WED POD @SpenceChecketts on #Utes Fall Camp, Jazz Offseason, #RSL Leagues Cup, SL Bees + more

All right, what's going on?

Drivetime Wednesday afternoon, twelve minutes past the hour of two o'clock.

Another scorching hots August.

Day outside about ninety two degrees sunning here in downtown Salix City, Utah, right outside of our Broadway Media studios. And as it is every single day, it's going.

To have you along for the ride's mets check.

It's beyond the Mike Porter Larson, beyond the Glass today with a jam pack Wednesday show, as we get you halfway through that work week and one day closer to the weekend.

Happy Wednesday to you.

A lot of college football on the show today, a lot of college football conversation, as we are just well.

Quite frankly days away from the start of the season week zero and then week after that University of Utah gets rolling by Utah State.

You're one under Bronco Menden Hall.

A lot of storylines to get to, a lot of conversations surrounding the start of the college football season, and of course, a lot of Big twelve conversation. Listen to a couple of Big twelve pods today. David Pollock, formerly of ESPN, was on a Big twelve podcast this morning with a lot of very complimentary things to say about the University of Utah, his confidence that they will bounce back after a five win season last year. Year one in the Big Twelve, how will your two shape out for the Utes?

And of course BYU continue to look for their quarterback. Reasonable expectations Year one for Bronco Meta Hall with eighty new players. Eighty new players at Utah State among the most turnover into country. Bronco's a great coach, He's a great organized communicator, dedicated.

To the process. Bryson Barnes will be under center for the Aggies. What's a realistic expectation for them? Get in all the college football storylines. Utah Jazz made a trade yesterday. George Yang is rolling back to Salt Lake City. Jazz are preparing for another year of futility. How does that land with a player like Lowry Marketing. I know he's a max money guy, and I know he got his contract, but I just kind of have to wonder, and we'll

To stick along for the ride.

And hopefully there's some more hope this year than there has been over the prior few seasons. But we'll get into some of that out of the show today. Utah Mammoth have filed a lawsuit against a bad company about the name change from Utah Hockey Club to Utah Mammoth.

So we'll get into some of that. Maybe we'll do some sports court tomorrow with our.

Friends Handy and Handy about that dynamic RSL in action tonight Lead's Cup action.

And it is a midweek tilt.

They're going to take on a Mexican club as they're trying to advance out of the group play in League's Cup, and it looks like we could see the new designated player tonight and RSL made it official as well just a number of minutes ago that they have made another acquisition. So Rawan Cruz, the player that Pablo referred to on this show as a nine and a half like a striker that can also make plays.

Received his work visa this morning.

He should be available tonight against Caratiaro. I think that's how you say it. Do not tweet a me. I don't care. But it is a Mexican side tonight that RSL needs to win in order to give themselves a chance. I think they need to get all three tonight, which means they cannot advance the penalty kicks, and then I think they need six different results to go their way.

So small chance, like Utah in.

The FACT twelve Championship a couple of years ago, like five things had to go to ut Way and it did. RSL also signed Victor Olatunji today. Olatunji today from Sparta Prague two point five mil. It's a tam deal. Love the tam. It's different than gam M I less is a dumb league. It goes through June of twenty twenty eight, with options for the rest of twenty eight twenty nine.

Schmidt on the show as well.

So Tony Parks, Dave Fox Bill, Riley, Kirk Schmidt, Me Spence check, ats all of you, the great listeners, and that guy Porter Larson on a Wednesday afternoon.

Happy Wednesday, young man. How are you?

I'm well? How are you?

I'm well? Thank you for asking, of course, right off the top of Duke, Duke is good. Duke is chilling.

You know, I just realized something. We're about to turn six years old. The show is turning six years old next week. Okay, we'll be doing this for six years. Duke's about to turn five.

Wow.

And our show is very much like Duke getting old, well, not getting old, but we are kind of as a radio show where a lot like Duke is. He is very calm, he's very cute, he's very handsome.

Here we go. He does a very very good job most of the time.

Then sometimes he has an accident inside and you have to throw away a blanket or a.

Carpet, and that's kind of how we are. Yeah, we're pretty balanced.

Most of the time.

Good looking guys, handsome, cute, do a good job. And then then occasionally there's an accident on the carpet and you know, and by the way, for you dog owners out there, throw away the carpet, throw away the blanket, like, don't do the whole like orange mix where it's like, hey, this will solve your odor problem.

No, it smells like poop, period.

And then you try the orange stuff and it just smells like orange poop forever.

The best did you have an accident is weak?

No, no, no, The best solution is to throw it out like I'm with you.

You can never like I don't know. I can only speak for my dog who's here in studio. When Duke has an accident in the house and it hasn't happened for quite some time because he's house trained, it doesn't smell like a cute, little puppy dog poop. It smells like a grown man went to del taco at three am and woke up with diary at four and just went all over the carpet. So the first, the first few accidents, I did, try the whole, like, hey, the orange miracle bottle.

You get at Petco, This is going to eliminate the odor.

And then it just goes from smelling like diarrhea to orange flavor diarrhea. Throw out the blanket throughout the carpet, start from scratch.

Does that make sense.

I think I'm with you.

But as a radio show.

We're very much like Duke locked in most of the time, but occasionally there's an accident and that gets us in trouble.

That sound right, I think it's about right.

I don't sleep very well, so these are the weird things to go through my head when I'm trying to sleep.

I've seen a lot of people that compare dogs to their owners, like they morph into each other. Uh huh, and that seems to come to fruition sometimes.

Okay, well, Duke is just nappy now on the ground.

Good boy, good boy, Duke.

All right, anyway, loose analogy. That's what happens when you have a busy mind. You don't sleep well. You just think about weird things. Tony Parks will be our first guest today in the program. But football season is here, and the Utah ESPN Radio Network is getting you ready with thirty one Days of Football presented by Baskin Robbins. Tune in daily for the best coverage of pro and college ball. It's the thirty one Days of Football presented

I think with where this program is in the context of where college football is, I don't really care if it's eight nine, ten, seven wins. I care if you're playing for something at the end of the year, if you're going into the final week of the season and you have an opportunity, say, oh, I don't know, to win a Big twelve championship and get to a playoff, play your way in. I don't care if you won eight games. I don't care how pretty it has looked.

Last year or his last three or four years.

There's a little bit of a last ride feel to it, right, And I think with that context included, yeah, I don't care if it's a ten win season. I care if going into the final week of the regular season you have some sort of opportunity to play your way way into a.

Big twelve championship game.

And if you can do that, then you know the optics, the non linear way that the season will go. That means less to me than what we see in late November and October.

So it's interesting because if I said to you, did BYU have a successful season a year ago, you have to say yes, right, you have to say yes, eleven wins Ala Mobole, but didn't play in the Big twelve Championship game, because these questions always have to be steeped with context and expectation. And one of the reasons last year felt like such a gut punch for Utah football was the expectation for the Utes heading into the season, and expectations in life and in sports often lead to

No.

I think I'm gonna roll with I think I'm gonna roll with my chances, with the coaching staff we have with uh. Like I said, the context of college football, which I think right now is kind of chaotic, right and I think that this coaching staff, the experience that they have, they have an opportunity to kind of not catch lightning in a bottle. But you do have to look at college football in kind of a smaller timeline.

DraftKings also has Utah's over under total at seven point five. Draft Kings for Bringing Me Young. It's eight point five. So eight point five wins for BYU, seven point five wins for Utah. It's interesting when you consider the schedule for Utah this year, and ultimately, as we've all learned, when it comes to you trying to predict and prognosticate what the Big twelve will look like, it is often an exercise in futility.

It's not the best conference in America.

It's not close quite frankly, but it might be the most competitive, just with a group of seven to eight really really good football teams. It feels a little bit like the PAC twelve did over the final couple of seasons for Utah. The PAC twelve, but when you kind of read around, look at some Vegas ods, read some media members that are trying to predict Utah, and BYU seem to be in the mix of teams that people

Mike Gunny got rid of most of his staff.

I don't think this is going to be a season where Oklahoma State does much. TCU was kind of in the mix as well, but most of the teams that are considered to be potentially winning the Big twelve championship. Utah is pretty fortunate because they get Texas Tech at home, they get Arizona State at home, they get Colorado at home,

So I really wanted to enjoy its happy Gilmore too, wanted to sit down last night, not a lot going on, not a lot of sports, hanging out with a dog, made a little dinner, sat down, fired up Happy You Go More Too. Was hoping for at least some nostalgia, and to be fair, maybe there's still some. But after fifteen minutes, I'm like, this is just so bad. I had to turn it off.

So therefore went over to HBO and fired up the new documentary on Billy Joel. Two part doc they're both like three hours, so didn't get through all of it, but we're gonna do a little bit Billy Joel on the show today, port Red. I don't know if you have a Billy Joel take at all, or you did try to watch Happy Gilmore Too for a minute, didn't you?

Yeah?

I think I said yesterday like turned into like grown ups kind of right.

That's the exact right description.

Spoiler alert.

When he kills his wife two minutes into the movie, all right, here we go, and it just it just kind of keeps going. And I get it. It's supposed to be outrageous. Is an Adam Sandler movie. We're expected to just like lean into that. Uh, But I think there's a limit to how much you can just like start filming and throw your friends on and not really

Right, Billy Joel's fine.

No, no, Ultimately I'll watch the rest of it, mostly because Shooter McGavin looks like my father and he hates that he does. It's like my favorite thing. It's my favorite thing. In fact, he was mistook in the airport. Poor shooting McGavin. Ones and anyway, Happy Gilmore Too. I'll get through it.

See on the on the ninth Green Dave Check.

Its indeed live and studio, one of my good friends in this business. It's always a pleasure to catch up with Tony Parks, the voice of the Bees. Have you have you tried to suffer through Happy Gilmore Too?

Yet?

Yeah?

Yeah, I went in. Look the bar's low.

It's gonna kind of be a bunch of I don't know, just cameos where you kind of have references to stuff. You just go in for a few laughs, just to you know, see what it's like.

Okay, cool.

I did that with Coming to America too, yea was yeah, same kind of thing.

Didn't go in.

There like, oh I hope this is great. No, just you're gonna laugh, You're gonna see a lot of the same characters. You can have some fun with it. And once I was passed that part about twenty minutes in, I fell asleep.

Yeah, so yeah, fair enough, I want to sleep. I had. No, you can't go into it thinking like this be great.

Yeah, just no, you can't replicate it. So there don't even try to replicate it. The big thing is just to have it essentially be a bunch of throwbacks. Would laughs the other thing, And you tell me if you do this, yeah, and I've always done this, and you know you and I work in sports and have worked in sports for a long time. So if I'm watching a sports movie, I'm like overly critical.

I'm like, that's a movie screen. That's not how you shoot a jump shot, that's not how you throw football. Right, So there's also part of me like, all right, three holes in one on a par fours, right, you know, I do have this weird dynamic if I'm watching a sports movie, I'm overly critical like the sports scenes because actors are not athletes.

I hate to be that way too, but I am.

Yeah, Like, first of all, the PA announcers not doing play by play, So that's a dead giveaway that you didn't really know what you were doing with any of this, right. I love the movie Major League more than anything, but Lou Brown does get away batting ten hitters in that championship game against the.

Endgames, you're pitching from a stretch, there's a man on first.

Yeah, just weird stuff like that.

Oh, there's just yeah, there's like little stuff like that that I'm like, no, No, there's football lines out in the outfield in May Like, you hate to have to be that way, but you do get that way because that helps with the authenticity of the movie. And so I think every time I've watched these, I'm like, you could have had just a few people sitting in on this and help you out with that fine detail.

I remember I.

Had Dennis Lindsay on my show. It was prior to an NBA draft, and I asked him if he had seen Draft Day with Kevin Costner. Yeah, And I was not expected Dennis went off on like a ten minute diatribe about how inaccurate that movie is when it comes to the draft process. It's funny if a movie's made about something that you're very familiar with, you're just overly critical of how Hollywood depicts it.

You have to I think they should actually sit in those rooms and then get people to be like, hey, watch this, Yeah, what are we missing? Oh, we're over exaggerating this.

Oh.

When I put together the Steve Clouke documentary, I wasn't able to find film of his very first game that he ever went to, some random July game in nineteen sixty three. But I found film of the fifty nine World Series and a home run that went to the same area, and I it was awesome. But I kept telling them, you've got to zoom in on this home run and they're like, why, it's great because the umpire and right field like signals home run and it looks

And they're like, Oh, no one's gonna care.

I'm like, it is all Steve Cloukey, we'll talk about if he sees this for sure, and so I like, we had to go over this for ten minutes. So I've always thought I wish they would do that with movies or anything like that, to be like, no, that's too unbelievable.

Yeah, and then people like what.

I'm like, okay, but what how are we trying to depict this Moneyball?

I was the one who was like, Nope, that's a day game. That's a day game. I remember that game.

As a taycad. I hate to be that way, but I'm the same one. No, that's true.

Moneyball is funny because I actually I took a date to that movie. Okay, and afterwards she's like, well, wait, they didn't win. It's like, well, they won like whatever, twenty straight. Yeah, well but they didn't win. They didn't win like in the playoffs. And she wasn't a big sports fan, but she's like, what's they didn't win the World Series. He's like, well, they won a bunch of games straight and Brad Pitt played Billy being whatever.

It's a fun story. Yeah, anyway, have you been made, dude? I love it. Things are good. Yeah, go to the ballpark every day. Enjoy it all the time. Yep. Just wake up every day, go to a baseball game.

There's nothing like it.

Watching the journeys of so many people being so connected to them.

It's wonderful.

Man.

New Ballpark's beautiful. It's great to have its first summer. You know, we have the spring part and all of that, and just the different chapters of the year. The way the whole America First Square is coming together with the new Megaplex and now the Amphitheater, it's really cool because three sixty five, that whole area is just gonna have

Man.

Give me a quick breakdown of where we're at with the team and how things are going, and you know, maybe some prospects to look out for.

Yeah, coming off of what I think was their absolute best road road series and really series altogether. They beat the team with the best record in the league four out of five to start that series, I mean, really soundly handled them, gave a game away even with a fluky ground ball that hit second base that would have ended the game. But you know something like that, you

And then there's a young kid in Caden Dana.

He's got electric stuff and you know he's just going to continue to get better and better. So it's fun watching each guy. But Sammy PERALTA big tip of that to him. Pitcher of the Month for the Pacific Coast League in July, and he deserves all the credit in the world. So it's been awesome. Man, Are are you getting the crowds that you need to get?

Yeah?

You know, the Tribune did a little piece on a little bit of an attendance dip, which I think is going to be inevitable when you move from a centrally located area.

Yeah.

I don't know how many people out in this direction have had a out south. I mean I have a lot of friends and you and I talked about this when the news came down that the Bees were headed south. You're simply going to react to the news as it pertains to you, right, So I live in Salt Lake.

I was bummed.

My buddies who used to go at the time don't go anymore. But much of the valley is migrated down south. The population down there is booming. So what have the crowds been like so far?

Crowd's been great because a number of sellouts from games that are not theme nights, games that are not fireworks nights.

Last night was a great crowd.

That was a Tuesday night. I mean it was the burm was packed. I mean, there were a lot of people walking around. What I like about the crowd is when you go to the game every night, it feels like everybody's first game. And that's going to be like that this first year. So the first April and May, I didn't expect it to be great at all because that's the springtime. New location, six thirty five starts. Kids have school the next day. The other part that people

I forgot we had to drop this off. You know what, I'm tired. Let's just let's just go another time. And that's how it happens.

So now you get to this part of the year and you're seeing terrific crowds. Next year is the one where I think it's going to be fair to really see on the different chapters on how it's attended. It's an area that loves events, and it's an area that loves their stuff. So that Daybreak community and that whole pocket out there, they're juiced about it. They love the whole entire thing. Like I said, I think you put it perfectly. You're going to react to how it affects you.

Yeah, that's how.

If you're in Davis County, you're like, this is the stupidest thing ever, right, and then if you're in South Jordan, you're like, well this is great.

Yeah, we went over there. It was an amazing experience. Right.

And then for some people they didn't have to get on one freeway now they have to get on three.

Yeah. Well, and for some of the belly acheing.

In fact, a buddy of mine who lives a little further up north to your point, not quite in Davis County, but like North Salt.

Lake, dude to coope believe the Bees are moving down south. I'm like, how many Bees games did you go to last year's?

Right?

Like?

Three?

Like all right, well, don't pretend you were going to forty or fifty. If you went to two or three, it doesn't really adversly affect you. So hopefully they give the support one more thing here.

Yeah.

Occasionally I'll see a social media post or a headline about MLB expansion, and Rob Manfred has said it's not happening until the new CBA is ratified.

I think that's in two years if I remember correctly.

But every time this comes up, it's Nashville, it's Salt Lake, it's Portland. I feel like those are the three, and I feel like we're continued, you know, to be mentioned right in the mix.

If we're not at the top, we're close to the top.

And obviously the Millers have put together comprehensive plans to put a shovel in the dirt as soon as they get the green light. I am so badly hoping this happens for us. Oh, do you have any insight as to where we're at now?

The insight that I could give you is this, as far as like, okay, chances, what are the chances I would if you were to make me say, okay, when does expansion happen?

Well, that we don't really know, So you'd have to be after.

The CBA, and we have to wait. We don't even know how long that would be.

Plus you forget too once it was even announced, like okay, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays way back when it was four years before games were ever played. It was a long time, so there's a process there. Plus, you forget this too, is like Ryan Smith purchasing you know, the hockey team. That team already existed, so it was a turnkey thing. You had the arena all that. I know, it's not automatic. It takes work, sure, but it's totally

You did.

There's so much that's going to go into that.

Where I think Salt Lake has the advantage over everybody else is the headaches that they've minimized or removed.

One of the greatest things that they have.

I mean, you really have to tip your hat to everybody involved on this to say, implementation is how do we make sure that we are the best, most attractive in front, ready to go with all the headaches, all the nonsense, all the everything that goes on behind the scenes that just drags on. Forty seven chain emails and a bunch of odds and ends that just exhaust time.

They can help see around some corners to speed things up.

That, if anything, should make Salt Lake as attractive as anything else. And then on top of that, you know a great sports market that would attend and have attention and have a fever pitch around their team.

So Bob Nightingale, MLB columnists for USA Today, on July twenty second, so not too long ago, wrote that he's been told Salt Lake City and Nashville remain the strongest expansion markets, and I did miss I misspoke earlier. The new CBA actually expires at the end of next season, so it ends in twenty six. The negotiations are going on right now, so we might not get news until the end of twenty six. However, about a week ago,

The George Dang trade you know, doesn't mean a whole lot.

Essentially, Boston was trying to shed some salary and the Jazz get two second rounders. George is a safe bet. You know you and I worked over there when he was playing. He's a good guy.

He's a pro that will kind of help these young players play or these young players.

Learn how to be professionals. But here's here's what I want to ask you. Because you've been around several of our local teams for a number of different years and seeing several different iterations of coaching staffs, so front offices of rosters, how does losing seep into the culture of a team and the culture of an organization, And how does it affect Like Larry Marketing got his MAX deal,

I mean it's it's not healthy.

Like, in my opinion, if you want to sell to me going forward, there's some growth, there's some opportunity, there's some positive momentum.

I'm actually all in on that.

I was filling in for you last November and I thought, okay, well, with what I'm watching here, I thought, this is really unfair to will Hardy. It was one of the first things I said, like, this is like, there's not a lot he can do with this, and so my point was they should actually extend him.

And I'm thinking two three years. They gave the guy six.

That's great, and by the way, that was the first moment where you finally admitted but like, okay. So the way I put it is this, if you want to sell to me, there's big things coming up in an evolution of growth and things like that, with the changes you made to your front office, with the extension of your head coach, with some of the things you want going forward, I'm all in. I'll listen, but don't do that and sell to me that the last three years

DNA is right now. Nobody could tell me. Explain to me what the culture of the team is.

Give me one thing that makes us think, oh well, this, don't give me he's young, that that's not growth, that's not nothing excites me with he's young and he hit a three like that. No, let's get into really what's going on here. So if you want to sell it

Yep.

And I've talked this, I've told the story. I'm sitting in a game last year going I have no idea what this is. I have no idea what this is. This is just a two hour and fifteen minute like, okay, competed for a half, rolled over and died in the third quarter defensively, and everybody was like numb to it.

And I'm like, man, that I'm not used to as being around the Jazz.

So to my point going forward here, you can't do this again until people, oh, no, no, it's cool, it's cool.

No, it's not.

Even if you're a thirty two win team. You've got to show me something that. Okay, this is what Will is starting to form with the overall culture, mindset, identity of Utah Jazz basketball, because I believe he wants to build it. And I watched it at the G League and I think Morrison and Wojahowski like what they've done with their staff altogether.

These are good moves.

I saw it there and I could see what they were trying to do, but I also saw it not formulate at the NBA level.

Yeah, eighty five and one sixty one, as well as record thirty four percent win percentage. And I am in the camp where I don't believe most of the results are on him or not. I am in that camp. He's also coached the two worst defensive teams in jazz history over the past two years, and honestly almost historically bad as it pertains to their peers in NBA basketball. That's how bad defensively they've been. And the other thing to think about is they're not really close. So at

No matter what, we need to get rid of them.

So usef Narkets your throwaway couple second rounders here there, you know, buying out Clarkson. Let's just move on from this area of ambiguity where some nights we look okay and other nights we look anemick, And let's go all in on playing these young players, because I think there's a lot to like about Walter Clayton Junior. And I actually hope he's starting a point guard opening night, because call your look, it was unrealistic to expect him to

No, I think you're one hundred percent right on with it.

I think Tim McMahon said it best too, and he came on when I was filling in for you one of those times, and he just said, I essentially like paraphrasing of bit, but I think this postseason and the NBA Finals and all that should really make organizations look in the mirror and just get honest about the fact that they're not as close as they pretend to be.

No, they weren't.

No, they weren't.

You just gotta get honest about it. You gotta.

There's a guy that I worked with and known, and he worked with a lot of people on health and body transformation and all that stuff, and he was like, first thing I do is I talk to him.

If they're too in love with their story, I can't work with him.

Like, whoa, he's the first thing they need to do is get rid of their narrative, get rid of their story, get honest about it.

Once they do that, we can work together.

But if I have this arm wrestle of well, no, that's not true because blah blah blah. Oh no boy, and they kind of want to stick to this story. He's like, it's a never win situation. So I just tell him, when you're ready to get rid of your narrative and your story about why you got in this situation, come talk to me.

So if the Jazz want to get honest about that, they.

Got a real shot. But if they want to kind of have one foot in front of the other and be.

Like, well, no, but that's kind of what we were doing and to justify it.

No, because now you're going to keep having residuals of what you once were, and you need to, as you said, rip the band aid, but you need to acknowledge and be honest about the past three years and then you can start thriving and climb together going forward. Yeah, the messaging has been really clunky, and I like justin'sanik a lot. I've known Danny Ainge since I was two. I'm not trying to.

Be overly critical of the two guys, who I think are good at their job. But when they planted last year through Sarah, through Sarah Todd, and they clearly did the messaging that the last three years have been a tear down and the rebuild begins now, I'm like, dude, who are you fooling? Who do you think you're talking to? And you know what, Tony, that's an admission of a failure because you can break down look at what the Celtics have done this offseason.

You can break down teams quickly.

It like if you decide to move on from Gobert and Mitchell and Quinn and Dennis take off. Okay, fine, that's true that you bought the team. The man with the gold makes the rules. You bought the house. You can buy the furniture, I get it, but take all the furniture out of once and remodel. Don't take a couch out here and then decide you're gonna do the

That was embarrassing, but whatever, No, I don't I don't care about that anything, but just talking about what watch, yes, exactly.

Yeah.

And then people are like, well, who's the blame? You know, who's the blame?

Who is it?

This guy is that that guy's I'm like, well, I'm not in their offices, I'm not in the meetings. I'm not I don't know the backstory. I don't know whose expectation and commitment level might have been skewed. I've got no idea, but I always use the same example. Some comedian used this one day. He's like, you know, I've never flown a helicopter in my life. I would never know how to fly a helicopter, So I'm not going

But here's the other thing. They know.

They know exactly how to serve a head coach and to make his life a lot better. This is an outstanding move with that staff, outstanding move at the front office. Does Ace work out? That's a huge question, and you know that's all part of this. You're not going to pad a thousand. Hey, what made Reggie Jackson awesome was they struck out a ton.

But men did. He had a bunch of home runs.

Okay, yep, so you're going to strike out, but you can't match those strikeouts with singles. You got to hit some on the burrel too. So that's where this is going to be fun to watch this whole process.

Yeah.

They last year they released a documentary they did on fifty years of the Utah Jazz YEP, and the early stuff was awesome, and then you get to the modern day stuff and it's like I'm watching Ryan Smith's you Jumpers in the qual tricks office answering questions.

I'm like, what's going on? But the snapshot that kind of.

Made me roll my eyes a little bit is Will Hardy looks at the camera. He's like, this is now your grandfather's Utah jazz. I'm like, okay, well, then who are you? That's like, okay, you're trying to shed yourself from a very successful thirty thirty five year run under you know, Saan Battiston, then the Miller Stewardship. I get that you're trying to do your own thing, but what is the thing, Because to your point, it's not the fable,

We had my father on, we had Scott Layden on, We had Rod McBride on. We've had a bunch of former Jazz staffers on to talk about Frank and Frank was part of a documentary the CASL did about the eighty three eighty four Jazz. It was the team that was like, okay, we might make it. We made the playoffs. Frank coach of the year, Executive of the year. You know, they draft John the draft car. Then away we go, And one of the snapshot moments was Frank saying there are no bad cities.

There are only bad organizations, right.

But mostly I wanted to get your take on your experience with him, because I can recall being to the ballpark oftentimes and it's time for the seventh inning stretch and you walk over there and Frank grabs the mic and away we go. So I know that you knew him well, Tony, So before we catch a break, your thoughts on the life and legacy of Frank Layton.

Oh, it's personal. I mean that guy. A lot of people didn't know this well.

My mom and I first came over here, and you know, i'd take care of myself at knights and stuff like that, and she would be working a lot of waitressing shifts and bartending shifts and all of that. And she worked at a place called Annabels, and one of her regulars with Barbara and Frank Layton, and she connected with them and they connected with her, and it was a really special thing. And man, they tipped well, and they were

That goes like Larry a lot of credit.

He took the lesson well and he formulated it and it turned into something beautiful. I mean, cornerstone moments. He took me behind the veil so many times. I'm like, no way. He's like, that's when it happened, you know, and he but he was. He was okay to own his own mistakes and.

I was still better here. I need to let that go.

You know.

Just wow, man, Like so we had and the guy was at Jackie Robinson's first game.

The fact that he was like, yeah, he's writers who were.

Like, oh, half the fans were him.

It was Brooklyn. We were in the graded. Nobody cared, you're making it up.

He's like, you know, Cleveland or Philly or Boston, sure, but this was Brooklyn. Everything about him was honesty, authenticity, true, genuine kind heart. And I'll never forget it as fast as I can wrap that up like he connected with my mom there.

Many years later he and I become friends.

Then all of a sudden, I introduced he and my mom back to each other, and it was like they picked up right where they left off. Yeah, fifty two minutes straight, a lot of Brooklyn in that room and they just went off.

That's very cool, and I'm like, what's going on here?

You know?

So He'll always be a dear friend of mine and big thanks to Smitty and also great job Scott lad and everybody at the service.

It was special for sure.

All Right, before we catch a break, Like any good coach, it's time to update the game plan for a healthy green lawn. As the hot weather continues this month, make sure you're using i FHA's Step three Summer Lawn Food for healthy turf that stays green and every season i FA Step three Lawn Food. It's the ultimate lawn owner power move at IFA brit.

Dave Fox and Studio.

It was on TV with Dave last night ten thirty five. KMYU, we call it five Questions or Spence. Bill Ridley will stop by as well. Kurt Schmidt Tony Parks does some TV over on KMYU from time to time talking bees and Tony's live in studio for another segment.

I always appreciate Tony's time.

All Right, five wins for Utah football year one in the Big twelve. It feels like, and this is a testament to coach wit. It feels like they are getting the benefit of the doubt from a lot of people as far as their ability to bounce back. Vegas has the over under for Utah wins at seven point five. If I give you eight wins for Utah football, would you take that as a successful season based off of expectations and the myriad of changes on the coaching staffs and with the personnel.

If it's eight and you were contending for most of the year and your other four, you're looking at being right there. Sure, But if you're out classed and it's clear that there's a gap between you and anybody else who can contend for a playoff spot, no, So it's kind of weird. You know, you go eight and four, you're like, hey, would you take that? It's like, well,

And I'm not saying Utah wasn't willing to do what it takes.

I'm saying that Utah was having to adjust to the way they do things, which they have certain things that they will not bend on and they shouldn't, and then also trying to adjust to the new era of college football all at once. You could see, like clearly like there's an adjustment there. One thing I know about Kyle Winningham, historically he's adjusted better than maybe any coach I've ever seen.

Now it's very unique and different.

It's a really good point because I do think there are and we all exist in our own echo chambers.

Right.

So when I say I feel like there are youth fans, I'm basically talking about the youth fans that are kind of in my ecosystem that I talk to and hear from, whether it's direct messages, social media, or just talking to

We know the deal. Everyone's in the new conferences. We know the deal.

Of course, there's still some shifting with the new PAC twelve, but the Big twelve is set. ACC is set Big ten, SEC all set P four conferences sets settled in.

Okay.

Now everybody has had ample time to adjust to what is now normal, And the fact that Utah won five games I think is probably permeating in people's minds with questions like, okay, is this is this athletic department doing what it has to do to compete at the highest of levels in this new era. So I feel like there's actually pressure on Utah football this year in a way that last year the pressure was we all thought

Local media picked them to win the Big Twelve.

So the targets on your back last year is the team that we thought was gonna win it. That target is not on their back this year. There are there are some people that believe Utah will win the Big Twelve, but it's not a consensus, not close. So to me, the target this year feels different. It's it's not Okay, you're the favorite, everyone's hunting you. It's you need to prove to this community, in this fan base. You're doing what you need to do to adjust to the new normal college football.

Yeah, do you have the commitment to do what it takes.

And Utah's teams have had great success and probably even overachieved at times without people knowing it because they weren't just talented and there was a great culture and all that. They could manage a program that was very devoted to the team, devoted to the culture and the cause. I think that's a very hard thing to do now in this era of college football. You're managing eighty different free agents,

To manage it.

Now there's variables you can't measure, variables you can't underestimate, and by the way, variables. I don't envy any coach that have to manage in basketball or football in any way. I really think that this is something that anybody who tries to pretend they have a full grasp on it, they don't. And I think last year showed some programs really got to jump ahead to show an advantage that maybe people didn't know they had.

Arizona State was one of those.

We were like, Wow, they they really figured out how to do this in a way that the previous era they didn't have this kind of success, and so I think that's going to be eye opening on how they do it. I think BYU has great advantages in that I think Utah can have them.

But now there's a different way.

You almost have to completely you have to manage it like a pro sports team almost.

And I can't say I have all the answers. I'm gonna be honest, I don't.

And I really feel for a guy in any coach in any situation that's been from the previous era now have an acclimate to this because so many of the things you may have to do were counterintuitive to what you've done before.

Yeah, you know.

And the pressure also includes a community that is probably looking for improvement in order for them to up their investments.

Oh that's where this is.

All right, be a never ending thing and it's interesting, Tony, Like, you know, this is the time of year where we were in Dallas for Big twelve Media Day and then SEC in Atlanta.

The Big Ten was in Vegas.

I'm listening to all these coaches because I really I've always loved listening to coaches. I think coaches make the best color commentators on broadcasts, whether it's basketball, football, or baseball. All due respect to a lot of X players, some of them do a great job. All of my favorite color commentators in pro basketball have always been coaches. Loved

Oh he's now with the Lakers. Like, good job, way to go.

So I've always been fascinated in whenever I have an opportunity. If a coach is at a podium, I listen right and over the past four years, every time, whether it's Kyle or Klannie, and look, not every time if they're asked about a game, but if they're just addressing people, they are pleading with the community. We need investment from him. And it's a new ask. Whether it's UTAH or by U or LSU or whoever. It's no longer like we need you to buy season tickets, we need you to

I think that's a real thing.

Yeah, last year you you had an athletic director walk on the field on the last play of the game to get after a referee. Why do you think you did that? Everyone's like, why are the emotions of the game and we've.

All been there.

No pressure. Pressure? Do you know how much pressure is there? People going, Chris, he'll never have these problems. Do you know how many people are blowing up that guy's phone every fifteen minutes. He's got to listen to something and it's exhausting his time, and he's going, Guys, I'm trying to figure this out. Just let me do my job, right. I'm not even saying I agree with his behavior. I'm

Of the coaches experience.

Everybody's trying to figure it out, and the year didn't go as well as they wanted.

And you know what really would have saved the whole dang thing, beating BYU.

It'd have been like, hey, I got it, just give.

Us some time here. And they thought they had it and then it went away.

And the whole entire time, he's feeling it because he knows what the phone calls are going to be like. He knows what that lunch is going to be like. When he's sitting there rolling and the going I got it. I hear you from people who don't get it, by the way, but yet he needs them to write two Comma checks up and then he needs like this this is I'm just explaining my perception of what I think happened.

Yeah, you don't do that.

I mean, the first thing I thought to myself when I saw that wasn't what an idiot that.

It's all about him?

Huh.

You don't think the players.

Want to win?

No, it's pressure, unbelievable amounts of pressure. I think I told you this. After the game, I'm walking home and all of a sudden, my phone just goes oh yeah, like, I had.

No idea this taxt phone calls. You know.

I stuck around for the game after I went over to say hi to Colanie and a Rod because those are my guys. Congratulations whatever, you know, kind of get the feel of what everything was like. And so instead of going to the pressure, I'm like, I'll watch you when I get home. Boom, phone call after phone call? Are you listening to Mark Harlan?

Text after text? Did you hear what Mark just said?

And then somebody sent me because in the modern day and age of social media, it's up on you know, social like that, somebody sent me the video and I was unaware at the time that he had got on the field.

Didn't see that because I was actually down on the south end.

Zone, so I did not have the view of Mark actually going out on the field. And I watched the video, I went, oh, my goodness, and just picture brett yor Mark waking up, going like, Okay, really, dude, you're not happy to be part of this conference?

Good luck, bro.

Like I actually was concerned because I like Mark. Mark's been good to me. This is not an anti market every time I've met it. I'm just giving a glimpse into this is a new area. No, I want to be clear, and I said the next day, my guess is Mark wants to do over there, and we all need do overs in life. He probably want a moment, probably wants them all again. Let's let's give them the benefit of the doubt.

Totally.

I believe people deserve grace for things done via emotion. Okay, so I'm not raking him over the coals, but I was concerned that Brett yor Mark Northeast, don't mess with me, dude, swim with the fishes was going to come down much harder on Mark than he did.

But I think you bring a good point.

It's a microcosm of the pressure that is involved right now, which makes this season Tony very interesting to cover from the perspective of Utah football because the other thing that has to be mentioned is the momentum in a lot of ways has shifted about forty miles down south.

Utah.

Not just the football program, but the athletic department had about a twelve year ish run of clear momentum, not just results. It was a generation of Utah football dominance over Brigham Young. The numbers bear that out, but Also, there was this weird five six year period where Chase Hansen, who played his high school football in BYU's backyard, comes to Utah. Britten Covey, whose family name is on twenty

BYU both those years. Yep, it just once.

And by the way, that's not just to this rivalry, that's say any rivalry that'll happen. John Cooper went to Rose Bowls and was unbelievable. Couldn't beat Michigan out as simple as that. If they had expanded to a twelve team playoff, he might have won to Natty's I'm not kidding, but they didn't. And that's when it was almost single elimination and so he couldn't even survive. And they brought it up about Team GPA, which we all knew was a lie. So anyway, in this situation here, no that

Richard just gonna get rich.

I said, hold on, there are some programs now that are really going to have a real chance more than they did before.

Michigan was one of them.

You're going to see some other SEC teams that maybe not had been household names before that could start to rise up a little bit moreas a place like Arizona State. The reason why is now because instead of Alabama having the three best left tackles, now they have the very best and the other two went somewhere else. So now the depth gets spread out a little bit more. Plus, the program that can organize funds the right way and organize their program the right way to go into aligning

Yeah.

So there's a guy who plays with the Bees. His name is Nico Cavadas. He played with Notre Dame and he and I've talked about this about the way Notre Dame has it. He's like, dude, there, guys, they'll just do anything, just do anything, just to stand in the room, just to I mean, they'll pay any amount of money, blank check, whatever. And so Notre Dame is always going to be like in the playoffs, They'll be in the

I perceive that at least.

You know, in an interesting way.

And I'm just this is just kind of donning on me in real time.

The religious tie to both Notre Dame and by U in this dynamic is hugely beneficial because you know, there are.

So many religious people.

And I'm not saying this in a derogatory way that just it's blind faith. It's I'm a believer, I'm all in. There's nothing that would ever happen. I am ten toes down with this religion, and my religion owns this institution. And if I help this institution. I forward the message. How much money do you need?

You know what I mean?

Oh, they're Nico told me there are people at Notre Dame that would just do whatever it takes.

I am a Catholic, I love the Catholic Church. What do I need to do to further the message of the Catholic Church? Does that mean Notre Dame football needs to be good?

Okay? Great, I'm a business owner. Here's twenty million dollars. Yes, do you need my private plane?

Like?

Whatever?

Resource an interesting dynamics to consider it. I'm right, wrong or indifferent, it's just part of the deal.

Does this player need a country club membership?

Does this play player one? I'm not kidding.

They'll they'll go to and and it's not even an insult. It's just it's their passion, it's their money. This is the way they want to spend it. And you get the right number of people who want to pour money into it. Even if it's Ryan Smith, there's supportive of b what right like and people are going, well, that's not right, No, it's his money. That's the way this

Here's my money. There you go. It's really interesting to consider you man.

Well, when this first came out, I was like, BYU basketball, I thought I was shocked that they weren't better earlier in this era.

And I kept telling you that.

And now with the way they've lined it up with the coach, with the funds, now you just need it to come together in terms of performance. Now it's how you manage it. But they have the resources they need because fewer players, but you just need the few stars who really shine and you're gonna get what you need there. And then with football it's spread out a little bit more. So you got to go in on quarterback. You know, some skill position, key defensive players. But by you will

Yeah, one more thing, toe it. I'll set you loose.

DraftKings over under BYU eight point five, Utah seven point five. Oh, So what do you think successful year for BYU? If I gave you nine, do you take that new quarterback and such?

Yeah?

Yeah, I think nine. Gosh, if you got nine, I think that'd be really great. The fact that you still have so many good things happening, and they do have a lot of talent.

That's great.

Anytime you go in with a new quarterback, it's college football with a new quarterback and you hung player. There's a lot of complexities with that. So nine, I think you would definitely take that.

Eight.

I think if you're a ute fan, like I said, if you're eight and you're truly contending and you're not showing this massive gap between you and the rest who are competing for a Big twelve title, then I think that's great.

Great to see my friend man all right, the Great Parks Boys.

William Riley, better known as Bill, we'll join the program at four o'clock today. Kurt Schmidt, RSL's chief decision maker, will join us at four thirty. RSL plays tonight, and we are going to see their new designated player, Rwan Cruz got his work visa this morning, so we'll see Rowan tonight.

Joining me live in studio.

Looking very casual today for a change, is my friend Dave Fox.

Hello, Dave, how are you? Are you good? It's fun to be casual.

I'd have to put on a suit, little T shirt and shorts my favorite part of the job. Porter and I are in pajamas every day. Although you do have the little webcams. He probably you don't care. No, yeah, I don't any money from that. Start paying me up from YouTube. I'll put on a suit. Okay, well maybe you could get a deal, get you know what. You know how I'll bed paying Roan. Yeah, they they're not answering our phone calls anymore. Unfortunately they don't advertise is

That's the only shorts that are next level great. They built a great company and proud brothers. Ye are you joining us straight off the lake?

No, I'm i'm uh. Let me explain.

I you know, high school football starts next week. You don't care about high school football, but it starts next week. We do two games a week, well the week before, so tonight and tomorrow night.

Get this. We do media knights, two of them.

We do one at Lee High for all the southern teams, want at Farmington for the northern teams. And we invite every team that's going to be on our air to send, you know, like half a dozen players, and then we just do various media things with him.

And that's why I'm dressed like.

This, Hi, bud.

And okay, so wait, you're dressed like that because you don't have to be in front of the camera right right, right, right right right? So how does it feel to be Duke is licking you? Duke is a friendly pop, Duke likes to come. Are you a dog owner?

No? Okay? Do you do you like dogs?

It depends. He's a good dog.

Oh he's the best.

But I'm not like you know, no, I don't well, I don't know what to say about that. I don't hate dogs, but we haven't had a dog in many, many years. We had a dog.

It was great. Says a lot about you.

Yeah, so you're casual because you're not gonna be in front of the camera. You're just gonna be behind the camera exploiting children. I'm gonna be down the football field with Adam Mikolitch and Jake Edmonds and a couple of other guys from the station that are helping shoot all these elements, and I just kind of help orchestrate the whole thing, move the teams around. So, okay, you guys are over here, you guys are here, and so it's just casual. I'm just wearing a hat and a T

They love it. Who's going to be good this year in high school football?

Well, let me ask corner can corner can Well, you know what the High School Association did they finally put the absolute best teams, which are Skyridge Lee, High Loan Peak in their own region. American Forks also in there. But those four are going to be incredible. I'd say Corner Canyon Lee, High Loan Peak especially, and really all of them so good that in fact, in the last month of the season, every week we have a matchup

Three guys all vying for the starting quarterback position.

You have a grandson that's old enough to be playing high school football.

I have a grandson on an LDS mission his older brother.

So whose kid is this?

This is Lauren and Casey's shout out Lauren, case And what's your grandson's name?

Madden?

Shout out Madden. Oh wow, set up to be a football player.

Yeah, it's like, how about this Madden plays football for Bountiful and his younger sister, Kendall, is a cheerleader for woods Cross. Family mom's moms dividing up her time everywhere some family beef.

No, no, no, no, wait wait wait these.

Are siblings from the same family. Yeah, I have so many questions. That's no big deal.

That's he chose to play football Bountiful and she chose to stay in woods Cross with her friends. Okay, maybe I'm old, but what happened to boundaries? Like when I was growing up. D you live, so you go to this school.

That Why do you think those four teams we talked about are all so good?

Oh?

Okay, are we talking of tampering? Are we talking?

I don't tampering? But you know the portals alive?

And well, who's the most dishonest program in this Oh, there isn't a dishonest No, who's the one? Okay, who's the one that everybody else is like? Oh, they're the coach? There he goes again, he poasted another player.

Who's the one.

There's there's plenty of teams that take full advantage of kids that want to play. It's corner Canyon, isn't I know? Eric here is a great guy, great coach, town of guy. He also coaches track and field, by the way. Oh okay, And they're all they're all good guys down there, Barb brock Bank at Loan Peak, they're all justin Hammett Skyridge, They're they're all really good. There's got to be one coach that everyone's mad at all the time. Porter, do you know the answer to this question?

Dave has to work with all these people, we do not who's the one program that paches.

Well, it was kind of the Corner Canyon.

Well, dude, you could go way back to the nineties when Skyline was doing it.

It's always been a thing, but I think I think it became like a little bit more known that it was happening. Canyon was new at the same time, all of a sudden they were good and putting a quarterback in.

The NFL Draft every couple of years.

That the kid having to move into their boundaries and really, oh wait, so boundaries are a thing. I'm just saying, if you are in the boundaries that then it's easy.

If you're not, it's a little more challenging. So the answers Corner Canyon.

All right, moving on, I'm gonna ask you the question we've been discussing. Okay, okay, uh, Vegas over underwins, shout out Corner Canyon. My brother's kids are my nieces and nephews are going to go to Corner Canyon when they're old enough. I have them this year against Liberty, Arizona, two state champions.

So how about that.

That's yeah, So Vegas over underwins for the UT is seven point five.

Uh huh okay uh.

DraftKings Sportsbook for b yu is eight point five successful season for Utah football. Dave season year two in the Big twelve, in your opinion, looks like what, well more than seven point five, I'll tell you that much, and partially because of all the hype.

Now, hang on a second.

If we go back a year ago and Cam Rising stays healthy the entire season, who knows what kind of I mean what they had four losses that were by a single score. If you know, if they win those, then it's a whole different story. So health always is at the top of the list. But assuming everything stays healthy, I think success is over that.

And a lot of.

It's just because so much, I mean, from springball on everyone has been talking about the excitement of this new offense and Dampier and what he's going to bring, and even coach Winningham has alluded to the incredible offensive line. So I'm not saying it's their fault, but it kind of is. They put themselves in a position where everyone's really excited to see this team be successful, and I think anything less I mean, I mean, I'm not into the point five, but let's say eight plus.

That's what it's got to be.

Well, the good news is the point five is impossible. It's just how they said lines. Now they go, if I gave you eight wins for Utah, do you take you say, Okay, successful Sea, But.

I think they'll go over. I'll put them at nine.

See it's interesting because I'm going to disagree with you a little bit. I don't think there are audacious expectations around the Utah football program like there were a year ago.

Last year it felt like the hype train was really going down the track.

I mean, it wasn't just us locally Vegas picks them to win the Big Twelve a year ago, not all, but most of the national media, including most of the big dogs, like Utah is the favorite, and then it's like k State, Oklahoma State, whatever. It's wild how this conference was flipped on its head last year, juxtaposed to who we expected to win and who we expected to be bad. Arizona State BYU picked near the bottom, and they both had great years. But this year, I don't

Everyone's in the conference.

You know, obviously the PAC twelve is different, but the P four conferences were settled. We had four, you know, three four years of transfer portal and nil. Now the house b NCAA has passed. You're paying these kids. I think there are questions that people have, like as you taught football adjusted to the new normal of what college football demands now. I asked you yesterday and five questions with Spence. You just mentioned pressure, So I'm gonna circle

Yeah, but fans don't. Fans are idiots. They don't know.

Well, I mean, just ask me what looks like success, and I think that's what looks like. But if you're telling me that like dudes on college football message boards are driving the hype train, Okay, go ahead, because they don't have a life like that's all they care about is where their.

College is still out there.

But I don't how many media members have you seen pick Utah to win the conference that? The answer is not zero, but it's not many, not a ton, and last year was everybody. And it's kind of all over the place too. There are some polls that have Utah higher than BYU, and some have BYU. Well, that coach's poll that just came out that none of the coaches actually vote on, as you pointed out yesterday, have BYU higher and utes not even rank so, but I'm just my answer to your question.

That's what I believe it is.

And I think the fact that they will not have this massive target on their back as their prohibitive favorites.

I think Kyle likes that. I think he likes, you know, totally.

You know, yeah, I don't think he ever loves because once you if you go back to a year ago when everyone said they were going to win the championship, now you have to every week explain to your guys why that doesn't mean anything, and you have to have a conversation that you just don't want to have to waste time having. You just want them to go out and play and do their thing. Now he doesn't have to deal.

With that well.

And also, once upon a time you had to insulate your players from like two daily periodicals and Talk in Sports with Dave Fox.

Right now now.

At halftime, these kids go into the locker room and pull up their phone and see tweets, and so you cannot insulate them from expectation. And so last year, all these players are reading about the projections and the prognostications, and when you're an eighteen, nineteen twenty year old kid, pressure is going to inevitably affect you in a way that it doesn't affect you when you're a fully grown adult.

But going bowling nowadays doesn't mean a whole lot.

Now with six games and you're bowling, So is that a level of success, Well, it'd be more successful than last year. But I just I think there are a lot of there's a lot of hype out there that wants more.

Wants more, for sure.

I just think it's a little bit of a different dynamic when you're picked as the favorite.

Yeah, you're right, and then you know the pressure.

But look, Dave, I do think there's a different sort of pressure on the program this year to prove to people in this community that are being asked to invest in a different way on a different level. It used to be Yeah, by season tickets. You know, if you're a if you're in a lum and you've been able to make some money, yeah, please donate.

We need boosters.

Now.

It's like, donate to the collective by season tickets. Okay, we have this round of fundraising that we're gonna do to make sure that we can have NIL at a certain level. Like if you're going to ask a community to open up their pocketbooks, you have to show them that your football program is ready to compete at a high level. And by the way, we're raising the prices on our tickets. But wait, you only won five games here last year. Yeah, we know, we're still raising our price right right.

So there you go.

I know you got to get out of here. So let me ask you about YU. Do you have a feel at all who's going to be under center?

I just keep feeling like it's Hillstead.

Yeah.

I think I agree with that.

It just I think he's got a little bit more of the experience. I was talking to somebody of the station yesterday. They're like, how come they're wearing green vest instead of red? And I'm like, you don't know a lot about the rivalry, do you. Yeah, that's how it works down there. It's the blue zone and stop the red zone. I'm getting tired of seeing a quarterback in number forty seven, But that's okay. They're young, Yeah, can give a man like number twelve or something. But I

He has measurables that the other two don't. He's big.

I don't know if they just ran out of quarterback numbers in the Green vest or if he's really gonna wear forty seven.

We had we had Spencer Letnn from y U t V yesterday he said that's the number he wants to wear.

He wants to wear.

When that and nowadays you can.

I guess he was running back in high school and that was the number he wore, So that's gonna be.

He wants to stick with forty seven.

Fine, but I really believe if if you know, I think it's hillsted. I don't even think base that on other than I just feel like he is the most prepared And what a great job Kilani has done talking to all his guys who he knows are gonna be questioned, like.

Who was who's the receiver that was available yesterday? Chase?

It was Chase, and even he was like, you know, because what do people ask, well, is anyone what does one do different than the other?

And they're all the same.

We catch a ball and then I'll look back and say, oh he threw that, you know, because you can't tell. Well, I don't think we all believe that necessarily, but man, do they toll the line properly? And Kalani's saying the same thing. Every one of them is doing great stuff. It's going to be hard, and we asked them to make a hard honest and they are making a hard honest.

But at the end of the day, I think he'll stead will be the guy.

Do you think they know?

I think they know.

I've got to imagine they at least have a yeah, probably have a feeling. You would figure that once you get to game week, the number one would get the majority of the reps. And I don't know how, Like somebody was saying that yesterday, Well maybe they won't announce it until game day, And I'm not sure you could go that far because the on game week isn't that the way it always is? The number one gets the majority of the reps. So that's gonna be a little tricky,

There was a Zach Wilson or Mangum.

Y're like, they've been through QB battles before, and I think Klanie and a Rout have shown that they usually make the right choice. I have to imagine they have a leen and the other nice things. They open up against Portland State, so whatever, you know, Really their first three aren't bad. Stanford for the second week, that's a program that's in a little trouble right now. They've got interim coach Frank Braik Andrew Luck has taken over as the GM.

But we'll see.

I know you got to go, yep, thanks for having to see you, Dave. Okay high school football next week.

Love it?

Yeah, well you need.

It's the purest form of athletic amateurism. Let's just remember what he said about Corner Canyon. I was your mics off.

Oh no, oh no.

He's saying that he loves corner canyon. Okay, bye, Dave, good to see you all right before we catch a break. Like any good coach, it's time to update the game plan for a healthy green lawn as the hot weather continues this month. To make sure you're using IFA Step three Summer lawn Food for healthy turf that stays green and every season. I FA is Step three lawn Food. It's the ultimate lawn owner power move.

Detouring your way through Sugarhouse, Fiddler's is easily accessible from eleventh East with free parking. Now open for lunch and dinner daily with Sunday brunch and awesome late night eats. Come and wind and enjoy the game with a cold one at Fiddler's. Sugarhouse is neighborhood sports bar.

Must be twenty one to enter Hive.

In the Voice of the Utes, Jill Riley joins us in the four o'clock hour Socomore college football Hert.

Schmid rolls by as well.

RSL is in action tonight, but a very special guest live in studio. I was a resident of sugar House for twelve years before the hipsters took over. Then I moved out, but while I lived there, Fiddler's was a constant for me RSL watch parties, hanging out for college football, NFL as well. New ownership now and the new owner, Jimmy, joins me live in studio.

Jimmy, how are you man? I'm doing good. How are you? I'm good.

I appreciate the time today and congratulations. So let's talk about what I'll say is a reimagined Fiddler's experience. Now, you and I are both locals, spent a lot of time there back in the day, and you've taken over.

What do you want our listeners to know?

It's like a phoenix from the ashes there.

We're reinventing an old staple of the neighborhood. It was, you know, such a community spot, such a great place for so many years, and if that place were to have closed forever, it would have.

Been huge scar in the neighborhood.

For sure.

I grew up three blocks away.

That's my home, that's my hometown. I feel I feel at home in the neighborhood, so I had to bring it back.

It's awesome and I'm excited to experience the reimagined fiddlers. It's no longer Fiddler's Elbow, It's just Fiddler's So it's Fiddler's Sugarhouse. The website is Fiddler's Sugarhouse dot com. Now, Jimmy, it's no secret for anybody that has attempted to traverse the Sugarhouse space these days that it is a little bit complicated, daunting, daunting, convoluted.

So talk about the access to Fiddlers right now, easy access off of eleventh East.

You can come off of the freeway down twenty first South, take a RTE and then left right into our parking lot. Some really good news. They just paved last night. So twenty first South is paved. It's not open in both directions. Yeah, but a few days we should be we should be.

Doing pretty good. All right, good that actually, that is good news.

And I would imagine with football season coming up college football, NFL, you'll have all the things that football fans want.

Yeah. Yeah, we have.

Twenty TVs in the building. You can see a TV from every seat in the house.

Also Sunday brunch, late night eats. So if you're looking for a place to watch Utah games BYU games, college football games must be twenty one right. It's the thing we do in the state. We are a bar, not a restaurant. They make you put signs up and such, sure do so twenty one and over all, right, you brought some food in smells wonderful.

Tell me what we got.

So we brought just kind of a standard cheese pizza.

Love it. I think it's a beautiful thing.

The plain nature of it is just delicious cheese, sauce bread.

Right.

We brought our Buffalo wings, fiddlers Burger with garlic, mayo, shredded lettuce, just an awesome third pound patty. And that's some Korean chili garlic.

Good stuff, man, good stuff, all right. So website Fiddlersugarhouse dot.

Com correct same with the Instagram handle.

Okay, and follow them on social So Fiddler's in Sugarhouse. At Fiddler's Sugarhouse now, so reimagine experience of an old staple in a community that I lived in for twelve years that I really loved. Easily accessible from eleventh Feast with free parking. Now open for lunch and dinner, daily Sunday brunch as well late night eats. Come unwind and enjoy the game with a cold one at Fiddler's Sugarhouse

Jimmy, thanks so much. Good to meet you. If you need anything, let us know. Okay, yeah, absolutely, thanks for having me. Greay, we'll catch a break.

Bill Riley Jones is coming up next right here, Ron ESPN seven hundred.

Tired of detouring your way through Sugarhouse. Fiddler's is easily accessible from eleventh East with free parking. Now open for lunch and dinner daily with Sunday brunch and awesome late night it eats. Come and wind and enjoy the game with a cold one at Fidlers Sugarhouses Neighborhood Sports Bar.

Must be twenty one to enter. We're doing eighties Joel.

Now, Eighties Joel, shout out, Horatio Sands step Brothers. We only exclusively do eighties Joel. Sir, that's all right, it's all right classic.

Yeah, you can only rely on the old school Billy Joel so much, Voice of the Huge Time, Bill Riley Wednesday Afternoon, Ryle's Happy Wednesday, Sir?

How are you?

Is this?

The FN? Catalina Winem.

I love that they had an eighties Joel cover band. It is so perfect because look, I like Billy Joel, but the eighties.

I think it's safe to say got loose for our guy.

The Glasshouses is his peak, probably peak Joel. But yeah, the later stuff hit here, hit there, But yeah, you're right, it's you know, and the Horatio Sands could have been any better.

I tried to watch Happy Gilmore Too last night. Lasted fifteen minutes. So I dug into the Billy Joel documentary on HBO.

Have you tried to watch?

I've heard it. Yeah, I did watch Happy Gilmore Too. I didn't go in with high expectations. I found it amusing. It was fine. But for you I have. I've heard great things about the Joel documentary.

Is it good?

Highly recommend?

I watched. I watched the first part. It's a two parter ors so highly recommend, excellent. I'll dial it up.

You're watching anything else these days? What's what's on the Bill Riley TV show list?

Not a whole lot going on right now, spence To be fair, I got into Handmaid's Tale, the Hulu show with Elizabeth Moss, The Seed. The last season just came out, and I've been watching that. I never watched it when it came out initially, and went into that. It's got a lot of HBO show vibes where you've got to kind of let the characters develop. But outside of that, not much. Just doing a lot of reading, a lot of football reading and studying right now for the fall from the fall season coming up.

Well, in that case, we should start with a comprehend to break down of how George and Yang fits in with the Jazz roster.

Oh my gosh, the minivan is back.

He is?

What was what was the I mean, they just trying to get to the floor of what they have to spend. What's the thought process behind bringing George back?

You get two second round picks for a salary Boston didn't want, and I think that's it. I wouldn't be stunned if they actually bought him out. But that was a question. Tongue in cheek. No one gives a rip. They're not going to be good this year, so let's stop football, Bill.

The Huts will be good this year. Yeah, I'm betting on So we talk about that.

So the question I've been asking everybody today is what does success look like year two? In the Big twelve? The Vegas over under seven point five wins. If I gave you eight, Bill would you take that out of the gates.

Yes, I would.

I saw that line, you know, not for entertainment purposes only, but I liked the over on that bet. I'm not predicting an eleven and one season or anything like that, but I think this team was average quarterback play away from being eight or nine wins last year. I think they're going to have more than that this year.

Now.

The schedule's tough, I mean Texas Tech and BYU in Arizona State, and the finishing up with the Kansas schools is not going to be easy. But I know if I were gambling and allowed to gamble, would I would look at that and say, I'm with you on that spence. I think over seven and a half is a is a pretty fair thought on this Utah football team.

We were discussing the dynamic of pressure and when it comes to what Utah football found themselves in last year, the pressure was pretty simple to explain. Everybody thought that we're going to win the thing, and so you enter other stadiums with the proverbial favorite bullseye on your back. You welcome teams into your stadium that are motivated to come in and beat the team that everyone thinks is going to win it.

That pressure is not there this year.

Is that something you think can be beneficial for the coaching staff you utilize the whole us against the world mentality.

Yeah, I think so, and I think you can provide that little chip on the shoulder. Though I will say I think a lot of people you and I've talked about this ever since Big twelve media days, I think the tide is shifted a little bit. Not that Utah is some sort of overwhelming favorite like they were a year ago, but I think more people are jumping on the Utah bandwagon, but it's not unanimous, and there's a case to be made for ASU or Kansas State or Baylor or whomever. So I think they can use that

Is there a and you can only experience this, experience this if you're in the building like you are, it's always hard to ascertain what's real or what's not on social or just on TV on video.

Is there a more loose feel with the group this year?

You know?

Preseason?

Last year, I think all those expectations and then the ambiguity about the health of not just Cameron but the other players probably permeated throughout the entire thing. I felt like there was kind of like an uptight feel in.

The building last year. Does it feel like it's a little more loose so far this year?

I wouldn't say loose, Spence, I would say very dialed in. I think that these guys, especially on the offensive side of the football, where they've brought in a new scheme, they really got. These coaches are really locked into the details and coaching the details. I've been out to a number of practices and being able to watch a lot of practice, I see is a lot of detail oriented coaching and these guys really being locked in on, you know, the little things. And I wouldn't say it's tense. I

When it comes to you know, it's nice to know who the starter is under center, and of course it's Devin, And it seems like there's a lot of praise for bird flick Fickland, the new kid that we need to get to know about a little bit. Does it feel like that quarterback room is still a battle behind Devon or do you think it's I think it's settled one two, three.

No, No, No, I still think it's a battle. I think they're going to want to look at both scrimmages before. I mean, obviously, if you were if you were battling for a number one quarterback, you want to get that thing settled as soon as humanly possible. I think with the backup quarterback thing, You're right, bird Fickland has looked for a guy that's a true freshman, and he looks sharp in the spring. But Isaac has looked good at times this fall too. I think both those guys have

What do you think the Nate Johnson experience this year looks like? Obviously we know Nate he was here before transferring. He transfers back in not in the mix to start, and that's fine. But what sort of Nate Johnson experience you think we're in for it for you ta this year?

I think, and again this bear with me here. I think you know how the forty nine ers used Deebo Samuel, how they lined him up all over the field. They put him in the slot, they'd line him up in the backfield, they bring him in motion, they'd line him up out. Why I think you're going to see them do something like that with Nate Johnson because he doesn't have a defined position. He was a quarterback his entire life.

I know I ask you every week, but it does seem to be by a coach WIT's own admission. The positional group on offense that has the most unknowns right now, and if Devin's numbers will improve through the air, juxtapose what he did a year ago in New Mexico. He's got to find some receivers to catch the football. You know, when you look at just the measurements the Merriweather kids six five one ninety five, which certainly is the size you want at that position.

But how is that group coming?

Bill?

Can you share any progress with us? Hey?

I talked to Micah Simon, who's the wide receiver coach, quite a bit after practices, and I think he likes what he's seeing. I don't know that they've got their locked in top six or seven yet, but I think they're beginning to get a feel for it. I've heard good things about Tobias Merriweather, as you mentioned Spence. He has those measurables six' five one to ninety, five can run a four to four and get.

Deep he has.

IT i Know Larry, simmons the transfer From Southern, myths has had some good days. Too Creed, whittemore kid that's a transfer From Mississippi, state has had some good. Practices same thing With Ryan, davis who was in this offense last, year And Dadrin, zipperer who was in this offense a year, ago has had some moments. Too SO i think they're beginning to get a feel for.

It you.

Know, again it's a little bit like the backup quarterback. SPOT i don't know that you have to lock in your top six now in the second week of, camp BUT i think you probably want to have it locked up by the time camp kind of wraps up next.

Week does it feel like Was shan IS rb one by? Far and what else do can you tell us about that?

Room you?

Know Was Sean parker good freshman Year wazoo five point four yards per carry wasn't their, primary but at practice this last week he said he's looking to eclipse one, thousand wants to touch fifteen. Hundred utah has had seventeen one thousand yard running backs in its. History it's a position that has great history and. Pedigree so does it feel like Was shan has separated himself and who else is shining in that?

ROOM i think he would probably BE rb one right. NOW i don't know. THAT i think the days of you, know remember When John white And Devontae booker and guys like that would get thirty carries a. GAME i think those days have gone by the. Wayside but remember Was shawn last year as a, freshman a true freshman Of Washington state ran for seven hundred and fifty seven hundred and seventy. Yards he didn't have an offensive line like he's got this year At, utah SO i would say

Him you know.

You referenced the sketch AND i guess it depends on what you read and who you listen. To BUT i feel Like Texas, Tech Arizona, state And Kansas state are three of WHAT i would say six or seven teams that are mentioned to win The big, twelve you get all three of those teams at. Home seems like the road test will Be provo AGAINST, byu Then waco Against. Baylor but just kind of generally, speaking your thoughts on the, schedule how it starts out at The Rose bowl against

Laramie but what do you what do you make of just the.

Schedule both non conon conference and we'll sell you loose after.

THIS i think it sets up pretty Well, spence to be, FAIR i, mean you're playing two road. GAMES i THINK, ucla you, KNOW i think they're going to be better on offense this. Year they struggled last year early with Did Deshaun foster as there is our head, coach first semit coach got a little bit better as a year went, along but defensively they have not been very good and they look pretty empty. There this, year maybe something. Changes we'll get to see Nko. Iamaliava we'll see what he's

Cycles is your handler giving us the high? Sign is that what's happening?

Now he might be coming down the?

Hall all, Right, Bill, well we'll set you.

Loose thanks for the, time, Buddy Thanks benthell talk you Saying Bill.

Riley voice the you who now has a handler us when he has to get off the.

Phone it was just a short time. Ago he was just a he was just a.

Coworker what, Happens, well he's big time IN us, now a big twelve media.

Day he was the one you coach wit didn't even have a. Handler kyle sat down with us for twenty.

MINUTES i, KNOW i will, SAY i do know the.

Issue today.

They're about to do interviews on the, Hill so all, right practice just got, Over.

OKAY i WAS i was surprised to Hear bill say IF i gave him eight wins, today he takes.

THAT i was a little.

Too now he's up there every, day he may have a little CLOSER i than we.

Do, right we're.

Not we're not operating off of seeing these guys on the. Field so, hey maybe this early in camp there's a little trepidation on you, know saying we're gonna win nine ten. Games i'm okay with. That let's revisit this exact conversation WHEN i Get bill on final week of fall, camp right when we get those guys on in Late, august that's WHEN i feel like maybe we can put some stock into.

It, yeah a couple of scrimmages left between now AND ucla Coach beck last week did say that this week they are starting their game specific planning for The. Bruins AND i would imagine if you're starting to implement schemes and you're starting to really put a game plan. Together

Like because it's no longer like it is time, man like we're.

There we are basically three weeks in change away from game. Day interesting thing ABOUT ucla is they're going to be a little bit better, offensively but they're among the lowest teams in the country in returning, production not just in The big. TEN i think we've talked about this. THOUGH i do like that landing. SPOT i Like game.

ONE i like that it's a BRAND i like that it's The Rose, bowl AND i like you have A ucla team, where even if they're not you know what they have been historically, speaking you get a win OVER ucla at The Rose bowl week, one over a brand name team and a team that maybe isn't all that dominant that it feels like a nice landing spot for.

ME i think so.

Too, obviously scheduling happens so far out that it's not like this is something you, planned you baked. In but getting an opponent THAT, i you, KNOW i Think utah can, beat, now it's not a. Cakewalk it's not AN fcs. School it's not you, know opening up against a team that is paying their entire yearly budget just to come up here and.

Get.

Stomped that's not what you have week.

One it's a winnable football game against a school you have history, against against a school Who Kyle whittingham has historically, dominated and you know, worse worse, thing it doesn't. Matter it's a non conference game against a Former pac twelve. Fo if you have to knock The rust off and go ohn one in week, one well at least you do it In.

Pasadena, yeah that's fair and you're not, wrong because the conference games are what. Matters but with this non conference, SCHEDULE i do think the expectation should be The Utah inters conference play three and.

OHO i think they're going to be favorite AT.

Ucla we'll see what the game line looks like during game, week which again three weeks in. Change they are of course going to be a massive Favor the Cal poly game is going to be one of those like seventy to three, games and then on the road At. Laramie if this was nineteen ninety, seven Maybe i'd say that's

State three really.

Good football teams out of this conference that will be playing here In Salt Lake. City of, course the two biggest road tests by far AT byu down In, provo then At baylor In. Wacombe all, right we'll get back to college football in the five o'clock the, program but from a local, standpoint there's actually a game. TONIGHT rsl is An action In Leagues cup, play and we will see one of their shiny new. Toys Ron cruz has been given his work. Visa he's available For pablo to play.

Players Rown cruz.

Has received his visa and it's eligible to make his club debut tonight In League's cup. Action Kurt schmidt the primary decision, maker The director Of Soccer ops or whatever the new title. Is he's just the guy that signs the, players which is a very important. Role, Kurt Happy, Wednesday, sir how are?

You i'm?

Good how are?

You i'm. Good let's start With Rowan.

Cruise let's start with the new player you have, signed and potentially we'll get to see him. Tonight origin, Story, Kurt when did you first hear about? Him how did this process play? Out what kind of what kind of player is?

He, yeah we've we've actually been aware of him for for a. WHILE i think it's been it's almost been a at least nine or twelve months since we first

Well So pablo this week referred to him as like a nine and a, half you, know a striker that can score goals but also make.

Plays what sort of player Is?

Ruwan, yeah nine and a, half, Nine he's sort of done both of those. Things and one of the things that's a positive about him is he can fit with

Bulgaria so help me understand the type of level he's been playing, At, kurt and how that, compares if it does at, all WITH. Mls it's been it's always been fascinating to me to witness players come from certain leagues in certain countries and certain levels in other places and either really struggle to acclimate or just shine.

Right out of the.

Gates how does his level of play recently compare to what he's going to be up AGAINST.

Nmls it's a.

Great, Question and level of play doesn't where he's coming, from doesn't so much dictate how he'll do, here but it just tries to give you clues because the adaptation risk is one of the biggest risks that we encounter when we're signing.

Players how do they adapt to this? League adapt to this. Country there's a lot of off field factors that play into. It cultural factors or you, know they once you, know they come to, practice they go, home they come to, games they go. Home you, know they're at home more time than they're with us. Often so when they're at, home what are they. Doing do they have a, family are they you, know do they know how to go grocery? Shopping are they comfortable eating the food in the? Sculpture

That so as far as the way this contract, works it is a loan with a purchase, option is What i've. READ i would imagine that you would very much like to keep him around long term if it works. Out so what's this process going to be like and kind of walk us through what options you have to kind of keep him here long term if he steps in and plays really.

Well, yeah this structure just gives us.

Flexibility but, certainly you, know we brought him here because we like, him and you, know we'd love for the relationship to be longer. Term for, now he's he's with us for a minimum of basically twelve, months and then we have an option to extend through the end of the season the, loan and then before the loan, terminates we have the option to purchase him should we decide

IT i believe he's been on the ground eleven, days so give us some early returns in, training meeting the, team you, know meeting his, teammates meeting the coaching. Staff pablo was singing his praises about what a nice kid he. Is so eleven days actually here on the, ground what can you?

Share, yeah nice kid speaks speaks More english than you might expect from a guy who's only lived In bulgaria And. Brazil you, know gets, along seems to get along really well with his, teammates and you, know he's gotten into some training. Sessions. Now it's been a little tough because of the closeness of all the Games Wednesday, Saturday Wednesday. Saturday the rhythm of the trainings have been a little

GOOD i have a feeling you're going to tell me this is up To, Pablo but do you think we will see him?

Tonight, well, YEAH i mean it is up to up to the. Game i'd be surprised if he doesn't decide to put him into the game tonight at some. Points and certainly it's a good moment to get him into a, game you, know in this Last League's cup game as we as we start restart league play on On. Sunday you, know regardless of what what The League's cup future holds for, us getting him into this game is going to just help speed up the acclimatization of him to our team in our.

League as far as the approach, TONIGHT i BELIEVE i started reading the tiebreaker Scenarios, kurt THEN i DECIDED i wanted to go.

On living my.

Life BUT i believe you need all three tonight and like six results to go your. Way so it's an interesting approach where obviously you want to win and get all three and then hope that luck is on your, side but with such a small chance of advancing and a team that probably is suffering from a bit of fatigue because the truncated, schedule maybe you want to rest some guys. Too what's what's the approach tonight as you enter the league's cup.

Match, YEAH i, mean, look we've got to take you, know this is very, cliche, Right we've got to take care of our. Result the rest of it is in the hands of the. Universe so you, know the other, NIGHT i think things broke for us had we maximize our point, total but we didn't take care of our. Job so we just have to do do what we can, do control the controllables and do what's in front of, us and then you, know figure out where the chips fall after after everyone else. Plays but from a fatigue,

You made another signing that became, official SO i can ask you About Victor. OLATUNJI i believe he had arrived On, sunday not available.

Tonight.

Uh my understanding is you're hoping to get that visa across the line prior to this. Weekend you've Got New york On. Sunday but let's start with same. QUESTION i ask you About cruz origin. Story when did you first discover this. Kid what was the process that brought him here At Salt.

Lake, yeah that one was a little more. RECENT i think we picked him up just in the last six months and started following. Him you, know he's a guy that is is like we talked about nine nine and a, half he's more of a nine to nine or he's got a you, know he likes to play up, top he likes to be. Physical he's got a big. Frame you, know he's got got more size than we have elsewhere on our team and, strength and he's he's a guy that can hold the ball, up that can run in.

Goal interesting he references, size, well that was one of the first Things pablo. Reference he actually, said we're kind of a small, team more of like a target or an athlete that just happens to be.

TALL i wouldn't say he's, like you, know he's not a guy that kind of makes all his money in the air from that and from that, standpoint like so he's not a guy who can only really play with his head or is you, know maybe dominance with his, head but the kind of average everywhere eld he's more well.

Him what is uh Ole? Tunji as far as his contract? Details two point five million Fee. Tam for our listeners who know nothing About, tam including, me that's what he. Is but is he around for multiple? Years what are his contract?

Details, yeah we've got we've got four years or, sorry four plus years on him with option including the option.

Years and, Yeah, TAM i guess you're. Right it's will be a wonderful ten. Means but essentially what it means is we took that transfer fee and instead of paying it all at, once we've structured the paintings out over over a few.

Years are you a bigger fan Of tam or gam uh?

Neither just just give me cash that you can send me Cash. SPENCE i don't need tame or game right.

Now at some Point i'm gonna make you laugh on the. SHOW i don't know How i'm gonna, land but at some Point i'm gonna do.

It, uh how do you think you should say? Something? Fun?

Not fair? Enough fair? Enough well? Played? Sir how do you how do.

You anticipate cruise And olatunji is spitting in With, Diego, Diego, gozo you, know don the whole group like when when they have enough time under their, Belt dac lame To pablo and get it the right shape and this thing is going to be fully.

Developed how do you kind of see that group playing?

Together, YEAH i mean they both bring slightly different. Things and LIKE i, Said victor is the guy that will stretch and push center backs back and create space underneath him for for guys Like Diego diego to operate in that, space receive the well turn and then play the ball through and you you know find him with their through

Easier so let's, see today's date Is august, Sixth kurt just so you know that is there's fifteen days left in this. Window is your work? Done are you working on other? Editions what can you share with OUR rsl fan.

Listeners, yeah we're.

Working on probably, one one or two more. Things you, know it's obviously you know they haven't come together, yet so you, know nothing's, guaranteed But i'm hopeful to get one or two more guys in the door potentially. There you know that may there hasn't one one more one or two out at some. Point you, know that depends on a lot of other factors as. Well but if it all comes, together we might add one or two more pieces this. Window are we looking in the?

Attack how are we looking on the back? Line it feels like your midfield is your, strength but where are we looking.

At that's a good. Question i'll probably keep, that keep that to myself for, now but probably. Not we're not we're likely to sign another. Striker three threes on us in one. Window fair?

Enough speaking of your, midfield you know A.

MECCA i know he's not one hundred percent, yet but, man it's just a reminder of what he is when he's. Healthy now that he's been back playing you, know thirty forty to fifty minutes or. Whatever But, ruiz it's such a feel good. Story Against Club, america he may have been the best player on the. Field then Oh hata somehow has channeled his inner Like. Rinaldo he had one goal in like eighty games and he has three in the last. Three what sort of advantage does it give

Lynchpin. Kurt is that?

Fair it's definitely the strongest part of our, roster the deepest part of our, roster and you, know, honestly it's a massive headache For, poplow you, know And pablo's got three you, know three or more, guys uh for two spots that that all want to and and honestly are capable of starting you, KNOW mls games for, him and you, know it makes the competition. Tight you, know it's it's, pushed you, know a guy Like Joel kulskin to write

Net SO i find the art and honestly science of talent evaluation and sport. FASCINATING i always have on a scouting, level and you, know nobody bats a. Thousand everybody has. Misses everybody has a lot of. Misses you just hope that you can intertwine some of those misses with some big home runs and some good. Hits it didn't work out With, lachlan and you, Know i'll let you kind of elaborate as to why you think that is and

Enough you've got to be a.

Professional when it comes to the way you analyze these, things how can you be sure that you're signing somebody that's ready to do what they have to do for you every, day not just game.

Day, WELL i, mean FIRST i would say you're never, sure, right and you, know you're trying to analyze all these things from afar and until they are here in your, group in your, team you, know in your, city you don't know them as well as you do when that. Happens so we do a lot of work obviously evaluating, talent like you, said and watching the player play. Games we have multiple people, Watch we do, rankings we watch,

Here why do you think it didn't work out With?

Lachlin good, question you, Know and and sometimes timing is is a big. Factor you, KNOW i Think lachlan someone who's come in and a lot of a lot of success IN i guess in sports in, general but certainly in this. Game is is about being, ready being prepared to seize your, opportunity you, know and to to go to someone else for a, second like you, know vocalist and AND i spoke in pre season about you, know

There there are very few players IN, mls if, any that have had the calendar year The diego has The Diego luna, has he has The Gold cup experience where his star just shot through the. Roof he has The Skills Challenge All star, experience and then he has the task of carrying a heavy load for you guys because he's that. Good what do you see? Lately is it a little bit of? Fatigue is he pressing too? Hard

Field, yeah you did a great job of answering that. Question and it's all of the, above your spot, on you, know and it's you, KNOW i guess it's what you what do You what are you saying when you say learning to be a? Star AND i think it's just you, know, obviously you, know you get to where you are by doing what you've. Done and so sometimes when people get to a certain, point it's, like Well i've got to you, know it's it's on me. NOW i got to do

Now how much of his skill, set if at, all colored your context and decision making when you were scouting and cruise and all the tune gi you, Know AND i talked To pablo about this this. Week i've always been a just give me the, talent give me the, talent will figure it. Out i've always been a gimme the talent. Guy but, also you, know certainly this is the case in other. Sports i'm not sure how pertinent it is in. Soccer it's a much different. Game when

Out, no not not the second. Thing i've Been i've been a place or two where it's the second thing of just let's get talent in the door and figure it. Out and you, KNOW i think you you that works out when you get, really really, lucky you, know and it's it's, tough but it's certainly not something that's repeatable or.

Us last, week you, Know i've asked you About Rafa cabral pretty much. Weekly and you, know you alluded to something a little bit earlier like sometimes your best laid plans, aside you need a little. Luck And i'm not saying you got lucky, here but he has just been as bright as any spot on your roster in my, opinion and you can make a case that keeper is the

Up it didn't work out.

Against San Luis San, luis but what can you say about what that addition has meant to your club this?

Year i'm honestly can't say. Enough it wasn't luck getting someone with his, character his, mentality, leadership those were all things that we we you, know dug into in the in the sort of recruitment process and and came back with flying, colors like there were no question, marks no doubts about his, character his, mentality his, leadership what he could add to our team in our locker. Room and so from that, standpoint you, know he's he's been as

Have last, Thing, Colon i'll set you loose on.

This it got late early for you guys with a rough, start but you're unbeaten in eight of your last nine and you went from thirteenth to eight in The west since Mid.

June why the? Turnaround what do you attributed to?

MOST i, mean, look we are THE i think the third or fourth youngest team in terms of of you, know playing, time, minutes way at average age in in the. League and the answer sometimes this question is is really, obvious, Right so what a young players. Do they develop and they get better as long as they're given minutes and they're given proper. Coaching and that's you, know what ourgans.

Cycle, now, well it's been fun to watch the. Turnaround congrats on. That congrats on getting these players across the. Line good luck to, Night, kurt AND i appreciate the. Time, okay, YEAH i appreciate.

It, svence thanks all, Right Kurch.

Schmid our solid action tonight In League's cup.

Play they're back in action IN Mls cup play Against New york coming up On. Sunday we hit one hundred degrees, today according to our Guy, chase the eight one hundredth degree day In utah this, summer so it is still very much, summer even though fall is right around the corner here in Early, august R i slid action Tonight Leagues cup play seven thirty On Apple. Television are you Into Hard? Knocks have you ever been in A Hard? Knocks is this a program you watch?

Historically kind? Of i've definitely was a pretty regular watcher back in the, Day BUT i don't know if it's the the difficulty in like streaming everything and knowing when stuff is dropping and having all the different Platforms I've i've fallen, off like my entirety of the watching. Schedule so DO i Watch Hard, Knocks, yes. WILL i probably watched those new episodes the week before football, season probably probably more the Way i'll consume.

It it is really well. DONE i like, you like it was revolutionary when they first came.

Out it's, like this is.

Awesome SO i probably watched the first five or six seasons and like weighted with baited breath for every episode to come. Out you make a good, point, though BECAUSE i don't, know, MAN i just feel like there are so many, Options we're so. Inundated i'll get a recommendation, like, hey you gotta watch Mob land and now you got to finish this, show and you got to check out this On Paramount, plus and it's, like, Okay i'll sign up for that and then cancel it later because it

Action we got a little local flavor on The.

Bills that's that's what will probably get me to uh to tune in is is having some local, players and quite a few of them on That bill's. Roster that's a that's an organization that that likes. TO i likes, to you, know fill it out when it comes to To utah guys and not Just youtuh guys when we were state. Folks there's a there's quite a local flare on this this year's Hard.

KNOCK i am going to make an attempt to Finish Happy gilmore too.

Tonight. NICE i cannot guarantee THAT i will do.

It AND i was excited for the, cameos but there was this awkward Like Xander schoffle scene where he was making like that's what she said jokes and it wasn't, funny and then Like Ricky fowler was giving him some flak and, LIKE i don't, know, MAN i THINK i made it about twenty thirty.

MINUTES i fell, asleep so like, YOU i have to, ADMIT i have to finish it in order to give, you like a full. Critique but, yeah it felt like again a guy trying to get his friends on a movie a movie. Screen and also the cameos just felt like cameos for the purpose of a. Cameo give me a cameo with like a guy who can act and plays a funny. Role and like knocks The cameo out

WAS i will say, This Adam sandler is a good.

FRIEND i would do A sandler, like give me a day, rate pay me five, Grand i'll fly somewhere and be in your dopey.

Movie Adam sandler takes care of his.

Buddies let me be, clear IF i were like, FAMOUS i would be walking around in basketball shorts and silly shirts and putting all my friends in. MOVIES i would be doing a lot of What Adam sandler is, doing playing like pickup basketball on random courts outside In New york and la. Like he is living a similar life to WHAT i probably would be doing IF i had unlimited. Money but that doesn't save him from critiques of his.

Films in, fairness neither you OR i are very, famous and we wear basketball shorts and shirts to work every.

Day, yeah, yeah you're, right all, RIGHT i GUESS I i already have a similar quardrobe to to Mister, Sandler.

So i'm gonna give it a. Whirl we'll try to finish.

It most Likely i'll finish The Billy joel documentary, tonight but order before we get out of.

Here what comes our? Way on A thursday edition of the.

Show on A thursday edition of the, show usually A friday, guest but moving them up a. Day chris Com ronnie in. Studio of, course we'll cover all of our bases with C. K we'll have some practice from The university Of. Utah in, fact we'll have some sound From Kyle whittingham tomorrow as they are just wrapping up camp right, Now Sports court, tomorrow or More ruiz of THE Nfl network. Tomorrow so kind of all over the map on A.

Thursday very nice special shout out today to our Friend jimmy From fiddler's And. Sugarhouse it's a, new reimagined experience for those of you that remember the Old Fiddler's. Elbow check out this new, spot same, spot but just Called Fiddlers.

Now go To fiddlersugarhouse dot.

Com excited to start this, relationship brought in a burger which was, excellent some wings and some. Pizza so special thanks To jimmy for stopping by, today and special thanks To Tony, Parks Dave, Fox Bill riley And Kurt. Schmidt miss any of the sound, Today go to the. Website IT'S espn seven hundred sports dot. Com download our mobile app and take us on the. Go THAT Espn mobile, APP espn seven Hundred mobile app is available in The App store in The Google Play store for.

Free and then for what we do in.

Our space every afternoon for four. Hours check out and support our podcast. Page it is Called The driver With. Spence check It's it's available wherever you get your. Shows, subscribe rate, reviews say nice things in the, comments give us all the.

Stars it. Helps.

Reporter I'm spencing AND i join Your wednesday. Evening we'll talk to you on A thursday edition of The drive and as, always you can catch out right here ON espn seven hundred