've been defending in a

block close to our. Goal but because we're trying to be aggressive and committing them, forward we're susceptible in the. Back and so that's the trade.

the biscuit in the. Basket and so if we can nullify some of those opportunities and handle those moments in real professional, WAYS i find that we'll put ourselves in position to win more.

just putting balls into the box and really being. Directing we try to play a little, bit and so that style of going up against that style of play on that type of surface was very. Difficult and you, know at HALFTIME i had we were going to make two tactical, changes and it ended up being four because two of the players were experiencing hypothermic, symptoms, right so you Know yogo And Dominic, marsouk they just couldn't feel their bodies anymore and their lifts were blue in the whole nine.

Yards so like that definitely threw things for a. Spin SO i feel like going from The dallas game where we were down a, man going Into minnesota with those type of, conditions we've experienced a lot of hardship early, on and now it's really leaning on those moments to really dig deep and become a better team on A saturday where it's hopefully sunny two thirty in the afternoon against the great team Like.

the locker rooms at, halftime and we didn't have. That we we didn't have, that, Right AND i just think that that little difference of like being able to like warm yourself at halftime could have made the difference between the, players you, know getting through to the second half and maybe. Not but you, KNOW i think it wasn't just those two. Guys everyone was you, KNOW i mean everyone's eyes were just like they were all everyone was shivering at.

Card So forrester gets the startup. TOP i just had the lineup, slide SO i know this isn't exis exactly out goes because guys move, around but diego central centrally located where the ten would be diego out, left, out out wide, right and then uh macha and ohto of course as you're you're you're, central what's the what is there something going on With katranis or are you just choosing to kind of cycle through that left back spot THAT i just thought was HIS i thought he had solidified.

been running. It but but, AGAIN i think, obviously when you're not getting the, results you're you're looking at every nook and cranny to try to find percentages to the. Good and that's definitely one position that we're looking at and and and a big part of that is the way has been. Training alex has been, great his attitude

has been. Great so you, know looking towards this next, game there'll probably be two to three different changes to the group that you're that you've just mentioned again to continue to instill a competitive, environment but to also find different mechanisms to, spark you, know the.

it did extremely. Well he played as kind of a false nine IN uh in, college and so you, know this is this is making an adjustment to our game model where we actually want our nine to be on the highest, line to always push the defensive line back to create space underneath For diego And dieg, know but we're looking at you, know maybe His SEUs in that position to occupy center backs because the three of them really understand, movements the ball, possession and they're really really.

Crafty so we'll look at that tomorrow and see if that that, that you, know brings up anything a little bit. Different but His seuss has a great eye for, goal scored quite a few goals in his in his last college season and has been really really bragged in front of goal FOR. Us and so, again if what we're doing isn't isn't, working we're always looking for different WAYS uh to to readjust our game model so that we can be more productive in the.

Here i've seen some of our best team start. Horribly i've seen some of our worst team start. Incredibly and this season is simply a. Marathon but do you feel like it's getting late? Early do you catch my? Drift do you feel like it's getting late? EARLY i kind of feeling a little pressure leaving points on the.

Are and you, know in the last couple of, years we've been on runs where we've been fifteen. Unbeaten right in the last two, YEARS i think we've had two runs where we've been fifteen, unbeaten and so a lot a lot of that started with a tough. Performance and so that's WHAT i keep saying to the guys that if we pull, up you, know if we can dig out our inner competitiveness, right and our and our we don't give a damn type, mentality you're gonna find ways

to score. Goals you're gonna find ways to win. Games it may not be drawn up like what like we do in, training but if you don't believe it, right if you don't have the, mindset then then it's impossible to. Achieve and then you start feeling like what you're talking, about which is a little bit, nervy you. Know and so for, me from my perspective is it's always looking.

Forward we've done this in the past two, years and it usually started with a bad run of, form but we found a way and then once you get it, going all those experiences in the past that were very difficult to kind of deal with and at the time are now you, know steps on the ladder that you can climb, up, Right and SO i think that that for me is the most important, thing you, know because again it's it's not it doesn't feel good when you're in these in these, moments right and you you know

you can you can sit there and feel. Pity but for, me it's always about challenging, myself challenging the group to be the best version of, yourself because every player has done something special to get to this level and it's our job as coaches to unlock that that special talent and to play free and let me worry about the. Results you just worry about doing your job and having a great.

coming up On. Saturday but tell me about The galaxy and if you care to help us understand how you're going to try to make some changes to improve this this attack coming up On saturday as the galach're rolling in.

and and you know this this. League the one THING i would say about form is that when the whistle, blows there's no such thing as formed in this.

back home and then coming out On. Friday so how do we how do we dictate the game with the, ball but but be very ball secure and then finding some different relationships up front that are more goal dangerous and see how it pans out for. Us but BUT i believe that the most important aspect of how we're going to win this game at the weekend has to

be with our mentality and our. Competitiveness we have to be dogs everywhere on the field and and and and by THAT i also mean like we've got to be willing to make hard runs in the box even if the ball doesn't. Come and that's competitiveness as, well and and and trusting your teammates and doing your job and so all those little things will hopefully put us in a in a position to be the team that you

know is capable of doing great. Things so one one team we obviously can't take, lightly but more, IMPORTANTLY i want to see a team that that competes the right, way that believes in themselves regardless of who we have and who we don't, have and play some great.

had some international. DUTY i guess some players banged, up but their goal differential is minus. Seven they've scored five goals allowed TWELVE RSLs is minus. Six they've scored five, goals they've allowed. Eleven five goals and six. Games is not going to get it. DONE i did not Ask pablo about, this BECAUSE i do you not ever want to put somebody in a position where they might be

criticizing their literal. Employer BUT i just have to wonder if the progress it feels like it is stalled as a result of the rumors with these players that they're trying to, sign is it due to the current situation with the ownership. Change it could be as simple as. That, now the problem that we run into is On, thursday it will be three weeks from This thursday where the primary transfer window closes and then doesn't open again until the.

Summer and IF rsl doesn't add pieces prior to this window, closing they will not be able to wait until the summer to add pieces to be able to do anything even kind of. Exciting they will not make the. Playoffs they won't even be close to. It the team's not good. Enough they jettised in a ton of, talent some of the most talented players we've ever seen here in the, Market Chi sho And Andres gomez And Matt crooks and, others and they have not brought in. Reinforcements AND i

think it's unfair to the. Coach and Hopefully pablo's antying what he needs from ownership some understanding that they just have put him in a bad. Spot but it's been. Uninspiring it's been boring quite, frankly and are not fun to watch and they don't. Win not a great model if you're trying to play competitive. Soccer pablo stops by today courtesy of our friends AT Ifa Country. Stores Gang

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dollars when you play your first five dollars. Bet good friends At Prize. Picks you can run your game all season. Long we are back In Salt Lake city today our Downtown Broadway Media studios on a chilly winter Like April tuesday with a lot of snow. Overnight looks like it's gonna warm up throughout the week and we're back into springlight conditions next. Week fun time In, Vegas Quick little johnt one, day one night to watch The utah men's

basketball team playing The College Basketball. Crown they lost their first game to The Butler, bulldogs so we now are officially into The Alex jansonira as the head coach of The utah men's basketball. Program butler eighty Six utah eighty four and now we, wait and it's been kind of the.

THEME i Thought Ken, palmroy who joined us, earlier is really good with some of the stuff we already are hearing major college basketball transfers make their, decisions like really really good players have already decided where they're going to. Go Saint john's it was announced they're going to Get providence Transfer Bryce, hopkins and they've already added The Johnson sanding kid From Arizona. State So Saint johns's added two

really good. Pieces AND i Think alex has been on the record AND i think he's talked about this probably behind closed, doors that he is going to take his. Time so right out of the, gates we saw and Heard Rafael chilius announced as the lead assistant, coach the first assistant coach coach hired By Alex. Jensen then not too long after, That Wes willcox was hired from The Sacramento kings to be the general. Manager And Mark, harlan

who joined the show last. Week if you missed that, conversation you can check out our website or of course the podcast page where all the interviews are there for you at all. Times he called This alex's higher and said That west will Report alex's kind of the same way that you heard from a coach wit, earlier a Coach wit hoped On sean, Show The sean O'caddle, show which is the show prior to ours on the station in the. Midday so definitely Give sean your attention and your,

ears and we replayed. That it feels like The black and HIS gm coach wittis head coach relationship is going to be very similar to what we see on the basketball side of, things With Wes wilcox essentially reporting To alex And alex kind of being THE ceo of the, program which is what you are when you're a coach in, college even though the landscape has, changed and of course we'll report To Mark, carlan the athletic director reports To Taylor. RANDALL i mean, it it does feel like it's both

somewhat seamless and then kind of learning as you. Go we are going to get more information probably the next ten days on the house. Settlement some details will start to come. OUT i think it becomes official In. JUNE i think it's the first week Of june where this twenty million Dollar i'll call it a salary CAP i oftentimes utilize the professional verbiage for the propaganda that college folks likes to you, know you, know hit us over the head with student, athlete collegiate model and. Such the

transfer portal is free. Agency it, is you, know label it whatever you. Want and this is kind of like the first piece of clarity that it administrators are going to, get are going to, get are going to get when it pertains to their economic, model and it will continue to crystallize and become something that eventually will look a lot like pro, sports WHERE i believe we are still.

Ahead And Matt brown's been really good with, this our buddy From Extra, points who write the college sports newsletter about the business of college. Athletics he is a little bit more skeptical as a result of some of the changes that have been made with the New trump administration as far as The board Of education and things like, that you, know the change to labor. Laws what that could mean when the dust, settles and will it still make.

SENSE i believe on paper it makes sense to allow the athletes to play college, sports to unionize and collectively. Bargain and by, Athletes i'm really talking about mostly football and basketball. Players the revenue brought in by the other sports isn't enough to justify a unionization or a collective bargaining situation where you're negotiating to get your piece of the.

Pie and, yes every athlete should and now does have the ability to profit off of simply who they, are the same basic economic right that you AND i have always, had and the college, athletes for whatever, reason for decades and decades and, decades never. Had and the main REASON i feel like this is a future that is inevitable and should be leaned into sooner rather than, later is it actually in a very ironic, way because of how many people are so terrified of college sports simply mirroring

their pro. Counterparts the irony is the pro model fixes a lot of the problems that we all complain about with the college. Model right, now the best way to fix the transfer portal is to allow these players to, unionize collectively bargain and then have them sign. Contracts you're not going to have them sign a long term deal

like they do in the. Pros AND i feel like a lot of the guests that we've had on the program over the past couple of months or however it's been Since Mark carlin decided to move on From Craig, smith and they've talked About utah basketball and how basically it's been twenty years of occasional incremental success but nothing

tangible or consistent over. TIME i feel like all of them have talked about once upon a time knowing the players that played here in a way that you just don't know them now for the most, part not all the. Time on the football, side we've had a lot of players played for coach with that have stayed here for a number of, years and on the basketball, side they've been more. Unicorns that's WHY i talked About Gabe mattson as a guy who should be giving a good old

tip of the cap as he walks out the. DOOR Bc Brandon. Carlson a year, ago you basketball players that could have transferred and played for a program that was winning at a higher level or maybe deep in their pockets a little, bit but they wanted to, stay they wanted to build a. Program, well the dynamic of you being unfamiliar with these teams every single year would be alleviated if these players did sign contracts a two year

deal with a third year option or something like. That so at least you know and, look there has to be options. Intertwined Like Aj debantsa is on record with his father On First take Saying i'm one and DONE byu is Paying Aj debantsa seven million dollars for five months in provo to play. Basketball but those are the, outliers those are those are those are the, unicorns you, know the guys that you want around That alex can identify to help build this culture that he is going

to build from the ground. UP i, mean that's certainly what it sounds Like i'm talking about from the, studs brick by, brick which is why ye're one in The Big. Twelve is probably tough to ask anything more than just show that you're actually building something and there's some progress in the right direction as opposed to like going to win the. Thing Ken palmroy earlier talked about The Big

twelve not just this year but the. Future more often than not will be one of the top two or three college basketball, conferences and there will be some years that it is the best college basketball. CONFERENCE i would say for the most part over the past, decade with a lot of the conference is, changing the biggiest change in THE acc changing The big twelve has been the cream of the crop when it comes to college, basketball certainly.

Consistently and you look at What houston could, Return you look at What kansas could return and their stacked recruiting class. Already you look at A byu team that could return a bulk of their players and are adding the best player in its class next year In Aj debanza and then a couple of other, recruits The Xavion stanton kid From. Vegas you, Know AJ's a ninety eight composite grade for THE espn one. Fifty The stanton kids in eighty. Eight

you know he's a good player. Too SO byu will be among The big twelve teams That utah is gonna have to find a way to compete with at the highest of. Levels Texas tech has a group of players

that could come. Back. Now the hard part about trying to analyze what a conference will look like in the fall when we're sitting here In, april is there are so many opportunities for these young men to find new places to play if they're not happy with it playing, time if an agent contacts, them because there's nothing that keeps them, Around hence me talking about a pro model where they signed. Contracts they could get, gone BUT i think it's safe to, say and you'll Throw arizona in.

There there's no doubt Throw arizona in. There with who they have coming, back and they're recruiting class at least on. Paper now there are six or seven teams next year that will be, really really high level in this. Conference and that's WHY i continue to talk about. Expectations you're, one but if you find a player like An Aj, debantsa that changes. Everything and, look it's much easier to

say than actually. Do it's WHY i kind of chuckle when we talk about The jazz rebuild and we tend to discuss how the modern approach in pro basketball that's worked for smaller markets that have won, championships Namely denver With jokic And milwaukee With giannis and Then luca was, traded But luca With dallas they won a, championship but

they went to the. Finals there is an angle and a roster construction and direction in pro basketball that actually could benefit The jazz playing In Salt, lake where back in the, day, okay well you've Got, Jordan, okay then you've Got, kobe then you've Got, lebron and if you don't have one of, those like domestic great, wings you're probably. Screwed with the influx of not just international, talent the influx of elite international. Talent five of the top seven

or eight players in the league right now are international. Players, Jokic, Jannis luca shay is From, CANADA mb when he's. RIGHT i, mean BUT i always chuckle when we, say, yeah The jazz just need to go Find, Jokic just go find Your. Jokic oh, Okay well, yeah everybody's trying to do. That And i'm not saying that it's as simple As alex just going to Find aj the, bants but that's an example to use that once it only takes, one it only takes one of the top shelf recruits to convince

that player that you're the spot for. Them that really can change the trajector of your program for a long, time because other players in the class will want to look at you, Differently LIKE aj is constantly making the rounds on social media playing in these. Tournaments he dunked Over Angel. REESE i THINK i saw that highlight going. Around SO aj is constantly playing. Alongside the McDonald's game

is coming. Up and so you're at the McDonald's All Star game and You're Aj debantsa and you've got other elite players coming up to, you, like, dude you're going where you're playing? For Who you're gonna live? Where and he talks About provo and he talks about, that he likes. It he talks About Kevin, young and he talks about THE byu basketball program that changes how many people look at you. Differently and SO i don't know Who alex is gonna be able to convince to play for The,

utes but it really just takes one blue chip. Guy and all of the excuts have talked about, it you, know back in the day with The Van horns And DeAndre millers and The doleyaks And rick being able to find talent from out of state and then being able to capture some of the in state, kids The, johnson's

The Josh grantz of the. World the guys like, that, Right and once you have an elite talent that's willing to play for, you and you're able to convince him that this is a place he can, build then we start talking about exactly what sort of hand we've been,

dealt but it is brick by. Brick it is going to take some, time And Alex jensen will finish off the year with The Dallas, mavericks who look like they're probably going to be a playing, team not because they're, good but most everybody behind, them including The, suns is they're just a. KNEMIC i don't know What MATT A shuby is gonna. DO i have no idea how The sons you dig themselves out of. This but that might Delay alex's full time arrival for a little. Bit but

of course he has been on the. Ground BUT i know a lot of people are wondering about news concerning the coaching. Staff and BECAUSE i just listed off some players that have already elected where they're going to play next, year the transfer portal is open now and you've got to hit the ground running to make sure you're in the mix where some of these. Players there's no such thing as a great coach without great. Players it does not.

Exist you can go down the. LIST i don't care if You're Phil jackson Or Pat riley or, whoever Or Greg. Popovich there's no such thing as a great. Coach he doesn't have multiple great players and we can talk About Fraig smith Or Larry koskovak Or Jim boyle.

winning but entertaining. BASKETBALL i, mean fans will show up if you play an entertaining brand of, basketball if you're team, orientated if you have good, habits if you're, tough and if you, win and certainly easier again easier said than, done because you've got to build that thing up brick brick by, brick and it will take a little bit of. Time but The utah men's basketball program down In, vegas they lose To, butler so the season is over and now The Alex jensen era has. Begun a few weeks

away from The forever twenty two. Game hoping to see you guys up. There little spring football action coming up in a few. Weeks just check out the website for the football program or Tickets utah uts dot. Com It's Utah uts dot, com, right that's where you go to get tickets for the spring. Game, yes you're, Right Utah utes dot com forever twenty two. Game all the revenue generated from that the spring game goes to The Scholarship foundation honoreing and of course those two young men tragically

losing their lives a number of years. Ago it feels like both yesterday and like ten years. Ago so a little spring football up on the. Hill if you're looking for spring football, sound you can always go to the website OF espn seven hundred sports dot. Com Coach wit rolled by today to talk To. Sean we brought that back around in the three o'clock, Hour so there you.

restaurants In Las. Vegas like it's hard to find a bad. Meal so on the scale of, uh having a quiet meal with a friend and then just going back and hitting the, sack there's also the other scale of staying out until four am and your puke and yeager at a bush on the.

but stuff to. DO i like fat. CATS i will stand up for fat, cats BUT i will say proud of myself last, night get done with the, show head back to the, hotel catch a shower BECAUSE i was scrambling at Some mexican food at The silverton where we, stayed and we at The Silverton. Lodge there is literally a beast pro shop in the. Lobby so that's how we're. ROLLING i, mean we're not high rollers here on the. Station BUT i, Decided i'm, like you know, what it's

like eight, Thirty i'm gonna go play some. Cards, Okay i'm just gonna go do. It i'm never down here BECAUSE i enjoy some to hold them my enjoy some. Poker BUT i just decided to go blackjack and uh ten dollars minimum, table which is. Nice there was a five dollars minimum. Table but did you ever See Wedding night. Table but did you ever see wedding singer at The

Adam sandler. Movie it's been a long. Time so there's like this scene there at a wedding and he talks about table, nine which is kind of all the, rejects the five dollars minimum. TABLE i would have happily plopped it, down but there were no seats that was jam packed. On take it AND i get. IT i get. It you want to play as long as you can sit down ten dollars minimum. HANDS i played for about two

to two and a half. HOURS i can grind on a blackjack, table LIKE i know how to play enough Where i'm not gonna lose a, ton And i'm not betting a, ton So i'm not gonna win a crazy amount right. Away So i'm grinding for a couple of, hours go up and down fifty or. Six he end, up you, know going up about forty fifty. Bucks i'm, like all, right let's do a couple hands, Here let's see if we can bump this up a little, bit and then we're gonna go to. Bed we're gonna do the responsible.

Thing back in the, day IF i ran a bank roll up a couple hundred. Bucks i'm walking over the dollar slots putting like threeundred dollars and the dollar slots trying to catch a slot that's like fifteen. Grand BUT i bet a couple of fifty dollars, hands won a, few one up two hundred, bucks AND i went to. Bed, WOW i was in bed by. Ten SO i actually did The vegas thing WHERE i played some cards and won a couple hundred bucks and got to bet on. TIME i was very proud of.

YEAH i JUST i steer clear of. IT i hang out of the sports, book throw a few parlays in and see what we can.

and It's i'm not gonna lie. Landing after taking off in sixty eight degree, weather taking the uber to the house and seeing the car buried in, SNOW i almost called in. Sick i'm, Like i'm not doing the. Show this is.

To vegas with the. Youth all, Right, porter before we say go. It, oh by the, WAY i will be on television tonight with The, goat Adamkl Adam, mikolitch Not Dave, fox Not Dave, fox the sweetest man in the. WORLD i love How adam always puts a positive spin on, everything even when it's not going. Well So i'll be call It Talking. Jazz that's on ten ten thirty five ON, Camyu so stay tuned for. That porter what comes our Way on A wednesday edition of The.

Go THE espn seven hundred app is available in The App store or The Google Play store for. Free and speaking of, free check out our podcast. Page it is on. Us all you have to do is search the drive With spence check it's on your preferred podcast catcher or platform and you will find. Us so hit that subscriber follow. Button give us a rating and a review while you're. There it helps us. Out if you say nice things and give us all the stars they ask, you you

will be eternally. Blessed that's Porter i'm, spencing AND i enjoy your Chili Chili tuesday, afternoon warming up later in the. Week we'll talk to you tomorrow right here ON espn seven hundred and ninety TWO. Nfm we are proud to be part Of UTAH'S Espn radio. Network