WED POD @SpenceChecketts on NBA Playoffs R2, Cavs bounced, draft lottery, new BYU AD + more

All right, let's get a drivetime Wednesday afternoon, fourteen minutes past the hour at two o'clock.

It is rainy, it is cold.

When I woke up to walk the dog, it was thirty seven degrees.

In the month of May.

It's about forty eight degrees, but rainy and cold here in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. A little bit of a cold front yesterday, today, throughout the course of most of the week. But as it is every single day, it's good to have you along for the ride. Spence check, it's beyond my Porter Larsen, beyond the glass today. You are halfway through that work week. You're one day closer to the weekend. We got a jam packed Wednesday show for you guys.

It features a game day for Rayal Salt Lake.

URSEL actually is in action tonight seven thirty Mountain Time Kick.

As far as the local stuff goes, they're going to.

Welcome in Portland. They've played really well this year. Oursel's been on the road. I'm told that even with the weather like it is tonight, inclement weather, notwithstanding a sell out crowd expected America first few out in Sandy so URSL is in action.

Tonight.

NBA playoffs continue tonight after a fun night last night both the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors. We'll try to stave off elimination. It is staving season in pro basketball. The New York Knicks looking to advance, the Minnesota Timberwolves looking to advance. We'll get to some of that on the show today. Get you ready for the games tonight. Talk about what we saw last night where the Indiana Pacers are just red hot at the right time of year and for the eighth straight season, I

He will have none of.

What you will write about the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has had enough back in the gym off season. Pacers are good and they're playing the right way at the right time of year. Let's not forget they were the Eastern Conference files a year ago. Good game in Oklahoma City where the Denver Nuggets ran out of gas because they don't have a bench and their head coach, Coach Adelman, decided to ride with Nikola Jokic during the entire fourth quarter,

One.

Scout said quote.

The good thing about lottery night is those teams a tank didn't get any help. Tank all you want, but it does not guarantee you anything. According to one NBA insider, could that color the conversation and context about what Utah Jazz will do next year to try to approach the season a little bit differently. We will get to that on the show today and the latest with the offseason stuff, the latest with the lottery. Couple of names available, maybe at five as the NBA combine rolls along, So a

Do you think they get it done tonight?

I think they do. Man, maybe that's you know, it is wishful thinking. As a Knicks fan, I feel like that's always kind of the case. But man, without Jason Tatum and with the way the Knicks have won some of these games, I think they have a real opportunity to close it out. I think it's it's been kind of deflating way for the Celtics to go down. That being said, this is a team that has won a title very recently. If you remember, They're not gonna go

So Boston is a favorite tonight at home, despite Jason Tatum of course being out not just for tonight but for like an entire year.

So we'll see what happens tonight. NBA Playoffs, the action.

Has been really, really fun, and we'll break it down the Quentin Richardson.

If you're an NBA fan, you know who Q is. But before we get to.

Quentin Richardson on a Wednesday afternoon, then we're gonna bring in Sarah Todd, Neil Smith, Chris Camraaddi as well Dark.

Derek Henry gets a two year extension.

Uh so, our our computer is a little jacked up, all right. Before you get to QUEU on a Wednesday, it's sign for your opening tip.

Welcome to the.

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

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So download the Prize Picks app today, use the promo cod ESPN seven hundred, and you'll get fifty bucks when you play that first five dollars bet Prize Picks run your game all season long. All right, I'm going heavy on Boston tonight. I'm going more on Derek White eighteen point five points. I'm going more on Jalen Brown, twenty six points. Give me more on Jalen twenty seven point five points. I will take less on Cat nineteen point five points, and I'll take less on Porzingis fourteen point

Boston just trying to extend their series.

So a couple of minutes here and then we'll take a break and bring in Quentin Richardson. Of course, the market is still reeling from what happened well almost forty eight hours ago, as the Utah Jazz, they were the worst team in the NBA this year, had the worst record in the NBA this year, as it was that

And that's what happened.

Doesn't change the frustration, doesn't change the hope and the you know, as we talk about it is the hope that kills you, right, It's all about your expectations, So how could this potentially change the approach of what the Utah Jazz will try to do next year. So the difficulty in analyzing the Jazz in the interim like right now immediately is, if we're honest, they just don't have

Seriously.

We're going to fake injuries for our players as they did all year, and then the league will find us and then we'll just have our seven foot take a bunch of threes from the outside so intentionally sabotage games. And that's what they did. No matter the spin anybody wants to put on it, that is precisely what they did. So organizations, when they decide that the best route for them is to lose intentionally, we'll say things like it's time for us to develop our young players, and we're

They had smoked by the Spurs.

They were never going anywhere, but they weren't trying to lose. And reference the Tim Bontemps piece a little bit earlier, and there are a lot of people across the landscape of the NBA that do not like it when teams are intentional about their desire to simply lose, and are

Quote.

The good thing about lottery night is those teams didn't get help. Tank all you want, but it doesn't guarantee you anything. One executive suggested the ESPN that if the league wanted to eliminate tanking, it should eliminate the draft entirely and instead let teams create salary cap space to sign rookies to deals. But even that executive said there wasn't a realistic chance of that ever happening for plenty of reasons, including future draft picks being valuable trade currency.

So the hot.

Takes fly every year after the lottery, namely from fan bases that are frustrated that the anemic seasons they've been asked to suffer through did not pay out for anything special. So it doesn't mean that this is forever with the Utah Jazz, but it means it's for right now. They're really if we're realistic, they'll get a good they'll get a good player at five. Like this draft is deep

Right, But it's not the reality.

So there's no use belly aching about it and talking about it all off season long.

They'll grab a good player at five.

We'll talk about some of the options throughout the course of the show today and throughout the course of the next you know, five six weeks before the draft on June the twenty fifth, they.

Do have cap space.

So after teams have made decisions to jettison off some of their veteran you veteran pieces, and I'll give you just a few teams as an example.

The Phoenix Suns certainly are they're gonna have to do something now.

As we've talked about throughout the course of this week, the problematic element of discussing whether or not the Jazz could go try to get Durant or Giannis or Jalen if Boston decides to jettison their talent. Bobby Marx came out with his calculations Boston will have a luxury tax bill of five hundred million dollars if they don't do something next year. That's the highest luxury tax bill in the history of pro basketball. It's a new ownership group.

I'm good, I'm good. Appreciate that having.

I appreciate the time. So do you think the New York Knicks get it done tonight? Boston eight and two without tape him this year, they're a four point five point favorite of home. Q. How do you think it goes down in Boston tonight.

I'm skeptical right now, man, because on the one hand, I do think that the Knicks have the advantage. They got the momentum right now, and they they've already won two games on their home court in this series, so they should, with all intents and purposes, be able to get the job done. But I just hesitate a little bit because the Celtics our champions, they do have pride. I don't think they want to go out in that fashion.

Gill is somebody who played in the league for a number of years. All kind of concede to your opinion here, and I understand that the system is the system them in Boston, the five out spacing, We're gonna shoot a lot of threes. But when the threes aren't falling and you have like a fourteen to twenty point lead, why don't you adjust a little bit?

Like Look, I am all in on New York.

I want to see the Knicks do it, but I'm kind of stunned that Joe Missoula and the Celtics haven't made more adjustments.

Kind of help me understand this, Roiyah, I.

Mean, I mean when teams come into it, you know, once you get to this point in the season, you are who you are, you play the way you play, But I do agree regardless of that, regardless if you got the person there that they have, you have Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown those first two games, it should have never gone down that way with them guys just

Tell me what stands out most to you about the evolution of Jalen Brunson.

I mean, we saw him.

We're in Salt Lake City and the final playoff series that the Jazz had with Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell was against the Dallas Mavericks and Luca got hurt and Jalen was the primary offense initiator, and so we saw what he could do out here, at least in a truncated space. But a lot of people thought the Knicks were taking a big gamble on a guard that doesn't have great size, and that's not necessarily a modern day NBA approach. What stands out most about how good he's been Q in New York.

I think that for me, it's the mental aspect of it. You know that his mental makeup. I think that's a big part of what makes him as good as he is. I mean the player, he's unbelievable to be able to do the things he does in his size and without as much athleticism that he has. I mean, he's unbelievable with shooting the ball, and you could tell everything is rep petition. Like people ask where this confidence come from.

If somebody you played in that city.

What will the reaction be of Knick fans in New York if the Knicks can get it done at advance in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Oh man, I can't. I can't tell you how much pandemonium there will be, because I'm telling you right now, the Knicks fans, I think in championship, and I mean rightfully, so, they absolutely have a crazy good opportunity to win the championship in the first one that thays ever they ever had a chance in a long time. So I mean, they got it. They got a right to be, you know,

I don't think, no, not at all.

I mean Rick Carlisle of course, is a championship coach, and they've got They've got a bunch you know, and Q you know this. I mean, they have a bunch of just dogs pitfalls on the perimeter.

I mean, guys that can really guard.

And we had Donovan Mitchell out here for five years before he was traded to Cleveland, and we all kind of pulled for Donovan want to see him do well. But let me ask you what stands out most about just how Indiana is playing the right way at the right time of year.

I mean, it has a lot to do with you said, man, they got a really good team. They got a deep team, they got a lot of guys that they can shuffle in. They go about nine to ten beat and that's a big deal when you look at the New York teams that only go sick seven eight deep. So I mean, when you think about that, Indiana, they play at at a fast paced you know what I'm saying, tyree Llyburn getting guys the ball, guys are running and then like you say, they got the intangibles. Man, they got a

Let me ask you about Donovan who I think it's now eight straight years that he's not been able to get out of the second round.

And look, it's obviously a team sport. It's not all on him.

And I've seen Donovan Mitchell have individual playoffs scoring nights that is very rarefied air. Do you think he is a number one Q on a team that can win a championship?

I do. I do think he can be a number one, but it has to be the right right team. He has had the right type of support. So I mean that's like you said, the years that he has in advance, you can go through the numbers.

I can't.

We can't just you know, put it on him like yeah, he if you want to consider him the best guy to lead on the team, and falls on him from that respect. But I mean he's put in major work, like you said rarefied here with some of the numbers he's been putting up in these losses and things like that, and then every every instance you can point to someone else there that could have done more, been more that were expected of for more and for him.

Now there are some rumblings the stuff is going to try to go tonight.

I don't know what that's gonna look like.

Do you give the Warriors any shot of at least getting this thing back to San Francisco?

I give everybody a shot, man could just because I know the pride of an actual of us as athletes, Like you know what I'm saying. It's one game. We just got to turn up one time and worried about everything else after that. So they definitely, I mean, they got they got. Even if step doesn't play, I still give them an outside shot. I mean, I'm not gonna be surprised at Minnesota go ahead and close it down and handle their business. But I'm not gonna say that

So Coach Athaman elected to leave Nikola Yokachen every minute and the fourth Jamal Murray too, And I understand why Denver's not as deep as Oklahoma City.

But of course the Nugets just ran out of gas.

So now we go back to Denver to see if Denver can get this thing back to game seven. I know you say you give everybody a chance, and certainly nobody would bet against nicolea Jokic, But what do you make of what we've seen so far with Denver and OKC and how do you think it plays out?

I had Okay see winning this series. I would say that I'm surprised because of the coaching aspect, because I don't expect the team that fires their coach three games before the rec before the playoffs, I didn't expect them to have any type of run I thought they might have got. I wouldn't have been surprised they got eliminated

I feel like, Hugh, I know you're doing the media thing now, and I know.

You played for a handful of different teams. Do you have a rooting interest in any of the teams left? Is there a team you'd like to see goin the thing?

Oh? Not particularly, man, I just I just really want to see, you know, good good basketball, good series, hard falk games, teams you know, turn injuries off. I hate what happened to Tatum and anybody else that got injured. I want to see guys get teams, get to go away with their full compliment and just see who the best team is. Man, you know I got I got a lot of different ties to different ball clubs and

Thank you all say you loose on this, I know you got to run.

But reports are that Yannis is now open to being traded from Milwaukee. Uh is there a team that you like as far as the fit goes, you think, should you know, should trade for Giannis and Antonio.

I would love to see the yin and Yang to his powerful dominance, playing alongside the unicorn or the alien that that that win Ba yama Is. I think they got enough assets and everything with the draft picks. They just got in some of the young players. They can move and and things like that. With the contracts and stuff, I think they can make it happen.

Oh, Q, thanks for the time. Enjoy the game tonight. Would love dave you back on soon.

Okay, all right, man, all right.

Quentin Richardson he played in the NBA for twelve years. UH played for the Clips, the Suns, the Knicks, the Heat and the Magic. Then actually resigned with the Knicks to retire. UH played only a game for them. Was a really really good shooter, good two way player, kind of a three and D guy before.

That kind of became in vogue.

I's got a podcast called Knuckleheads? Is that with Us Smiles Darius Miles?

Because they both were the knuckleheads?

Right? Yeah.

You can look on YouTube right right now to watch me do the knuckleheads. Can people see me doing this?

Yes?

Okay, this is cute right now. That's what they used to do. WASQ part of the Nick teams.

That you kind of fell in love with when you were early on in your basketball fandom?

Yeah?

So I I actually he was. He was part of the Knicks teams early, right, and you man, I don't think there was a check.

It's overlap. It was four or five.

Maybe, no, there was not, right, So it was it was kind of some of those late nineties Knicks players were still hanging around a few of them, and Q was on those teams. I really really liked his game. It just it was a little before the game became what it is today. Which, man, you would love to have a Quent Richardson from two thousand and five, two

So he's a friend of the show.

Now. Yeah, McDonald's all American, and I'll tell you what, he was really good.

But I thought I thought Darius Miles was going to be like a ten time All Star.

Right, he's an He's another one that's like.

That type of explosiveness, that type of athleticism, the length for sure. It pops on a college floor so much. And then you know, or even the high school stuff right with you look at like stroll Miles Swift, I think the same thing. Guys that showed that type of domination at the previous levels, and that the NBA almost everyone's like kind of like that or they're seven feet tall, so it evens the plane for a little bit.

Yeah, Darius was six'.

Nine he committed to play At Saint, john's then decommitted when he realized he was going to be a top. Pick he was a number three pick overall and never fully developed the way that we thought that he. Would he played in THE nba for nine, years bounced around a little. Bit his best years were actually In, portland not with The. Clippers spent a couple of years In cleveland as. Well but, yeah interesting stuff. There so a

TONIGHT i don't know how that's going to. GO i, mean hamstrings are.

So, tricky but it's do or, die and of Course steph will give it his all that's gonna be a tough place to.

Play The Target center In.

Minneapolis when The timberwolves are, good it's very much like The Delta center when The jazz are, good, loud the fans are right on top of, you and it just feels the feels like The timberwolves kind of have The warriors. NUMBER i don't fully understand Why Jimmy butler hasn't looked

See i'm not ready to Bury denver just.

Yet denver just has so many depth issues AND i understand Why Coach adaman last night went With jokic And murray And.

Gordon and the entire group in the fourth, quarter the entire fourth. Quarter the bio.

Rhythms with that team is Typically jokic takes about the first three or four minutes off of the fourth to kind of get him to finish, it and then usually they'll Bring jokic back in and sit them all for.

A little, bit but all hands on.

Deck they had like a fourteen point lead in the fourth and then if you were, watching every one of their three point shots were.

SHORT i mean the legs were.

Gone and the problem Is Oklahoma city has a team Where Mark dagnoll can go like twelve deep if he, wants and they're all. YOUNG i, mean off the top of my, HEAD i think the oldest player might Be Alex, caruso AND i Think alex is still in his. TWENTIES i, mean that's Where denver's running into. Issues they're so top

TATUM Td garden's going to be.

Crazy you, Know Bill simmons as the whole Like Patrick ewing theory which is based off Those knicks in nineteen ninety nine when they went to the finals With ewing on the, sideline and his whole theory is, that you, know all of these guys are really good players in pro, basketball and when the best player on your, team AND i do Think Jason tatum is the best player on The celtics to respect To Jaylen, brown who was The FINALS mvp a year, ago there's like this collective effort

TIMBERWOLVES tnt will have that for. You the pacer stuff is really.

Interesting And Rick carlyle himself, postgame Both Rick carlile actually And Kenny atkinson last. Night So Kenny Atkinson coach of The Year Cleveland. Cavaliers they get rid OF. Jb, bickerstaff he goes To, Detroit kenny came, in did a really good job With, cleveland And kenny admitted last night like they're just playing at a level that we're not out right.

Now and when you.

Look At Rick, carlyle What Rick carlile has, done Inserting Andrew nemhart into the starting lineup And Aaron nesmith who was injured for a, while Alongside Pascal siakam who's been An All, star And Miles turner who's like Mister pacer for ten. Years he's been a steady big for. Them and then obviously their lynchpin Is Tyree. Saliburton but they also can go nine deep With Obi, TOPPIN. Tj, McConnell Benedict matherin who wants to fight, everybody And Ben shepherd's

DON'T i honestly don't really.

Know And i'm conflicted here Because i've Seen donovan have individual scoring outbursts in playoff games that put him alongside the elite names in the history of this, game Including Michael, jordan Including Alan, iverson some of the great postseason scorers we've. Seen donovan has numbers to match. Them but there's just something that happens down the stretch where he cowers away from.

Superstar in pro?

Basketball is you get it done in the playoffs on the road when the moments are at their, biggest and when the moments have been as big as they can. Get donovan just hasn't met them. Yet twenty, seven twenty eight years. OLD i think he's twenty eight years. Old so he is smack dab in the middle of his. Prime and my guess Is cleveland does run it. Back they have all of their big four under, Contract Evan, Mo Jared, Allen Darius, Garland, Donovan, Mitchell DeAndre, hunter who

Make another team to look at.

As it pertains to whether or not the front office is making a different calculation because of another playoff.

Failure but we'll. See only time will.

Tell uh it felt bad For, donovan but he did step up to the podium and drop a bunch of expletives to.

Show you that he's serious about.

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Tonight he will not do.

That he has been cleared to participate in some encore, drills but you will miss the game tonight as The warriors are trying to stave off. Elimination so now as, official we Got Nick celtics at your early. Game but let's go To chicago where we find ourselves one of our. Favorites Sarah todd from The Deseret, News, Sarah Happy. Wednesday how are.

You i'm doing. Great i'm here at THE Nba. Combine so any apologies if they're buzzes and normal kind of arena sounds in the.

Background, NO i actually kind of like. It WHEN i hear whistles and sneakers sneaking on the.

Floor it makes. Me it makes me miss.

Basketball SO i think we'll take the background ambient. Noise, So, sarah you were in the room when it was revealed The jazz would fall to. Five, obviously folks around here are not too. Thrilled let's just let's just talk about your, experience big. Picture what was it like to kind of be there and experience.

Everything, YEAH i, Mean i've been in that room multiple times at this, point and that was certainly the most unique experiencing in. There you, know it's the opposite of how the lottery is. Revealed on television right where you start with fifteen and you end at, one and when you're in the, room number one is the first four balls. Drawn so it happened very very, quickly and to say that there was nobody in the room that expected it

Done you did a really good job of painting a picture for the D news and for our listeners who have not read, THAT i would encourage you to go To Sarah's twitter profile and click on the. Links so for our listeners that haven't read your, PIECE i want you to tell us When Justin zanik realized The jazz fate and what his reaction was that you, witnessed.

Right I'M i MEAN i was sitting maybe five six feet away From justin and he's sitting next To Washington

Had to be.

Drawn, also what was obvious was that The jazz in their number, combinations they could have handled two double digit, numbers three double digit, numbers it wouldn't have been A jazz. Number so another thing to kind of keep in mind when you're watching the balls came. Drawn first number comes, up it's double.

Digits that's.

Fine the second number comes, up it's a double digit, number also. Fine and then the third one comes up and it's another double digit. Number And justin put his pin down and just kind of knew that it was. Gone it was over before even the fourth ball was. Drawn and when it was Announced, dallas him And Will dawkins looked at each, other looked back down at the

So, sarah of, course you, know it's an annual ride of passage in the world of pro. Basketball when a fan base is upset that their team didn't get the number one overall pick or the number two overall, pick to then question this process and just us whether or not it's, legitimate whether or not it's done with, integrity and whether or not the fix is. In No mavericks fans are complaining about the. Lottery No spurs, fans, well No spurs fans should ever complain about the, lottery let's

FOUL i find it intellectually embarrassing.

That every time your candidate doesn't win an, election you cry that it's, rigged or every time your team doesn't win a, lottery you cry that it's.

Rigged but that's kind of where we're.

At but since you saw the process and have seen the, PROCESS i will simply ask, you is this a fair way to do?

This or is there anything that does not smell right in your?

OPINION i mean two different questions, right is it? Fair it depends on how we design.

Fair Right is it?

Fair because the system and all the rules and the machinations of it are set up before you go in and you know what you're signing up, for then, yeah that's. Fair is it fair that the worst teams in the league only get a fourteen percent? Chance well that was that was the goal of the, league, right like this Is Adam silver's. Goal you, know they they talked about this in twenty, seventeen they put it into action in twenty. Nineteen they flatten the lottery. Odds and the fact of

Bad is it?

Rigged absolutely. Not there's just like the idea that, right like the prevailing conspiracy theory if we're talking about that would be, well The mavericks gave The Lakers luca at the bidding of THE Nba League office or you, know brass and so now they're Rewarding, Dallas so does that mean THE Nbia league office also Hurt Kyrie irving And Anthony?

Anything well?

Played AND i probably should have just asked whether or not it's, Rigged BUT i do want to lean into the answer you gave me for the first part of a clunky question and ask you whether or not you like what the league has. Done do you think it was the right thing to flatten the odds in twenty?

Competition do you think THE nba needs to look at this.

Process, though and maybe look at what THE nfl does by simply rewarding the worst teams with the best picks in the.

Draft.

YEAH i, MEAN i think any system that you have where there's going to be like a percentage, CHANCE i kind of think you're going to get the same. Results, Right, like even when it was just before it was the flattened fourteen, percent, right you were getting the number the one the first overall worst record had a twenty five percent. Chance that's a lot. Better that feels a lot better

It so now this brings up a really interesting, Discussion, sarah Because i'm not a proponent of tanking all the, time but in certain unique, SITUATIONS i am a proponent of. Tanking and in the situation where The jazz have found themselves in for the past three, years my belief has been that they need to go all in to give themselves the best chance at some of these.

Prospects Namely victor Wembin.

Ya i'm a couple of years, ago Namely Cooper flag this, year SO i cannot sit here and, say you know THAT i disagree with what they did last.

Year that would make me a.

Hypocrite but now that we have the, data since twenty, nineteen there are six drafts where the worst team has not received the number one overall, pick and there are conversations about basketball gods and, karma and if you are not approaching this endeavor with integrity to try to be serious about, competition maybe you don't deserve to be rewarded for such a lackadaisical. Approach have you changed your opinion on what The jazz should continue to do moving?

FORWARD i.

HAVEN'T i still think they should, tank AND i did this. Year I've if, anything what this lottery showed me is that karma is not. Real you can Trade Luka doncic and have the most ridiculed front office in THE nba and you can still get. Rewarded so basketball karma does not work the way THAT i ever thought that it.

Did and.

The jazz are not getting a top tier free agent right. Now maybe they would have had a chance at something if they Landed Super. Flag but you've got to get players to get, players and the way for them to start doing that is to the draft next. Year they've got a top eight protected pick that if it falls out of, that they have to send it To. Okay

Now i'm with.

You no one around he wants to hear. It do you think The jazz will continue this strategy? Now And, sarah every Time i've had you on since the end of the, Season i've tried to kind of kick the tires on what could the offseason look? Like but you were good to tell us we had to wait Until. Monday well we waited Until. Monday now they have the fifth. Pick how do you think this color is the context of what this offseason will.

Look like for The?

Jazz, YEAH i, mean you, know before the, lottery my answer to that question was, usually you, know if they Land. Cooper the only thing that would keep them from tanking at twenty, five twenty sixty even would be if they were to go out and get another big time player to put on the. TEAM i think that that is

Year, okay so excuse, me let's move over to The let's, See i'll call it the slight possibility that The jazz are involved in a trade that lands a notable piece here in the. Market so as we, know it has been reported That giannis is open to being traded From. Milwaukee there are teams like The Phoenix suns that have hard decisions to make about really good players that are making a lot of money for a team that didn't do anything last.

Year if The.

Boston celtics lose, tonight and quite, Frankly, sarah even if they, don't this is a new ownership group, that according to Body mark's calculate is going to be faced with a luxury tax bill of north of five hundred million. Dollars, Okay so on one, hand we know that there will be very good players on the open market there to be. Had on the other, HAND i have a hard time seeing The jazz come up with a package that's analogous to What okac can put, together What houston could put,

Base, yeah you, know.

If milwaukee actually wants to start having like real conversations about potentially moving, MEANNESS i think that The jazz would certainly try to be, involved but as you, SAID i don't think the deals that they could offer would be good enough when you consider the types of players and

All, right moving over to if we operate off the premise that The jazz stay at, five and there are a number of reports out there that The jazz are going to try really hard to move, up And zanak himself talked about all the. Possibilities tim, McMahon who joined us, yesterday is reporting that the ownership of The Dallas mavericks has laid the edict down that we are one and

Draft, YEAH i mean all the names that you said just now are absolutely in the, running, Right Trey, JOHNSON. Vj, Edgecomb Ace, Bailey, Jeremiah Jeremiah, Fears Conk. NIPPLE i would also put In Derrek queen probably in that. Mix that's probably the group of guys that you're looking at if you if they decide to keep number. Five AND i MEAN i talked to all of those players earlier, today and you know there's certain things that like IF i was AN nbagm that would really scare me about summer.

Then, yes there, is, So, sarah if we move over into the, space and it's really hard to have this exercise done sitting here in Mid may without knowing who's going to be on the. Roster but if The jazz have done their, calculation if they decide that we are going to be serious about. Competing if they decide that we are not going to invent, injuries if they decide that they are going to play their best possible lineups every single, night what's best case scenario for them next?

Year, Honestly, LIKE i, think obviously they win more games than they did this, year but you're probably still looking at a situation where, you, like, honestly the best case scenario from a wins perspective is you win some more, games but not enough to actually make it to play in which would be the worst case scenario because then

Pick i'm with you, there all, Right. Sarah, well a rough week for jazz. Fans hopefully better times. Ahead Enjoy chicago and travel. Safe, okay thanks a lot of.

Sense talk to.

You Sir todd covers The Utah jazz for The Desert Red.

News she has three really good pieces up on her experience being in the, room the reaction Of Justin, zanik and The Utah Jazz.

Contingent all those can be found on Her twitter page AT.

Nba sarah is where you find or stops by today courtesy of our friends At Advance Window.

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Com this Is Neil, smith former president AND gm of The New York rangers and The New York. Islanders join me and my co Host Vic morn for our PODCAST Nhl Wrap around for all the important news and views around THE NHL nba.

Doubleheader, tonight we'll get back to SOME nba.

Basketball we've Got Chris camaradi coming up live in studio for an entire.

Hour we'll do some college football With.

Chris we have Some vegas over underwin totals for The Big twelve And Adam rittenberg and THE espn staff has ranked the off seasons four teams in The Big. Twelve, yes we can actually rank off seasons of college football. Now but in addition to LITTLE nba, Playoffs tonight we have The battle For Lord Stanley's cup rolling on with a double. Header it's The panthers and The Maple leaves tied to, two and The oilers will try to send The Golden knight some as they lead that three to.

You i'm doing, well. Thanks eighty two degrees here In, Greenville South carolina and just loving the.

Weather did you do that because you checked the Forecasting Salt lake and you know it was thirty seven degrees earlier this morning and it feels Like february, Today.

Neil just trying to rub it in a little.

Bit, Spence, okay fair.

ENOUGH i have a random question off the top for, you based off of a current situation that's happened in our.

Market.

Now the luck that The utah hawk who excuse, me the luck that The Utah mammoth received during the lottery process is something that our basketball team has never had and now continues to never. Have as The jazz moved down to five and their lottery drawing a lot of people around here were hoping they would get the number

Base, Well i'm going to tell you how OLD i am by answering THAT i was never involved when it they had since they'd had the. Lottery oh, Yeah, no we didn't have that WHEN i was at The. Rangers that the LOTTERY i believe came in in six and five oh six when they made all those changes during the. Lockout and BUT i have watched the, lottery you, know all these many years and seeing teams move up and, down and every year THE nhl seems to change what

Player, okay let me ask the question this.

Way and you, know this is a lot of apples and, oranges because in the world of professional, hockey even if you get the number one overall, pick there is a chance that the fan base will not see that player for you, know a year or.

Two, now that's not all the. Time sometimes the number one.

Pick is ready to, play and we've seen plenty of examples of, that and of course in THE, nba you're going to see the player right. Away but how does either moving up or moving, Down how does good or bad luck in the lottery affect the offseason plans of a team that currently is in a rebuild like The Utah Hockey.

Club, WELL i think that if, you if you your scouts, know if there's more than one kid that can play in THE nhl next, year eighteen years old is extremely hard to play in THE. Nhl we've seen a couple of good ones the last couple of years in The dard In chicago and then this year in In San, jose but it's not the. Norm and from WHAT i

Up is the main reason most of these players do not play in THE nhl right? Away is size and physicality because they're? Young or is it skill or is it just you, know the needing to. DEVELOP i, mean what are some of the main dynamics that ultimately lead to the majority of picks made not landing on the ground to PLAY nhl hockey for a.

YEARS i think it's a combination of everything you. SAID i think it's the maturity of the physical body of an eighteen year old young man as compared to what he'd be like at twenty. ONE i think it's the mental side of handling THE, nhl the, money the everything at eighteen years old is compared to when they get, to say twenty. ONE i just think it's a combination of.

Rule so we have several players playing in The World.

Championships we HAVE i think four of our players are on THE us, team and then we have a few players scattered around the international ranks as. Well as a general, manager do you like the fact that your players are having this. Experience is it good for them to stay in shape and keep competing or are you watching these games with tremendous nerves hoping a great young star does not get.

Hurt how does that land for A?

Gm, well first of, all you're very proud of the fact that you have those players that are asked to play on those. Teams so that's a good, thing and it's a good thing to use in public relations that you have these players and that you've got a bright future because of these players playing in international competition and being the best of that country's. Players so that's the first. Thing the next thing, IS i think anytime your players can play at a high level and compete for a,

Team So Clayton, keller who is the captain here for The Utah, mammoth was named the captain THE us.

TEAM i thought that was pretty.

Cool what does that say about just kind of his presence for a team that has a lot of really good young.

Players they landed On Clayton keller as their.

CAPTAIN i think it shows that he's got a good reputation around THE. Lea it doesn't come to the top of my mind who's the coach for THE us, Team but obviously the coaching staff realize that he's got leadership qualities and that's why they gave him the. Seat they knew that he had it With, utah and so they do their. Homework you, know when they bring these guys all on to a, team they're looking for who's going

Let's jump around now to the series that are going on for The battle For Lord Stanley Cup Stanley cup.

Playoffs before we set you loose for This, wednesday AND i got to give you the.

Credit you pointed Out dallas as a team to, watch and now they're on the precipice of eliminating The, jets who have been the best team out here in The west and maybe in the entire league all. Year of, course in the, playoffs certainly in the hockey, playoffs even three one leads aren't. Safe So i'm not saying it's. Done but what stands out most about this three to one lead The stars have over The.

Jets, well there's a number of, things and the first one you've got to talk about Is Viko ranton and who came To dallas late in the before the trade. Deadline actually had started the year In colorado and been playing really, well but then because of the contract issue that he was traded To, carolina where he's played a few, games but let them know that he wasn't going to sign long term, there so they traded him To, dallas

Now do you think there's a shot The winnipeg can pull this off or does it feel like they're.

Cooked it feels like they're cooked to. Me they could very much win this next, Game game five at home In. WINNIPEG i don't see them getting out Of dallas with the series still, going not by the way the series has gone and out by watching it carefully every, GAME i just don't see.

It, well stay Out west before we finish with the two series out. East three of the four series have a three to one tilt for one of the. Teams and we have a lot of the kind of Proxy Golden knight fans out here because prior to The Utah mammoth landing, here The Vegas knights were the closest team by proximity and they're in. Trouble they're down three to. One edmonton has them on the. Rope same, question what's gone right For? Edmonton what's gone wrong For?

Vegas, well you, know.

We saw this movie last year When edmonton came into the playoffs and got better as they went, along and they ended up going To game seven of the. Final i'm not going to say that that's going to happen to them this. Year But vegas has had several. Injuries Mark stoner, captain has been banged. Up they haven't gotten

Series so you, KNOW i was going to follow up with you feel Like vegas's, cooked but you answered. It you have, Right so not even a puncher's chance to get back in this.

THING i think they, could but you, know you're talking About connor McDavid And leon Dry side And Evan Bouce shard And Zach, Hymon Zach, hyman, sorry and and they're getting contributions from guys Like Corey perry And Evander kine and guys that you may. Know you, know they're they're lowered down on their. Roster and so when McDavid and Dry sided to take care of them now all of a, Sudden Corey perry puts win in her, Suddenly Zach hymen scores or you've Got Adam henriek scored too in the last.

It all, right let's move. Over we'll finish with the best series too. Too we'll see what do you think happens. Tonight But Carolina carolina has The caps on the ropes three to, one And i'm just going to keep asking the same, question what's gone right for The hurricanes and wrong for The.

CAPS i think what's happened with The hurricanes is their, weakness or their suspect was their. Goaltending that people thought they didn't have playoff good enough, Goaltending but they. Do Freddie anderson has played great for, them really really. Well The caps just aren't the same team that they were during the regular. Season And i'm not Sure spence that they've been the same team that they were during the regular season ever since The ovie chase for the goals

It IF i made you pick One Neil, Jets Golden, Knights caps all down three to, one who has the best chance of coming back and making this.

INTERESTING i would Say.

VEGAS i KNOW i said THAT i didn't think they'd do, it BECAUSE i. Don't but if you ask, me you've got to take. One i'll Take vegas to come back On edmonton BEFORE i would Take winnipeg to come back On dallas Or washington to come back On.

Carolina all, right moving over to the only series that's deadlocked at to, apiece it is let's, see it's The Maple leafs and The panthers and they're gonna get going here in about an hour and twelve. Minutes so what has caused this series to be deadlock to?

Two who do you like? Tonight who do you think ultimately wins?

It and?

Why, Well toronto came out and won their first two games in the series because In, toronto they're played In, toronto and they and they won them both and went To. Florida panthers went back home down two to, nothing which is a bad place to. Be they Won game three and overtime five to, four and then they played a great game In game four and won two. Nothing and when you've Got Mitch marner And matt and you've Got Austin matthews and you've Got William leelander And John taveris

Florida, now are you doing the thing as a Proud canadian that you don't want to set yourself up for failure and that's why you're Picking.

Florida, No i'm not doing that as A.

Canadian i'm doing that as a guy that wants to be right ON espn seven hundred and doesn't want to come back on and. Here, oh, WELL i guess you're wrong about that, One. Neil So i'm just trying to pick WHO i think will really win so that you can't ras me next TIME i come.

ON i can promise YOU i will not do, that because you're teaching us all about this sport in a way that we.

Needed so let's move over.

Here let's operate off the premise That Neil, smith the hockey the brilliant hockey mind Of Neil, smith is.

Correct and It's, panthers It's, caps It's, oilers it's.

Stars who do you.

Like right now out of both conferences to advance to The Stanley Cup.

Final, well first of, all you, Misspoke so it's. Good i'm Saying panthers Versus. CAROLINA i, BET i? Bet, Okay, NO i just want to make sure the listeners. Understand So i'm, Saying i'm saying in The east It's florida And. Carolina i'm Taking. Florida i'm saying in The west it's going to Be dallas Versus, edmonton and this is really. TOUGH i am going to Say dallas Against, edmonton and that's a tough decision because it is those two teams are both going really. GOOD i think It's dallas's.

Year fair, enough fair, Enough BEFORE i set you, Loose let's just get one more thought on The Utah mammoth within the paradigm of what you've seen in the playoffs and what the hockey, club well hockey, mammoth the, mammoth now that you, talk what The Utah mammoth need to do this offseason to throw uns just consistently with the best teams in pro hockey next.

Year stay with the, plan keep developing your young. Players see if there's a free agent out there In july that is somebody that could really help supplement your team by either their experience or their just their power that they. Have don't go crazy on signing three or four guys and making your team older and getting off your. Plan stay With Bill armstrong's plan and add to it if you. Can and if they'll do, that they're going to make another jump next. Year because it's the two teams that

All, Right?

Neil for all of our new hockey fan, listeners how can they go find your?

Podcast the best place to go To, SPOTIFY i think because everybody Gets. Spotify you, know IF i Say, apple all those people that are On, android they don't get. That So spotify carries our. Podcast AT Nhl Wrap, around we Had Dave, jackson the longtime referee thirty years, now the rules analysts FOR, espn came on our show On monday Or. Tuesday rather it's, dropped it's out. There he

Me out, here let's get those subscriptions.

Up, NEIL i appreciate the, time, Sir enjoy the game tonight and we'll chat.

Soon always love talking to. YOU spnch take care of.

That The Great Neil, smith general manager of The New York.

Islanders The New York, rangers won A Stanley cup of The rangers in ninety, four high level scout for The Red wings when The Red wings were The Red. Wings that's Why detroit Is Hockey, TOWN, usa And neil stops by today courtesy of our friends At Cortland, rufing reroofing and roof repair experts with over twenty years of, experience family owned and, Operated Call Courtland roofing today and they're going to give you a free rain gutter free rain

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Com all, right we have an ongoing situation in the.

Studio Chris camaradi is live with us for the next, hour as he is wont to do from time to. Time and my Dog duke has taken a real liking To, chris And i'm going to try to Keep duke over. Here but if you want to See chris Dodge duke try to hump him on, camera go to our YouTube, channel Because chris is wearing shorts And duke is a, sweet cuddly, dog but he has some claws that might.

Hurt are you gonna be? Okay, well are you going to take care of your?

CHILD i don't know how to do. It, duke come on. OVER i MEAN i can't really do.

MUCH i, mean you can how tell him to? Sit? Duke?

Sit, duke sit and?

Stay is it? Working? No, YEAH i didn't think.

So if he humps, him would you stop.

It we'll put him in the producer's room with porter if he starts to, hump because for some reason he's taking a real liking, you.

Duke no.

Humping, no he's.

Good so if you want to See chris on, camera try to avoid being humped by my four year old. DOG a SENTENCE i ever thought i'd, say log on our YouTube channel, correct how are, You?

Chris i'm.

GOOD i cannot say the same for local basketball fans here our. Market maybe folks don't really understand how a lottery. WORKS i find it intellectually embarrassing that whether it's, okay your guy didn't win an, election so let's cry, foul let's say it was, stolen or your team didn't win the, lottery something's. AMISS i almost don't want to spend any

Whatever there's a very thick sense of irony across the board, here AND i always go back to kind of the idiom of like when you were a, kid your parents taught, you let's, hope AND i feel like most of the previous generations were taught how to. Lose you have to learn how to take an, now wear, it figure out

With like two thousand votes three WHEN i checked it was.

Two did get up to? THREE i think.

So SO.

I think it is a societal failure to understand that life is hard and at the end of the, Day this is an entertainment. Business this is should be viewed as professional wrestling. Light that's HOW i would put it to. People it is a product that you have to pay a lot of money for to see in person or either on your, tablet your, laptop or YOUR. Tv now it's not scripted to that, level but at the end

YEAH i, mean look and, again you, know it's one of the great things about fans in our. State they feel very strongly about the teams they, support and whether it's The jazz or college football AND rsl Or Utah Hockey. CLUB i feel like the fans in our state are very passionate about the teams they support and in a way feel like those teams represent something to the rest of the world that, maybe you, know can shield the oddities that our state. Entails and so maybe if The

Percent that is WHY i think when The Donovan Mitchell show exploded onto the scene, here that's why he resonated with people at a level that really no other professional athlete really ever has. Before and the inferiority, complex which we've talked about ad nauseum on your show the last few, years is on full display in the wake of, this you, know of these lottery, results and we're talking about historically a pretty pervasive culture that is A us versus them.

And it's so difficult to talk about this with any sort of nuance without sounding like you're being insensitive to a fan base right now that feels like they've been. Screwed BECAUSE i get it where it's not just a one, off it's ten times in the. Lottery, ever moving up with it's ten times in lottery without getting that magic. Ticket but for every piece of quote unquote proof for, evidence you feel like you have to indicate the fixes. IN i can throw twenty pieces at you to indicate

Nba not even.

Kidding let's quantify.

Worst, Okay, well it's, boring it's not very, big it's not very. Fun there's not a lot to. Do you can only eat nachos and walk around the river walk so many. Times it has Excellent mexican, food doesn't have a lot of, culture and MOST nba players have never really chosen to land there via free. Agency it's not really unlike us when it comes to the view of the city across the landscape of pro, Basketball San antonio has benefited from the lottery more than.

ANYONE i don't think it's a.

Debate if you want to throw some other teams in, there It's, cleveland which is also on the short list Of, HEY i don't really want to live. There it's The New Orleans, Pelicans New. ORLEANS i Like New. Orleans i'm not here to knock on every.

City but the point, Is minnesota's got the number one pick twice in the last.

Decade orlando is another.

One and you, know folks around here probably Here orlando and they, think Oh, Disney, No Central, florida much different.

Thing.

Correct the fact of the matter is it hasn't been The, lakers it hasn't been The, heat it hasn't been The. Knicks When zion was available to be drafted number. One, overall The knicks had the best chance to get the number one.

Pick it goes to The.

Pelicans the majority of the teams that have benefited most from the lottery system are not Big mark could destinate some.

Cities so the whole like it's. Fixed it's rigged to what end to benefit The spurs and the, Calves, like give me a.

Break, well how often have The jazz been in the driver's seat to even get a top pick in the last forty?

Years not?

Often less than, five not. Often, yeah it's got to be less than a. Handful yeah.

Did darren? Year did they didn't they move up to Get? Darren?

Yeah, yeah they moved up five to three to three.

Okay and Then canter moved up to. Two. OKAY i THINK i Think canter was three, okay moved up to three. Okay but those were. Right those were two times where like The jazz weren't supposed To so the one time that it's supposed to go their way and it, doesn't we're Gonna we're gonna go to these. Lengths let's be, honest. Guys, Yeah and this this goes into the point That i've been making for a long time is you've existed in that mushy. Middle you've existed in the forty to fifty

One of the worst in the history as far as rookies.

Go Keante George fringe lottery. GUY i think he was like the fourteenth or fifteenth or, okay something like. That, yeah, yeah mid first. Round you know has, talent but clearly

One hundred, Percent Jalen bronson thirty, Three Nicole jokic forty, one.

And The raymond also another. Second it's a really.

Good point because now the issue with where The jazz find themselves because of what you just pointed, out you, know the inability so. Far you, Know Walker kessler was was in the two and he was in the go bet, Trade larry marketing and The mitchell. Trade AND i keep saying, this those are the only two Where i'm, like, yeah all, Right larry And, Walker, okay we've got those.

Two but but it's it's still kind of a MAYBE i think those.

Two have have you, KNOW i think they've established.

It they're, good they, are but are they going to be part of the next good? Jest that's a good.

Question but where The jazz find themselves kind of up a creek without a paddle because of Even Isaiah. COLLIER i honestly don't know That i'm ready to Say Isaiah collier is a ROTATIONAL nba player for a team that's trying to. WIN i think he showed some. Things keyante leaves a lot of. Questions we'll see what happens With taylor when he gets. Healthy, Uh cody has a marathon to. Go the problem with the failures so far of building up an infrastructure that is appealing to other teams is

Like they don't have anything to offer.

Anybody they're not going to be in the, mix and so it just continues to be this slow. Build the question now Becomes chris And Tim bontemps FROM espn wrote a good piece where he quoted a couple of front office people in THE. Nba they were celebrating the fact that The jazz and The wizard specifically did not get the number one overall pick because they don't want to

Roster well, one, well let's touch on what you were just. SAYING i don't think they can they have.

A because they're not good.

Enough they have a bleep ton of cap. Room BUT i don't, know who are you going to convince to take a bunch of projects off your? Hands? Now the picks you, know like you, know THE Mj MEME fm, picks you, know like or that maybe wasn't nameed to somebody else.

But was, Okay BUT i think at the time it was bleeped those, kids that's, right which, no but that's what it means advocating that.

What do they have to? Offer they. Don't you're talking about a bunch of projects and an one Time All. Star AND i know people think That Walker kessler is the second coming Of Mark, eaton but he's. Not like he's A he's a decent big man who can play

Have, no the answer is.

No and it's not unfair to compare The jazz to Where Oklahoma city, was or Where detroit, was or Where orlando, was because The jazz find themselves in the spot now where those teams were when they were trying to get back to. Respectability but the problem is those teams were showing. Signs when you started to see What shay could be as the primary, Guy you're, like all, right they've got something. There When caid got, Healthy you're, like they've got something.

There all these teams THAT i use as an.

Example of them being where The jazz are at three four years, ago had signs of improvement and hope that this team does not have for the fan. Base so if we're in lockstep about the inability to acquire a real game changer via trade just based off of what you have on the, Roster so what does it look like next year if you add five and maybe twenty.

One they have the twenty first pick as.

Well but what you don't do is intentionally lose games by faking injuries with players or having your seven foot or shoot seven threes a. Night what you do do is put your best foot forward based off of what

Work what does that look like with this? TEAM i think it's.

Great it's best case. Scenario it's a thirty two win, team which if we're talking, historically means they might have a better chance of What i'm. Saying and you, know you, KNOW i grind on a lot of you do, podcasts AND i did a big one for you this. WEEK i listened to The Zach low. Podcast you listened To Zach and the fascinating thing THAT i took away from that was teams voted twenty nine to one to flatten the. Curve, yes they. Did do you know the one team who did? Not is it The Jazz?

Washington?

Okay see. Okay Sam presty said the only way for a market like ours to get game changing talent is through the. Lottery, yeah The jazz voted for.

That.

Interesting, yeah, Yeah so it just leads you to wonder whether or not they're going to change their viewpoint and they'll get a good player at, five.

But they have to get the RIGHT i, mean like they just have to get good. Players, yeah so, simple and it sounds very LIKE u. Reductive there you, go but like they just SIMPLY i don't know who's in the scouting, department the front. OFFICE i know everyone was obsessed With Danny ainge's ability to draft players because he Chose tatum And, brown but it hasn't panned out so, far AND i just don't know if any of these players on the roster are going to make a leap

Away and As i've talked to you about and other guests on this, show the reality is a lot of teams have gone through, five, seven, eight nine. Years detroit hasn't won a home playoff game since two thousand and. EIGHT i Think charlotte's gone twenty one years without a playoff.

Win.

Minnesota minnesota just barely won playoff series in back to back years for the first time in twenty five. Years that bear cap, RIGHT i, mean, so like what the reality is of the current, Situation and, LOOK i am not here for the Whole, like, hey it took three years to break, down now we're.

Rebuilt shut.

Up it's so insulting that they would even have the nerve to propagate that. Message the reality is that we are three years into a project that might take eight or nine. Years it might, Okay, now there are lightning and bottle situations that happen all the. Time and to your point about the list you, read it doesn't have to happen at. One it's more likely to happen at.

Years it's already been. Three how long did jazz fans?

RIDE i think you could break it down into several. Tiers first, off it would behoove the powers that be to be clear and concise about what they want to do and like say it into a microphone and probably avoid the phrase big game hunting.

At all costs, costs and then Signed Drew. Ubanks it's not gonna.

Work, hey he got. Traded he, did he, did he didn't have what it takes to.

Take but that was their first signing after The Big game. Hunting it Was Drew. Ubanks that's.

Right i'm fascinated to see what tickets, cost to see if any of that is more massage to be logical for the product that you're selling to a fan base that is doesn't suffer fools and understands what good basketball. Is it's a big off, season, MAN i, mean like you can you can make an argument that this is the biggest off season twenty years since Post john And. Carl but even Post john And, carl you Had jerry That jerry Ak. Bridge you had a little Ak bridge, Elbow yeah.

On the, curl played, football, right.

BOWLER i just. It it behooves everybody to be transparent about what they want to do and when when your, guy your, guy which one the guy who screamed into the who screamed In, yeah.

Hey my guy went on on a, run on a. Run the sun was rising over.

The the goal doesn't, CHANGE i would, SAY i would ask to say what what that goal? Is and if you say build a champ being ship contender In, utah then you have to, say, then how.

Right porter revealed to us that he makes that run every. Morning he runs and then as soon as the sun rises over The wasatch he lets out an Audible, Porter, WELL i know THAT i Know porter, well But ry did. Once but that's a daily routine for our. Guy, YEAH i told, you maybe not it's at. SUNRISE i might

Long sleeve hat.

Backwards, yeah, okay just sprinting along The Wasatch, mountain sun rising audible and like viral yell coming from the bottom of the. Garden Garden, State, Ye Garden, STATE i like. It what was your reaction when were you watching the?

LOTTERY i started laughing And amanda was, like why are you, laughing AND i was, like oh, MAN i feel for my friends and our friends who work over. There, sure BECAUSE i think the messaging was a little. Off you, know The instagram posts of we like our, odds where it's, like you shouldn't because you have fourteen, percent like you have an eighty six percent chance of not getting the number one? Pixel what are you? Doing we like our? Odds that are not. Good but my reaction WAS i

Hours, yeah the local media meltdown may have been my favorite.

PART i will tell you.

THIS i felt so bad For, ASHLEY i felt so bad For ryan's, LIKE i, DON'T.

I don't. Know i'm not trying to tell another man what to do about a family.

SITUATION i don't know that you want to Send ashley in that scenario LIKE i wanted to reach THE tv and give her a.

HUG i felt so bad for. Her, WELL i, mean they'll be there next year and she's gonna be.

OKAY i, mean look As ryan on his run with the visceral, yell, realize we'll.

See we'll see who represents them next.

Year let me ask you, this go, ahead if The jazz So xanik gave the media the interviews after The jazz got, five if The jazz got, one who does? MEDIA i would, Say justin And, ryan you know our guys up. There oh, yeah and no visceral yell needed after.

That maybe maybe a different type of visceral, yell maybe a holler.

Bring that's Why gay Sap we'll catch a. Break coming up next B yu as a new athletic. Director The Big twelve has Their vegas odds released for over. On we're going to go through The university Of utah football. Schedule chris is gonna tell us win or loss for every single. Game let's go some college football coming up on the other side WITH ck live in. Studio keep it right here ON espn seven Hundred.

Download THE espn seven hundred app for free and Take utah's number one sports talk with you where ever you, Go utah's best local and national sports, TALK U Top football And basketball, podcast and, more all on THE espn seven hundred, apps available now on The App store And Google.

Play yoh for another big. Segment by the, way thanks for leaving your house on a rainy. Day we usually only get you when the sun is.

Shining. Correct, yeah it's we can't win them. All we were winning them a lot in the end Of april Early.

May.

Yep But i'll take. It it's not.

Snow the light of the end of the tunnel is already coming. Gone we're.

GOOD i, MEAN i definitely woke up to walk the dogs today in thirty eight degree weather and rain at seven, am AND i wasn't thrilled about.

That but it's like it's a tolerable thirty eight degrees, sure you know WHAT i? Mean you, know like in this you get the fresh the crispness of the, air AND i Think mays the best month of the.

YEAR i agree with that. Weatherwise how many coat of packs of jackets do you?

Have so?

MANY i need to get at least one because every time you wear one In i'm more of a patagony you.

Guy Okay North, Face, oh, Okay East. Coast you know the. Deal my brother in, law Legend. Ben what Up? Ben he used to be one of the head designers, There so you got hook hookup on he's At Black. Diamond, oh very very talented.

Kid ben sounds like a GUY i need to get to know you Should so what do you hook you up?

On deals With? JACKETS i, MEAN i don't know what do you THINK.

I mean like back in the, day would he?

Yes but not? Anymore friends and family? Discount CAN i get? That are you? Friends i'm friends with the. Family, well you got to Know. BEN i got to introduce you To Ben.

WELL i Know, Amanda, YEAH i Know.

Leo.

Yeah CAN i be a friend of the. Family you can thank, You, ben if you're, listening hook me up with the discoun. Code, actually you know, what Don't is there A Ben? Checkets there is my little brother. Beg he's the creative director At.

Rone it must be.

Something you're also welcome to a family friends? Discount It ron go to round dot. Com all, RIGHT i recind that ask because it's one of the THINGS i don't like about our market where everyone wants everything for free. Favor no one will ever pay for. Tickets you gotta know. Someone no one's ever gonna buy a jacket you need twenty five percent. Off so you know, WHAT i am going to buy a cot Of paxi jacket without a disc.

And i'm going to buy something From. Rome you already have a, Hat, no, OH i do my white?

One?

Yeah, yeah the. ONE i only wear a golfing so once a. Year.

Correct all, right give me a quick hot. TAKE rsl is in action.

Tonight.

OKAY i know nothing About portland other than they're good this. Year do you know anything about?

THEM i. Don't my hot. Take my hot take is, that basically it's the same thing THAT i said last. WEEK rsl does one. Thing, okay sometimes they Diego. Luna, well sometimes he's so good. Man other than, that they don't do. Anything. Well, yeah do you know how many FORMER rsl strikers scored On?

Saturday chi cho Okay, Anderson, yep the. Moose the moose is freaking, loose, dude shout Out John. PAUL i, KNOW i know the moose got. One the REASON i know the moose got one IS i was playing golf With elliott and he was celebrating all of his former players playing.

Well.

Yep and then Former Academy monarch Product Milan alaski scored For Saint. Louis he's still. Around, well he was In, europe came. Back Saint louis signed. Him he was like San, Diego, sorry San diego signed.

Him he was like a good young. Player so, four, okay four FORMER.

RSLs, WELL i guess and we can count if we're counting former. Players albert scored. Two we got to count. Out so five FORMER rsl players scored and first start for your for your, guy Big Willie, Goles yeah he is my. Guy did? It how did it? Go didn't go?

WELL a couple of yells guys out. Tonight Johnny russell available for selection this. EVENING i, believe big. Deal that is a big. DEAL i think they win. Tonight uh, no they lose two one diego.

Scores they. Lose, Yeah i'll, Go i'll do. THAT i mean he has seven goals and then and everyone. OUT i think the second leading score on the team is a bunch of guys tied for.

One that is, correct including our. Guys sam, junka who's the backup left?

Back, yep AND i AND i get that they are in dire straits on the back. LINE i Think gladys suspended or somebody's one defender suspended because of yellow card. Accumulation then a bunch of other dudes are. OUT i DON'T i, MEAN i don't. KNOW i haven't, heard But vera gotta be out for a. While, dude that was a tough. KNOCK i, KNOW i bring it up every, week but, shit shoot my, bad we did. It we did it shooting.

Bad it's only taken four, years that's, Right it's all.

Good you can send me the.

Bill, no you Realize Amy donaldson swears every time she's on the, show so you're in good.

Company but, so, yeah, big we did, it, big Big willie.

Goals at least it wasn't the other.

One, no, no, No and you, know we really should operate with a dumb. Button but you, KNOW i guess that's not in the. Budget so you're gonna go to One. Portland i'll go to On Portland diego scores in the. Rain Is diego already better than you thought he could ever?

Be?

Uh, yeah but like you saw what he was capable of when he played With chico And gomez last year because he was scoring goals and. ASSISTING i think at one, point like he, LIKE i think at this time last year he already had like ten. ASSISTS i think he has zero assists this. YEAR i think he has seven goals and zero. Assists let's, see which is kind of emblematic of the metaphor of carrying a team on your. Shoulders let's see the.

Stats, well just you, know pulling up the stats computers running little slow. Today, yeah seven, goals and you know every goal he scores is like a wonder. Strike you, know they're not just like tap ins or, Whatever like who was the was? It euromuff's an who just seemed like every game he would just kind of that's a great pull for tapping seven goals to assists for as, okay, uh Does diego?

Suck is he just not?

Good he doesn't suck because if he, sucked he wouldn't be a professional on one of the better lower level teams In. EUROPE i think you have to be somewhat of an alpha if you want to come in as an attacking player IN mls at THE dp, spot and it doesn't even need to be Like. Ambiance you just have to. Deliver LIKE i think Of, Albert like When albert, came he Was hobby's. Replacement he had huge shoes to

Now, YEAH i mean, Yeah diego's the bright, spot a. Mecca shout out innate bench and uh oh. Hato those two central holding mids are.

Good they're very.

Good there's just nothing up top and there's no answer on the. ROSTER i, MEAN i try to wax positive about the. CLUB i just it's hard to right.

Now do you Think i'm gonna flip the script on? You oh? Wow do you think The millers are going to splash the cash this summer for a high profile? PLAYER i do.

Now the question THAT i keep coming back to is whether or, Not and it might be too. Late it might be too late because the academy has developed and the ethos that.

DEVELOPED i just, wonder.

BECAUSE i Know steve Starts Steve's seve wants to. Win he's a competitive. Dude he you, know, LIKE i think there's PROBABLY i don't know this for, sure BUT i wonder how The millers would articulate the Way ryan is running The jazz and their decision to lose on purpose That millers never wanted to do. That they always wanted

On maybe we want some good players. Here that's my.

HOPE i, Yeah and to your, point they bought a franchise that is one of the worst in The Western conference right now in A, nwsl they have the worst team in THE nwa sell right. Now sooner or, later the rubber is going to have to meet the road and you're gonna have to see some infusion of fiscal means to upgrade the. Roster there's no other way there That it's it, like, yes keep the academy. Going there.

Him are you watching so welcome To. Wrexham do you watch?

THAT i do?

Not you do?

Not are you Anti Ryan reynolds and the other dude Or rob whatever his Name.

Iscaling it's not That i'm ANTI i just don't have a lot of bandwidth for it right. Now, YEAH i just watched more depressing. Stuff are you all caught up ON U? Gems?

Sounds?

Oh, yeah we finished.

IT i still have the, finale. OKAY i was out of town last. Week are we saying finale or finale finale okay OR i don't? Know sounds sounds sophisticated the final.

Iteration did you Watch goggins ON? Snl we?

Did, yes that's pretty. FUNNY i Love, Goggins Baby billy will BE i think one of the top characters IN tv. HISTORY i like him In, fallout and that's probably not really up up your, avenue but it's a it's a video game, show post apocalyptic pretty, good, okay plays a dude with out a face and.

Knows but, YEAH i Love. Goggins, yeah no principles. Too, INDEED i did catch a LITTLE snl At. Goggins BUT i GOT i got to finish THE i have to finish the final episode Of, gemstones AND i have two left of. Severance WHAT i HAD i didn't. FINISH i had not. INTENTIONALLY i just had some traveling AND i got behind AND i had to watch like four straight two weeks ago And i've got two more, left So i'll get that. Done B yu as a new athletic. Director his name Is Brian. SANTIAGO i don't Know brian.

Swing good? Player? Yeah good.

PLAYER i have been surprised to both hear from PRIVATELY byu fans and then read ONLINE byu fans not react positively to this. Hire but from WHAT i can, ascertain the feel is LIKE i was at The wilkin line for chocolate milk And santiago did not say hi to. ME i was waiting in line For cougar Tail Lavelle. EDWARDS i Saw. SANTIAGO i tried to say, hello and he kept.

Walking he handed me the razor and said go shave.

Correctly that's that's the FEEL i.

GET i haven't heard anything like this won't work because he's not good at his, job or this won't work because he doesn't have good. Relationships it's the feel of church ran over and he left without saying hello to our, family like it's it's weird personal, interaction like he doesn't seem to have the reputation of a very nice. Guy, Okay and here's the it doesn't, Matter, no it, doesn't and we. Do that's another thing that we do here

Job that's the FEEL i get.

That that's kind of the take on the Higher what he is my understanding is very good friends With Ryan smith And Danny. Ainge and that's fine because this really is a relationship. Business and if you're going to be an ad at A p four institution in the current landscape of collegiate, athletics your number one qualification is are you friends with rich? People and Without Ryan smith And Danny,

HIRE i don't Know brian at, all and THAT i did not know that there is a undercurrent of, frustration can we, say or. Dissatisfaction.

Dissatisfaction, yeah, Well.

I'll go on a tangent for. You once upon a time somebody did hand me a razor at b Y u and, said you have to go shave or else you can't be allowed into this. Dance, wow guess WHAT i?

Did are you snuck?

In?

Oh, yeah that's a boy because you weren't a student down.

There, no come, on they were, like here's, this here's this ninety nine cent razor that will slice your skin. Off, no no shaving. Cream did you have the thick sea? Cakes so? Thick but it was thick enough like yours where it was like it was gonna. Hurt, Yeah SO i just went into the, bathroom faked, it came, around came, out and snuck. In, anyways was it a?

Linger?

Longer it was a?

Linger it was.

Okay important, Context.

Brian santiago has very big shoes to, fill and maybe there is a portion of the fan base that is nervous that he may not be able to live up to the expectations and the types of. HIRES i Mean Tom, holmo the guy really oversaw tumultuous, change good and bad for the amount of time he was, there like going through The route Of, independence which was much maligned by a lot of folks here. Locally you, know B yu

Not AND i think one of the frustrations that's been shared to me with people who are close TO Byu athletics and who it's very close to their hearts AND byu fans are.

Very, passionate they love their.

TEAMS i think one of the things that they were expecting based off OF i think It's shane rees excuse, me See Shane, reese, period president OF. Byu three months, ago When tom announced his, retirement he, said, okay National, search we are interviewing big, hitters heavy hitters across the. Country and you know whether It's scott, O'Neill who was with The sixers and now is THE ceo Of live or the NAME i threw out Was Brian, rolap who Is Roger goodell's like right hand.

MAN i don't know how realistic that. Is brian lives In, Darien.

Connecticut he's in my family's, stake and so we know the rolapse and the feeling is When goodell has. Done Brian rolap could be the commissioner of THE, nfl but he's A mormon. Dude B yu GUY, lds excuse, me AND i think they were. EXPECTING i THINK byu fans were expecting some, big heavy hitter from somewhere else in the country that has run pro teams that has Like scott. O'Neil would have been a great, call BUT i Think scott is comfortable where he's, at And scott is a

Athletics you're just. Not So it's like everything else we talk.

ABOUT i think the expectation was up, here AND i think The santiago news kind of caught people in an underwhelming.

Fashion do you think the precedent of them being able to steal the hire Of Kevin young maybe set their mind in.

Motion maybe where their point if.

We can get the guy who is going to be the next BIG nba head, coach why can't we get the guy who is A gm of a major sports franchise to run our athletic. Department? MAYBE i, mean it seemed like conventional wisdom always pointed To. Santiago in this day and, AGE i think it would be very difficult for somebody who has not been in the room on a day to day basis during this insane amount of change to come in and be, Like, yeah let me learn about this ongoing house settlement versus THE ncaa that

Knows twenty seven years, ago came TO byu as a member Of Steve cleveland's staff on the basketball, SIDE i believe you can Hear Steve cleveland breaking down basketball in the market somewhere. Mornings and then twenty years Ago tom Hires. BRIAN i don't know how long he was the associate A, d BUT i do know he was one Of tom's right hand men for twenty. Years, Yeah and to your, point to Watch tom traverse the space and learn from him on the, job my guest would Be tom probably

CHOICE i can't speak to.

That but the position of athletic DIRECTOR i don't think is as appealing of a job as most people fully believe would it.

BE i Don't and especially, listen, man you have to understand what you're getting into at a school like B yu for the good and for the. Difficulty, well, right like the fact that they've been able to write the, ship so to, speak With kilane higher and Bringing Kevin ky being able to bring them, on but just the entire landscape of what you're. Facing you have to understand what you're going to have to do on a day to day. Basis bringing in somebody Who scott O'Neill's where's he At sixers Or?

Flyers scott, O'Neil NOW i believe is THE ceo Of Live, golf but he was, running, yeah The flyers and The. Sixers, okay so he's got That saudi money now like he's say what you want about? It we can and we, have BUT i don't Think scott's leaving that to be the ad of by.

Exactly AND i Don't we CAN'T gramdma Or foyer request what these guys are being paid because they are at a private. Institution my guess would be it would be a step down for a lot of folks who are in the professional, realm especially if he's getting that live. Money so it just made sense for the guy to Follow tom as somebody who has basically been with him for the last several.

Years do you Recall And i'm honestly asking to ask BECAUSE i was thinking about this WHEN i was getting these texts FROM byu fans, like, hey you're going to talk about The santiago. Stuff, well, yeah he's the idea AT. Byu, okay well he's not very, nice he's this or that or. Whatever and then some of the online stuff where there are people that are very outward about like how mad they are that this was the. DEAL i did not know.

THIS i got to dive, In, yeah dive, in and you, know just the position of athletic.

DIRECTOR i don't know how much context or Color i've douted the conversation, nationwide but there have been a lot of youth fans that have soured On. MARK a lot of youth fans have soured On Mark carlin AND I i'll continue to Say mark personally has always been good to. Me comes on the, show he answers, questions all that. Stuff the whole postgame presser after THE Byu utah football game was just a really odd choice that did not land well with, anybody INCLUDING yout, fans and it left

All is that landed all with?

You AND i don't know if it's the ad just being an easy target for people because sports fans are.

So, crazy anybody who's in charge is going to bear the brunt of a lot of grief that that folks. HAVE i think it's hard to, say it's hard to just down to the corn the corners of of the very sad existence of sports internet as. Well but, LISTEN i Think utah fans wanted the Running utes to be resurrected for a long time and they. Got they got pretty much everybody wanted to be, hired As Alex, Jensen Kyle whittingham's just gonna keep doing it until he decides

Rosters, yeah AND i do think there's another, thing AND i don't think it's as and we've kind of discussed. THIS i don't think it's as prevalent with The university

Here In Salt.

Lake but is there a little bit of a feel you think That mark isn't necessarily a guy that is A utah. GUY i Saw lake. GUY i mean Doctor hill wasn't either that, point BUT i. Was but ALSO

People social media gives people. Voices once upon a, time there was a very public back and forth Between chris And kyle during some contract, stuff and are you know my, colleagues some of my closest, Friends Matt piper And Kyle goon were on the beat, then and it got pretty frosty and contentious publicly between those. Two but one THING i would say About chris is, that like he understood that things could get, sideways but like it helps everybody out to like sit down and talk it out as

Right i've kept you too, long AND i know that you need to get home to watch the well and you also want to watch The nicks advance to The Eastern Conference finals for the first time in twenty five.

Years question BEFORE i, go what do you? Got what Is Brian santiago's First halloween? Costume it won't be near as good As, Tom's i'll tell you that. Much it will not get to see a c kes rsselling.

Action tonight seven Thirty Mountain times taking On portland's random midweek. Game fortunately the weather is not, great but apparently sell out crowded out At America First. Field we'll see if either The celtics or The warriors can survive and, advance or The knicks and the T wolves can make their way through to the next. Round Adam, rittenberg in addition To Eli letterman And Max, olson released their off season rankings FOR p four football, teams which is totally a new.

FINALS i think. SO i think.

So obviously we've talked a lot about The celtics and the fact that they're Not they're not going to go down.

From three to.

One ridges has been so good. Man five first round, picks and now you see. Why so we'll see all. RIGHT i want to tell you about my friends AT Ifa Country stores before we say GOOD i At 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 IFA's four plus annual long care, program designed with the blend.

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Santiago we're gonna probably get some guests on and kind.

Of break that.

Down and that's the bulk of the local news going down. Today So, porter let's get out of here and watch them playoff. Basketball what comes our way on A thursday edition of the.

Program, yeah we'll recap THE nba playoffs from tonight in the last few nights where they Guy Tony, jones of, Course tony covering The, nuggets covering The jazz and Who and we can go all over the map with THE nba With tony THE Nba Daily assist With Zach harper on A thursday this, week and you mentioned by use new Ad jazz draft. Lottery we can get to all of it with One Alemma. Harrington he's got a golf tournament coming, up so we'll plug that with. HIM i

List don't. You there's a.

List i'm not sure If i'm on that. List, Okay i'm not like a mean, guy BUT i don't know If i'm on that.

List, okay all, right there's a, list just so you, know it'll stay.

Private special thank you, today you're on it To Quentin, Richardson Sarah, Todd Neil, smith And Chris. Camradi for any of the sound you missed from the show, today go to the, website which IS espn seven hundred sports dot. Com make sure to download our mobile app and take us on the. Go it's my favorite way to listen to the. Station and, then, finally for what we do in our space for four hours every, afternoon we ask you to support our podcast page because it helps out what we.

Do it's Called The drive With. Spence check Its it's available.

Wherever you get your, shows so, subscribe, rate, review say nice sings in the, comments and give us all the stars for. Porter I'm spence SAYING i enjoy Your wednesday. Evening talk to you on A thursday edition of The drive and as, always you can find it right here ON espn seven hundred ninety TWO. Nfm we are proud to be part of UTAH'S espn radio, network