WED POD @SpenceChecketts on NBA Finals, OKC vs IND, Jazz Add an Ainge, HOF Weddle(?) + more

All right, let's get a drivetime Wednesday afternoon, seven minutes past the hour of two o'clock. Beautiful day, lovely day. We've had such a great week of weather. It's about seventy degrees, flat and sunny here in downtown Slid City, Utah. Not too warm at all, not too cold. Feels more like spring, even though it's June time now, and as it is every single day, it's going to have you along for the ride. Spence checket's beyond my porter Larson

He can kind of dictate.

Things in a way that really nobody on Indiana can, even though Tyree Saliburton is an excellent, excellent league guard. So some interesting storylines and topics surrounding the NBA Finals we'll get to today. The world of the professional golf,

Of course.

Top of mind this time of year is the summer is upon us RSL with an interesting June. They only have two games. They're off until June the fourteenth. The LA Galaxy game will be moved. I believe that's because of Leake's Cup stuff. It's only two games for RSEL this month, not a lot of opportunities for Raal saw Lake to get points that they badly, badly need. The summer window opens next month and that's the next opportunity for OURSEL to add some talent to this roster. Offseason

On from Mike Budenholzer.

Devin Booker has now had seven coaches in his career with the Phoenix Suns. Pretty whild, of course. Ladies with the Necks fire in Tom Thibodeau after the best run in franchise, well not in franchise history. They actually have won championships. Just very few of us were alive when that happened.

So what's next in New York? Is that a stop for Johnny?

Right?

We'll get into it a lot of and this is kind of how these things go. When a coach gets fired or a player gets traded. It's like a relationship with friends of yours, right, Like you don't really know what actually happened until the breakup, and then everybody wants to dish and spill.

So now that Tom Thibodau has been fired. There are rumors this was player driven.

Miquel Bridges apparently doesn't like playing a lot of minutes. I hate it when players bitch and moan about playing, man, it's so exhausting. And Karl Anthony Towns apparently does not want to play for Tom Thibodeau anymore either.

This is such a player's driven league.

And of course the Utah Jazz are in a scenario where their coaching staff in front office appears to be solidified and solid but the problem is they do not have good basketball players. So we'll get into it on the show today. A lot of different topics going on on the program. Our first guest will be Josh Furlong. Josh covers the University of Utah for our friends at KSL. We'll do some Utah football and some Utah basketball with Josh.

How are you good?

How are you?

I'm good.

I always go through this weird playoff withdrawal where for weeks and weeks and weeks we have well, first we have multiple games every night and then we move over to the conference finals, which is every other night. So or at least we have our game every other night. And yeah, for the past I'm all cut up on our friends and neighbors, Apple TV, John Hamm, great television show. I've basically just been binging television shows waiting for the finals to start.

Yeah, I've just been like outside, wandering around aimlessly, which is you know, fine with me, to be perfectly clear. But yeah, when the break kind of starts and you realize that sports are slowing down, especially if you're like us, you're a little what probably football, basketball centric, some soccer, hockey. We'll throw our guys in there. But yeah, man, it really starts to seep in when you have several days

Yeah, but it's June and it feels like April. I'm here for it.

I'm here.

Last last weekend, it was I was playing golf and it was ninety two degrees.

It was it was much. It was a bit much. But yeah, the solstice is I think the twentieth.

Okay, mary Anne Williamson, nobody's impressed with your knowledge of the stars.

We've been over this.

Oh no, I know.

I'm just keeping you in the loop. Is do you see the northern lights this weekend?

Is mercury and retrograde?

Yet?

Really pretty?

Is it in retrograde yet?

I don't know about that one.

Okay, because if it is, if it is, white women are about to make a bunch of different decisions that will badly affect their relationship.

I have seen like to get way down this rabbit hole.

How deep are we going here?

We've gott like there's certain guys that think the tilt of the earth is about to like shift and change everything.

You got to stop listening to Joe Rogan podcast.

Bro, you know it's entertaining, just to be clear, okay, not informational, all right?

Yeah, you know, uh Joe Rogan somehow five years ago his job was to convince humans to eat animal uh FECs on television, and now he's where people go to get like a legitimate medical and signs.

And also where'd fear factor go?

Just because Joe Rogan's not doing it can't doesn't mean we can't make people do that on television anymore.

That's that's fair. That's fair. You could do it, Okay, all right, Hey.

I'll host Fear Factor, and then in five years maybe I'll have a podcast where I.

Give people horrible medical advice.

What's your podcast? Uh check? Reality check?

There you go, may rest in peace.

We could bring it back.

We could bring it back, and I'll have irresponsible people on my podcast to spread misinformation and conspiracy.

You should bring me up for like five hours.

I should.

Well, apparently that's how people are making their way through the world.

Now.

It doesn't matter what you say, whether it's it's true or not is irrelevant.

As long as people are engaged.

The problem is then they listen, then they spread the information of their friends, and suddenly nobody knows which way is up and which way is down.

Yeah, I'm I mean, if you're interested, I'm here.

Okay, I appreciate it. But in the meantime, you can participate in the show that we do every day. Want to remind you, guys that Live Night Events presents the twenty twenty five Granary Live Concerts series powered by Nightingale College in Murdock Conde, Utah's number one Hundai dealer, experience outdoor concerts in the heart of downtown Salt Lakes, Grandary District. You can find more details AUDESPN seven undersports dot com. Josh Verlong our first guest right out of the gates.

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.

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You can run your game all season long, all right.

So friend of the program, co creator of the program, original producer of the program JP John Paul Schangar, a guy who joins the show at the time to time, had a chance to sit down with Austin Ah after Austin's press conference that we played on the show and has made the rounds with local media both TV and radio. I would encourage you and of course we support our guy jpus Now over with the Utah Jazz and voice of the Stars and Voice of the Royals.

Very busy young man.

I would encourage you to go listen to JP's latest episode of Roundball Roundups, sitting down with Austin Age, who by all accounts is now the lead decision maker and loudest voice in the Utah Jazz front office. So, of course the SoundBite that has made the rounds not just locally but nationally. A lot of our NBA guys actually that are on the show. Dave mcmanmon sent Porter and I a text with that sound bite. He's like, oh interesting,

But only time will tell, because.

There is part of me that does believe some of the veteran players you have on the rost are actually perfect fits for a team that should not be serious about winning this year, should not be serious about putting their best foot forward as far as trying to win games.

Now you can be.

Serious about competing, and you can actually approach the thing with integrity in a way that they didn't last year and still lose a lot of basketball games. Certainly with the current landscape of the Western Conference, where you know, it's interesting the walking line is thirteen teams in the West next year believe that their at least playoff or playing teams. I don't know how many believe their top

The hill that way.

Too many NBA players don't play basketball even when they're healthy enough to do it.

I don't love the load management. I never will.

And by the way, there's no data that indicate indicates it works.

Did you watch the playoffs this year?

It was it was a bloodbath of injuries for some of the best players in the game, and some of the best players in the game that actually do take time off were hurt in the postseason that allowed the pathway forward for certain teams to continue to play on, namely the Indiana Pacers, who ran into a Cleveland Cavalier team whose health was compromised. The Golden State Warriors lost Stephen Curry obviously, the Blazers had to compromise Dame Lillard.

These guys lose their jobs.

Mike Butenholzer is a champion, an NBA Coach of the Year multiple times out of a job, and it's because the league is player driven and the players deserve their compensation, their share of the basketball related income and the revenue that comes their way because they're the product. But it really has kind of gone overboard just a little bit

Still only win eighteen to twenty games.

And I'm here to tell you that's okay, because to me, the number one priority for a team that is this young, and for a team that, if we're honest, is this bad and this far behind everybody else in their peer group, that first round pick next year is something you cannot convey to Oklahoma City. You have to keep it in your back pockets. And then finally, there's this starting in

They can step in and play right away.

Because I do think we will see player movement with some of the veteran pieces. Now that Collins and Sexton and Clarkson are on expiring deals John Collins too, they will be easier to move than they have been over the past couple of years. And there is part of me that believes we are going to simply see what Washington did last year. Washington actually tried to win games. They just played all young players, like all young players. They had very few veteran players, even on the roster

Which has to be the name of the game this year for the Utah Jazz.

In a preview.

Tonight's Stanley Cup final game one Edmonton taking on Florida. It is a rematch which we do not see very often. It's such a grueling tournament. Soneil Smith, former general manager of the Rangers and the Islanders, high level scout for the Detroit Red Wings, a Stanley Cup champion himself, will stop by gonna bring in Andy Larson from the Salt Lake Tribune, and how about Eric Weddle will join the program. Potential Hall of Famer guy, Eric Weddle's gonna stop by

Man.

How we doing.

I'm doing well. How about yourself, Fence.

I'm good, man, I'm good.

So, since we're gonna have you at on your reaction to the College Football Hall of Fame news, I think that dropped about a week ago or so.

Yeah, yeah, well no, I was actually I think.

Monday, Monday gotcha. So what do you think?

I mean? I think this is a no brainer.

Quite honestly, I'm I'm part of that committee that helps select some of these guys, and he was a no brainer to me as I was looking at some of these these individuals who are the greats of college football and then there's you know, no question that the Alex Smith, the Eric Weddles are the greats of U tough football.

Well as kind of what he did in the NFL, Like, this is a guy.

That truly cares about football being played the right way, play the physical, but also more just trying to help people grow. So I think there's there's no better person to be kind of a candidate for that. Knowing kind of who he is on and off the field, that really kind of specifies like the types of people that the Hall of Fame wants to represent and bring forward. So I think it's a great opportunity for him.

I didn't know that you were a part of that that committee. That's really cool.

Illuminate us on the process, like how did these things kind of work and ultimately how did it end with Eric Weddle on the ballot.

So it's I'm only a part of it.

So what happens is is they have different regions and you have to select a certain number of players from each region that get brought up to the larger committee, which I'm not a part of, but you basically rank the number of players that you think should be presented to that larger committee from your region. This is dating back to guys you know, well before I was even born. But it's it's looking at a bunch of these guys

Kind of what they do now nowadays.

And kind of like the service that they provide and other stuff like that. So it's kind of cool to kind of put these names that you've seen forever and compare them to one another. I mean, for example, like Eric the Enemy, you know, obviously a great coach out there, he's involved in that kind of situations and being presented as somebody. So you get a wide range of college football players and trying to see, you know, if it's

All right, Well, good for our guy. It'd be fun to catch up with him today. All right, let's do some off season college football storyline. Since you and I last spoke, certain things have kind of come down the straight ced So we'll start with what's in front of us, and then we'll get to the expanded sixteen team CFP, but that's not until next year. The straight seating seemed to be one of those things that was such common sense that I have no clue why they didn't do

Yeah, I honestly don't know why they wanted to do it the other way.

I mean, I get it from the standpoint they're trying to do whatever they can to eliminate the selection committee really having full control over it. But I think you look at a lot of people seeing Boise State and Arizona State being a three and four seed and not being that highly ranked compared to some of the other peers, what it could do to Oregon, that.

Kind of stuff.

I mean, I think there's just a lot of unintended consequences as part of it, and just you know, a straight seating seems to be the easiest. This is the thing that everybody's familiar with, whether you're playing you know, Little League baseball all the way up to you know football, whatever it may be. That's how tournaments are, you know, one play sixteen or whatever it may be, and you're used to that. So I think this seemed like the

So now we move over to what's on the table for twenty twenty six, which is an expanded sixteen team CFP.

And it depends on who you talk to.

I think, well, most people out this way with the big twelve foot print, we'll say the eleven plus five or whatever model is the way to go. I also think it's probably difficult to deny that the SEC and the Big ten, you know, Josh, in any negotiation, it's pretty simple, whoever has the leverage is going to come out on top. And I think it would be a fool's errand to pretend the SEC and the Big ten

And what do you want it Josh to look like?

Ooh, those are two really interesting questions.

You know.

I've gone back and forth on this five plus eleven versus the four four two two one plan. I can

I feel like we're over complicating it for something that doesn't need to be that way.

If you want to say it's sixteen teams, just the best sixteen teams are in there. If you're really that worried about a selection committee that you've put together, you know, that's that's the bigger problem.

But the reality is is they all complain about the.

Selection committee when these are former coaches and these are former administrators. These are people that understand this at a high level. This isn't just like you and I going out there and trying to select the sixteen best teams. These are people with well intentioned, you know, reasons behind all this stuff. And we're doing everything we can to kind of avoid the selection committee, and we're going to try to give certain conferences a number just the sixteen

So it's been a really wild news cycle over the past couple of months.

As we all were awaiting the.

House the NCAA settlement to simply provide guidelines and guardrails, and just we kind of all thought that would be across the line, and there have been a tremendous amount of things that have stopped the progress, a lot of red tape, roster number restrictions, and then what nobody saw coming.

I certainly didn't. I don't think anybody.

The Ross Dellingers of the world didn't seem to see this coming. Are a couple of states, including Tennessee and others, actually passing legislation telling their member institutions that reside in their state, like, hey, just so you know, you don't have to adhere to what the NCUBA House Settlement Act actually tells you to do with nil funds.

And distributions. So good news.

If you're in our state, you do not have to adhere to the guidelines that you will receive from this settlement. And then the P four conferences draft contracts and disseminate those contracts to all their member institutions, saying, hey, regardless of what your state law says, if you want to be in one of our conferences, you do have to adhere to what the House VNCAA settlement says about nil

No, I completely agree with that.

I mean, I think that's the frustration about a sport that everybody loves because it seemed more pure, right It seemed like you had your agencies based on you know, whether it be your family has always been you know this this fan or you went to that school. There was a lot of pride that went into that more than just a professional team, right, Like, there's different types of pride for that, And now that's really chipping away

Enjoy their team.

And now it's becoming much more professionalized, much more complicated, and it just doesn't feel like the sport that we used to know.

I mean, it's still fun, don't get me wrong.

Ratings are still high, everybody's still excited to watch it, and come August September, you know, we're all going to forget what's happening in the summer. But there's still that in the background that frustrates people, that makes them not want to, you know, donate to the programs or or invest in in the same way, because one, you don't know if the players are going to be there, you

One follow up here, because you're plugged into this stuff in a way that I probably am not, because we've been pretty basketball and hockey centric with the Stanley Cup and NBA Finals draft coming up. But in twenty seven days, D one athletic departments are scheduled to begin paying out more than one billion dollars to athletes. And as of now, without housing the NCUBA being settled, there are no rules, there's no enforcement because the nc DOUBLEA has been told, oh hey, by the way, you.

Can't enforce anything.

So there's conference by conference enforcement and very little regulation and we're all all waiting for this settlement to take place, and they have twenty seven days before the more than one billion dollars is set to be distributed to these young people that play sports at schools.

Are you hearing.

Anything about a finished line in sight? I can't believe it's June fourth and we're still talking about this thing not being done.

Yeah, I mean, everything has to be settled by July fifth. If there is a settlement.

Obviously Claudia Wilkins could extend it beyond that, but July first was the date that everybody has given that everything has to be in. July first is the date that schools have to say, hey, are you in the settlement or not? And if you opt out, you don't have to pay athletes. There's a lot of other rules, but you know you're not tied to it. But most of these schools, especially at the powerflow level, have prepared for the last year plus to opt in.

They're ready.

Most of them at the very least are throwing one year's worth of cash into this program to see how it works, to try to make sure that they can pay players, remain competitive in this landscape that nobody really understands, and then kind of go from And so I think whether the settlement passes or not, I really think most schools are probably going to be moving forward that way because to that point, the NCAA has nothing to do with it, right, Like, they can't say no because what

To be equal if this settlement doesn't pass.

So there's so much to go into this, and obviously I don't want to get into the weeds of it, but I think there's going to be mass chaos. But at the same time, I don't think it's gonna be To me. As I'm saying this, it reminds me of like if you remember, like when Y two K was coming and everybody's like and your milk is going into explode and everything, Like, I feel like we're kind of getting to that level where no, it'll be fine. You know,

All right, Josh, let's move off of it and talk about some storyline surrounding Utah football. And of course the storyline that everybody loves every year is the schedule release when we actually get kick times. Let's start with the opener. It's at UCLA. It's nine pm Mountain time on Fox. I'll look, I'm single, I'm chilling, you know, like I've got one son. He's twenty four. He lives in New York,

Let's start there. Your thoughts, you'd tell you sala nine pm.

Yeah, I mean it's not ideal, especially for a game that a lot of people thought could have at least a little bit more national relevance just with Nikolayamilavia.

But I think, look that.

First day of college football people are so excited to have it back that I think you're still going to get a lot of people tune into this game. It's going to be on network TV, and so it's going to be something that people can find readily. You know, maybe you've heard about this Tennessee quarterback that went to UCLA and you want to check it out. So you know, I still think you're going to get the die hards.

But at the end of the.

Day, it's college football and we're going to watch it whenever it is. I mean, if the game is at two AM, I guarantee you people would tune in and watch it. So I you know, I don't get too caught up on it. I do like earlier games, and I think for a team like Utah, they want to

So it still works.

It's still something that people are going to be excited for most you know, a lot of fans are going to go out to the Rose Bowl and check this game out and have fun.

So it'll still be a good time.

I'm opener cal Poly four o'clock.

That feels like a really really solid time then at Wyoming six o'clock CBS Sports Network. But I'll ask you about the final game of the regular season at least and will you be spending Thanksgiving in Kansas, as it's the day after Thanksgiving and it is a ten to a m kick, which is aggressively early.

Your thoughts on that, Yeah, the ten AM one.

That one I'm more frustrated with because nobody likes that game. I mean, it's nice in the sense that it's it's early, and it's it's one of those things that people can wake up after Thanksgiving and enjoy. But you know, covering games like that, it's tough. Last year, I had to travel on Thanksgiving, miss you know, spending time with my family to go out to UCF to be able to have the Black Friday game, and that was a little later in the night. But you know, you have to

That's not my issue. I just think ten.

Am games are just a real testing, right Like I think you don't want to have that at the end of the day. If this is on ABC, I think fans will be happy. If not, it's on ESPN, which is still good. But I think, you know, if you can get that ABC Utah's doing well, suddenly that becomes a great showing for your program and maybe you're in a position to be able to be in the Big twelve Championship. I don't know, We'll see how this team goes, but there's there's ten there where it could be good.

Tell our listeners, Josh, you guys have been covering this and I obviously read the stuff you write about, you know, anything pertaining to the you it's the twenty twenty six visits in the twenty twenty six recruiting class. Obviously that's not top of mind right now. We have a season prior to. But how that's kind of the main you know, you know, point of emphasis for this program currently, in

Yeah, so Utah has two commits right now, Preston Pitts and Lagary Mitchell, two two good guys that I think are more of the underrated guys that Utah tried to go for and hope that they can be stars. But you know, starting last weekend, there's a you know, a large group I think it was twelve players that came

Since you and I last spoke, Bill Conley released his post Spring sp plus for ESPN dot Com, and I like Bill and this model seems to make a lot of sense to me. And of course, a post Spring sp plus ranking certainly will not tell the entire story what we could see come fall, and we still have a number of months until we actually see these teams play.

Does that drive with your understanding?

Yeah, no for sure.

And I think you know, Bill Conley does a great job of being able to put those things together. He fine tunes his data to really make sure that it fits with the current you know, ages of the transit portal stuff like that. But I think that's that's really

Time to jail.

I mean, I think there's there's you know, positions that help Utah in the sense that the offensive line.

Works together, they've played together.

That one's going to be connected, and then you've got a quarterback that has seemingly done really well at Jason Beck's offense. I think those things can work well, but it's still unsure how that will go against, you know, teams in the Big twelve.

So I think it's a good spot for Utah.

You know, you're not going to get this preseason polled where you're a top twenty five team, but you're lurking, we'll say.

And so I think whether you're you know, the second.

Tier, third tier type team and the Big twelve, I think that's good for Utah and I think they can do some damage if they live up to the potential that they have for themselves.

I hate to make the rets last off a football story I really do. But this is a sports talk radio show, and so I will ask you while we're all kind of a waiting word about how this is going to play out.

Brian Santiago made his first comments.

I think to you, guys, is where I saw that since taking over as a d and he said, what you would expect, They're going to let the process play out. He has confidence it will work out. Blah blah blah blah blah. If if the rets last stuff comes to the point where they just have decided they've got to move on from him, what does that make BYU's football season look like?

And do they have good depth in that room?

Yeah? That one that was the real tricky question there because coming into spring camp they had three quarterbacks including rets Lass and you have experienced the k Hills, did you know it was up at Utah State had obviously started for them and had some success, but they're you know, it would be a definite drop off from that. They didn't get some in the transfer portal and stuff that way.

And when it started to work, things gibed.

Right Now, you've got this huge off season hurdle that you have to manage, and whether you have red left back or not, that becomes a real distraction to just what you're trying to.

Do as a team. Right.

Obviously, the things that are being alleged are way more serious.

Of what football is. But at the same time time, when.

We're just speaking about the football, that becomes a very massive distraction, as it should, right, I mean, I think if there's something serious that happens like that, it should be a distraction. But I think that's unfortunate to these guys that have put in their hard work and effort to be able to get there, to suddenly have something that didn't even impact them now distract them from kind of the success that they were hoping to build.

All right, Josh, before I set you loose, Look, I don't know if the narrative, a narrative of alex Is going to hire Andre Miller was just something that we created out of thin air, or maybe it was people pining for Utah basketball the past and believing that one two punch would be really dynamic. And I maintain, as somebody who was there in the nineties that Andre has a level of cachet for my generation that is hard

Do you have any insight here?

Do you know whether or not it was ever really discussed, or it was ever really close And maybe is there a chance that could happen at some point even though it doesn't look like it's gonna happen now.

Yeah, there was definitely some real conversations about that. I mean, there was mutual interest between Alex and Andrea to be able to bring him on staff. I think with what Alex was trying to build for his first year and just kind of the output that he was expecting, I just don't know that there was a you know, the right fit right. Obviously, andre is a great ambassador of the program, he was going to be a great salesman.

For the you.

He was going to bring a lot of excitement. Those weren't the questions. I think it was more just with what Alex was trying to do this year, what kind of commitment level it would take, And I just don't think they were able to agree on that. So you know, whether that whether he's able to circle back to that in the future time, you know, remains to be seen.

The Vick and Jarris era. He's still going to play.

Homage to it, try to bring in that kind of era and kind of get people excited.

But at the end of the day.

This is the Alex Smith or Alex Jenson era, excuse me, and you know he's got to do what he can to be able to be the guy and not live off the cotails of somebody else.

All right, Josh, good to catch up. Man, Appreciate the time is always have a great week and we'll chat soon.

That great.

Appreciate it, Josh for a long.

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We are your home of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Here in Salt Lake City, Utah and the surrounding areas. We have a rematch of the Stanley Cup Final from a year ago that went seven games. Florida won the first three, Edmonton came back and nearly pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in Stanley Cup history, and then Florida was able to get it done. Game seven, so tonight you can hear game one on our radio station. And Neil Smith stops by to talk some hockey on a Wednesday. Neil, Happy Wednesday, sir.

How are you?

I'm very good spence about yourself.

I'm great, appreciate the time. First question, randomly, did you ever work for Jim Dolan?

Oh?

Yeah, I did.

Okay, Okay, that's what I thought.

I think I thought that you did, so I as somebody who worked for the current, you know, still the guy that owns the Rangers and the Knicks. We exchanged a few texts, and I exchanged a few texts with some other people as well. And I'm biased because you know, Tom Thibodeau was Jeff's assistant and we got to know him. And oh also, by the way, he's a great coach that just did something for you that nobody's done in thirty years. And look, you you handle it however you want.

Well, you know, Jim is his own guy. I mean, he's different than all the other people that I've run into in that kind of position. He obviously inherited a good deal of his wealth from Cable Vision, who was able to buy the Madison Square Garden from Paramount and they've had it ever since. Jim was he was a little bit unpredictable when I was there, and you really, you know, you weren't sure what you were going to get from day to day or how he was going

One follow up question, we'll move away from Dolan specifically because you know, as my mother off and says, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all, advice that I probably should hear to you more. But just how and this is going to sound like a simp question, and maybe it is, But just how important is viable, balanced, consistent ownership when it comes to the success of a professional sports team.

There's nothing more valuable than that You can have all the great players, all the great coaches, all the great gms, all the great everything. But if you have somebody at the very top who owns it and who you ultimately everybody reports to, that's unstable or that you that doesn't let the people below, who are knowledgeable and have been doing the sport their whole life, if they don't let them run that business, that's sports business, You've got no

What have been your early impressions with the Smith Entertainment Group and Ryan and Ashley in the way they've kind of been able to conduct their business to support Bill Armstrong his staff, Coach Torny, coach Torny and his staff after only one year here in Salt Lake.

Well, the one thing that I can say from a long ways away is that the Smith family stays out of the limelight. They stay out of the They seem to stay out of the operational part of it. You don't hear their name coming up saying that, well, you know, they wanted to do this or wanted to do that. They're very much in the background, which is what a

Were you ever strongly encouraged or straight up forced to go see a JD in the straight shot show.

In New York.

No, that never happened back then.

Okay, fair enough, fair enough, all right, Macro thirty thousand foot view question.

Neil's a proud Canadian.

Look, you know, whether it's Edmonton or any other Canadian team, But what would it mean thirty two years since the Stanley Cup was won by a Canadian team, which is pretty wild because y'all are the best hockey country and have been for quite some time. What would it mean to just the country of Canada for Edmonton to pull this off?

You know, I think it would mean a lot only because Canada is, you know, compared to the United States, is a very small population wise, compared to the US, and they've got the big elephants sitting next door being the US that seems to be good at everything and win everything, and you know, Hollywood and all the rest of it. So for a Canadian team to win the Cup after all these years, and it does mean a

Before we get to the game tonight, excuse me and this iteration of the series. What are your memories of this seven game barn burner from last year?

Between these two.

Well, I had predicted Florida to win since the regular season last year, and so when they got after that three nothing lead on Edmonton, it didn't surprise me. But when Edmonton came roaring back and won three straight, that did surprise me. And that's set up for a Game seven that was spectacular. Florida, of course, as you mentioned in the open winning it. I think it was two to one. You know, they're both great teams, they're both a notch above everybody else, and they're deserving it being

So let's let's attack this individually before we get to the matchup, and let's start with Edmonton. You know, they just have been able to respond to adversity throughout this run in a very impressive way, comebacks left and right, like they almost pulled off last year in the Stanley Cup Final. But they lose the first two games of their first series against the Kings, they win four straight.

Well, the obvious is the most important thing, and that's Connor McDavid number ninety seven. I mean, he leads the playoffs again this year, scoring and when he gets the opportunity, which she won't get a lot of them against Florida, but when he gets the opportunity to dance and go at that high speed, he can go at and he is marvelous to watch and can do crazy good things

Now over to the Panthers.

What stands out most to me, Neils, I'm kind of looking at some of these numbers here, Nineteen different players have lit the lamp this postseason, so clearly tremendous depth. They're averaging more goals per game than they were last year, they're giving up fewer goals per game than they did last year as well. Their power play has been better, and their penalty killer is the best in the playoffs. So clearly there's a lot to like and there's not a lot to nitpick about the Panthers.

What we know about them prior to Game one tonight.

Well, what's really going to be interesting and may be on the first base off if the two coaches, or let's say the visitors have to put their lineup in first and if they put in Barkoff's line Barkoff, Reinhart and Rodriguez, maybe it's amazing is they'll go up against

All right, now that we've learned about both these teams individually, right now, the money as far as betting goes on sportsbooks going towards Edmonton pretty overwhelmingly. How do they match up and X factors for both sides as far as how you think this thing is going to go, you.

Know, they match up extremely well. I think that the Oilers are not going to get the opportunities that they got against Dallas Vegas or in the first round against the La Kings. They're not going to get those because they're going to be Florida is a very good shutdown team. Florida is going to have to capitalize on a few chances they get. And again I think it goes back Spence to Stuart Skinner versus Sergey Brabrovski. If one of them let's in a bad goal, it's going to be huge.

You know.

If you asked me to pick a peck of winter, and we do it on our podcast all the time, I don't know where which way to go. I've been calling Florida for a lot of long time now, so I would stick with that. But nothing would surprise me in this series.

Nothing.

Yeah, I was going to ask you because based off.

Of everything that I've been reading and watching, I've heard a lot of people straight up say this is a pick them and it could go one way or the other. Are you surprised that the majority of the public money is going the way of the Edmonton Oilers.

I am, and I think that they might, you know that they might just be in love with the Connor McDavid factor and the Leon dry Sidle factor and the new guys on the block. And this is a revenge Cup and that has favored the team that didn't win the year before in a lot of times. I can tell you that for sure, Florida is not as sexy as Edmonton because they don't have Connor McDavid and Leon Drye Sidle on these guys, so they're not as sexy, but they're boy, they're a hard working team. You should

Fourteen of the twenty three quote unquote experts AUDIESPN dot COM's hockey page as Edmonton winning the series. Tell me about these two coaches, Neil and then Attendant to that question. Oftentimes, when you get this late into the season in and you're playing for a trophy, yeah you do make adjustments here there game to game, but more often than not, you kind of are who you are this late in the season and we're just going to do what we do.

Other to come out on top.

Well, Chris Knoblock with the Oilers has to get that power play going. Their power play hasn't been nearly what it was last year and their penalty killing either, but especially their power play. He's got to get when when the Panthers take up that penalty or take a penalty. They've got to be able to threaten to take advantage of that, because one of the things about the Panthers is they play that dirty, grimy game where they want

Is there kind of a mini rivalry budding here? I mean, you reference Bennett and Kachuk, who are just irritants no matter what. And maybe it's because Mick David is Canadian and you're nicer than we are. But I listened to interview with him and he didn't indicate there was very much bad blood. But these two teams saw each other year ago in a seven game series. Does it feel like there's an underlying dislike sports hatred kind of brewing.

I think if they don't have bad feelings for each other, they will have about ten minutes into the game, because that's how intense this thing will be. Yeah, and they do. They do have negative feelings. I mean, one team walked off with the cup, the other team walked off in tears. And so Connor McDavid wants to cement his legacy by winning a Stanley Cup. It's one thing to be the greatest player in the league's that's all good and well, but you've got to win a cup to really cement

So before I do have one more Utah man with a question for you before I set you loose.

But it sounds like, based off.

Of the way you've been breaking down the potential of this series and everything I'm kind of reading and watching, you know, there's nothing better than a Game seven and the Stanley Cup playoffs and we didn't get one of the conference finals.

Does it feel like this has a good chance to go the distance?

Absolutely? Absolutely. And I've always said, and you could hear me say this on the podcast. Sometimes when i'm picking projecting who's going to win the series. I say I go full chicken leaning, I go game seven, because I feel that's the chicken chicken's way out is to say it will go seven. You're really hedging your bets. But in this one, just from watching them last year, just from watching how great they are this year, just from knowing the type of you know, thirst and hunger that

Let's move over to a couple of offseason initiatives and potentials for the Utah Mammoth dads and pieces, and we'll start with the draft where the Utah Mammoth jumped from fourteen to four.

Here's my question.

It's just more of a big picture, general type question because I've seen a bunch of mock drafts. I think a lot of people believe the Mammoth need dad to the defensive portion of their team. But for according to what I've read feels like a stretch for even the best defensive players in this draft. How often, and look, they're all unicorns and there are always opportunities that sometimes we don't see. But how often are these young kids ready to play right away?

When you're drafting at four that's very high?

Is it realistic for Bill Armstrong and his staff to bring an instant help to the hockey club? Or will be a situation where they draft a young prospect and watch them grow Internashley or and juniors and such.

It will probably be a case of drafting a young player and watching him get better in junior. Right now, Jcobrien has rated number four in the draft, who's a six' to two center playing In, Branford. Ontario and right behind him Is Raddick, murca who's a six foot five

Develop let me ask you about your former, club The New York, islanders as the lottery delivered a franchise altering opportunity to them with the number one overall, pick and it seems like people debate The Matthew schaeffer kid against The Michael misa. Kid i'm not going to sit, Here neil tell. You i've been grinding tape on either of these two. PLAYERS i don't know anything about. Them do you have a? Preference and who do you think The islanders land on and?

Why, well first of, all there's a kid From Long island in this, draft rated THIRD i Think James haygenes and plays At Boston, college and so it'll be interesting to see if The islanders are swayed at all by the fact that he's From Long island that they would

Right BEFORE i say you, lose you, know last week we went over the free agent. List we will not do that again this. Week i'll just ask you this before set you. Lose the projected cap space for The Utah mammoth is about twenty one. Mili they have all their picks and so they have. Optionality is that's the

Pieces what do you what do you think the.

Boxes that need to be checked for this hockey team next year to take that proverbial next step and maybe even make the.

Playoffs, well two Things i'd really like to see them get a player that has a lot of experience maybe a little bit longer in the tooth than the people that they've got there right, now but can bring some pedigree that had been. Winning not a forty year, old BUT i mean certainly somebody that has been around is one and that can help younger. Players eddie And cole there for that very reason. Already So i'd love to

Year is there like a Cool Neil Smith Stanley cup final watch party THAT i did get invited?

To how are you going to be watching the?

Game, No i'm going to be. Swell the watch party is going to be. Me my eight month old yellow Lab sammy will be sitting on one side of, me and my twelve year old chocolate. LAB aj will be sitting on the other side of. Me we will be staring at an eighty six inch screen THAT i have above my, mantle and we might even have a few beverages. Together i'll bring out their bowl and pour some butt light in their.

Bowl dogs, welcome people. Tolerated neil is my personal. Philosophy that sounds like a good. Time, hey BEFORE i say you lose our, listeners where they can? Go get that podcast to?

Yours?

Well.

Apple Apple podcasts platform is. Great you can get it On, spotify you can watch us on. YouTube it's on every platform you can think. Of so whatever platform you use for, podcasts we're on there AT Nhl Wrap, Around and As i've said every, WEEK i think that anybody that listens or watches will learn. Something we've always got entertaining guests and we have a lot.

Of fun doing.

It, neil thank, you my. FRIEND i appreciate.

It excited to get going, tonight so enjoy it with the doggos and we'll chat.

Soon, Okay, hey did you tell your DAD i was on last? Week remember he was in. TOWN i think WHEN i talked to, YOU i.

Did, Yeah, NO i let him know AND i sent him the link to our listening to the, interview so hopefully he. Did But i'm gonna let you check in with him on that because he'll lie to me and says he listens every, Day so that's gonna.

Be up to, you.

All, Right stay.

Here thank, You, Neil.

Neil, smith The Great Neil, smith helping us learn about this pro sport that we now have in this.

Market always appreciate his.

Time stops by today courtesy of our friends AT Ifa Country. Stores summer vacations and warmer weather are just beyond the. Horizon as the days grow longer and brightly colored flowers begin making their, Appearance it's time to start planning and Applying step two OF I phase four plus annual long care program that's designed with a blend of vital macro and micro. NUTRIENTS Ifa step two fertilizer promotes strong roots and vibrant colors in your. Yard AT ifa AND Ifa

And it's a.

Data column for.

Them we'll do some jazz and SOME nba, drafts SOME nba finals With. Andy Eric Weddle College Football Future hall of famers on the ballot this.

Year you legend rolls.

By we'll get to the five o'clock hour of the show before we Say united six in time for The Stanley cup. Playoffs it's your favorite. Nut it's the best. NUT i shout out In nicole in our. Office Love. Nicole she has a lovely basket of. Snacks so if you're not in the mood to spend seven bucks on snickers in our little canteen or whatever the hell it, is you can always walk back and say hello To.

Nicole she's got some.

Pistachios she's got some cereal bars and some oatmeal if you'd like, SO i grab some. Pistachios. Pistachios that's got to be on the short list of the best.

Nut it.

Does it might be the best.

Nut but the the caveat on that is that to get to it unless.

You're, no these are. Shellless that's the, thing you. Know if you're a shellless pistaschio, guy.

You call me.

Lazy, no it's just, uh it's it's a it's a. Privilege what are you talking?

About you, know?

Peanuts are you SAYING i have white privilege Because i'm eating? Pistachios without. Shows you have pistachio PRIVILEGE a new, thing you. KNOW i like a good CASHIW i like a good salted. Peanut almonds are almonds are? Underrated like smoked. Almonds have you ever tried the wasabi?

Almonds those are? Good are.

Lovely i'm a big nut. GUY i LIKE i. Like i'm a trail. Mix it doesn't surprise. YOU a lot of oats and nuts and granola bars and such.

Best. Nuts shelled pistachios usually.

Text in eight seven seven three five three. Zero see here's this is a really interesting radio. LESSON i could ask our listeners, like text in who's gonna Win edmonton Or?

Florida we get two.

TEXTS i bet right now eight seven seven three five three zero seven hundred texts in your favorite, Nut we're about to get fifty.

Texts you're probably.

Right that's just how kind of sports talk radio. Works Eric, Weddle College Football hall Of. Famer he's a. Nut he is a nut in a good. Way just to be, clear in a good. WAY i mean this feels, like you, know brainer interesting here From Josh furlong with his breakdout of that.

EARLIER i did not Know josh was involved with that. Committee.

Uh, anyway he does not get the votes he needs to make The College Football hall Of.

Fame there is a.

Way there's a lot of, ways just because of how it's set up and how many people there are kind of. Eligible you, know he's one of a bunch of different, candidates and some of these, guys Like josh, mentioned are candidates that have been on the ballot for like one hundred. Years, Right so there's quite a few scenarios Which eric doesn't land on The College Football hall Of. Fame BUT i think he's a guy who very much should be. There i'll be, Honest and maybe this is a hot take

Slice, it we'll get to you at coming up in the four o'clock, hour random, question non secut are you ready for?

It and the answer may be, simply it's THE.

Nfl the answer may be, simply it's, football And america loves. Football but it's an interesting dynamic all the. Time for me WHEN i hear people break down AT Nba finals between two teams that play in small. Markets if The Super bowl this year was The steelers and The, packers it would not affect viewership a single. Iota and you don't hear people, say, well The steelers play In pittsburgh

There there's a few ways you can cut that, up because THE nfl is, different. Right number, one when you talk about a small, market Green bay And pittsburgh are not huge, markets but those are also like two of the most historical team like those that's The lakers And. Celtics when you TALK nfl, right when you're talking about historical, relevance when you're talking about it's almost flipped where even though they're not in huge markets In Green bay and In,

So that's a, different different. Scenario BUT.

I don't.

Know for, me that's that's something THAT i think that they you just got to get. Over in the sports, world these are all we're talking about small. Markets they're still like when you're talking about global. Scale these are, huge giant cities that are more than capable of putting on an, event putting on a. Showcase and you know when THE nba starts to have players that are not excited to go to certain cities and not excited to play here and there there's media members covering. IT i

Often and there are the there's a little apples and oranges.

Here the Super bowl is a one. Off it's a.

Game it's one, game, right and so these media members and by the, way AND i don't mean this disrespectfully To Green.

Bay i've never been To. Lambeau it's on my bucket.

List don't mean this disrespectfully To pittsburgh Or buffalo or. Wherever the conversation might sound different if media, members fans or. Whatever and The Super bowl changes, venues and oftentimes the venues in the cities are cool cities and destination. Places so you're not necessarily going to live In Green bay for the next two weeks to Watch Green bay Play. Pittsburgh you're not going to live In buffalo respectfully In, February january And, february where it is miserable in Western

The Super bowls a one. Off it's one.

Game it is an event where people that oftentimes don't know anything about football or THE nfl go To Super bowl parties or have people at their house and you have dinner and you play the square, game and you have some fun side things going, on and the kids are out like it's an event in the way THE Nba finals is. Not and if this thing goes seven, Games Oklahoma city And indianapolis if it goes seven, games

Weeks that's a different.

Ask so maybe it's as reductive as The Super bowl is one, game it's one. Day it's IN la it's In, glendale it's In, florida it's wherever In New york one, year so you only have to go there for one. Day you don't have to go exist in the city or in the cities that you don't necessarily necessarily want to be in for longer than just a few.

Hours so there's probably something.

There and it is interesting when it comes to viewership and. Eyeballs nothing adversely affects in THE.

Nfl.

Nothing sunday night football is the highest watched television show period in The United. States there's not a higher watched, show not an award, show not a finale of. Whatever like more people sit down on A sunday night to WATCH nfl football than any other television experience that we have in the, country, period and THE Nba finals draws healthy. Ratings but when you and this goes into the market conversation that we just don't have when we're talking about.

Special but because it wasn't.

The lakers against The mavericks or whatever it, Was Western Conference finals ratings. Down and it has zero to do with whether or not these are good. Teams it has nothing to do with the. Product The timberwolves in The thunder are both really. Good they're both probably better than The.

Like paint paint? Stripes, okay well maybe they can put stripes on your.

Parking BUT i bet they stripped things, too basketball court, Lines, yeah, okay they can do. That maybe stripping. TOO i think it's a different place you call for. That all, Right well anyway you need behave, Yourself. Okay our friends At Utah Lead services can help you. Out if you see some cracks in your. Concrete if you see extreme damage that needs to be, Fixed so, again, crack, ceiling, coating striping or, stripping just give them a. Call Asphalt overlays

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Zero Stanley Cup Finals game One Tonight Oilers panthers rematch of The Stanley Cup finals from a year ago will be heard on this little old radio station beginning at six. O'clock after we say good, Night Eric weddle is going to join. US e wed is a finals for The College Football hall Of fame Former Youth, legend so stay tuned for. That but we'll start out the four o'clock hour of the program With Andy, Larson Salt Lake.

Tribune, Andy Happy. Wednesday how are we?

Doing i'm good, Man how are you?

Good give me.

A bucket list destination geographically somewhere in the world that you've never been to that you'd like to.

VISIT i sell them Into italy AND i need to do. That and then Like i've been trying to figure out like where and how to do A japan Or korea or something like that trip.

Given the language.

Barrier LIKE i don't know if it's a tour guide situation or, what but Probably italy is my nuber one.

Answer solf can highly Recommend. Tokyo i've decided my next stop is going to Be. Australia i've never been To. Australia have you?

BEEN i Have in twenty, nineteen right before the world set, DOWN i did as around The world, tour which was. Awesome spent two weeks, there bounced around different, cities went to The Great Barrier. Reefs it was truly. Awesome you Won't, yeah you need to go as through as you.

Can what's your? Favorite what's your favorite?

NUT i WAS i was munching on some pistachios. EARLIER i feel like pistachios has to be high on anyone's.

List that's a good.

Question i've been feeling Like cashew's.

Right right recently was really really. Good, Nice So i'll go with.

That where do you get your Frid, Rise? Sandy?

SO i used to get it from this place called My tie on thirteenth and Third, west but it just closed about a month, ago So i'm kind of on the lookout for new. Spots you, know that place was right by the jazz practice, facility so it's, perfect you, know after, practice go and get Some Frida rice and it was. Awesome and they the owner retired after seventeen years just you, know she was time and so, YEAH i got to, Say i'm certain if you haven't good, ideas let.

Me, know watching ANY tv shows these?

Days, Andy, OH i don't think.

So i'm watching the. Sports i'm, sorry it's it's important. Sports then you dating?

Anyone uh, no.

All?

Right?

Movie oh, yeah you gotta be. Careful you gotta be, Careful. Andy all, right we can move. ON i, mean kind of a weird mood on A. Wednesday several reasons, why but let's move.

On all.

Right let me ask you. This did you catch wind of This Austin ange? Situation did you know this was in the pipeline or did it catch you off guard the way that it seems to have got everybody off?

Guard, YEAH i, mean, yeah it caught me off. GUARD i did not.

KNOW i knew that there were changes in the front, office AND i knew that and we reported some of, them, right like The Carlos boozer. Thing there are a couple of Other jazz staffers who are no longer going to be with the team moving, forward and now in the wake Of Austin ange being, hired looking like maybe there could be more. CHANGES i, truly you, KNOW i don't want to say anything without having that confirmed for multiple, sources because obviously this is people's. Livelihoods BUT i knew

Here what other changes AND i may have missed.

Something so for our, Listeners Carlos boozer has been added to the staff as a. Scout AND i know you said you did not want to pontificate on, possibilities AND i respect that because people's jobs are important to. Them but what other changes are you alluding to THAT i may have missed?

Changes so, Again i'm trying to not use names here and until it's, announced until they find new jobs and stuff like. That but, yeah it seems like in the fourth or fifth level of the organization maybe names that aren't familiar to fans but are names more familiar TO jevb writers and you, know obviously people my people in the day to day workings of THE.

Orc all, right ten ten?

Four how do you THINK I i asked a couple of guests, this And i'll preface.

It with you the same WAY i have with.

Them there are THIRTY nba general manager jobs and if you have, one you are very happy to have one despite these circumstances around. You And Justin zander is coming off a very trying year where he had some serious health, complications and you, Know i've seen him a couple of times since and seeing him interviewed since seems like he's doing. Well So i'm not implying anything at all with the,

Look publicly and privately from all.

All reports That i've heard about, THIS i haven't talked to JAY z about, it but like.

Is that he is taking this positively right like he, is you, know saying all the right. Things he, is you, know.

Saying, hey, look you know That austin will be added it to our, department and you know what's best for The jazz is what's best for, me and all that kind of good. STUFF i also know how general managers, think AND i know how executives, think AND i know

Conference AND i.

Think it was interesting that he drew such a dividing line Between austening just skills And Justin vennox, skills where you, know he, said, hey, Look justin's you, know came up through the agency, space and as good as that is good at dealing with players and that sort of, Thing whereas they feel That austin came up through the scouting and, coaching it has that experience and so we'll be able to add kind of those, again, players valuation and talent

Andy as a nineteen year, old between my freshman and sophomore year at The university of You tai did an internship At Madison Square.

Garden WHERE i had a connection, loosely.

And my internship that summer was in the customer relations, department where my job was to answer phone calls from Angry New yorkers that didn't Enjoy Billy joel the night before or.

Whatever it was very, interesting AND.

I worked in a department of people and a lot of them were almost nervous to have me around and didn't really like to talk to.

Me very.

MUCH i really had one. Friend his name Was Dave. Snowden ironically, enough he's still. There he founded The wheelchair next and he's the sweetest. Guy and went to dinner one, night And i'm, like, dude why don't these people just feel like they. Can i'm a normal. Person you can come talk to me And i'll talk to. You and he'd laid a line on me at the age of nineteen THAT i still talk about and think about to this.

Father so thank. You, okay there you.

Go so we move into this space WHERE i feel like it's easy to have a conversation where two things can be. True That austin benefited greatly from his last name and who his father, was And austin has put in the groundwork and as the resume to qualify himself for a hire such as, this is that fair to?

Say?

Yeah he, LOOKED i think.

SO i.

Think you, know if you look at another team and they higher off, nnge it's a little bit of a stretch because he's an ASSISTANT, gm not A, gm, right, like but given The celtics success over the last, decade, like it does make, sense, Right and so that's the thing that The jazz can stand on on this is that look, like, hey it's you, know he does have he is well, respected he does have a ton of.

Did it feel like to?

You AND i guess i'll use a gen z, saying as the kids would, say doing too much or extra or. Whatever did it feel like to you in the statements that were released and the comments mainly By ryan that they just overcooked the qualifications That austin, has that they just overcooked the whole like without really saying the quiet part out, loud Like danny wasn't even, quoted and it

Availability?

No AND i, MEAN i GUESS i don't think they're doing like you kind of have to if you're if you are The Pierre department of The jazz and you're put in this position right like that's the thing you have to. Do you have to Say, hey you, know this Is.

Danny ings hiring his. Son it's, like look at all the things off the names of.

Son you have to give the fans the reason to, believe because if you do, that the fans are gonna believe because they're. FANS i.

DID i was skeptical with.

The idea That ryan just Told danny Called danny up One dan said HE i want to hire your son to be president of basketball, operations, right you, KNOW i Think bryan And danny talk more often than that for it to have just been, like, hey.

Got some bad or weird news That i'm hiring your, kid.

You, Know LIKE I i just am skeptical that that's how that went. Down but, yeah, LOOK i, mean if you are if you're trying to spend as any if you are at all, professional you're trying to spend it at least a little, bit and the only way to spend it is by saying That austen is, qualified you.

Way skeptical That ryan didn't talk to there's no shot in hell are you? Kidding that was the most insulting part of the entire, Scenario, like, Hey danny's been completely kept out of The he had no IDEA i was doing. THIS i just told him like, dude, like what do you, Mean, Andy there's no chance that was the. Case almost insulting that that was said out.

Loud, yeah, LOOK i Mean ryan likes to tell a yarn that's probably not super based in.

Reality Sometimes i've.

Done it at press conferences.

BEFORE i, mean even Katz to copied like the Old Greg miller gas station, story, right, LIKE i am you know that's That's Ryan.

Smith yes it, Is, yes it is and you, KNOW i guess if it's working for, you just keep rolling with.

It but, yeah there's no.

Shot but when it comes to The danny angle, Here i've always been skeptical personally of really just how for lack of a better, term invested in the day to day process That danny is with the entire. Thing, NOW i want to be very, Fair danny retired when he left The. Celtics he. Retired he didn't move out here to work for The. Jazz, okay that wasn't the reason he moved To. Utah he moved To utah to be around his. Family And i've never believed, now, look he's at the. GAMES i see him at, GAMES i see

Scenario i'll say, this like over the last couple of, years If danny was truly, removed like he was way more involved THAN i thought he would be from that press, conference right like he was at random stars games THAT i was at that you, know THE G League College City, stars but he had no reason to be at, whatsoever, Right like you can successfully delegate the tense man role on The Coalege City stars and feel pretty good about it if You're Danny, inge and he, didn't like he

That kind of.

STUFF i could absolutely. See, hey that's why the jazz decided to add another the louder voice of the. Room and of course you can Get danny on board by making It. Austin, so you, KNOW i think that's it's very plausible that that's what. Happened but we'll see over the next course a couple of. Years you, know LIKE i was surprised at how involved he was, before now it could be surprised, again all.

Right in the spirit of listening to what these people say and then trying to understand what actually is. Real let's move over to the response That austin gave to the question that our very Own SEAN i'llcdda asked about his personal philosophy on tanking and manipulating, lineups to Which austin, responded you will not see that this. Year austin went on our Guy John paul's, PODCAST i would encourage people to go check Out Roundball roundup and expanded on the

Capital it becomes, really really, hard even if you trade the, Veterans, like that's the tricky spot for. Me so you, know you can trade lowerry, marketing you could probably trade Toll in, zests and you can probably Trade John. COLLINS i don't think you can Trade Jordan, clarkson unless it's packaged in a deal where you're giving up. VALUES i don't think they're going to get a lot for those, guys BUT

Too you can't get you know.

What's got a combined eighty million dollars in money off your books without taking some veteran contract. Back who, then, yes under kind of the often names we won't tank, rule that you would have to. Play and if you look at the bottom eight of last Year's Draft pree,

A month into the.

Season you, know let's, See philadelphia definitely thanks at the end of the. Year The spurs even tanked Once Webben yama got. Hurt like everyone actually was tanking.

By the end of the.

Year SO i find it difficult to imagine that the Jazz i won't have to do that to some degree In march And april in order to stay quote unquote competitive or really anti. Competitive, Right, like there's a real chance that if they try their hardest in all eighty two games next, year that they end up, with, yeah that ninth pick and then you just give it away.

To The Olahoma City.

Thunder SO.

I think you have to be really careful about how that plays, out and you, know and then if you do keep one Of lowry Or Collin sexton Or John, collins then all of a sudden you add more wins and get even closer to that. Line so it's a really fine line that they're kind of dropt to. Get AND i think ultimately what's gonna end up happening is you, say, hey, no we're not going to tank it all this, year and then you, know you end up just tanking In, March, rapril or maybe somebody gets.

Hurt and you get a little bit luck that.

Way but from WHAT i, hear it is much more likely that the jazz are bad next year and kind of embrace that from just a player talent point of view than that they like try to be good and trade for three stars or something like.

That so The washington model is something That i've been considering over the past twenty four or forty eight hours or, whatever.

Because washington actually did.

Try but what they Did Billel kolabali Bub carrington And Jordan poole is just a perfect vet to tank on your. Roster they traded, kus they Played Alex, sar they Played Kaishawan,

Games, again is that a scenario you could?

See, YEAH i think that's the most likely. SCENARIO i would just also say that That washington team is, tanked like they you pointed out they didn't Play Chris middleton at the end of the, year like they didn't Play Marcus marit very. Much you, know like they were making decisions in the fourth quarter of games that meant that they were trying to lose, them, Right LIKE i watched The wizards BECAUSE i cared about whether or not The jazz got the first or second seat in THE nba draft,

Night which vets on the roster now are on the. Roster THEN.

I don't, KNOW i, MEAN i, YEAH i don't.

Know they're going to try to trade all of, THEM.

I.

Think, SO i, mean, look you you at least have to have the.

Conversation you if you Bring lowery in with the you, know and LET'S i don't Think Walker caster is a vet. Yet so if you Bring lowry And walker into the, season AND i think that's like a twenty five win, team you, know, like AND i think that is again really close to that eighth spot where you're giving up giving up the pick of The Oclaba City. Thunder so you at least have to have the. Conversations and our Guy Tony jones is On twitter today telling everyone That lowry has remained retained.

All of his.

Value So i've never been more convinced that The jazz are going to try.

To Trade oh, dear oh, dear what would be? Okay, so AND i tend to agree with, you what would be the type of return you, Think, WELL i Guess i'll Say, Austin, now what sort of return does An Austin ainge look for while shopping lowry?

Marketing is it?

STRAIGHT i, mean there are rules, here and The jazz don't have cap. Space they can't just absorb, contracts so you do have to match money Unless John collins shocks us all and walks away from the player option and we have a different. Conversation but when you get there and if you get a, release if we all get a, release, like, hey The jazz have traded of lowry market and what type of return you Think austin's looking?

For, YEAH i.

Mean you're you're looking for salary, Release you're hoping for an interesting young, player and then you're hoping for a pick or. TWO i, MEAN i think last.

Year that was essentially The warriors, trade.

Right like was a couple of first round picks And jonathan cominga was kind of the, hope and you, know you're kind of hoping for that same thing as last. YEAR i made fun Of tony in the last, answer, LIKE i do think you can get something semi similar to what you were. OFFERED i just think that it

All, right we're going to revisit it every. Week can tell the. Draft luckily it's only a couple of. Weeks but BEFORE i, set you loose the Current Andy larson opinion of best case scenario at five for The jazz is who and?

Why probably V jay income right, now AND i don't know. THAT i think it's unlikely that he falls to, five but if he, DOES i think that's probably best case BECAUSE i LIKE i like his, TOOLS i like his production as a. Freshman his stats are actually better THAN i think he's given credit. FOR i thought he measured out well at the combine AND i think he's the

Come we don't have time to talk about oursel and, HONESTLY i don't want To, Andy So i'm going to set you loose on A wednesday and we'll chat.

Soon but, okay sounds.

Good.

Thanks then get to the five o'clock.

Hour the program tonight and get you ready For game one of The Stanley Cup finals With edmonton And, florida rematch of last Year's Stanley cup matchup to win seven Games Neil smith will roll. By good stuff From Josh furlong And Andy larson so far, today but let's bring in our, Guy Youte legends and Future hall Of Famer Eric weddle on A wednesday. Afternoon, Ewent Happy, wednesday, man how you doing doing?

Amazing thanks for having me.

On we can't say Future all Of famer yet because we don't, know you, know voting can get, crazy so we'll say maybe soon to Be hall Of famer would have a nice ring to.

It, okay fair, enough fair, Enough i'm, optimistic you, wed BUT i am not. You SO i will ask you where were you when you found out this news and what was your? Reaction BECAUSE i always find it interesting talking to people like you that have achieved something like, this and you, know you hear a lot of musicians or athletes or the people that have achieved say things like my dreams never got, There LIKE i never really dreamed to be A hall Of.

Famer was this a goal of?

Yours or is this one of those things like a potential accomplishment that you didn't even allow your mind to get.

To, YEAH i MEAN i don't think.

You're playing a team.

SPORT i don't think anyone goes in thinking they want to end up A hall Of, famer it's just kind of you, KNOW i could be. Wrong maybe it's Like Deon sanders might have thought that because he was just that incredibly talented and knew that of himself early. On but for, myself it was just man living, living living it up and having an opportunity to play college ball

Effort where were you when you heard the news and what was your?

Reaction he, went, Well Mark harlan actually reached out to, me shot me a text, like, oh this is great first step and getting into the College Football hall Of, Fame AND i. DIDN'T i didn't know what he was talking. About SO i was doing some other things AND i didn't responded back BECAUSE i didn't know if it was meant for me or someone. Else BECAUSE i DIDN'T i didn't have like there was no news that the, time and then of course the post started coming out in

At have you allowed yourself to think about what that phone call would be like if you hear that you have indeed been. Inducted have you allowed your mind to go?

There?

Nah, NAH i.

DON'T i.

DON'T i don't think too far.

Ahead And.

I'm a guy that hopes for the but.

Prepared for the. Worst SO i don't let myself get too far down that road.

Because it's just it's not my.

Mentality when it, happens it'll, be it'll be fresh and it'll be, new And i'll enjoy it if it, happens and if, not Then i'll just go about my day LIKE i always.

Do that's a great.

Attitude BUT i will follow up with what would it mean to you if you do get that call and the news is you're in, man what would that mean to?

You, well you, know it's it's A it means you're you're an all time, Great you're you're you less lasting.

Impression on the field and off. Of very few do AND i THINK i don't. KNOW i think the numbers around thirteen hundred College Football hall Of. Famer so to be in that mix and to be said and looked at as A hall Of famer is a very very.

Unique and humbling.

Proposition it's to really wrap your head around it is kind of. Hard it's kind of hard to do BECAUSE i, don't you, know people know. ME i don't look at myself in that. INSTANCE i THINK i put it all out, there AND i think in the COLLEGE i said this a couple of days. AGO i think The College Football hall Of FAME i could sit there and, say, YEAH i THINK i was one of the best in that sense WHERE i could be labeled.

As A hall Of.

Fame, now THE nfl is a whole different, animal WHICH i don't think in my, opinion but the college, football LIKE i could sit there and, say, YEAH i belong with one of the best in those names that are, Enshrined so it would be incredible and, humbling and TRULY i would probably be lost for, words If i'm being.

Honest, Okay i'm glad you said what you just, said BECAUSE i was going to follow up with, this like you do know that you are an all time, great, right like you're aware of exactly what you mean to the program around?

Here, Correct, WELL i mean, YEAH i know, it And i'm loved and you know that place is a very special place in my.

Heart so IT'S i. Know, now there are so many great, Players so where do you rank? THEM i kind of in the old adage Of jordan of you, know rank me where you rank, Them but you can't put me ahead of people that played twenty years before, me thirty forty fifty. Years LIKE i respect the game way too, much BUT i do Know i'm loved and. APPRECIATED i know that around the.

University, okay, okay fair, enough fair, enough BECAUSE i MEAN i appreciate the. ATTITUDE i respect the, Endeavor but as a, player you were a. Killer you know you, Were SO i wonder how you balance out being such a killer on the field while maintaining more of a balanced approach just as a.

Human, WELL i mean that you cross that white. Line at any point in my, career WHETHER i was a true freshman at The university Of utah or fourteenth year coming off the street two years, retired my goal in mindset, Was I'm i'm here to annihilate my. Opposition i'm not here to make. Friends i'm not here when it's my job is on the. Line, yes WHEN i get off the white, Line i'm a great, teammate AND i love

OUT i WONDER i wanted to ask this today BECAUSE i come from the family eric WHERE i am the oldest of six AND i am the only one of the six that went to The university Of.

Utah the other five all went TO, byu.

And they all, Married they all married spouses they met AT byu and they, all, sure.

You're you're, outnumbered my.

Friend OH i y, ah my chose. Truth ewett is HOW i like to put.

It, uh you, know OBVIOUSLY i like to rid, them AND i, mean, look it's all, love it's all. Good and you, know a lot of the coaches down there and they are all of my, brothers they went TO. Byu they always say you're the ute that they wish was a, cougar and you're the ute that they just cannot say anything negative.

About does that jive with your?

Experience does it feel like you have that universal respect from both these fan bases up.

Here, WELL i think it's it's you, know to hear that is really it makes me.

Smile it makes ME.

I don't like to say it like and moments where you're proud of, yourself BUT i truly am proud of HOW i try to represent myself and my family and my, name my last, name and even more so in the grand scheme of. Things we're all here for a, purpose and we can get all riled, up and at the end of the, day it's about respecting your opponent no matter, what and speaking and treating your opponent in that type of.

FAMILY i wonder if you feel comfortable because the relationships you have with your former coaches and, teammates, that's you, know that's a sacred. Space AND i have been close enough in in locker rooms and around teams THAT i respect that. Space BUT i wonder if you'd feel comfortable sharing whether or not you heard From morgan Or Coach witt Or klani when the news came down that you're on The hall Of fame.

Ballot what other phone calls did you? Receive.

You, Yeah Coach wit of course reached out and congratulated, me and on both, sides anyone that knows me or or is close with me reached. Out but they also know me as well that it's not a done, deal so they'll probably want to save the congratulateary the congratulations to when it's a final set and. Done so they know me as well That i'm probably not missing a beat until it becomes.

Final tell me how the coaching stuff is.

Going last time we talked to, you, you you, know you kind of outlined the early returns of this new endeavor of. Yours AND i wonder if any of these young men who you are coaching have any idea what sort of killer you really were as a.

PLAYER i think the younger, generation each year that goes, BY i could care less about who their head coaches and what he used to. Be and SOMETIMES i have to remind them in a positive way That i'm here to help them and guys them and take it for what it's worth some, pole some of them goes one year out the. Other but the few that actually take it and will be better from, it and those are

Things your your boy Is, gauge, correct that's your, Son, yes, sir you still have him in the.

Program and if, so how's that.

Going, yeah he's, uh he's gonna be a sophomore coming.

Up oh he's only a.

Sofa, yeah, yeah he's, uh he is a, fun fun kid to be, around his, passion his work, ethic how he, leads he's, uh he's got a chance to be, special And i'm just along for the ride and trying to help guide him as BEST i, can and excited for this year to lead our. Team and he's put in the work on and off the field and really put his best foot foot forward to have a great.

Year on offensive.

Defense so, uh we got we got a good group coming back in the, uh connected. Unit gotta stay, healthy, obviously but we have a chance to be really good and we'll see where his, uh his journey takes him over the next few.

Years you play like his dad at.

All he's better than me WHEN i was at this point in high. School so, uh he's a, bigger probably more physical verse. Myself you, know he's he's six to, two he's one hundred and eighty five pounds now and getting big and. Strong so.

He's.

UH i can only hope and dream that he'll have a better high school college and if he could ever make it better career THAN i ever, did.

What sort of, see it's such a delicate. BALANCE i, mean what sort of advice do you give? Him what sort OF i, mean Because i'm a parent, too and you really learn as they grow the best thing you can do is be. Guardrails and you, know it's like bumper lanes and bowling and they're the. Ball you're there to make sure they kind of stay in the, lane but you can't roll the ball down the middle for.

WELL i just try to remind them that no matter, what if you don't have fun and you don't love the game and everything that, entails and what's the. Point

That, no you.

Shouldn't you should never have Put you should revel in, it you should be proud of. It you should enjoy the entire. Situation i've got his socials, up AND i see as a, freshman he was your starting quarterback and also starting, safety and he has schools calling. Already, right looks like he's got some offers in his back pocket, already even only as a.

Freshman, YEAH i, mean it's it's it kind of came came at a. Whirlwind you. Know the recruiting starts way early. Nowadays especially if you know if you're a freshman playing on varsity and then you play, well schools are gonna find you and they're gonna they're gonna start getting their feelers out and let you know that that you're on

To make it a.

REALITY i noticed, EARLIER, ewd you recently turned, forty so welcome to our. CLUB i, am, again a little more advanced than you, are But i'm still in the forties, Area so welcome to the. Forties and it's been a minute since you went through the recruiting. STUFF i wonder what the main differences are that you've, noticed because college football is much different now than it was in two thousand and, one two thousand and two when you were being.

Back in the.

Day, YEAH i, mean that's a great. QUESTION i crce s been quite an hour talking about the differences and trying to navigate the landscape of recruiting. NOW i, MEAN i took my official visit to The university Of utah and descend and ended up committing that week a month before signing, day where now a lot of times these these, players depending on, positions depending on, need et, cetera et, cetera can be committing sophomore junior. Season so it's it's definitely.

You?

Where in the grand scheme of, things this is a huge decision on not only what happens on the, field but the relationships and connections you make off the field and how you represent. Yourself and it goes both, ways right like your year the school may tell you that you're never going to play, it so you want to hit the, portal and then other cases that you want more money and this and. That so it's just so many different. DYNAMICS i just try to remind all my

Reasons i'm quite sure.

That are you fans listening after they heard you Say gage is a, bigger stronger version of, me are waiting for me to ask you if that's the. Case is there any chance this young man plays his college ball In Salt Lake?

City and if, so what would that mean to?

You?

YEAH i Mean gade is a gauge is he's a big thinker in the sense that he wants to be better THAN i, was and he he wants to make his own. Mark, now he obviously has a deep love For, Utah BUT i would be, HONESTLY i would be happy if he gets to play college. Football i'm not really pigeonholed on Where i'm more just would be so proud if he even gets a, chance because it's it's, tough. Man there's amazing players across the board that do things the right, way and sometimes it just is. Luck sometimes

ABOUT i think it's. AWESOME i think it's.

Great as a father of his, SON i know what that must feel like for. You BEFORE i set, You Lucy, wed we all know that you're one of The Big. Twelve was not what we were hoping for any of us expected at.

All some new, coaches some new.

Transfers what's your confidence level The utah football year two in The big twelve will look better than it did year?

One, well, YEAH i Mean i've Been i've been fortunate enough That Coach wit And scally and Even Coach lued before he, left allowed myself and some coaches to come out for two three days at a. Time being all the, meetings position, meetings coaches meetings obviously be at the, practices So i'm pretty intimate with what's going on and seeing the guys And I'm i'm, optimistic, ecstatic excited for the.

There all, right my, Guy, well thrilled for you and we are optimistic about your chances and when that goes, down we'd love to get you back on if not, Sooner so enjoy the rest of the.

Week, Eric thanks for the, time, buddy be, well, okay you got it.

Anytime thanks for having me, on.

Brother all, Right Eric Weddle Future hall Of, famer not just in. COLLEGE i didn't offer the follow up when he Said i'm not sure that THE nfl thing is a. POSSIBILITY i felt like he was getting uncomfortable with my effusive. Praise but he's got a shot at some point to be In canton as, WELL i would.

Imagine.

YEAH i, Mean eric's a guy, that despite you, know how good he was here At, utah and despite having A Super bowl ring all of the, above you, know doesn't like to toot his horn too. MUCH a stat for, You. Spence five guys IN nfl storry nine hundred tackles in twenty nine career. Interceptions It's Eric, Weddle Brian, Dawkins Rodney, Harrison Ronde barbara And Ronde barber And Charles. Woodson that's the entire.

List, jeez that's. Impressive, yeah at some point our guy is gonna get a. Look IF i was.

A hall Of, Famer i'd never take the jacket. Off let's be. Clear i'm wearing the gold jacket all, day every.

Day, oh IF i reached the pinnacle of any sport of any, kind the, ring the, jacket the you, know the green, jacket the gold. Jacket Super bowl, ring it's it's on me forever at that, point.

Or being the best dish provider in the. Nation speaking To hall Of, Famers ryan from The dish pros EIGHT oho one four to two Four dish save money on a bunch of.

Things what's going?

On?

Ryan, definitely you, know and we're we're right there at the top of not A hall Of, famer but we are retailer of The year multiple years in a.

Row and, guys we've been just taking care of everybody and the deals are really actually. Amazing right, now You dish sent out about almost a fund thousand mailers in The Utah Northern utah area where.

There's actually five hundred dollars gift card attached to. Them now that's a good chance you might have missed. It but if you're, thinking, gosh you, know IF i get five hundred bucks, OFF i get set up on this great two year, Deal i'm in call us. Up we can check and see if it got sent to, you and if it, did we can get attach the gift card. Offer if not worth case, scenario you get three months, free which you, know if you take the higher package

All, right wrapping it, up final segment of the program for This wednesday. AFTERNOON i am just seeing. THIS i guess it was announced a little bit.

Earlier.

Uh The Salt Lake City Police department has charged A university Of utah tennis player with. Rape according to a probable cause statement filed, today twenty one year Old Burke ugaric no. Clue i've never heard of this. Person that is a unique spell of a last. Name he's facing three counts of, rape two counts of forcible, sodomy and one count of object. Rape the alleged assault took Place

Suspended there you.

GO i guess was something that was public knowledge, earlier But i'm just seeing it as we're wrapping up the. Program All, right we got a Little Stanley cup playoffs coming your way With edmonton And, florida a rematch of last year's. Series if you are new to sport of, hockey let me encourage you to, watch, listen. CONSUME i think it's the best playoffs format that we. Have the

In twenty twenty, five twenty, Six, no almost any other situation if you would have asked, me like last year.

Year or the year, before or the year before or the year, before the year before the year.

Before, yes BUT i JUST i love me SOME. KD i think he may have some good basketball. Left but As Karl Anthony town, showed he's still a really good piece on a really good. Team there are things about his game that make him prone to match up issue sometimes mainly on the defensive side of the.

Ball he doesn't guard at.

All, yeah it's, bad But Kevin durant's also not the let's be, clear the kind of Defensive player of The year candidate he was back In Golden.

State you know, what MAN i might do, THAT i might Trade Ken cat For.

Durant, listen if you think you have one year to go for, it like go for a, title go for. IT i don't know that the roster The knicks have right, now ADDING kd to, it you, know you probably make a run next, year but that's. It it's over after, that at least is that core is is, constructed and then you're probably dealing with A kdi that maybe wants another year or two on that, deal wants to drag it.

Run this is shaping up to be a wild off season in THE. Nba, Dude, yes wild off. Season, yes it is all. Right let's get out of.

Here hockey coming, Up Stanley cup finals coming, up don't FORGET Nba finals, Tomorrow, porter what comes our way on A thursday edition of the.

Show as you, mentioned we got some hockey coming up on the show. Next we'll recap that tomorrow with our Friend Belle, frasier talk a Little Utah mammoth offseason as, well of, course the the top five pick in THE Nhl draft.

And, more.

AND Nba Daily assist With dave. Mcminnimon we may double up on OUR Nba Daily assist, tomorrow STILL tbd on One Tim Bond. Temps hoping to chat with your guy Mad Dog russo as. Well that may happen, Tomorrow that may Happen. Friday some still some things in the works. There we'll Have Sports court. Tomorrow Busy, thursday.

So join us for. That we'll say good night for A wednesday. Show get out of the way for Some Stanley Cup finals hockey. Special thank you today To Josh, Furlong Andy, Larson Eric. Weddle you'd fans if you missed THE ewb, interview it was really. Fun definitely check that out and of course the Great Neil smith if you missed any of the sound from the. SHOW espn seven Hundred sports Dot com is where you. Go you can also download our mobile app and take us on the.

Out it's Called The drive With.

Spence check Its it's available wherever you get your, show so search for. It that subscribe, button follow, button whatever they ask you to, do follow, along say nice things in the, comments give us all the.

Stars it actually. Helps.

Reporter I'm spencing AND i enjoy Your wednesday, Evening enjoy a Little Stanley Cup finals coming up on the other. Side right here ON espn seven hundred and ninety TO, onefm we are proud to be part of Utah Z Espn Radio network