WED POD @SpenceChecketts on UHC year 1, Jazz reg. season, Utes spring FB + more

Wednesday afternoon, thirteen minutes past the hour of two o'clock. I'm getting that sunshine we were promised today, but it's pretty warm anyway. It's about sixty six degrees bud cloudy here in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, on this April Wednesday afternoon. And as it is every single day, it's gonna have you along for the Riot Spence check.

It's beyond the mic.

That's Porter Larson beyond the Glass today, producing the program, booking the program.

Got a good guest list today.

We have two members of the three Timers Club, three time sports Broadcaster of the Year. We'll tell you who our guests are in just a moment. But we've got a lot to do on the program today. It is the first day of win or go Home basketball in the NBA. Its one really good game last night, one blowout Atlanta in Orlando.

Was close through about.

Two and a half quarters, and then the magic at the end of the third and then throughout the fourth quarter just smoked Atlanta. So Orlando advances on as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and the Golden State Warriors behind big games from Jimmy Butler and Stephen wardel Curry took care of the Memphis Grizzlies, but it was not easy.

Man.

Memphis counterpunched over and over and over. Desmond Bane was really good. John Morantz had a sprained ankle there in the third and fourth quarter but played well in addition, So Golden State advances on as the seventh seed and they're going to take on the Houston Rockets.

The Warriors in the.

Rockets have a lot of playoff history, but of course a brand new team down in Houston, full of a bunch of pit bulls man, full of a bunch of young guards that can really play defense, young wings with length. This will not be an easy series for the Golden State Warriors. So we'll get into it on the program today and get you ready for the games tonight. For the third straight year, the Heat and the Bulls are

The loser of that game goes home.

The late night game at Golden One Center and Sacramento will be the Mavericks and the Kings.

The loser of that game is done.

The winner of that game will play Memphis coming up on Friday for.

The right to get swept by Oklahoma City.

Should Dallas lose, then Alex Jensen will be done with his employment for the Dallas Mavericks and high speed ahead here to Salt Lake to be the seventeenth head coach in the history of the Utah men's basketball program. So do some NBA today, as we are inching closer and closer. We are less than a month away from the NBA Draft lottery. For you Jazz fans, that's your next day to look forward to. That could be somewhat interesting. Kan

Portal will close after that.

And I think both Utah and by you feel like they're set in a lot of different ways, but you never know who's out there. You never know ultimately how this will go down. So we'll bring you any rumors that we hear and of course any news that comes down. With the college football transfer portal now officially open on this Wednesday afternoon, so a lot to do on the show today. Rayel Saltlake will be back in action coming

We have one week left before the primary transfer.

Window closes for Rayl Salt Lake. NFL Draft right around the corner. Giants came out today and said they're willing to play Travis Santra on both sides of the football. Latest on Chad or Sanders, latest on some of the local prospects. As the NFL Draft is right around the corner coming up next week. So Jam packs show with

You know, Andy does a.

Lot of stuff, So bringing Andy today right off the bat on a Wednesday afternoon, Neil Smith will stop by. We'll do a little oh bit on the season that was for the Utah Hockey Club as they went to Saint Louis and got their butts handed to them. Blues wins six to one. So the season is over for the hockey club.

So Neil will stop by today.

We'll look back on the Jazz season, look ahead to the NBA Draft Lottery. The voice of the Utah Jazz Craig Bowler Jack and then the voice himself of the Utes, Bill Riley, stops by. Bill will be with us for the NBA Draft Knight covered John June the twenty fifth, and we may be out and about. Our sales team is looking to maybe sell a Draft Night remote, which will be me and Bill and the Great Gordy Chiasa.

So I'm just thinking porter.

Of like the old five Timers Club on SNL like Steve Martin, those guys, I'm thinking like robes, cigars, maybe a little whiskey for Bowler and and and Riles say.

That we need to get both of them together in their three timer robes in studio.

We should have them in studio for that specifically. And I could see both of those guys puffing on a cigar. Not that not that they do often. I don't know, but yeah I could. I could picture that now now to be clear, three time Sportscaster of the Year between between the two of them, six total. I don't I don't know if there's anyone in the building that's even been nominated. So yeah, we were welcoming in some prestigious air.

I'm trying to think. I don't know if Bill likes himself a cigar. I feel like Bowler does.

And Bill's a vod katonic guy, so he won't be sipping on any whiskey out of a sifter. But I'm just thinking, as long as we can get the three timer robes like they do for us and L on the five timers, to get those two in studio, I think we're onto something.

Okay. Ron Ron sponsors some robes.

I don't know, but I'll reach out. Let's see what we can do, all right.

Our first guest today on this Wednesday afternoon will be Andy Larson. But before we get Dandy, courtesy of our friends at Prize Picks. On a Wednesday afternoon, it's time now for your opening tip.

Welcome to the Drive with Spence.

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

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And I talked a little bit about this yesterday.

You know, March madness for me with the way that the current landscape and quite frankly, the ecosystem of pro basketball in the NBA is operating where you literally are rewarding people for losing, which is such a wild way to do business when you kind of think about it. But the incentive structure in the NBA rewards certain teams

But the bottom three, if you're not even close, we're.

Just going to give you fifty grand because we want to incentivize being bad at this. Pro basketball is like the only thing in the world that does it right. And so that's why I've always talked through the prism of what the jazz are doing. It's not fun, but it's the right approach. I don't know that they have any other choice, and they're in the kind of silo of teams that are being rewarded for being horrible at basketball, the losing teams. Actually, the incentive is there to lose,

And that's why you see very few dynasties.

And that's why when you see a dynasty like the Pats with Brady and Belichick, it's pretty remarkable.

And that's why they're remembered the way that they are.

But in pro basketball, the dirty little secret is every single year preseason, you give me four five guesses, I'm gonna tell you who's gonna win the championship. Truly every single year. In some years you don't even need four or five guesses, like when the Warriors were peak Warriors.

With Steph and Clay and Draymond and Durant.

Like we all knew every year it was probably either going to be Golden State or whoever Lebron was playing on, whether it's Miami or Cleveland, right, But this year it wasn't hard to see. And look, Cleveland's had a really good year. We really should give Houston more credit than they deserve. And the Lakers have Lebron and Luca and

We've seen it before.

The Clippers won eight straight ten the season, they have Kawai and when Kawi.

Is healthy, he is one of those dudes.

But ultimately, I think most people in the league this year realize that it's okay see in Boston if we're honest, and if you're not one of those two teams or the handful of teams that I just named, namely Cleveland,

But at some point he's going to go away too.

And I will say I do not view Golden State as a legitimate contender. I think they're having going to have a really difficult time beating Houston. If you don't know who Amin Thompson is, you're about to get familiar because he's about to guard Stephan Curry for an entire series. They've got a bunch of size with Sheng guon and Adams down low, and you know Draymond plays a lot of center for Golden State and always has. But they don't like Kevon Looney is not an answer down low,

So it's fun to see meaningful basketball.

I thought that Warriors Grizzlies game last night was great, and we'll see what tonight brings. But from a Jazz perspective or any of these other teams that aren't necessarily in the group were at the start of every year, we say you have a chance, and there are exceptions. I think a lot of people thought this year at the start of the season, Philly would have something to say out east and Phoenix would have something to say out west, and neither of those two things came to fruition.

So those are.

Probably the two exceptions, but more often than not, every year, people around the league know the group of teams that are going to you have a chance to win it, and if you are not in that group, you have to go about your roster construction.

A different way.

And if you're in the group where the jazz are at, you are incentivized to lose, which is why they're doing what they're doing. Porter has taken the wheel today. So we are doing a hipster country is that kind of feels like an oxymoron? Can country music be hipster?

That's kind of why I had a weird response when you when you mentioned it.

Not that I'm not excited, right, this is.

All your stuff today? Was that Colter? Was that our guy?

No, that's our guy, Brent Cobb, Brent Cobb, Ran Cobb. So I like that you're you're doing the hipster country thing. I just don't know how to define that, right because you're, as you said, you're kind of combining a couple of things. You definitely can, but I don't know if it's it's like it's the same it's the same thing.

It's down to two different avenues, you.

Know, are we gonna get a little Florida Georgia line today or no, absolutely not, ok fair enough, not a chance, not a snowballs chance in hell. Okay, Porter's in charge today doing a hipster country music or whatever that is. Speaking of hipsters. He works for the Solid Tribune. He covers the Utah Jazz. He is Andy Larson on a Wednesday afternoon. Hello, Andy, how are you?

I'm great, I'm well.

I appreciate the time.

So you asked Will a really interesting question during the pre or excuse me, the postseason media availability a couple of days ago, about you know, if a team actually came Collin who had a I believe you said, a more winning organization, you know, just ready to win right away?

What would what would Will do?

And look, there was no way he was going to say like, yeah, I wish I was coaching Oka see or if I should have stayed and kept the Boston job. So he said what he of course was going to say, regardless of the question.

My question to you is did you believe what he had to say?

Yeah?

Look, I mean I do I think you know, as we've evaluated the jazz and kind of stuck at the bottom right now, and we'll see what happened in the lottery, and there's there's a lot of good stuff that could happen. But this is in the middle of the rebuild. You know, would Will Hardy entertain offers from other teams? And you know, frankly, the real uh scenario that I envision is Greg Papavich

Yeah, you know, I thought it was a really forceful answer in a way that you know, like he could have Hemden had a little bit and I think, you know, frankly talking to him off the site too, Like.

I think.

That is reflective.

I was thinking right now, so you know, I thought it was useful to get that kind of on record and that like, hey, yes, Will Hardy is probably likely hear safe for as long as he as long as the jazz will happen.

And I know we've talked about this before, and honestly, it is a question and a topic that is steeped in hypothetical. So there's probably not a ton of use of spending a lot of time on.

This, so we won't.

But you know, look, if we are sitting here, you know, mid April of twenty twenty seven, and the options on Will's contracts are done, and it's been five full years, and Lady luck did not shine upon them, and they don't get a Cooper flag, and they don't get an AJ debantsa whoever else is that dude in the next class cam booz.

Or what have you?

And you ask Will that question in five years and they just have not given him a roster that allows him to compete. I think Andy, you might get a different answer.

What are your thoughts?

I mean maybe, Yeah, it's hard to know. Right, like, and you know, because if you do this and you know, it doesn't go out and you have three more years of pain. I mean, this year was difficult on everyone involved, including Will. For sure, Yeah it might be different, and so you know, yes, it is in coming on the front office to get good players for Will to coach.

So I carry it may have been Sarah, or maybe it was you asked the question about what type of players that Will would like to see Ada just kind of generally speaking and among the things that Will said, he finished it with the comment, well, we have a lot of talent in the building, do they.

No.

I mean, yeah, less than the other NBA teams. I would say maybe, but other than one or two other teams. But yeah, they don't have a ton of talent. I mean, like you know, Larry Mark is good, Colin John Collins is good, calm sections, but like you know, I don't think they see them as with the EXCEP Varry, as building blocks moving forward. You've got Walker Kestler, and you've

But it's hard to.

Say that they've had any wins in those areas so far because you know, again you look around the league and you look at some other teams who have had more success. You know, Kyle Philipowski good draft pick, Asaya I call your.

Good draft pick.

But like in terms of creating a cohesive on court culture, I don't know that we've seen that.

One of the things that kind of caught my attention when Will was asked about the offseason plans for his roster is he said it was about Keante, it was about Isaiah, and it was about bryce different variations of they have to be in better shape. They just have to take care of their bodies. They have to show up in camp in better shape.

I don't know.

I mean, I think with Sensiba it's pretty obvious because he entered he entered the league, was just a body that needed work. As far as getting in better shape. I mean, there is a little Dennis Scott tam I've told you that before. Dennis never really was in elite shape, but he could always shoot it. That was his skill. That's why he was a pro for like twelve years. But Kiant didn't strike me as somebody that wasn't in great condition. And I was a little taken back when

Did that catch you off guard at all?

Not a time I've heard will say that before. I think it's about being able to compete on both ends of the floor at every possession, right and you see frankly, Kyante and Isaiah give up or you know, fail to make that second rotation or you know, and whether that I think maybe some of that is due to endurance and getting in better shape, you know, like and then yeah, you just look at kind of their body and it makes sense because they're first and second year players, But like,

So justin Zenik was asked about I think it may have been Ryan who just asked him about all the young players and to kind of run down the list of his thoughts on, you know, all the players, and he kind of went brick by brick and player by player, and when he landed on Cody, he basically said he's smart enough to stand in the right place right He's like, he's got a good brain, and he usually is not

But do you jibe with that at all?

After watching Cody play, does it appear that he at least has a good feel on how to play the game of professional basketball.

Yeah, honestly yes, And like you see him making defensive rotations that Isaiah do not make, and you know, some of that different position a little bit, but also that's some of that's just like Tody Williams has a better defensive IQ than Isaiah and and code Isaiah and Kiante and brace to and so you see him be in the right place, and then he just doesn't do anything.

All right, before we get to the draft, which of And I ask you this, I asked you this prior to the trade deadline this year because I honestly thought they would find a spot for Clark, Center, Collins or Sexton. So we'll remove I'll say the young players. I'll say Walker and younger. Okay, so none of the rookies this year, and none the soft sat walker either the veteran pieces who's back next year?

Who do you think is gone?

I mean, I think they will try to move Colin

The middle of those groups.

Actually a pretty effiicsion score when you look at the numbers, but then may give it back on the defensive end, and then hasn't really changed the plus minus count. You know, it does say something that he was the only veteran guy that the Jazz felt kind of comfortable playing in a lot of the games to end the season when they were trying to lose. So look, you know, I think it's going to be entirely dependent on what happens with other teams around the league and whether or not

It's pretty rare for a rookie, a first round pick to not have their at least third you know, the first option picked up after the three years where you kind of get a feel for what the player is.

It doesn't happen often.

It happened with for Dad, with jim Or and Sacramento when after a couple of years they did their calculation, they didn't pick up his option. Is there any world where they don't pick up Keyante's option? I mean next year is like sneaky big for Keyante, George.

I mean, so you'd be talking about it. As for as your option, I think you still probably pick it up. Like you know, I I don't love Kiante as a player, but I still think like he might be the most offensively talented of the bunch, right Like he he does okay, he does two things. Really he can shoot, like he just can he can hit catch and two shots.

Uh.

And he does have the ability to take pull up shots and if you make him two percent three percent more often, then he becomes pretty efficient. And then he does have the ability to draw fouls in the NBA, which is a really valuable skill set right like he is. I believe it was a top twenty five or top thirty foul drawer this year in terms of just per minute.

So I would be.

Surprised if they turned down that option. I wouldn't be stunned if they traded him or moved him, you know, like to if they were able to get another swing back, but to just completely give up with no return, Like you know, what, what are you using that roster spot on? That's definitely better. I just don't know that there's a great answer to that.

Yeah, correct, fourth year option after three years of data. It just doesn't happen often, certainly with a player that has shown as much promise at times as Kante. But I do think next year is big for him because I oscillate on my opinion, you know, when it comes to who I think he can be in the league.

Look, I agree, and look, there's maybe no young player in the NBA that's been kind of force fed possessions and opportunities in the way that Kiante has. Right that being said, you know, like if if you don't if you don't want to win next year, giving Kyante kind of the similar opportunities that he had in previous years is not a bad way to lose some games if he doesn't, if he doesn't improve, and then if he does improve, the then great, you actually might have a

All right, two part question about the draft lottery.

Okay, so you know it has become a consensus, It has been a consensus maybe for about six months, that there is one tier and that tier belongs to Cooper Flag and then there's a tier behind him that maybe in your opinion, contains one two players, and the opinions of a lot of people to do this for a living, they seem to think this is a five player draft of really really good, top tier talents, which good news

So my question is, you know your thoughts on what.

Cooper would mean to the team, but attendant to it, is there another prospect that you think in a number of years we could potentially look back and say, wait, that player actually was better than Cooper Flag.

Oh, that's a good question. I mean, I think given what Cooper did his freshman season at Duke right, like, the floor is so so high on him right that he is at least to be an extremely valuable NBA player. And then you know, if you believe in potential and he's ability to grow, and then he could be, legitimately, I think it's fair to say one of the best players in the NBA. So I think Jazz fans should be excited about their fourteen percent chance of getting Cooper

Look, I don't think.

It's it's totally impossible, but what you said, But like Cooper is far and away the best prospect in the draft at this point, and it would surprise me to see other players overtaken.

Last thing, Andy will get a little RSL from you that I'll set you loose another loss. Another week goes by where we're all waiting to see whether or not that the you know, these additions are actually going to get across the line. We are one week away from the primary transfer window closing. My question to you is simple, are you still standing up on your feet and shouting a loud rayal?

Are you still believing Andy?

I mean I am still shouting RAYL. I don't know if I'm.

Believing it all right.

I look, we'll see what they do in the next week. If they don't send a striker, it's a shifts a tremendous failure and they should be made fun of a lot. Look, I mean, Houston signed a striker today. That was cool. It would be neat if oursel did that. It sounds like txtalled with the Slovakian guy, is what I believe it was. Tom Boger reported it's it's look I mean again, I'm just going off what's been publicly reported. It looks

But just to be clear, here at the riot, the battle hymns begun, and you're still here for RSL.

I mean, I'm going I'm gonna go all all the games. I'm gonna screen my heart out. I'm gonna flip off the rest as much as I can. It's you know, yeah, I'm all in.

All right, buddy, all right, buddy, appreciate it. Thanks for the time, will chat soon.

Thanks, I'm sing.

Andy Larson stops by today courtesy of our friends at Burt Brothers. With over thirty years of experience and nearly thirty locations, Burt Brothers asse certified technicians bring expertise and professionalism to every interaction. One stop shop for reliable repairs and maintenance, from tires and alignments to fluids and breaks. Tax Day Saving Sale is in full swing. You buy three tires, you get one free on select Goodyear, Fulcon

As we prepare for.

The Forever twenty two game, the spring football game for Utah's on Saturday. Practicing this week, and we do have some news on a new commit for Alex Jensen, so we'll get with Ryles on that today. But the season for the Utah Hockey Club came to an end, and they got shellac by the Saint Louis Blues six to one. Your final, Our next guest, Neil Smith, stops by on a weekly basis to talk to you to hockey club and the NHL.

Neil, Happy Wednesday, sir, how are you.

I'm real good to Spence.

Thanks, I appreciate the time. So we'll start with our local team. Then we'll kind of pan back, and you know, it's interesting, Neil. For all intents and purposes, they were eliminated. Now it's it's it's it's funny because a three or a four point gap with like sixteen fifteen, sixteen games left doesn't feel like a lot, but it actually is.

Year, Well, first of all, I think they ended the year good. I think at the Saint Louis game. You can't really judge them on the Blues game when they got blown out, because the Blues wanted that game badly to make the playoffs, and Utah was eliminated already, and you had one team that was just hunting for bear and the other team that was sort of out there with a pop gun because they already knew what their

Quake and Keller are twenty six years old, captain of his team points as a result of grabbing another one at Saint Louis So thirty goals which led the team, sixty assists, which led the team as well. Put that into perspective for us here in saw lake Neil a twenty six year old captain and grabbing ninety points playing eighty one games.

What does that say to you about this young man?

Well, I mean, I just tells you where he is. He's an elite class of players. I mean he on my show NHL wrap Around at the beginning of the year, we said who we thought, individually, Vic Moore and my partner and myself who we thought would be who's their breakout player for the season, And I said it would be Clayton Keller. In my mind, that's who I was looking for to have a breakout season, and I think he did have a breakout season. I think thirty goals

So at this point, I want you to walk us through, as somebody who was a general manager in the NHL, what are the immediate boxes that Bill Armstrong is checking now? The NHL the regular season isn't even over, let alone the playoffs.

But the season is over for the Utah Hockey.

Club, So what's the checklist for a general manager? Immediately right after the season is over. What's happening behind closed doors down there?

Meetings with their scouting staffs. They'll have a pro scouts meeting at some point here in the in the during the playoffs. They'll have amateur scouts meetings at some time during the playoffs. They're preparing for the amateur draft, which is coming up in June, and then preparing for July first for free agency to decide who they who they want to try to get, and who in the where they stand in the order for the entry draft, and who they might be able to you know, who they

So this could be taken both as good or bad news depending on your perspective. So as far as the issues that plagued the hockey club that came back to bite them, at the end that did not allow them to either seriously compete or actually grab one of the final two wildcard spots overtime in shootouts, So only the Flames in the Canucks had more overtime losses than the

How do you digest that number, Neil.

Well, you know that the thing is with the overtime, it's a it's a skill competition too, because it's three on three and it's just crazy back and forth. And the foot out is simply, you know, again, a skills competition and who you've got and how much they practice it, and how good you're shooting. You know your penalty shot shooters are and it's all going to come with getting

The other interesting thing is because we talked a lot about, you know, the goaltending situation with Mamelcoa and Ingram, and you know, Bill Armstrong spent a lot of money and made some moves to bring in defensive help. And you know, on paper, with Dylan Gunther and Clayton Keller, you probably just assumed that the offense was really dynamic. But the offense was twenty first and goals per game and the power play was fifteenth, which isn't horrible, but it's not

Well, I, first of all, I want to say that I think that the maturation process for Gunther and Keller will come and naturally they will get more goals, and they will get more power play goals. You know, I think that the coach has got to tell you why the power plays in the middle of the pack. I've been watching the New York Islanders all season, as you know, Spence, because I go to all their games and they're thirty one and thirty two in special teams, so to me, fifteen.

The culture of of pro hockey, the culture of NHL. I wonder how would you articulate this to our fan base here in Salt Lake, where we have a basketball team that often throughout the course of their existence, has had a lot of trouble attracting NBA players to come here to play, and then the ones that they do draft, at least the modern day that turn out to be really good, end up leaving, some via trade, some via demand,

So we have a little PTSD here.

As far as our teams not being able to attract free agency or to attract free agents because we're not a destination, do you think that's anything that we'll get in the way for the hockey club trying to attract talent here or our NHL players a little bit different as far as what they look for before signing with a.

Club, Well, I think almost all the NHL players, certainly the ones that become free agency, are veterans, and they have friends all throughout the league, and if they don't have friends at their agent represent somebody in the league, or there's a way to find out about a place

Music to the years of residence here who for years have been confused as to why people don't want to live here. And you know me, Neil, I grew up close to where you know you ran teams and I've lived here for twenty plus years. It's good living. I don't necessarily know why folks don't. Some folks don't even want to give it a try, you know, Like, it's odd to me why you wouldn't even want to give a place a chance.

Well, you know what, sometimes people, as you know, the people, people judge, and they judge stupidly. You know, the Florida Panthers weren't able to attract free agents for years and years, and I mean, my goodness, that's Fort Lauderdale area where they couldn't get people. So I think people have preconceived notions and I don't know what it is, but they

I'm probably the least styled.

I hear there's they don't want to go to Toronto. They don't want to play for the Toronto Raptors because they don't want to play in Canada. And I mean, I'm from Toronto. Toronto is a is a mini New York. I mean it's it's it's one of the destinations of North America that you'd want to go to. And yet I hear that NBA players don't want to play in Toronto, so who knows.

Yeah, that's wild.

I mean, Toronto is one of my favorite cities I've ever visited, and it seems like all the NBA guys just want to simply be by a beach and most of them want to play in LA or Miami. I don't know, maybe it is the cold weather that scares them away, but yeah, we tend to run into this issue here when it comes to the stick man.

Look. I've never Neil. I've never pulled any punches.

I mean, we're not New York, We're not LA, We're not Chicago, we're not Miami.

I get it.

And we do have residents here that get a little bit in their feelings when I say that, And I understand, like, if you're looking for a different experience, then maybe Salt Lake isn't for you. But if you're looking to simply focus on your craft in a very safe place to raise a family, you could do a lot worse than saw Lake. And I do think the commitment that Ryan and Ashley and the ownership group have made would be very very attractive for players that maybe don't love playing

I can promise you that.

Well, and Spence, I want to point something else out. There is no further outposts in the NHL than Winnipeg. And Winnipeg just secured the President's Trophy for this season, which represents number one in the entire league. And their goaltender is American and he's the best goaltender in the league. Connor Hallibuck, he could have gone anywhere he wanted, he's that good, and yet he wants to be in Winnipeg. Mark Schifeley is one of their stars. He wants to

All Right, Neil, before I say you lose, here's how I'm gonna pose the question I want you to give me.

As we sit here on the precipice of.

The playoffs, a favorite in both the East and the West and a dark horse in both the East and the West to come out of the Stanley Cup playoffs and maybe lift Lord Stanley's Cup.

I'm going to say that the Winnipeg I'm going to go to the obvious Winnipeg, that the team we just spoke about, and the dark horse is going to be Colorado. Now, one of those two is going to be gone after the second round for sure, because Winnipeg will play St. Louis in the first round. Colorado will play Dallas. Whoever survives out of Dallas in Colorado will probably play Winnipeg if Winnipeg does what they're supposed to do and eliminate Saint Louis. But that's through the two that I think

Why do you tell all of our listeners where they can go find the pod?

Well, they can find it on any platform. But if you want to look at if you want to watch it and see the guests like Paul Maurice and and Sam Rose and we had on this week, that's dropped. That drops today. I believe we had Sam. That was a fantastic one. You know Sam, Sam forty years doing Ranger games and a great friend of mine from wayback. It's on all the different podcast platforms anywhere where you

Oh wow, oh wow.

Yeah.

I took Mike Richter come to the hockey game with me and he's great. He's such a great guy. And you know, he's he's good, he's affable. You know, take as many pictures as you want, sign autographs and all that, and even without his mask on, everybody recognized him and wanted to talk to him. And this was at the Islander Arena, not at the Rangers Arena, at the Islanders Arena. So it was really fun to be with Mike last last night. And what a great guy.

Oh yeah, he's the best, a legend. That's awesome, Neil, Thank you for the time, sir. Even though the hockey club season's over, do not think you're off the hook. We will be bothering you throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs.

If that's okay with you, sir.

I'm happy to be bothered by you, all right.

I appreciate it. Be well, thank you, Thank you, all right.

The great Neil Smith, general manager of the Rangers and the Islanders, one of the headscts for the Detroit Red Wings during the eighties when they were winning everything.

I always appreciate Neil's time.

He's got a great podcast, NHL wrap Around, So go to NHL Wraparound dot com if you're interested in learning more about this new league and this new sport. There was a lot of fun to have here for year one and excited for the future of the Utah Hockey Club. Neil stops spot today courtesy of our friends at IFA Country Stores. Have you ignored your lawn care because the weather has not been warm consistently, Well, it's time now

You know, a little.

Florida Georgia line might go a long way if we're just going to play singer songwriters that seem to be depressed all the time and whiskey is the only thing that makes him feel better.

So I guess maybe maybe you're looking for a different type of country than.

Well, here's the deal, good good.

I was trying to find the hipster country, like what lane that is? So I went like way out there on the last one that was Ringo Star by the way, Wow, I think that's hipster like he's a original like hip guy on the country in two tenty twenty five. This one, I don't know. I listened to like although you think it may be hipster country, it's like just not popular.

Well, let's get a little genautry up in here. So who is that that you just played? That was Theo Laurence. So it's a newer song, newer artist. But yeah, he I mean it's it's just acoustic barstool and guys singing. But why can't they sing about happy things? That's the thing about like some of the country music. But it's always I'll get you, I'll get you. Okay, Please don't just like uplift a little and play little Johnny Cash if you want, play some of the old stuff you

So I'm just gonna drink whiskey and be sad.

I mean, there is some of those themes. There's no doubt about that.

Yah.

I guess you have a point. And there could be maybe less of that, but I don't know. It's it's uh, it's real.

I guess, well, look sing about the struggle, sing about life, but like let's just mix it up a Look, there've gotta be some fun things.

Cowboys.

I got your cowboys do?

I mean, you're rope and steer, you're at your line dancing, you're square dancing, You're at the Westerner on a Saturday night, hanging out, drinking some beers, meeting some women. And it can't all just be like my woman left me. And so I've got a numb my brain. And so it's gonna be whiskey tonight and bud light tomorrow. Maybe I'm projecting, maybe, and if we need to have a conversation about that, we can have a conversation about.

It no, actually, no, no brown water for me. All of this year so far.

I am proud of you. I don't care of last year. I don't care if it was Anthrew Cuberman or whatever.

I'm proud of you for making that change because you gotta be careful with that stuff.

Yeah, but y'all, next song, next song, Okay, it'll be country and western stuff, but there'll be a different vibe to how about that?

So I know you're not a big Zach Bryan guy.

I know Zach Bryan's like this uber popular country singer songwriter who's not being boxed into country because he's crossed over lines. But it seems like Zach Bryan sings a lot of duets with female country singers, and all the duets are like, Zach, you're drinking so much whiskey. Stop drinking whiskey. And he's like, hey, it helps, and they're like, okay, well, you're ruining our relationship. Like the themes are the same with all the Zach Bryan duett.

Yeah, you're you're not wrong there, and listen, you're you're not wrong about it being like an overarching theme of country music, like there's a there's a song from the eighties. That's kind of playing off that, and it's talking about railroads and you know, your truck and all of this, and it's it's kind of just playing off of what is the stereotypical country song. So I get it. I get it.

But we'll we'll expand our our horizons here next.

Fair Enough Supporter is in charge of the music today because I know he gets tired of me ruining his algorithm by sending him songs.

So we're doing a little country all right.

We're gonna send you to golf at Mountaindale today, all right, one of my favorite tracks.

I'll be there.

Let's see on Saturday, I'm gonna play a little outain Dell Lake on Saturday. So it's the ESPN Festival at Teas. It's powered by the Utah Golf Association. Each day of spring, we are giving away rounds of golf to the best courses in the state. So listen to The Down and Dirty with Scott Mitchell, the Sean o'connells Show, and then this program. The drive was spent checkets from two to six for your chance to win each day from ESPN seven hundred and the Utah Golf Association. Details can be

One choice.

Text in a country music song that you would like to hear Porter play on the program today. And if it includes numbing your mind with little bourbon because your woman left you and your cows aren't producing whatever they do, I don't know.

You've heard my spiel. It's traditional country. It's country in Western So if you if you go down that lane, you may be more inclined to get on the show.

Okay, fair enough.

And then if Porter picked your song, he's going to send you to golf and boundell for free.

Porter stand the mic. Let's do a little college football.

So Nico Iamaliava, the Tennessee quarterback transfer who's been receiving a ton of attention because he I've heard the term held out and you know.

If you listen to the show. First of all, thank you, hello, how are you?

Second of all, For years, I simply have said, ever since the transfer of Portal and the NIL situation became a reality, it is time for the sport to lean into the pro model as soon as they possibly can. And the reason I said that is if you lean into the pro model and allow the athletes to unionize and collectively barred and there's a lot of complications, but what you eliminate are players coming and going every few months, and then you have some uniformity as far as a

Yeah, this is an inevitable step that you know, kind of surprise we haven't seen more of it, and frankly you have if you're in touch with folks around college football. These things are happening behind the scenes in a lot of different places. That's why kids are moving, It's why kids are understanding that they're not going to get a spot on this team. And that used to mean you don't have a scholarship. That used to mean, you know, maybe you're gonna gray shirt for us and be on

Worth the number that you're trying to give us.

It's business and a lot of eighteen nineteen year olds are going to learn business pretty quick in the college football world.

Yeah, And part of if you know, if I don't continue down the theme of what I've been preaching for years, and I'll sound like a hypocrite. Part of leaning into the pro model and part of allowing athletes to unionize and collectively bargained does bring a negotiation element to contract

Okay.

It's kind of like this weird dynamic that's happening in provo with BYU clearly outbidding teams for basketball players. Yet they're in house media and I'm using median air quotes because they actually work for BYU, are being forced to go on social media to further this narrative. It's like, no, it's not about money, it's about love and development and work. Well, okay, like stop stop stop trying to muddy the way. Stop pulling as Steve Bannon when it comes to your athletic department,

And there's nothing wrong with it.

I just don't understand why you have to convolute the message when everybody can see exactly what's going on.

Don't tell me I'm not seeing what I'm seeing.

It's one of the problems with this whole approach of muddying the waters and you know, flooding the zone with misinformation to distract people from what actually is going on. It's a trick in religion and politics that they use everywhere, and now it's heaped into sports, certainly culturally in certain

No they don't.

They care about the seven million dollars you're paying for you're paying for them to play, And yes, do they like the ability that Kevin Young seems to have to develop players and the message that he is able to bring them that he coached Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, Chris Paul. If you want to know how to be a pro, come play for me. Certainly that's part of it. But you know what, the bigger part of it is the fact that you can write checks. So stop lying

Well, look in the mirror.

If you have the opportunity to leverage your talents to go to your boss to try to get more money, are you going to do that?

You would be an idiot if you said no.

So the venom that has gone in his direction is entirely misguided. And if you are that old school guy that says a scholarship is enough value for college football, well you need to find something else to watch, because that mentality is as antiquated and dated as watching a black and white television when you have the ability to watch in all of its glory with the way we can watch TV these days, like it's simply a different

Utah spring football closes out as Kyle Whittingham and the Utes prep for the annual twenty two Forever Game.

On Saturday.

Coverage up at ESPN seven hundred, Sports dot Com, brought to you by Advanced Windows and Jersey Mike's. The NBA Play In Tournament continues tonight at Sacramento plays host to the Dallas Mavericks, winner taking on Memphis Kings and the MAVs on ESPN seven.

Hundred and seven.

Tipping off this afternoon, it's Miami and Chicago in the Windy City. Winner of the Heat and the Polls takes on Atlanta.

Oh a great goal by Kels.

Yeah, Keller with a goal, and he's at it again in Saint Louis, and the power play.

Remains red hot and Utah's on the board.

The Utah Hockey Club closed out the NHL regular season last night with a six to one loss to Saint Louis, ending the year thirty eight, thirty one and thirteen, good enough for it in the West outside of postseason eligibility, but the highest win mark in the franchise since twenty nineteen. In Arizona, any drive in the basket begins with the first step on the court. It's the ultimate power move.

Com in that big rug. All right, you don't have to overcorrect?

All right?

What is who is this? What are you playing?

Oh?

Come on, little Big Rock Candy Mountain.

Okay, I have heard this one.

I am as you said, you wanted something upbeat, something happy. I did overcorrect, obviously, Big Rock Candy mountains sing about like lemonade springs and cigarette trees and and uh hey it is a Utah connection, though I don't know if you've been to Big Rock Candy Mountain.

Where is it at Severe County?

I have not.

It's like a big natural some some force form of landmark. It looks like a big pile of candy. I'm sorry, did you did you say cigarette trees?

Yeah?

Yeah, I guess you don't have to pay for your stove. Exactly exactly, okay, exactly, all right, we have a big hour coming up for the next hour, we have the only two people in our market to win the Utah Sports Broadcaster of the Year Award three separate times.

On SNL they have the five Timers.

Clubs, So on uh, on this show, we have the three Timers Club. And I'm just picturing Craig Bowler, jack in his robe, saying three Timers Club with a stogy and a cigar and celebrating the jazz season that is now behind us.

Bowler.

How you doing, buddy, Yeah, Spence's good to hear.

Yeah, I got a little stogie, You got a little brandy, just kind of warming that up right now, you know it is. It's five o'clock somewhere.

So there you go.

Yeah, sitting back, taking a deep breath on a challenging season and hopeful that we see some progress on May twelfth, and we see something on Draft Night, and we see something on during Summer League and then and on we go. But yeah, challenging season. As you know, we have had multiple chats this year, and you know, I thought we saw some growth after the All Star break, especially with two guys in Koyer and Philipowski. And that's a good thing, you know, as a Jazz move forward.

Yeah, yeah, And I will say you and Thurrell did a really really professional job of handling what was a difficult, difficult year, a historic year for all the wrong reasons.

As far as the wins and the losses go.

Let me just stay in the space though, what was what's the biggest challenge lenge of trying to make a

Oh wow, that's a great question. I thought COVID was tough Spence in twenty twenty and twenty one when we throw an cold about one hundred games off the jumbo Tron and empty arenas, that was a challenge, But this one was a different one because you just said something very poignant in the fan base here knows what's going on. I think Danny and Justin and Will have all said they understand the.

IQ of the fan base.

They've been through a lot highs lows, two title runs, a lot of playoff action, you know, fifty one years now of jazz basketball. I think for me, honestly, I'm trying to do a deep dive in how I kind of approached this with thorough because we had a lot of talks on buses, on airplanes and arenas prior to tip off on what we could talk about that had a positive spin or twist to it, but real so, my point is I wasn't going out as a broadcaster to be one to make it a candy what is it?

Cigarette and mountain.

You know, it's almost appropriate that Porter played that coming out right, because look, fans understand, they're smart. I'm not sitting there trying to sell them a bill of goods. I get excited on a big play. Do they have twenty three turnovers?

Absolutely? Do they like to hear that?

Probably not, But I gotta be real on what some of the issues are. Defense got to be much improved as the next year or two comes about, So I think Thurll and I we try to find the fact that Isaiah was chasing Stockton that was a feel good moment. Philipowski's development. We try to put that, you know, as a positive as well. And I really believe that even Walker Kessler's third year after the sophomore slump, was another big story that we tried to just focus on. We

I mean, I just thought, look, let's be real here it is.

Let's try to find some positives and then let the fans for themselves see what I'm seeing. And they saw mistakes, they saw growth, they saw potential, but they also saw what we all saw a need for better ball handling, a much bigger need after watching even the play in games.

Do the Jazz have those that combination?

No?

Will they hopefully?

And you know, I think the future there are some bright spots, but there's definitely need. I think Will Hardy and his post season comments were really straight up, and I think the other thing, Spence, to answer your question, I think I just kind of followed to the way Will approached the media. I don't think he cut corners. I think he chose the right times to really call out the team. He didn't really bury any one individual

Let me ask you this while we're in the space of talking about this odd incentive structure that pro basketball has where they literally offer great rewards for teams who decide to lose on purpose.

I mean, it's such a weird model.

It'd be like, Creig, It'd be like if your boss college, you know, was like, hey, look, if you are awesome this year, we are going to give you a massive bonus and you might win Utah Sports broadcaster there. However, Craig, here's your other option. You can bumble through every broadcast. You can be the worst broadcaster in the league, and

That will never change.

But there's no other industry in the world that actually tells you that if you're one of the worst at what you do, we will still reward you. Is this a structure you would like to see changed because it's an interesting topic because the fact of the matter is there are certain teams in certain cities, namely the Utah Jazz and Salt Lake City that actually do need the ability to add a premier, big time talent through the draft in a way that maybe the Lakers don or the heat down or whatever it is.

We all know the deal here.

So it's a difficult juxtaposition because, on one hand, get us Cooper flag at number one and the losing has been worth it. On the other hand, if the Jazz don't get lottery luck and they're spinning their wheels, we're in danger of being a lottery team year in in, year out, like some of the teams in the NBA have been for years that have never been.

Able to find their way back out.

So there are pros and cons to what the NBA does to incentivize losing with this you know this ecosystem, but it does lead to unwatchable basketball for about a third of the product in the entire in the entire NBA. So do you like where we're at? Do you think improvements or changes need to be made?

Well, I'm not a fan because that wasn't the way I was raised. I was raised it could be competitive and if you go out and bust your tail on the field, then the reward is going to come your way weight room in the huddle on those hot days

Because there's a.

Kid at Duke named Cooper Flag that quote has been labeled as a potential generational player and that could change things in a big way overnight on May twelfth, e Spence. I mean, bottom line, if that's what happens when they walk out and introduce it, then they'll say it was worth it. And you just said if they don't, then where do you go from there? Danny has a plethora

A big one.

No, no, no, this one is probably a big impact, a big big, maybe the biggest impact on this franchise since they moved to Salt Lake. Yeah, they got stocked him alone. That was a long long time ago and they were mid first rounders and look what happened. So lady luck has to shine on you somewhere, and I think it's time for the Jazz that had that type of lady luck that they really haven't had last year eight down to ten, what Canner was a pick Dante

Like totally agree and I do have to wonder, and I honestly don't know. So we're just going to talk about it because this is a community that has a history with his team where part of me feels like

Is this going to take?

So as we continue to watch the organization stretch the pain tolerance of the fan base. How patient do you think Jazz fans will be at the end of the day if this thing doesn't get going quick, Spence, that.

Is really the question of unknown. You know, Will Hardy would be in his fifth year with the scenario that you just outlined right and up for renewal. So even though he said he's bought in three years in yeah, I think he wants to see how this process is going to work itself out. And he he's a hell

Could go to.

That's tough to hear when that superstar player is not going to be on the floor. And I feel for a dad and a son or a daughter and the mother, father whatever on a birthday night.

Right. The other part of it is, you know, I'd tell you the luck part. The luck part of it is.

You have to you do have to be lucky like Atlanta last year that went and got Reshaw sche right, And if the Jazz don't get their number one pick, then I think that, you know, Ryan will have to maybe even get more involved in what Danny's strategy is with Justin as well, those three and Will who admitted yesterday that he's very involved in what direction the Jazz go in draft night, which is a good thing. I mean,

It's a really fair question to bring up, and it's a really fair point to make.

You know, the issue as we sit.

Here today, and let's be very clear things can change at the drop of a hat, is that neither Cleveland nor Minnesota look like they are going to be bad anytime soon.

I don't think Cleveland's gonna win sixty four games every year.

But that's a young roster with a new coach, and they're all they're all under contract for a while. So if we look Craig at the incoming first round picks, the jack have six of their next seven of their own. Okay, they have the most favorable Cleveland Minnesota twenty five, Cleveland Minnesota twenty seven, Cleveland Minnesota twenty nine, six through thirty, top five protected pick for the Lakers in twenty seven, which looked really somewhat exciting prior to you know, they

Freaking six years.

I have no idea, but what they have in their treasure test right now does not look to be a high. You know, the odds of any of these picks being very high in the lottery are very low as we sit here today, because Cleveland and Minnesota are good and they've got good young players that'll be around for a while. The Lakers have Luca again, We'll put the Phoenix one on the shelf.

The fact of the matter is on paper, their.

Best chance to get a high lottery pick continues to be their own pick. Okay, so that's the problem, right, So what does that mean about how Danny and.

Justin approached this construction? Moving forward?

Now, we should also acknowledge that the best player on the planet right now was drafted what forty thirty. He looks like his diet consists of Pringles and pp and J's. So you can find a good player in the second round and the best players we've had, yeah, we've and the best players we've had John Carl, Donovan Rudy. I could keep going. The majority of them have been mid first, late first.

Right, and go go with Paul Millsap.

Sure, sure, right, And so I'm not saying that because on paper it looks like the chances of them getting a really high pick as if today aren't great unless they decide to keep tanking because their own picks could continue to be really good.

That doesn't mean they can't find good players.

But if you play the odds, the better players typically are faut at the top of the draft. So if they luck into number one with Cooper Flag, part of me believes that everyone else is on the table, including Lowry. I don't know that, but part of me believes they're going to look at this as Okay, our organizational timeline is the timeline that we have with Cooper, who is a young eighteen year old, and so therefore we are actually starting this process with him, and Lowry at the

I don't either, but you know it's possible for either, very very possible. The second one you just mentioned about the young players and Flip and Walker and Isaiah Collier. That's intriguing. With Cooper Flag the timelines you mentioned are intriguing as well. Age is always going to win, Father time is never defeated.

And what is the value.

Of any player on this Cavs roster at the moment and marketing the courses is that highlighted player didn't get to see a lot of them this year legitimate back injury early and then basically, you know, the JAD just said let's wait and see what happens with a lot of players down the stretch. And you know, that's a million dollar question that every Jazz fan wants to know, and there's only about three guys really that know it. It's got to be Ryan and he may maybe dictates

Of year with postseason play.

Spence, you know this team, had they played all year long, yeah, they probably could have manufactured a play in potentially. I don't think that's a stretch of the imagination.

But you know, one and done.

It doesn't get it done, but it still adds the excitement of the moment as the season progresses and something to look forward to. But how deep does Ryan want to go? And how far does Danny you know go as well? In Justin's mindset, it may really dictate Spence the lottery on May twelfth. What direction the Jazz want to go? I think it's it's huge for this franchise. You know, maybe one of the top two or three moments in franchise history. I don't want over you know,

So I'm sure.

I'm sure the league's talking about some of these other issues we talked about too. They tried to make the All Star Game more functionable, more watchable, and I'm sure that Adam Silverwill has some discussions as we speak about how they're going to stay active with these players and how teams are going to be Can they reward teams for wins?

Can you get another pick if you win fifty? I don't know.

Those are just ideas, but you know, I'm sure that's being talked about right now and all summer long.

All right, baller, before I say you loose, I'm going to hold you to one name the biggest bright spot, whether it was a surprise, whether it was growth, whether it was you know, just a player that you would say to the fan base, this is the guy that impressed me the most this year.

And why who would you go with?

Oh?

And right off the top, and you said that to me. Two names popped in my head, actually three, but I'm going to go with Collier just because of the pace he plays with and the fact that he is his brain is wired to be a point guard and to share. He led all rookies with six point three assists a game. He was near double figures and scoring. I think he's a bulldog mentality. I think he has a grit and a grime the Jazz need, like a Desmond Bane. He's not the biggest kid in the world, but he's strong

So Isaiah just popped in my head, flip.

I can't help but like as an early second round pick, he grew big time and proved a three point shot on the run after the All Star and he seems to have a little bit better attitude and a voice. Spence, I don't know what you saw, but that's kind of those two guys, and again Walker's growth after a tough sophomore season. Those three guys jumped down at me the most. But Isaiah, you know, is he a starter in this league? Yet to be seen? Could it be a dynamic six guy? Yes,

All right, my friend, Well, I was hoping to hear the sounds of either slot machines in the background or maybe waves crashing on the shore. Because you deserve some time off, so I'll let you get back to the road, the brandy and the stogy. Craig, thank you for the time, my friend.

All right, man, don't be a stranger.

You know, sometimes I'll have to walk into the studio and just to air my air my just to get you know, just to get it on the table once in a while.

It's an open invitation, buddy, you know that.

All right, pal, Good to talk.

To you, great Craig Bowlerjack TV Voice the Utah Jazz stops about today. Courtesy of our friends at IFA Country Stores. If you've been ignoring your lawn because the weather hasn't been super warm this spring, it's time now to consider it. IFA Country Stores has everything you need to care for your lawn, no matter its size or shape. Their four plus long care program can promote healthy green grass this summer.

What's going on?

I guess not much of a hipster country thing like you were saying, No Vince Gill, Bill Riley, lou stoppelgangers.

Oh, there's some certain pictures of.

Vince Gill you can find, and it looks like Bill Riley belting out of country too.

It's awesome.

I have a feeling that our next guest is going to take on bird with that. Bill Riley joins the program. Have you ever heard Ryle's that you look like Vince Gill.

I've had people stop me in airports and places saying I look like Vince Skill.

Oh.

Porter Larson is on it. Today.

Okay, okay, well we're continuing Ryle's a very important hour on the program because last segment we had Craig Bowler Jack who has won the Utah Sports Broadcaster the Year three times, and you Bill have one Utah Sports Broadcaster the Year three times. Have you guys been able to get together with the robes in the andy and the stoves to celebrate.

Yet we were going to come in studio and where are Hugh Hefner smoking jackets? And if Steve Johnson would let us maybe fire up a stogy, have a brandy sniffer, one of those type things.

I'm gonna go out and limb and say Steve probably wouldn't be thrilled if we're just smoking cigars in the studio, But your point stands. My follow up question is have you guys cultivated the handshake like they have at SNL for the five Timers Club where you just go one, two, three, You're great, You're great.

Have you and Baller done that yet?

No?

But I will let you know.

I will let you know that someone that you know that is.

Close to you may or may not have shared a secret handshake with.

Me that you would know.

Oh no, was it Morgan.

It was just not Scaley. No, it was that Scaley.

Are you gonna tell me who is share the name.

With you off air because I don't want to. I don't want to out him publicly.

Okay, well, just so you don't want you share the name. He's getting dinged. We're kicking him out because that's not allowed. Bill, that is not allowed.

He's one of your guys, though, he is one of your guys.

Okay, all right, now my mind is spinning, but we shall move on.

Bill.

How you been man? What's going on with you these days?

I've been good. I was hoping.

I'm glad that Porter brought me in with Vin skilled today. I was hoping for some third eye blind though, No, we.

Hit our quota. Porter got loose with the third eye blind. We had like five third eye blind socks the other day. But let's let's get an update. You know, obviously you're busy up there, and it's a new it's a new world. So it's been a while since we've checked in with you as far as all of the things you have going on as the director of Broadcasting at the University of Utah.

Let's get an update.

There a lot of baseball as of late. Did some softball yesterday Weber State and Utah softball. Lots of prep going on for the big spring football game coming up on Saturday, a chance for Utah Angewhich. I'm sure we'll talk about her momentarily. We'll get to see Devin damp here in all this glory and the rest of Utah football, and just kind of winding down the season a little

Very nice, very nice.

So let's stay in the football space, and let's start the football portion of the conversation with the fact that the transfer portal has once again opened up, and it's a small one. I think it's only ten days. I think it'll close on the twenty fifth. And you know, you hear some of the interviews and some of the sound from coach Wit and others, but what do you anticipate, if anything, Utah football doing over the next ten days.

I you know, when spring football ends this weekend, they'll probably be some departures for the program.

You know, that's always going to be the case.

Some of the guys that figured out that they are not in the two or the three deep and they probably want to move on to go someplace where they can play.

I think Utah.

Will probably be a little active. They've always been a little active in the spring portal, and I could see them targeting some folks. I could see them maybe adding a little bit.

I don't think that they're.

Necessarily going to be out hunting for somebody that's going to be an a one top line starter, but I could see them probably looking to add a little bit of depth on both sides of the ball. I'm not sure where it would be yet. Got to talk to Jason Beck and Morgan Scalley after football kind of wraps up in the spring. But I wouldn't anticipate, as they've been the last couple of years, I could see Utah probably going out and do it a little shopping and

What about wide receiver because just you know, on paper and look on paper, there are so many new players that we still need to kind of understand what sort of hand we've been dealt. And honestly, Bill, you know this, we won't know until fall. You know, spring is spring and springball springball, and I'm excited to be up at Rice Ecles on Saturday in the spring game Forever twenty two. Game is always fun. Go to Utah Youth dot Com

Yeah, I think they're trying to I think they've got numbers right now Spence, and I think what they've been trying to do through spring and that's why it's going to be interesting for me to talk to Beck. I'll get a chance to talk to him over the next day or two leading up to the game is where are you're at. The one name that's come up consistently

Beck, tell me what you're hearing about Devin about Devin damp here. And you know, we've had an opportunity over the past couple of months, both Jason Beck and coach with and Morgan too, who joined week. But I you know, I asked Jason and I asked Kyle this too. I'm not sure how much he loved it, but I asked both of them like Devn's the guy, right like based off of just the difficulty. Certainly the health has been

He's he's spectacular spence in the times that you had a chance to watch him and I've had, I've been able to get over to a number of practices.

He is electric.

I can't think of a quarterback has had in the last twenty five years that's comparable to his skill set. And I say that from an athleticism standpoint. As good an athlete as Tyler Huntley was, Devin dam Piers a better athlete than Tyler Huntley. He's just got the ability to do and move and do things that other quarterbacks haven't been able to do. Now again, he's doing it

Now.

Some of that has to do with the fact that he knew the offense coming in. That's the leg up he had on everybody else. But he is a guy that people have kind of been attracted to. He's been kind of a a teammate magnet, and he is most deadly a leader on the field and in the in the in the in the classroom as well, in the in the in the film room, and in the offensive meeting room.

So I've not heard.

One thing on or off the field that is in any way, shape or form negative about Devin dan Peer. He has been really impressive this spring with his new teammates.

When it comes to just the dynamic bill of spring football, what over the years, since you've been doing this for as long as you have, because you're really old, what are some of the things that are real that you would say to the fan base, Because for me, it's always just been an excuse for those of us that are in the space to do this for hours every day, to actually talk college football in the spring, and for college football fans that are chomping at the bit always

In addicts a reminder that it is coming back.

But what are real things that the coaching staff is trying to implement that we can actually learn from spring ball.

Well, I think it's athleticism more than anything else, and football moves. It's not that somebody breaks a fifty yard touchdown in practice. It's how they break the fifty yard touchdown. A guy like way Sean Parker who's able to he looks the part of running back one. They've got four really good running backs on the team right now, but Parker looks different than the other three. Maybe that's because he had a really good freshman year at Washington State.

I asked Morgan this question last week, and you know, it was a typical coach answer, which I expected when it comes to preseason expectations.

And look, we all know the truth of the matter.

Coaches and players tell us they don't read, they don't listen, they don't watch, and they do they pay attention. And certainly in this day and age where we all have computers in our hand and the ability to be inundated with information twenty four or seven, you're going to be curious about what other people are expecting from you in this ecosystem. And last year, everybody expected you tough football

Maybe a little bit, Spence, But what I would say is there's a lot more internal pressure. I think the lack of results, or the lack of usual results last year dials it up more internally because the bar has been set so high within the program. I can tell you Kyle Whittingham and those guys on that staff were really disappointed with how last year played out. Some of

You know, it's really interesting you reference that because I had a list of things I wanted to kick the tires with you today, and one of the things I wanted to ask you about is, you know, you listen to Kyle Morgan. You know, you listen all the coaches after practice and during their media availability, and ninety nine percent of it is coach speak. Ninety nine percent of it is just kind of them filling their obligations, and I get it.

But sometimes Kyle will say some things.

That kind of, you know, make me perk up a little bit as my my antenna's buzzing a little bit. And on a number of occasions, Bill, not once, not twice, multiple times he has said there's more positive energy in this building than we've had in quite some time, which struck me because Kyle's not one to run down former players. I'm not saying he's doing that, and he's not one to run down form or whatever, but just his expression of this positive energy around the club the football team

I just think that there's some people that I think the new offensive staff brought a new offensive energy and kind of a new excitement around the program, and that certainly jumps start of the offensive side of things, but I think it's been kind of contagious on the defensive side as well, because they're seeing all this energy in this everything that's going on over there. And I think there's some of it too, is there's a lot of new faces on this team.

There's you know, your roster, whether you're Utah.

Your BYU, or your Tennessee or your or your Alabama, you're turning your roster over. So I think some of the new faces to go along with some of the new energy on the offensive side and some of the new terminology has really done that. And I think it's permeated through the players and the staff, and I think the head coach has felt some of that too, and

All right, a couple of minutes least, So let's do a little basketball. As Alex Jensen will potentially be coaching his last game with the Dallas Mavericks tonight, so you know, potentially we'll see that they win. They're going to maybe have one other game, but Alex might be a week away from leaving Dallas behind and moving here, moving back here well where he will be the seventeenth head coach in the history of the Utah men's basketball program.

Before we get to the specifics, bill from your.

Vantage point, thirty thousand foot view, about a month, month and a half of Alex's tenures so far.

What are the main takeaways.

Well, I think that he's finally beginning to get his staff in place, and I think that's important. I think the HighRes this week and getting close to completing his staff are big. I do know, though I don't know a lot of exact names, I know that they've had a lot of visitors on campus. I know that the coach, the staff that's here, Chileas the GM, some of the other staff members are really working hard right now.

So I think that they're they're vetting.

I think they're doing their time, They're kind of doing the work in vetting these guys. I don't think they're just going out willy nilly and grabbing guys because I think that they want to you know, as Alex has said, and I think he's probably said it with you and said it on Sean's show too, he wants to build it the right way and doesn't want to just grab guys for the sake of grabbing guys, because I think we've seen how that's worked in some other places and

I think we've got, you know.

Four commitments right now, or four guys they got a commitment today according to some of the reports, and then you've got Dawes and Terence Brown and James Occono who have committed publicly. So I think that some of that stuff is good for them. And I think it's very interesting to see, you know, how he's putting this thing together. But I like the pace instant that they've come forward with.

Does it feel like there?

You know, we talked about the positive energy on the football side of things, and I didn't talk to one person who felt like Market landed on the right the wrong choice with Alex. It's one of the rare hires for my prism where everybody felt It felt to me

Everybody here is excited about expense. I haven't talked to ticketing per se about you know, whether their ticket numbers are up, but I just know that there's a real buzz and talking to some folks in the Crimson Club, they've gotten great feedback and positive vibes from it two, So I think everything has been really really positive. As you know, I mean Alex is beloved here as a former player and for just a local guy that's got

Last thing, what to you will indicate next year? Because I've been asked this a million times, And first of all, we don't know who the players are going to be, so it's impossible to analyze how good the team is going to be. But if you look at what the Big twelve could be next year, Houston is going to be impossible.

Again.

They've got a bunch of transfers coming in to replace some of the players that are leaving. Your rock Chop Jayhawks are bringing in a tremendous amount of transfers and talent byus open up the checkbook. And there's a rumor that they're going to grab the Williams kid from Texas Tech, which might make them a top ten team in college basketball next year. So I'm trying Bill to be very

But I think it's being competitive into Big twelve and winning games on the road, and being you know, being in contention for, you know, being in the top half of the league, because if you're in the top half of the league, you're then in contention for an NC double A tournament birth. So it'll be interesting to see, you know, once the rosters put together, how that looks.

Wednesday, June twenty fifth, the NBA Draft will take place, and a little birdie tells me that we might see the triumph return of the former program director and longtime host over here at ESPN seven hundred to do a little radios can you coroborate those reports?

Bill?

You know, it sounds like I was extended an invitation on the air while I was listening to Third Eye Blind and you and and Porter talking the other day, A chance to be in studio with you and Gordie to talk about the draft. I mean, I you know, maybe at full six, maybe we do just six seven hours, go into the wee hours of the morning. It sounds like something that would excite me.

Love to see it, love to hear it. We'll look forward to catching up with the Bill. Thanks for your time today and have a great week.

Okay, see you Saturday expense.

Bill Riley, Voice of the Utes. Saturday is the spring game Forever twenty two game. Go to Utah Utes dot com for tickets. We gave you a chance. We gave you a chance all day long to play your music during our bumps, and.

I think we made it mistake.

You may have made a mistake. Well that's up to you. It is subject.

It's on me. Uh who's this? Who were we entering the five o'clock hour with?

Oh, just the late Luke Bell which you are disgracing the name of Now that's okay.

Well, I can't disgrace the name that I've never heard before. Who is Luke Bell again?

Yeah? Less or no?

Less or No, but I really really good album that he released right before he passed away super young.

So oh that's sad.

Sorry?

Is this the song that a listener selected that you decided to send golfing?

No, we got one more for that, all right, okay, no, this one was you wanted something that wasn't like sad? Well?

Yeah, every song you played before was the guy whose girl left him and so he's drowning himself in whiskey.

It was a little sad. Yeah, yep, but we move on.

It's okay. It's not for everybody.

So before we say good night, and in about an hour, you will play the song that a listener selected that you picked to send golfing. Yes, all right, fair enough. Five o'clock hour of the program today.

Sure I will.

I mean, so far you're zero for ten, but you know what, different strokes different folks.

It's all good. I'm trying to embrace country music more than I have my entire life.

Five o'clock out of the show Today is brought to you by Friends at Advanced Window Products.

Here's the deal.

You can get twenty five hundred dollars off when you purchase ten windows or more. Advanced Window Products is a local, solid company operated by Nate Orchard, our guy who is the Mayor of sack Lake City and of course span about eight years in the NFL business partner Jake Wherever.

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So bottom line, call Advanced Wintle Products at eight one eight five zero ninety one hundred or visit Advancewindows dot com. Don't miss out on twenty five hundred dollars off when you buy ten windows or more. So call the Mayor of sack Lake City today at eight one eight five zero ninety one hundred. That's eight one eight five zero ninety one hundred Advanced Window Products, Building, installing and guaranteeing the best windows in Utah. All right, So NBA basketball

But it was not easy, one twenty one to one sixteen.

It combined seventy five points from Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry, but Memphis counterpunched over and over and over, and Golden State needed a real vintage Steph Curry fourth quarter where he scored fifteen points at three threes to get that done. The Orlando Magic ran away from the Atlanta Hawks one twenty to ninety five after a pretty competitive two and a half quarter stretch.

Orlando just overwhelmed them.

So tonight we move over to the nine to ten matchups where it is a true lose and go home. The Heat and the Bulls are about to tip off the United Center in Chicago. It's the third straight year the Heat and the Bulls have played in the play in Tournament. And then your late night game is at the Golden One Center in Sacramento, California, where the Dallas Mavericks and Alex Jensen will be playing the Sacramento Kings. Kings win, Dallas goes home, and Alex will be done

Players enter the transfer portal.

Bill Riley, voice of the Utes, joined us last segment and he brought up a good point. So after this weekend, Utah football will have their spring game on Saturday. That Forever twenty two game coming up on Saturday, so I'd love to see you there. Go to Utah Utes dot com for ticketing information. I would imagine after the spring game Monday of next week, we will hear Utah football players entering the transfer portal. Coach Wit did some media

Of course, that we saw play last year.

Eb Treori and Alvin Jackson are the players on Utah's roster right now, six players, So Alex still has nine open roster spots to work with and this is going to be a slow build. Ultimately, we are seeing the staff round out a little bit. Wes Wilcox, your general manager. Rafael Chilius added as the lead assistant. Apparently Rafael Chilius is the one that had the relationship with Kendall Sanders.

Remember when coach Chilius was hired.

That was kind of the mo that people use to discuss him when it comes to his reputation around the world both high school and college basketball. Spent some time in the pros as well. Martin Schiller was named as the third assistant coach Alex's staff. Of course, as this staff continues to kind of round out a little bit, Martin Schiller is the one that is thought to have a bunch of connections overseas as he coached the German national team with Alex by the way, so that's kind

So final week of spring practice for.

Utah football, BYU football wrapped up their spring ball. Cale Breslin, a running back, is into the transfer portal. Nason Coleman at tight end, Justin Anna, who is the son of BYU linebackers coach Justin n As ender the transfer portal. Nathan Hoke defensive end linebacker, son of Chris Oak. He has entered the transfer portal for BYU, and Landon Rico, who's a punter. He has entered the transfer portal as well, so that's kind of the news that's moving the needle today.

It looks like these reports are not official yet.

But Nico Iamaliava, who is the Tennessee quarterback that's received a ton of attention after quote unquote holding out looking for about double of the nil he was getting from Tennessee. The rumors are he will land at UCLA, which would be interesting because Utah's first game of the season is against ucl So there you go some NBA basketball tonight after a couple of fun games last night. So it is a true win or go home situation in pro

Music is a big part of the vibe. Why are they all so sad?

Man?

Now?

Look, expressing your feelings and your sadness through artistic expressions is a healthy endeavor. I'm not saying it's not, But what's I guess? I bury the lead? Who are you playing? End the show here?

It's a little Rose Colored Glasses by John Conley. That was our guy, Phil the Texter wanted that one. Now I love the song. You're not wrong. There's some sad overtones there, but a little UT's angle. Spring football rose colored Glasses. Oh also, okay, that's ultimately why I chose it, because I think it is It is a good time of the year for some rose colored classes. Your quarterback's the best in the country. You got running backs all over the place, the defense is flying around, and the

Did you say your quarterback is the best quarterback in the country.

Everyone says in spring. That's kind of what I was getting in.

Oh yeah, spring is time for hope.

He can really spin it, man.

Yeah.

I mean that's why some of the superlatives in some of the you know, just the spring football takeaways on social like Nate Johnson's fast.

Oh really, we do know that one man, Nate Johnson can really run. Okay.

You know, Like as I said with Bill earlier, and I've told you before, spring football is an excuse for people like us to talk ball because you know me, I love ball.

I'm all about ball. I just want dudes who love ball. I'm all about the dudes who love ball.

You know, what I want?

What do you want?

I want all twenty two film of spring football.

Stop it, let's get weird. No like Look, it's a great excuse to soft football. There just are very few times where anything that happens in the spring turns out to manifest itself. Is very important when it comes to the fall. Now, transfer portal is open right now, I misspoke earlier. By the way, Utah football throughout the spring window has had players into the transfer portal. Wyatt Becker, quarterback, Sammy Hunter, Komari Semwell both cornerbacks have entered the transfer portal.

In the fall?

Well, are you hearing anything up there about what could come? Because Bill makes a good point. Like BYU football, they wrap up their spring session and after it was announced that they were done with spring ball, they lost five players immediately into the portal.

Now, none of the players.

That BYU was lost to the portal were expected to play big minutes. Hence the reason why they're looking for another place to play. But come Monday after spring football is behind us for Utah, what are you expecting to hear?

Yeah?

I like Bill kind of alluded to, there's going to be a name or two on that list that you will see enter the transfer portal.

And you know, this is.

Something that shouldn't surprise anybody. Number one, this is just the reality of college football. There are going to be transfers post spring, pre fall camp, regardless of the NIL situation, regardless of what's going on with your team behind the scenes, team vibes, doesn't matter. You're going to have transfers between the spring, between the fall, no matter what. Every year before the NIL situation was a reality that was true.

Well, any of the players threatening to leave for the transfer portal have to have a come to Kyle moment. That was one of my favorite things you said all of last year.

It ruled.

It was awesome, No, it was great.

Listen, Hey, when a man rules the house like he does there, you know you look to him in a certain way if you're involved in that.

I forgot to tell you this.

So last week when I was at the Utah Sports Hall of Fame dinner where my high school coach is being inducted, since you know, I played for him, and that was like enough for them to get it over the top.

Of course, that's not real.

Kyle was there in support of a couple of other people, and so I saw him.

I said hello.

And every interaction with Kyle, he talks to you like a coach. He comes up and he's like, how's your father. I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm like he's good.

He's good. So what's he up to?

Like it's you're not wasting. He just wanted to know how's your dad? What's he up to? And it wasn't like, hey, how's your dad. He's like, no, no, no, Logistically, what is going on in your father's life right now? He asked about the grandkids and he's you know, what he's doing for work. But you know, it's a fifteen second interaction. That's when he also said, Hey, anytime you need me on the show, let me know, I'll come on. So I told him weekly hit from here on out. But

He has like a what's it called when a musician has like the clicking talk in their head in there, the clicking clock. Right, he's got like a metronome going where We've done this with coaches, shows and whatnot. You can tell Kyle exactly how long the commercial break is and he will be sitting down for the Coaches Show that second, like in his brain he knows this is a minute, a minute there, a minute there, and every one of those minutes is calculated and accounted for, right as you know.

He's very serious about his business.

But going through normal conversations, that's still the guy you're talking to. So yeah, like you said, sometimes it's short, not in a bad way, just very concise and short and yeah, coach speak if you will.

I I once mentioned to Kyle that I play a lot.

Of tennis, and now when we talk he's asking me about my tense. He's like wondering how my tennis game is. You just can't turn it off with that guy.

Gotta love it, God to love it all. Right, Time to say good night, get out of here. Watch the NBA basketball last night. Man, last night was so fun that Warriors Grizzlies game. Man, when the best players in the world give a rip, basketball is still awesome. So little NBA hoops tonight Portal, Let's get out of here? What comes our way? On a Thursday edition of the show.

On a Thursday edition to the program, it's gonna be a lot of reaction to the NBA play in and look ahead to the NBA play off. Stave mcminnimon stops by for our NBA Daily assist Richard Smithy Smith in studio for an entire hour. We'll catch up with RSL's Gaffert, Pablo Mastro, any little sports court action, and we'll go from there on a Thursday.

All right, there you go. That'll be a good Thursday show.

We will say goodnight and a very special thank you to today's guest Sandy Larson, Neil Smith, Craig Bowlerjack and Bill Riley. Some good stuff on the show today. If you missed any of it, good news. It's all online for your digital consumption. Our website is ESPN seven hundred sports dot com. I would recommend downloading our mobile app and taking us on the go. It's how I listen to our station every single day and then for what we do in our space, specifically four hours every afternoon.

Tomorrow.

Joy your Wednesday.

Talk to you tomorrow right here on ESPN seven and ninety two IFM. We are proud to be part of utah Z ESPN Radio Network and

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