WED POD @SpenceChecketts talking Bracketology! BYU/USU going dancing, UHC/Jazz/RSL latest + more

Let's get a drive toime Wednesday afternoon, eleven minutes past the hour two o'clock. We do have some sunshine today after potentially the biggest snowstorm we've had all your long hit the area the region yesterday starting on Saint Patrick's Day and then going throughout the night. But sunny, still a little bit chilly, about thirty eight degrees here in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. And we are high speed heed to seventy degree weather next week.

We're almost there.

You guys thought we were through it, and you know, march in Utah, you never know.

How are you good?

To have you long for the ride?

My name is Spence Checket's host this radio show. It is called The Drive with Spence Checkets on ESPN seven hundred ninety two ANDFM. We are proud to be part of Utah's ESPN Radio network. Porter Larson producing the program as always today on a jam pack Wednesday afternoon, the day before the madness begins. We'll talk some college basketball on the show today. We will help you fill out your brackets. If you have not filled out brackets yet, we are going to help you today to do just thats.

R J.

Davis the second leading scorer in North Carolina history, which is wild when you think about all the great basketball players played in UNC Chapel Hill North Carolina. RJ had twenty six last night, and Carolina got to win a couple more playing games tonight this afternoon. First four Mount Saint Mary's An American University, home of former nick GM ed Tapscott.

There's a little knowledge for you. They're gonna get going about four forty.

This is the time of year that if you're not familiar with True TV, well you better get familiar True TV. Both games tonight, you're gonna have Mount Saint Mary's An American University at four forty. Then at seven to ten it's Xavier and it's Texas. A lot of people believe Texas should not be in the tournament as well, but we'll see if they can do what Carolina did.

The real tournament gets rolling tomorrow.

East Region first round action two oh five million time on Turner is VCU and BYU, a six to eleven seed game. We'll talk about that. We'll get you ready for that matchup. BYU remains a slight favorite, but this is not a easy matchup for Brigham Young coming off a really solid season. But we'll get you ready for that game and we'll talk some about madness. Utah State has to wait until seven to twenty five million time tomorrow night, also on TNT, to take on UCLA in

That just doesn't happen.

But if you're a Jazz fan wondering why they are doing what they are doing, I would consider watching Duke basketball this year, so Washington in town to take on the Jazz. I don't know who the Jazz will sit. I don't know who they're going to play. I would imagine they're gonna sit a lot of players. And their recent answer to this is how we're going to tank is letting Walker Kessler shoots a grip of three point shots. Oh wait a second, we have the Jazz injury report

They got stopped by Edmonton.

And it was not a close game at all, So the Utah Hockey Club tried to tread water to stay in the mix for that wildcard spot.

So we'll get you ready.

It was seven to one on the road at Edmonton and Connor McDavid's a good player.

That's my breakdown today.

But Neil Smith will be our first guest, former general manager of the New York Ranger, to break down the world to pro hockey. Get to move over to Tim McMahon for our NBA daily assist. Chris Comaradni will have a Wednesday hit today instead of a Friday hit, and it is sunny outside, so we'll see if Chris will leave his house, and then an entire hour with Ken Pomeroy and we will go over region by region to help you guys fill out your brackets today. Neil Smith,

It just looked like he's having a moment.

Where was that.

Honestly, it looked like me on.

Like any any sort of random weekend, weekend morning on a beach somewhere. And yeah, he looked he looked like he was a little disheveled, which was kind of interesting to see a millionaire star quarterback in that formula. That's kind of his vibe. Now, I think Aaron Rodgers.

At what point does everybody just say we've had enough because you can deal with the mountain if he's still a good player.

Yeah, I said it, like I think when the Jets were trying to sign him the first time was like kind of when I was out on Aaron Rodgers because I didn't think, and especially after the Achilles injury, was really worth the risk on a guy that's now forty plus years old playing the quarterback position at you know, an NFL average level at best. Right now, for me, it's just not worth the headache. But I mean, I'm not gonna feel bad for Aaron Rodgers. He's got plenty

By the way, I forgot what an awesome show He's Bounded Down is because I was flipping back and forth and then it was interrupted by commercials. And Danny McBride currently right now is a sewn HBO called Righteous Gemstones.

I've told you this before.

Danny McBride is one of the few creators that whatever he does, i'm I'm given a chance.

And it's interesting because even though some of it is just completely outrageous, it's all like actually just Danny McBride. He writes it all. You know, he's part of the directing and and producing of it all. So you do see like a creative product from one source. It's not like the I feel like so much of it is commercialized streaming NBC shows. You don't really know where the

Adam Scott has a cameo on He's Found and Down as the agent that I still. If I'm in a bad mood, I'll pull up that scene and it is hillearo.

If you've never watched Eastbounding Down, make sure the kids are.

In bed, and if the significant other is a little bit squeamish for certain language and scenes, maybe leave her a side.

It's an HM side it is.

Or catch it on True TV and you got a censored version of it.

Indeed, so following the first four, I am not going to take your bait because I've already made my point and you can die on the hill you've died on you've decided to live on after the first four, which it is labeled by, but the people in charge prior to the terminent tomorrow, you can watch Eastbounding Down on True TV.

Did we at least get some madness, though recop to that the first game was awesome. It's not a great game.

Yeah, then Carolina ran away from San Diego State. All right, we've misbehaved in the opening segment, so let's get to it. Neil Smith as our first guest. But before we get to Neil to talk some hockey on a Wednesday afternoon, it's time now for your opening tip.

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

Prize Picks best place to get money, I should say, to get action and hopefully win money on sports in more than thirty states, including California, Texas, Georgia, and Utah. The app is very easy to use. As I say every day, I would just encourage you to go get their free money.

Then try out the app.

All you do is pick more or less on two player stat projections for your chance to we up the one thousand times your cash. For instance, the Jazz and the Wizards play tonight. The two worst team is in pro basketball play to night. Here insall lay at the Delta Center. Does Jordan Poole still play for Washington? I think he does, right, So Jordan pool more or less than I don't know, seventy five three point attempts, and then I think Walker Kessler might play Walker Kessler more

All right?

Real quick? We do have a couple of local.

Teams in action during March Madness BYU welcomes in VCU. It's going to be Ballerina Denver, Colorado BYU. After a very solid second season in the Big Twelve, some people feel like are underseeded a bit. I think that's probably right. You can make an argument for a five seed. As I've said all week, if I'm a BYU fan, I'm glad they're in Denver, and I'd rather have a six seed in Denver than a five seed in like Newark

They have three really good guards.

They have three really good guards, and they have four upper classmen in their starting lineup and three I should say four seniors, not upper classmen, four seniors in their starting lineup.

They have two players that have played in an Elite eight that.

Are grad transfers for Ryan Odum, and three of the seniors are fifth year guys and one of the seniors is a seventh year player. They also have three six to ten players that oftentimes play together. And so ultimately BYU. This is gonna sound simplistic, but I do think you can be reductive with his matchup. BYU has to create

I believe, and we'll talk to Ken about this.

VCU I think is thirty one in the net and I think BYU is twenty five. A six team gap in the net is not a lot for a six to eleven seed. So I like BYU. I like the way they've been built. I think if they can create space on the perimeter knockdown shots, they have a shot to go to the Sweet sixteen this year. But they've got to get out a very tough first round game against a defensive minded pressure team that plays a lot

So we'll see.

Utah State is that one of the most historic venues in college basketball rop Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, the home of the Kentucky Wildcats, and they welcome in a good, not great UCLA team. It's a seven to ten matchup. Ucla is a I believe a five point favorite. Don't quote me. I'm gonna check the line during the break, and UCLA out of the Big Ten, which still sounds weird. Ultimately, they've got some really good wins this year. They beaton Zaga home, but they followed out with losses in five

This is Neil Smith, former president and GM of the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders join me and my co host Vic Morn for our podcast NHL Wrap Around for all the important news and views around the NHL.

All right, we've got Tim McMahon.

Stop them by the show today to drop our NBA Daily Assists.

There's a big game tonight.

The two worst teams in pro basketball are playing here in Salt Lake at the Delta Center, Washington, Utah.

The race for the bottom is on.

And then Chris Comraaddie from The Athletic We're gonna help you fill out your brackets during the four o'clock hour, and the great Ken Pomeroy from Kenpalm dot Com is live in studio. But the Utah Hockey Club went up to Edmonton last night and they got their breaks blown off seven to one. Edmonton gets the win. The hockey

Neil, Happy Wednesday, sir.

How are you happy Wednesday?

Do you?

And happy the delated Saint Patrick's Day from Monday?

Yes, indeed, Saint Patrick's Day Monday, and Neil, in case you didn't know, birthday for your guy over here, my birthday is Saint Patrick's Day.

Oh that's my sister's birthday. Well look at that. That's great. Happy birthday. I know you are you your twenty six now?

Oh goodness, goodness, Neil, I'm a rapidly but you know, like I'm not that old. So I always feel bad when I say that I'm old. But I just turned forty seven.

Oh my well, you're a youngster. You're a youngster. You got a long way to go to catch me.

Well, I appreciate it.

It's but Neil, I'm old enough now to realize that just like physical pain is probably part of the deal, right, you just get up in the hip perts or whatever.

It's just kind of the deal, right, That's.

Just part of that's just part of the aging system, is that everything seems to start working less efficiently as we go along.

Yes, indeed, hey, before we get into kind of the nuts and bolts of what happened last night and where we're at with our local hockey club, I've just got a question about Connor McDavid. And I know that people that really know hockey know that who Connor McDavid. You know who Connor McDavid is and what he is in the ecosystem.

Of pro hockey.

But I was telling my producer reporter during the break like, even if you don't know a sport, you always know the guy that's different, right, And there's just something I don't know if it's just his speed.

I don't know if it's just his skill.

There there's something about Connor McDavid that sets him apart from the best players every time I watch him play.

What makes him as special as he is.

I think it's his speed. A it's his fact that he's six over six, what he's about six ft three. He can do things at a higher rate of speed than some people could do it in on his shoes on. You know, he can do things on the ice at a very high rate of speed that people can't just can't imagine. So I think that he embodies what people love about hockey, and that is the speed, the physicality,

In the eights.

They had one play last night.

They had a power play opportunity, and I honestly don't know how often hockey teams run like set plays the way basketball teams do, like a one four flat, a pick and roll, or you know whatever it is. But it was very intentional to get Connor McDavid the puck as he had momentum, and the rest of the guys looked like they were just flat footed. I mean, it was pretty remarkable. What's your take on Edmonton overall as

Well you'd have to be, because there was a beatdown. But Edmonton is a very inconsistent team. You really don't know what you're going to get from one night to the next. They have the ability to do what they did last night, and they also have the ability to turn around and lose to a bottom feed or team because they're for whatever reason. And last night, here's the impressive thing about last night, and it happened to be Utah. It could have been anybody. Anybody in that building last

Yeah, that is impressive.

I wonder so coach Tourney pulled the Melka after Correll gave up three goals and went with Jackson.

Staberg didn't do any better. He gave up four.

But last night was Correll's twelfth straight start in goal, and that's a career high. Connor ingram away from the team dealing with some personal things as we discussed last year, do you think you could draw a straight line? I mean, I just thought it was kind of ironic as the broadcast was outlining that Vimelka had never started twelve straight before. Then suddenly the game starts and he just he was up against it. There wasn't much she could do. Do

You know, certainly could be it, because you know, that's tough to keep playing night after night in the National Hockey League, in today's NHL, where you're playing almost every other day on average. So you know, it could be that it could be a combination of him being tired and Edmonton also being at the top of their game last night. You know, he played two days earlier in Vancouver, they fly over to Edmonton get ready for that game.

You know, I don't know.

He wasn't up. The only reason he's up is because Connor Ingram has had to take his leave of the absence. So we'll see. I mean, Vanilka is a good goalie, may have had an off night, or maybe coach Torny thought that he was having an off night, so he better to rest him, get him out of there. A lot of coaches too, you know, they think they're down for nothing to Edmonton and they say, look, we're not winning this game, so I'm taking my guy out to give him a rest. Let him wait for the Buffalo

So where we find ourselves now?

And I don't know, Like I was talking to a couple of guys with the hockey, the work on the broadcast side, and a gentleman who's producing games, who used to produce the Arizona Coyotes games, and he's been around the NHL for about twenty years and This was about a week and a half ago, and I said, do you think they're gonna make it? He said, I don't think most people understand how hard it is to make up even three or four points over the final fifteen sixteen games.

And he painted kind of a bleak.

Picture as far as the hockey club qualifying for the wild card, Neil, and where we're at now is a four point gap with fourteen games left to play. Have stranger things happened, certainly, But what's the Neil Smith? I guess I'll say, like handicap, the chances of us seeing playoff hockey here in Utah this year.

I don't think they're very good. Because your friend was absolutely right. You've got to jump so many teams and you've got to put together a string of wins, and even then you might gain two points up. Because here's the thing that people have to understand. Well, it looks like you're only you know, four points back of Vancouver

And only fourteen games left.

I mean, there's not a lot of opportunities now to make up the ground.

God Neil Good.

Let me give you the optimist side of this. They play only eight games out of those fourteen, eight of them are against non playoff teams, teams that currently sit in outside the playoffs eight out of their fourteen, meaning only six of the fourteen are the battling playoff teams. They played Tampa Bay twice, once in Utah, once in Tampa, they play Florida, they play La King's, Winnipeg, and Dallas. That's the playoff teams that they've got to play against.

So if we just kind of exist in reality and we just admit that it's going to be tough while maintaining a little bit of hope, because that's what being a sports fan is. What would you say about what this year has meant to the club, being in a new market, and what would you say to the fans about the future of where we could find ourselves based off of the way that Bill Armstrong and his staff have put together this roster.

Well, what I think is really optimistic and good or positive for this hockey club is that they've gotten to a new market, They've gotten settled in, they've got a fan base, they've got a beautiful arena. They're going to change the name or even leaving it the same, will be changing it, if you know what I mean, because it's still that's still something exciting that's out there that's going to happen in the offseason. They got a lot of good young talent. They're an up and coming organization.

You know, before I said you loose, I know you got to get going today. I wanted you to settle a debate that I was having with my brothers, actually, who are hockey hockey guys? In a way that you know, I just never have been entirely. I enjoyed the sport, loved growing up, going to ranger games and all that.

We were talking about the Four Nations, and you know, we were.

Talking about the tournament because it was such a pleasant surprise for so many people that didn't think it was going to be anything all that entertaining. If Russia is allowed in, are they the best hockey country or is it still Canada?

You know, I'm Canadian, so of course I'm going to think that it's Canada, but I think that Russia produces a ton of great hockey players, and on any given year it could go either way. I think that the I think that the only way you know who truly is the world's best team is when you have a

Neil, where can our listeners go find the podcast before I set you loose.

Anywhere anywhere on any platform NHL wrapped around. We had Paul Maurice, Stanley Cup winning coach on a couple of weeks ago, and we're coming down the stretch here and we're looking at everything as closely as we can and give you everything we can of tidbits on the NHL. But do you know who I'm going to dinner with tonight?

Who's that? Your father?

Oh?

Very nice, very nice, very nice. Where you guys going to go in.

The city at Wolfgang Steakhouse and Amy k will be there and ken Unos will be there. Oh, I don't know all those names, so that it's going to be a lot of fun and I'm really looking forward to that.

Oh, and you're going to Wolfgangs. He likes you more than like he likes me. He takes me to check fil A when we go to dinner. So enjoy your state deal. But please tell him hello and tell everybody high and have a good time.

Okay, thanks buddy, see you soon.

The Great Neil Smith Utah Club. Yeah, they got dog walked last night. Like I was telling Porter, I was gonna watch that Carolina San Diego state game, and after Carolina ran away with him, I'm like, all right, let's

It's a lot of fun.

Connor McDavid, what is the what's the equivalent of a Connor McDavid in another sport? Like if somebody doesn't know the game of basketball, they could turn on the Warriors game and tell that Steph is just different based off the way he makes shots. I was just watching that game last night, and I don't grind on hockey tape every night, but every time McDavid got the puck with a full head of steam, it's like that dude is different.

It's it's hard a number one, I'm to be clear, not Neil Smith. I haven't won a Stanley Cup, so my expertise not yet.

Not.

Yes, you never know who the Smith Entertainment group might hire as the hockey team keeps going on.

But no, are you throwing your name in the ring. If Bill Armstrong moves on, you want to be the GM why not?

Why not?

But the name you brought up with Steph Curry and while he is like a similar we talked about the term gravity in sports and he has that. It's it's not as much on the scoring side as it is creating, right you You look at Wayne Gretzky and I think if you take out like all of Wayne Gretzky's goals, he still is like second all time in scoring with

It was wildly impressive.

Now the hockey club has a uphill climb at this point, as I referenced, fourteen games left to try to make up a four point gap. That doesn't sound like a lot, but it is coming up on Thursday. So tomorrow Buffalo's in town. Three game homestand for the hockey club, it's Buffalo, It's Tampa Bay and then Detroit. Then a three game road trip following a following that, it's a four game homestand then they're going to finish off with three on the road at Dallas AD Nashville and at.

The Saint Louis Blues.

Neil Smith joins us today courtesy of our friends at IFA Country Stores. Now the snow will belt at some point, maybe over the next couple of days. We're high speedhead to seventy degree weather next week. So it's time for you to start thinking about your lawn care. IFA Country Stores has everything you need to care for your lawn, no matter its size or shape. Their four plus lawn care program can promote a healthy, green lawn for you this summer. They are the same products you used at

Take on the Utah Jazz.

And then we'll talk some big picture NBA with Tim McMahon, Chris com Ronnie makes his weekly appearance later on, and then Ken Pomeroy an Hour in studio where a guy Ken, We're gonna help you fill out your brackets.

Next on the Drive, Tim McMahon dropping dimes for your NBA daily assists.

Van McMahon, Van McMahon batted old Land.

Texas flood as it gets muddy and Main Van McMahon, Van McMahon.

Then, man, gonna help you fill out your brackets. Today, Ken Pomeroy, the legend himself Kenpalm dot Com is live in studio during the four o'clock hour.

We're gonna go region by region. We'll preview some of the local stuff and.

Get Ken's reaction on the hiring of Alex Jensen, which became official yesterday. Excuse me on Monday, I was there. Should know Chris Comaraddi from the Athletic later on. But there is a massive game tonight here in Salt Lake City at the Delta Center as Washington rolls into town to take on the Utah Jazz.

Our next guest covers the.

Jazz and the NBA as a whole, and Tim McMahon, if Wizards Jazz can't get you to Salt Lake, I don't know what to do.

Man. Yeah, well, I would say if things go the Jazz is way tonight and then again in the lottery, I'll probably make it a lot of trips to Sulti City next season.

All right, there you go, there you go. So what what are we expecting? Tonight? The Jazz released the injury report.

Lowry is out with quote personal reasons, Walker is available, John Collins out. Neither of these teams obviously want to win this basketball game. They're both stuck on fifteen wins. The Jazz have two more losses than Washington. But what sort of game are we in for here in Salt Lake?

You know, it's crazy. The Wizards actually haven't been playing terrible basketball, no sin since the trade deadline. And they got a couple of bets in there. They got Chris Middleton, they got Marcus Smart. How about the Wizards sweeping the

That's gotta be the Jazz trolling the NBA right after they find them for city and marketing. They're like, oh, okay, if you're gonna find us, we're just gonna let let our big guys shoot threes all game.

Well, I controlling the NBA, I don't. I don't know that that's that's aggressive. What I would say about it in all seriousness is this Walker works on his threes every single day. He would love to be a Brook Lopez type of stretch five, And at this point in the season, I would say there's no downside and letting him fire away. Maybe he stumbles into something and becomes comfortable and it's actually a tool in his tool belt

That's a good pull. I haven't heard that name in a while. And you know, like Walker has a decent struke. It's not like I can remember the Jazz used to every preseason there would be a video on social media of like go Bear hitting a corner three, and they'd be like, hey, stay tuned. I'm like, don't do that. Like that's not like I like, don't do that with Rudy. But Walker actually has a decent stroke, you know what I mean. It doesn't look like it's aesthetically unpleasing. It's

Well, you know, unfortunately, the counterpoint to that would be he's not a good free throw shooter. That's typically guys who are able to stretch their range out. It's like, hey, they're good free throw shooters, and then you know that that's an indication that the three point ball is a possibility. However, you know, I mentioned brook Lopez. Brook Lopez was a prototypical back to the basket score for the first half of his career. It wasn't until Kenny Atkinson got to

For sure?

I mean, at this point, you know, try whatever you need to try, because we all know what time it is. But since I referenced the Jazz being fined tim for city marketing, can you help us understand this? I mean, ultimately, it's it feels like teams sit players every single night and star players every single night.

Like why the Jazz? Why would Larry what happened here?

Because it was an extraordinarily aggressive tanking measure and there, if we're being real honest, this is three straight years this time that the Jazz were extraordinarily aggressive with tanking measures. I mean, that's the simplest reason. And then what was it like nine straight missed games?

Correct? Yeah?

So I mean so look, I mean, let's just be real. It was pretty flavorant violation of the player participation policy, and so they hit them with one hundred thousand dollars fine, and look, if you end up with Cooper Flag, you'd pay ten million dollars in fines to get there. So I mean, it's it's not pretty, it's not fun, but it is in the best interest of the Jazz to be tanking aggressively, and the league called them out on it because what they were doing marketing it was pretty flagrant.

Yeah, and there's no debate as far as how, you know, how they were handling it. It just feels like it happens across the landscape of the league. So I don't know, I thought it was odd that they on the Jazz.

Well, but there's been an investigation in Philly. They're investigating. I mean, they investigated the player participation policy violations for the Oklahoma City Thunder, the number one seed in the Western Conference for a game that they won by double figures because Portland despite sitting there like top six players. So it's not only the Jazz. But again, I really like the real honest answer is the Jazz have been pretty aggressive tankers, at least late season in each of

So you referenced something with Washington, the concern of allowing, you know, losing to permeate throughout the culture of your organization. And with Washington, we're a little late for that conversation. I mean, my goodness, that organization. Whenever Jazz fans getting their feelings, I'm like, dude, you look around the league for a little bit, namely Washington. But I always believe Tim when there's a team that has leaned into simply

Of the world to get accustomed to this.

Now, what I will say is the past month, month and a half, there have been several games where the Jazz have been close at the end against good teams, which I think is valuable experience. But is there a danger to leaning into this when you are trying to develop young players and teaching them how to be professionals.

Well, there absolutely is. And that's why I think that this is an extraordinarily tough task for will Hardy because ultimately, like he's responsible for establishing the standards and the you know what's unacceptable and you know, really instilled in the kind of culture that he wants. And look, let's like that's why you know, there have been instances, for example, where he's publicly called out the complete lack of effort defensively and young players have lost minutes because you know,

Sarah Todd des red News Front of the Show wrote a piece last week that has received a lot of traction, and we talked about it with her on the show, and essentially it felt like she was talking to somebody at the organization, and I think she probably was. That has now kind of coined the term of the last three years were a tear down and the rebuild starts now, all right, Like I, you know, you and I have talked to that.

I've got a pretty good idea who she takes to do.

But go on fair enough, fair enough, And I guess that's a spin you can put on the situation three years later when you didn't handle it the right way from the start, is my opinion on that. But if the rebuild starts now, Tim, does it feel like next year is going to feel a lot.

Like this year, you know what, I think that depends on a lot of factors. And frankly, one of those factors is do they win the lottery? And if so, the second factor would be how ready is Cooper Flag to make an immediate impact?

You know?

Now, look, are there is there going to be like some massive jump and wins next year? Are they going to you know, be a sixth seed in the Western Conference? I mean unlikely? But again, if if if Cooper Flag is as good immediately as people think he might be, who knows, yeah, And then like say they win the lottery, how do they approach the rest of the summer? You know, are they are they aggressive to kind of get veterans in there, to to put a you know, realistic competitive

So interesting though, because according to what Sarah Road, let's operate off the fun hypothetical that Lady Luck shines on us here in Salt Lake in a way that it hasn't so far in the jazz.

It's wild.

The Jazz have only been a lottery nine times, but they've had nine chances. They've never moved up outside of a trade that they've made. That's how they got d Will. But if it actually goes down and Cooper Flag is a jazz man, Sarah kind of pontificated on the possibility of actually that being the start of the timeline for what they're trying to build, meaning, do you move on from Lowry now that you're gonna be able to once

I just don't. I think there are moments good, go ahead, good.

I would say it's fair to say you don't know. I think it's premature to say, you know, none of these guys can be contributors to a to a competitive team. Oh sure, I wasn't saying that now, But look like the Lowry thing, Hey, you've got to consider all options. And if you're building around here, I is going to be eighteen next season, so like probably unlikely that he's going to be able to drive winning right away. And like, you know, I think you have to be open mind

They ever close moving on from Walker, either last offseason or prior to the trade deadline this year.

That to my knowledge, I've not heard. You know, I know there's been a lot of teams that have inquired about him. I to my knowledge, there's never been anything that was a serious consideration.

So let me revisit what I said. And I didn't mean to imply that none of these guys are ever going to turn out. I just very much have questions about all of them. But if I removed Lowry and if I removed Walker from the equation, who do you think, based off of what you've seen, has a chance to be here when they are good again.

Well, unfortunately, we barely have seen Taylor Hendris, and you know, we'll see if he's even ready for training camp next year. I know they're very encouraged by the progress that he made last summer after a tough rookie season for a kid who was a teenager at the time. You know, Isaiah Kaier has definitely had stretches of really endearing himself to Will Hardy this season. You know, Kyante George is in some ways it's kind of like Walker where the

All Right, one more jazz thing then we'll move on from this.

And like you, I don't do the you know, draft grind on tape every day thing the way that people do it that have it as a full time gig, like your guy Jonathan Givodi or others that cover the draft. But it does feel like I mean, even when wem Benyama was there to be had, you had hipsters and NBA media say things like well I kind of like Scoot, You're like, all right, dude, whatever. But it it feels like we've moved into a space where at the start of the season you would hear Dylan Harper, you would

That's my understanding. And you know, I've talked a little bit to scouts and executives, and I if Cooper flags not the number one pick, people throughout the league can be absolutely shocked and dumbfounded. So you know, I would say that would put him very much on his own level.

You brought up the Detroit Pistons. Do you still stay in contact with Dennis? With Dennis lindsay and I wonder what sort of role he's played in kind of this resurgence.

Yeah, you know what, I'll be honest with you, I have not been in touch with Dennis this season. I have not. I don't get East a lot, and I

Right before I set you loose.

The big news story regarding the local sports scene is that it is official as of Monday afternoon, that Alex Jensen is the seventeenth head coach in Utah men's basketball history. The Jazz played the Tea Wolves a few I had to go Gobert post game was asked about the higher and Rudy gave a great answer. It's up online. It's up on the Utah page, the Jazz page. Will Hardy was asked about Alex. I mean, everybody said everything that

Yeah, I didn't actually see Rudy's comments. I would be interested to see those because look, I've said it before, like other than Rudy Gobert, nobody deserves more credit for that raw, gangleing, goofy young French guy developing into a future Hall of Famer than Alex Jensen. And you know, Alex I think has a great feel for player development. He has been a very successful head coach at the

You know.

I think that the recruiting stuff, like you know, his hires as assistant coaches are going to be very important because he's not necessarily a naturally gregarious type of guy. I also think that the alumni, you know, the alumni donations to the Nile Fund are going to be even more important than that. If Alex Jensen is a heck of a coach, if he has the support, if necessary to win in the in college basketball, I think he's going to do so.

Is the all right?

March twenty fifth, dam the book is on its way here the next little bit and so two questions where can people go?

Get it?

And number two is based off of this next iteration of Luca's career. Are you considering additions to this book. I mean, there's a lot of Luca Tonsci's basketball left in front of us.

Now listen, the last edition of this book, there's actually eight thousand copies were printed befo or the trade, every other copy, the e book, the audiobook, all those they've got the last chapter that I wrote in the two weeks after the trade, and it's it's kind of a perfect and into to the story. It's his entire run, all the drama, all of this function, all the chaos, all the success. Uh, and the shocking plot twist at the end of his of his tenure with the Dallas Mavericks. Uh.

Uh.

You know, old school, pretty cover and all that. So you know some people in Dallas are bullcott in the book. It's actually pretty humorous. There's a there's a conspiracy theory that I was colluding with Nico Harrison over the last few years on Lukadancis out of Dallas.

Oh my gosh.

All right, well, yeah, never underestimate the creativity of the angry Internet, Bob.

Well said, Well said, thank you, my friend. I have a good week with chat soon.

Okay, all I appreciate your brother.

Hright, the great Tim McMahon.

Yeah, his book comes out officially on March the twenty fifth, called The Wonder Boy. It's about Lukadocic. Tim stops Spot today courtesy of our good friends at Bert Brothers. With over thirty years of experience and nearly thirty locations, Burt Brothers ase's certified technicians bring expertise and professionalism to every

The field is.

Set for March Madness. Six seed BYU takes on eleven seed VCU. The Cougars one of seven Big Twelve teams to make the Big Dance. Ten seed Utah State takes on seven seed UCLA, with both local games tomorrow. First four playing games are in progress. North Carolina and Alabama State advancing with two more games tonight. Utah not involved, but they will be playing postseason basketball if they have accepted an invite to the inaugural College Basketball Crown in

As NBA Draft.

Lottery watch begins in earnest and the Utah Hockey Club allowed seven goals in a loss last night to the Oilers at thirty twenty seven and eleven. UHC drops to four points out of the Western Conference Wildcard. Now back to the Delta Center for a three game homestand beginning tomorrow at seven against Buffalo, fourteen games remain on their NHL slate. This Hour of the Drive is brought to you by IFA Country Stores. They have everything you need to care for your lawn, no matter its size or shape.

It sounds like a ck request, is it?

It is?

Yes, we got Lake Street Dive all right, Christopher Camarade. Wednesday afternoon. It's sunny and you know, kind of nice. Why aren't you sitting across from me today?

I have a sick kid home with me who is getting to digest all of the cartoons and he knows that he can milk it for as long as he can. So that's where we find ourselves in this chapter of parenthood.

Godspeed. What's the deal with the track today? I know nothing about it?

Well, I guess in honor of the happy gilmour Io trailer going to My Happy Place. And my happy place is jam band music in the Summertime, which is about as opposite as it can get from right now.

Jam band music in the Yeah, jam band music in the summertime. I'm with you on that seat, with you on.

That I know you are. I know you are, and I think if you got it, Lake Street Dive saw him at one of the Twilights, one of the years fun jam band from Boston. I think you would dig them, man, I mean, I know, I know that you can get a little bit, you can get down with the jam bands. I know that if you can let the guitarist riff for a while, maybe let the trumpets go, you can get into it.

Oh you'll find me shoes off, gummy jam band summer at some point. You'll you'll find me at some point this summer withes and a gummy and joined it.

There's no doubt.

One with the earth.

Yes, yes, well said Chris Well. Well said c K. Lake Street Dive. Okay, I'll check it out. What what are the kids into? When Connor was Leo's age, it was Blues Clues, it was Dora, it was that dumb Barney, that freaking purple dinosaur. Oh my gosh, what like None of the cartoons that Connor liked were digestible for adults.

What's Leo into these days?

There's a show called Paw Patrol.

I've heard of Patrol.

Yes, And as soon as I said that, he looked over at me and smiled. There's this show on PBS called Wildcrats, which is cool because it's like a human to cartoon show where these two guys are supposedly like adventure anthropologists Indiana Jones types, and they go into the world of animals in a cartoon version. So he likes that as well.

But it is.

Reprehensible to say the least. I spend a lot of time with my EarPods and let's just say that.

Yeah, they if somebody could create a cartoon, the kids love that. Adults kind of latched on SpongeBob doesn't count. Like, if you could create a cartoon, the kids are glued to that. Adults don't want to rip their hair out. I think that's a million dollar idea.

There's this show called Bluey out of Australia and it's about an Australian shepherd and its family. And the episodes are very short and it is tender and it is heartwarming and it is one that actually is decent, and it is the one show that my son cannot stand. So the irony and that is very thick.

Yeah, and I'm out of the market for having children. Mine's grown, so I'll never experience it. Did you ever have to watch Dora the Explorer? For any reason at all.

I did not, but I remember hearing about it.

Dude.

It just like I can sing the Map song still to this day, and it used to bother me so so badly. But let's move on from that into more nonsense. So Porter and I were talking earlier. NCAA tournament time means we have to get familiar with True TV, and True TV is airing reruns of Eastbounding Down after basketball?

Did you consume Eastbounding Down?

Maybe my favorite comedy show of all time? Oh wow, okay, yeah, yeah, I mean so much so that back when streaming wasn't really a thing and you had to buy episodes on Apple back in the day. Do you remember this?

Of course, yes, of course.

I have them all on my phone still all these years later, and travel days, like when you're on one of the Delta flights that doesn't happen to have the Wi Fi connector doesn't have the screens. I pull it up, man, and I just sit in that. I sit in my window see and I just laugh out loud, and I probably look like a weirdo. But it is a show that takes me to a place that just makes me happy. It's brilliant and offensive and no way could be done today, but man it is. It's so ironic you bring that up.

The Adam Scott cameo is the agent kills me every single time. But Danny McBride, for me is a benefit of the Dowd creator. Like, if I hear that Danny McBride has done something, he's got my attention.

I mean, I'm with you without a doubt.

I think.

Yeah. That show also had like insane cameos beyond Adam Scott, like Craig Robinson as the one eyed like villain, the antagonist, the guy who Kenny took out his eye, Will Ferrell Elite as the as the car salesman, Ashley Schaeffer Plums mcconnag was in it. I'm trying to think who else.

Marilyn Manson had a cameo in it.

Su Dakis as his best friend Shane, who did bodysurfing It's in Myrtle Beach, and Ike Baron holds like it's it's it is so bad and it is so I mean, like if if I know, I know, there is the twenty percent of the Drive Monday to Friday two to six. It gets too woke. I don't think this for for your listeners. This is where we're a little anti woke on me spounding down. But it's a great show. It's funny. Danny McBride has carte blanche Vice Principles was amazing. I

Is Walton Goggins properly rated? It feels like he is having a moment because are you watching White Lotus? He's killing in White Lotus?

He is, and he was really good in Fallout, which is a adaptation of a video game, popular video game like ten years ago. But yes he is. I think he's having his moment. Excuse me having his moment justified I don't know if he saw Justified. He was great and Justified so but baby Billy Man so good, so good. The song when he's singing with like the clam on his back, hallelujah. Would a payday at this fake Jesus resort? I mean, I'm just yeah, we could go on for hours.

If you're having a bad day, just google Will Ferrell, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride. He's founding down out takes. That's one of the funniest things I've ever seen in.

My entire life. I'm not kidding. Let the boy watch, Let the boy watch.

All right, Well, last week we did fifteen minutes on Phillips Hoffman. So yeah, you never know where we're going to go. But we will move on now and talk a little sports. So it is official, Christopher that Alex Jensen has been hired as the seventeenth head coach and Utah men's basketball history. The press conference was on Monday night. Did the show at the John John M. Huntsman Center on Monday afternoon. Actually, let me start here. It's going to get a facelift. The Huntsman Center is and it

But I think this is probably the right move. Yeah, I mean it feels like it does need a little love.

Yeah, without a doubt. I mean, if you look at that campus, even from the time I went to school, which is sixteen years ago, like it is night and day, just from the like the academic facilities, like the buildings.

That were up there when I was there.

Was like, if that earthquake hits that's supposed to hit, we are all done. Like we're in a building that is like mad Men era built. So the fact that they're going to give a facelift or you know, potentially have a new place for what I would assume will be called the Huntsman Center still is necessary. It's a it's a cool place. It has a great history. You know, the Magic Bird Final four run was here, but like

And we had Doctor hill in studio yesterday, and you know.

Doctor hill the course hired.

Rick mcjerrison was around when Alex was a player, and Alex reached out to doctor Hillton talked to him before he decided to take the job. And this feels, Chris like a hire that simply has just been given the thumbs up by everybody all over the place, whatever wherever your spot is in this ecosystem, if you played for the school, if you're in the administration, if you cover the team, or if you're a fan or whatever. Feels

Until you know, prior to finally seeing consistent big crowds in that in that building.

Yeah, I would start with I mean, if we're going to invert the pyramid, like one star talent, two cantilizing style, play three wins, like you kind of have to have an amalgamation of all those three. And obviously they can come, you know in waves, like you can have star talent that might underachieve for a while and blossom into something major.

When it comes to the staff.

We've discussed it, but it seems like every time I read anything about it or hear anything from people, there is this feel like, yeah, you got to just get all the Utah guys. You just got to get And look, I've said this probably twenty times. I'll say it again for those that haven't heard. If Andrea wants to come, that's the higher you make. To me, that's a no brainer.

And part of that is me. I'm sorry. I know you want to be a gen xer, but I am.

And as a gen xer, you walk into a gym with Andre Miller on your bench, that's cache and credibility that's hard to find.

But beyond that, I think we're doing Alex maybe a.

Little bit of a disservice by saying, Okay, just hire everybody else that wants to have the job that, once upon a time may may have played at Utah. He's been away from the college game, certainly for twenty years, and he's been in pro basketball on a number of different levels during that timeframe as well. And I'm sure he has relationships and his cultivated relationships that are beyond this ecosystem and this community what sort and I've been

I mean, the fact that he's coming from the league probably lends to the theory that he might be willing to bring some guys that he's met along the way to work with him, and maybe not premier front bench NBA assistants, but guys that he got to know over the years, whether it was in the G League, D League, Jazz, Mavericks, whatever.

Yeah, it does, honeymoon period. Uh, you know, because we do this weird thing.

I've talked to you about it before where sports fans just seem to love you until they don't. And the Donovan Mitchell example in our market is what I always go to where like that dude walked on water until he very much did not. And right now, everything, as you like to say, as the kids like to say, the vibes are high and good vibes around the program, you know, and that's that's a good thing.

You know.

Me though, I'm gonna say it results over vibes. How long how long does Alex get before we start doing the thing where we're like, hey, maybe this wasn't the right will.

Well, I'll start off by saying it depends on what his nil budget is, because I think in this in this era of college athletics, you have to take that into account right off the bat. So if Alex has a you know, treasure trovee of money, to go out and compete then, Like, I think you are going to be leaned upon to get results very quickly because money gets good players now and we've seen that at BYU. So what are you saying, dude, I'm on the radio. Sorry.

Nor of ball and grinder of tape.

Apparently, Chris Camaraddi on the program, good Mike Woodson knowledge the example I keep coming back to. I can remember when BYU hired Ty Dettner, and all of my BYU bros, all my BYU family men are like, all right, Championship game over tied is the man Heisman Trophy and within like four games, people down there were like, he has no clue what he's doing. He's never coached college football before.

Well, correct me if I'm wrong. I feel like Ki jumped from like one a Texas private school football to being BYU's offensive coordinator. I think that was I think that was the jump. So yeah, I mean, I'm sure if you ask Polani in retrospect, that was a learning moment for him and like proof that no matter how far you back, how far back you go in terms of nostalgia, it doesn't always equate two results in present day and but there are also you know, tons of

Yeah, one hundred percent, you know, and we keep talking about the majeris model where you were able to get superstars like Van Horn and Andre from out of state Doliak and then supplement it with the Britain John Soon's the Josh Grants of the world that played here locally. All right, speaking of results over vibes the Red Hot Real Salt Lakes streak. As RSEL has won two of their last three, they go down to Houston and get a result, which they never do. My guy Diego gets

No change. RSL ran into a team whose fortunes and current roster construction is much worse than their own. They lost their starting goalkeeper to a torn acl like five minutes into the game, so the Dynamo or downs fence. But you know, credit to ourself. They won in a place that historically is very difficult for them to win.

Why haven't you deleted Twitter? I mean you don't even send out your work anymore.

It's a good place to find things to make fun of people to send to my friends.

Yeah, and I would be sad if that threat ended. I'm just wondering, like, are you you got anything in the hopper? Anything cooking? Eckpieces dropping anytime soon?

We'll see, you know.

I'm just I'm still decompressing, man, I'm I'm hibernating Spence. I'm I'm not down bad, but you know me, man, I I need these I need these rays to come out and grace my skin for several days before I can really turn things around. I'm joking. I'm gonna help out with some March madness on remote and we'll see. Like, you know, I'm living the the plush life of taking care of a sick toddler and watching Pow Patrol. So that's that's my day.

As I was fighting through a and you know, Monday was your boy's birthday, a little Saint Patti's day. So I'm fighting through the hip, the shoulder, the back shoveling wet snow yesterday morning.

I'm not gonna lie. You came to my mind, How did that storm hit you?

Oh?

It hit me hard, man, Like I don't know what this. I feel like this season, of all seasons, we're getting like really crappy, like East Coast wet snow, like the greatest snow on earth has not graced Salt Lake City like one time this year. It's just been this wet, sloppy snow, and it's I get. I mean, in theory, I guess it's easier to just push. But you don't want to lift it. You want to throw out your back.

Of clubs, chomping at the bit. I cannot wait to get out and play. And we're gonna drag you out at least couple of times this year.

Right, I'm ready, man, I don't think I got out last year. And there's only one person not to blame, and it's me. It's everyone else's fault. I hope you know that.

Yeah, no, it always is, Christopher. I go attend to your child, buddy, Thanks for the time.

Thanks man.

Foo Fighter's best songs. Possibly it's in the it's in the mix, it's in the conversation.

I think it might be. I think it's it might be my favorite food food food Fighter song.

Excuse me, but Ken Palmeroy is sitting across from me, Foo Fighters fan, I believe, Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, best Food Fighters song in the mix, in the conversation.

Yes, that's in the conversation. Certainly, Okay, fair enough. How are you Ken? I'm doing well, Spence.

It is your time of Year Ken Pomeroy live in studio for an entire hour, So buckle up. If you've not filled out your brackets, it's time to get some some tips, some knowledge here and I'll take this opportunity to encourage you to go to ESPN seven hundred sports dot com and join our bracket challenge. You can play against us the talent on air. That's where the call us. That's not my term, that would be pretentious. You don't fill out brackets very often, if I remember correctly.

Yes, yeah, I try to avoid it. I try to avoid it.

I mean I filled out one. I do have one hair spence that I filled out nice against my will, but just to appease folks like you, I have a.

Bracket folks like me.

Yeah.

I don't exactly know what that means. That just means Like when I do media appearances, people are always like, oh, you got in your sweet sixteen in the South Regin or whatever, and like, okay, I have I have an answer. Okay, that's good for that purpose. I'm not entering a pool of any type. I just want to make that clear, Okay, no pool.

Ken Palm is not entering a pool, but coming up in our second segment, we are going to talk about your bracket, and I'm going to take notes because I have a family bracket, i have a friend bracket, and then I've got to try to win this thing again at work, which I've done five straight years.

It's not a big deal. Wow, humble brack.

So North Carolina, nobody thought that they should be in, right at least that's I felt like most people thought that they, you know, kind of got lucky to get in.

West Virginia whatever. San Diego State's a good team.

That was not a fair fight. Are you okay with Carolina getting in? I'm assuming that you know that's kind of your your feeling.

Yeah, the the Yeah, the narrative kind of got out of control of the respect to Carolina. I mean, part of it is because their ad is on the is the head of the basketball selection committee, so that was one issue. The second issue is that the ad got a bonus if their teammate the field, So that probably didn't be allowed if you're on the committee, I don't think it should be in your contract that if your team gets in, you get a bonus.

It's a bad look. It's a very bad look.

Even though the ad Bubba Cunningham was required to not be in the room for any discussions about Carolina. Nonetheless, bad look, but the reality was Carolina actually did deserve.

To be in the tournament.

If you look at some of the more useful resume based metrics, it was really Xavier was the team that got in that shouldn't have got in. But because Xavier did not have representation on the committee, nobody cared about Xavier and everybody focused on Carolina. And as we saw last night, I mean, that's not proof that they should have been in. But obviously, at their best, Carolina is a very very good team.

I mean I've watched I've watched them here or there this year, and they've they've got some good wins. But like San Diego State's a good defensive basketball team, they could not do a thing against Carolina last night.

This is like a long running issue with Mountain West too, where it's like, yeah, you think, you know, you look at their profiles and you think some of these teams should be more competitive than they are in these first round games, and yeah, ultimately that was I mean just a brutal look for the Aztecs. This was not a you know, a great San Diego State team, not on the level of the team you know two years ago they got to the title game, but it's still a team that.

Yeah, it was a pretty good defensive team.

They got Magoon gwathe Back, who is a sneaky, fringy NBA prospect Rin protector type of guy, but they were no match for the Tar Heels.

So Ken Pomeroy, who is one of the most wildly respected, widely and wildly but widely respected college basketball minds in the country, has his bracket sitting on the counter in front of me. I feel like it's like the Holy Grail. There's this like magical kind of feel around it. But before we get to the bracket, which we'll do a little bit later, let's start with general tips and pieces.

Of advice as people.

I know you don't love this stuff, but hey, it's you know, people are going to fill out brackets, and a lot of people filling out brackets now that haven't watched basketball year. I told you this is the time of year where I'll get text from my aunts or you know, family members I haven't talked to in a while, like, hey, will you fill up my bracket? I'm like just so you know, it's an exercising futility. But you hear things like great coaching, You hear things like great guard play,

Ken, Yeah, I wouldn't latch onto any one, you know, hyper specific aspect and pretend like that's going to be the key to your success. I mean, coaching, of course is important, but it's not an overwhelming quality if the talent isn't there. Like Bill Sell, for instance, outstanding coach, maybe the best coach the last twenty five years in college basketball.

His team is not very good this year.

There's nothing, no sort of magic potion he's going to come up with to get that team to the final four. The general idea is you want to be just kind of loosely informed on how good these teams are. Like then say, turn but this year really top heavy in

Well.

And also, and you correct me if I'm wrong, it feels like the I went to the final four in Indianapolis back when Florida had Noah and Horford and it was UCLA with there on a Falaalow. I think George Mason was the team that made it in that year as a wild card cindereround, and they got smoked more often than not. Elite eight final four, the cream typically rises to the top.

Is that fair? That's correct, That's correct. But obviously you do you do get upsides.

You know, you have the NC State situation from last year where they were like just amazingly lucky to win their conference tournament and then they got in in one four games in a row and got to the final four. This year, it seems like it's less likely for something like that to happen, just because there is such heft at the top of the bracket that there just won't be It's gonna be very hard for these teams to get knocked off early. It's not to say you're gonna

But you're gonna see.

I would really be surprised if you have any teams in the final four outside of the top three seeds.

Let's say, all right, of the four to one seeds. Okay, here's your cliche media guy question of the day. You've got Auburn, who's the number one overall seed. You have Duke Cooper flag expected to play on Friday. Duke will learn their opponent tonight as the final play in games are taking place. Then you've got Houston out of the Big twelve, of course. And then I told you this a few weeks ago for whatever reason, And this is a problem I run into when I fill out my brackets.

That was Florida this year.

Every time I watched a Florida game, I'm like, nobody's talking about them, and they're awesome. Well, they just won the tournament the best conference in America, So Florida is the other one. Seed of the four to one seeds, which team would you say either is most prone to be upset early or is the weakest of the four And why I would.

Go with Auburn.

I mean, first of all, they are the lowest rated team in my ratings, so they're the number four team in the country, which is still awesome obviously, but the weakest of the four seeds. The second issue is that potentially in their second round game, that will be matched up with the Louisville team that has kind of themselves been under the radar all year, was kind of badly underseeded in this tournament. Probably should have been a five seed, maybe a six at worse, stand up with an eight.

While we're in the South.

Does the Committee just take a vacation during conference tournaments? I mean, Michigan wins the Big Ten tournament, they beat two four seeds, they beat a three seed, and.

They're on the five line.

Like, does the committee just fundamentally ignore what you do in conference tournaments?

I think they ignore what you do on the weekend in conference tournaments.

So yeah, I thought I found it interesting that, you know, there was some complain about, you know, miss like the committee not paying attention to the Big Ten Championship. I mean, the Big Ten Championship game ends like fifteen minutes before the selection show starts, so it's really not feasible for the committee to go in and tweak a bracket based on that result. I mean, the graphics are surely already made for the show, and so yeah, that game doesn't count.

So there's that issue. I don't think Saturday counts very much either.

I think the committee has admitted much in the past, like it's just so complicated to put these brackets together with all the rules that they have to deal with that for the most part, they're going to lock things in on Saturday unless you get some sort of you know, non traditional team winning a conference tournament that you have to slip into the tournament and then give another team in that large bid and maybe another team gets knocked

You reference Xavier grabbing a bid when you didn't think they should give me. Just kick the tires on some over seeded teams, underseeded teams, some teams you think.

The committee got wrong. Well, it's not even so much that the committee got wrong. They got Louisville wrong based on resume. Some of the other cases are just cases where teams are fundamentally either better in the metrics or worse in the metrics than their resume would indicate. So a team like in Zaga is the prime example of that, and it's not an unusual situation for them, But you know, they get an eight seed. They're ranked ninth in my ratings.

So BYU fans and members of the BYU media, and it's just the deal where we have to be upset about everything, whether it's the CFP committee and football getting it wrong, whether Swig closes too earlier, they run out of sugar, or their basketball team doesn't have the proper seed. I don't know that six is egregious. I think you could make an argument for a five seed. But to me, the game's in Denver. You'd rather be a six seed in Denver than a five seed in like Newark or whatever.

Yeah?

I mean if you're equippling over a five or six to reevaluate what's important to you in life.

In the end, it doesn't. It doesn't make a whole lot of difference.

I mean, last year BYU is a six, and they were a bigger favorite in their first round game than you know, some four seeds were. So a lot of it depends on the opponent. And the issue here is that their opponent is, you know, pretty formidable. I mean VCU is you know, coush by Ryan Odam. Obviously we're

Are you a fan of a flavored soda from time to time?

I'm I'm not really no, It just you know, I'm at that age where you know you just can't cram a bunch of sugar down your throat.

Sure, I'm not judging. I'm sure Swig is a porter. Have you ever did you frequent Swig? Have you ever tried one of the I've got their menu pulled up, for instance, a Raspberry Dream is doctor Pepper raspberry pure quote coconut cream.

That's a lot of sugar. Did you frequent swig?

Definitely not a frequent I don't really do the soda thing in general, so the soda with more soda or sugar is not my lane. But I have tried what I believe is called a dirty Doctor Pepper. Ah, it's pretty good.

All right, Okay, let's get wild on a Wednesday with a dirty Doctor Pepper. But over to the matchup, Ken, Yes, so as you referenced, and I'm not saying Vcus Houston at all, but like when you kind of dig into what they like to do defensively, they've got three six ten. Dudes, they've got the A ten Player of the Year. Former Utah State kid Ryan Otamav was here coaching Utah State. The line moved about an hour ago by use a two point five point favorite. Now it opened up at

That's the other thing with vcus that their defensive possession length is tenth slowest in the country, So that will uh, you know, it gives you an idea, like they just forced teams to take some time to define good shots. And it also leads to the fact that vc is thirtieth in the country in turnover eight, so they're going to force some turnovers in those long possessions. They're number one in the country's shooting defense once you factor in the value of threes and two's number one in the

Well, the reason I brought up the Houston parallel is and it wasn't just Houston Iowa State, b Yu bet Iowa State. But as much as there is to like about jegor Demon as a pro prospect, every time they face pressure, he just he can't deal with it yet he's young. And then Kevin goes to Dollon down Hall and look, Dollen has gone through Big twelve battles.

He's a vet. There's a reason Mark wantam in Kentucky.

But what happens if byu h is not knocking down their threes and the VCU pressure gets to them, because against teams that don't have elite length like VCU as we've talked about, bring in foos, let him go to work. But Treori's six' five, maybe and these three six ten kids are gonna give them trouble with. Length If byu isn't knocking down shots and the pressure is getting to, Them What's what's the.

Answer, uh they have to they got to figure that. OUT i don't know if there is an. Answer, YEAH i, mean but you bring up a good. POINT i MEAN vcu does have size and length of more of A Power conference. TEAM i, mean they actually have this, Kid bamboye who is h starts at center and he's not.

Much he's very limited, offensively but the brit is he the, kid but he's the second best in terms of like.

Rate he's the second best shot blocker in the, country blocks the higher percentage of opponent shots than anybody in the country except for one.

Person and, uh and so that's you, know that's what they're.

Facing but, yeah They're, yeah you worry about yegor against the, defense it's, aggressive enforces. Turnovers kevin's shown that he's not you, know late in the season, here he's not just gonna Leave yeager out there for starters.

Minutes he's gonna make a switch when when they need. It but, uh but it it will be a.

Struggle BUT I i, mean hopefully they're gonna have to figure out how to make shots because there's no other other way around.

This mainly, Threes, yeah mainly. Threes mainly. Threes.

There, YEAH i would say they're figure out to make some threes and they're going to get fewer of those shots than they normally.

Do SO i mean that's, why you, know that's why you're just talking about.

IT i mean you can kind of figure out why the margin heres is so thin that they don't have, to you, know go eighteen of thirty six from. Three but if they go you, know at the dude nine of twenty four or something like, that that would be really.

Helpful so if they advance PAST, vcu they're most likely going to run Into wisconsin round two they get to the sweet.

Sixteen what are your thoughts on that?

Matchup, Well, wisconsin this is not kind of your Typical wisconsin team of the last twenty five.

Years you, Know Greg guard has really modernized their.

Offense they play at a much faster, pace actually faster than average pace across college. Basketball so you know that this is not a Bow ryan team that's going to grind a game down to fifty five sixty.

Possessions they're going to play normal.

Basketball they two love to shoot the, three top twenty in terms of three point. Rate they're not necessarily a great team in terms of percent. Percentage but they're going to have five guys out there at that shoot. Three they're gonna you, know they're they're. Big stephen kraw is a guy that can shoot plenty of threes and try to you, know invert the offense and Enforce kVA cato Or fos or whoever it is to you, know play some defense on the. Perimeter so that's the challenge that

Catch a, break we're gonna get Into ken's bracket coming up, next which is sitting across from.

Me are you gonna take that with? You do you want to just leave it?

Behind And i'm gonna, actually after this because this is really my last media appearance of this, Week i'm going to crumple it up and throw it in the.

Trash will you let me crumple it up and throw it in the trash if you? Want do you want the, honor you can have.

It, okay fair, enough so let's move. On we Referenced Ryan otam used to Coach Utah. State Jared calhoun is their coach, now and they're back in THE Ncaa tournament again and they're going to get A ucla team that on the.

Season you, know they had to win At, oregon they Beat.

Gonzaga they lost four or five during conference play when they got, rolling but they do have a win Against Michigan.

State they've got to win Over.

Wisconsin and it's weird to SAY ucla out of The big Ten, ken but here we. Are Utah state's a five point five point. Dog tell us about this, Matchup, well.

IT'S ucla is actually quite similar TO. VCU i, mean you, know typical kind Of mick Cron an outfit. Here dependent somewhat on. Defense they force a lot of. Turnovers it's actually number one in kind of an obscure stat but it's a non steel turnover, percentage which essentially means they like to take a lot of.

Charges so that's something to watch for in this.

Game they do force opponents to take more threes than, usual which could work In Utah states favor but overall it's been kind of an up and down year for The. Bruins never really got a whole lot of. Consistency did win seven in a row in the middle Of Big ten, play but struggled a little more down the, stretch got bounced pretty emphatically By wisconsin in The Big ten, tournament and so that's kind of the.

Story so it's you, know you're.

Facing a team that's not necessarily doesn't have the firepower necessarily to run away from you, offensively but that defense is going to Give Utah states in.

Trouble Lazaar's stafonovich former you A Ucla bruin for a little bit of a local. Tie we'll catch quick. Break coming up, next The Ken Pomeroy. Bracket, okay so if you don't know what you're, doing you're about to fill out a. Bracket ken's going to help you. Out ken stops by today courtesy of our friends At Burt. Brothers with over thirty years of experience in nearly thirty, Locations Burt, brothers as Certified, technicians bring expertise and professionalism to every

We've Got Ken.

Pomeroy live in studio for one more big, segments and it is. Time it is time for The Ken pomeroy brackets. Reveal, KEN i will not go game by game by. GAME i will not do that to. You, okay we can do WHATEVER i, mean that's one of my favorite radio. Bits, wait, wait are you willing to go game by?

GAME i, mean if you want to hear a bunch of radios turn? Off, yeah we can do.

That, no, no, No first of, All Frank, laydon WHEN i got into this, business he gave me some great.

Advice he, said just remember nobody's.

Listening.

Okay So i'm, like, thanks. Coach so the radio is probably have turned. Off but, look it's that time of.

Year THE Ncaa tournament starts, tomorrow so let's let's let's dig into.

It let's start in The south.

Region let's start in The south and we'll kind of jump around a little bit where you reference To auburn as the most potentially vulnerable number one, seed but they are technically the number one overall. Seed SO i would imagine you Have auburn And louisville, advancing, right those. Two that's, correct, Yep, okay so let's jump to the next. Round who do you have winning out Of auburn And.

Louisville i'm going With. Louisville's, yeah we're gonna take A we're gonna take a chance. Here nothing more boring than the chalk. Bracket, RIGHT i. Agree, so uh SO i like to have a, little you, know a little spice to, it and uh yeah it get spop For. LOUISVILLE i really, think you, know the conference narrative gets overplayed as we get into the tournament and uh my bracket is is fading THE sec and step one here is Knocking auburn out in the second.

Round, okay so there you, go upset number one on The Ken palm. Bracket auburn advances Past Alabama, State louisville advances Past, creighton and Then louisville Beats.

Auburn let's move down five.

Twelve there's always weird five twelve Upsets, MICHIGAN, Uc San, diego then below Them TEXAS a AND M.

Yale how do you have those matchups playing? Out we're going with the favorites in those. Games you See San diego a popular upset pick, Here michigan not a huge favorite in this game will be a tough win for The, wolverines BUT i think they get it. Done and then we'll go WITH a and m over the ivy leaguers From, yale who obviously pulled off a huge upset last year and Beating auburn BUT i don't think they can do it two years in a.

ROW i was going to ask you who The nerds beat last.

Year it Was.

Auburn that's, Right yale Beat. Auburn So TEXAS a AND M michigan. Advance who do you have advancing out of that?

GAME i am going to go With.

Michigan, YEAH a And m's point Guard Wade taylor shoots like thirty nine percent on two pointers or something like. That not an ideal situation for key buckets down the. Stretch so, yeah we're going With michigan and that. One dusty may obviously past experience getting to a final fourth Forward.

Atlantic, Okay, okay moving down, Now Old, miss we'll welcome In. Carolina After carolina curb STOMPED sdsu last.

Night what do you think of this?

Matchup Old Miss? Carolina, yeah we're Going. Carolina they're, upset they're mad at The. Worlds they properly. Motivated i'm not Sure Old miss carries that same motivation, here although they are a fine team out of THE. Sec But, carolina, REALLY i mean down the. Stretch you, know last three weeks of the season was playing quite. Well they, WERE i mean the acc is week, sure but they were beating their opponents fairly, easily and then of course The

Point AM i remembering The Iowa state?

Upset drake Was drake a fourteen seed that Upset Iowa state WHEN i Was stay was a three seed back in the.

Day is that ringing a bell to.

You it's not ringing a bell to, me, okay but, anyway definitely could have happened once upon a.

Time Iowa state is a three seed this, year b why you beat them? Twice of, Course iowa stayed out of The big, twelve. LIPSCUM i know nothing about who wins this. GAME i just want to report On Iowa state. Upsets, First, okay in two thousand and, one they lost as a two. Seed is that prior to the to the Infamous drake loss that we're talking.

About i'm not. Sure maybe who? Did they lost To.

Hampton Hampton Craig Bowler jack called that, game, okay, Okay, yeah.

The coach like ran off the court and like that one of their players like raise them. Over it seems to be the most famous first round, loss and Then Fred hoiberg lost as a three seed TO UA.

B so.

Some some pretty ugly first round losses, there AND i was stayed as the team is really banged, up got some. Injuries Taman, lipsey their starting point guard and defensive, pest did not play in The big twelve, tournament but allegedly we'll be back for this.

One Keishawn gilbert did not play as. Well he is not back for this.

ONE i do think they have enough to get By, lipscomb AND i do think they have enough to get BY.

Unc so you'll Take iwish stay Beating. Carolina, Right, well we'll say the run For carolina comes to an. End, okay there you.

Go marquette seven seed taking On New mexico out of The Mountain. West and you've you're on the record about The Mountain west failures in THE ncaa. Tournament Does New mexican have a shot of the upset?

HERE i mean they have a, shot But marquette here the clear.

Favorite and, yeah it's just you, know when you see A Mountain west team at this, point you really better have a good reason to take. Them marquette a disappointing. YEAR a lot of people thought they might be something like a top ten. Team never really quite. Materialized But Cam jones has been outstanding number seven in The kenpalm dot Com player of The year.

Ratings he's their go to guy and senior and a.

Leader And i'm gonna throw all the cliches here as the Y marquette wins this. Game who was the?

Player Was Cooper flag the Ken Pom player of the.

Year he.

Is here's the thing about The Ken Pom player of The.

Year on like all the Other player of The year, awards we also include THE ncaa, tournament so we really haven't crowned the player of the year.

Yet If Cooper flagg is able to, play he'll get.

It but if he for some reason doesn't, Play jannibroom obviously, second And auburn has a deep, run it's still possible For Janny broom to overtake.

Him Michigan State bryant right as they, say what do they? Say death taxes and Izzohen?

March is that the? Deal so what's kind of the? Deal two? Fifteen what do you?

MAKE i mean not he's not a bulletproof in In march and he lost a first four game TO ucla in twenty, one been knocked out of the second round and the second round to the last three. Years but this is certainly one of his better teams PROBABLY i don't, know going, since going back at least to THE covid year or maybe the year. Before, yeah this is a Legit final four. Threat they have been getting better as

Old yeah.

EXACTLY i mean we've been we've been through that a few times here the last few, years so it's kind of kind of immune to that at this.

Point it's, true all, Right so let's finish off this bracket in the sweet, sixteen you Have louisville And.

Michigan who wins that. Game i'm going With michigan in that.

Game just a little, bit a little bit stronger team at this, point And louisville will not have home court vibes when they get out to the second.

Weekend Iowa State, Michigan Michigan.

State excuse? Me three to two there in the sweet? Sixteen who advances? Here, yeah we'll go With Michigan. State it's a little, bit a little bit better. Team Iowa state banged up a bit AND i think that'll be the difference. There so we Have Michigan Michigan state in The elite.

Eight yeah about? That that's pretty fun little rival.

Reaction we're gonna go with Tom izzo that, occurs by the, Way, Spence if that, Occurs Michigan state will become the first, team get, this the first team to be seated first or second that was not ranked in the preseason eight.

P pole to make a final four of all, time of all. Time that's. Wild yeah.

Wow, okay let's move over now to The east Where duke is the number one seed and they await the winner of tonight's playing. Game oh, MAN i just had this coreboard. Up, Anyway Tonight's American Mount Saint Mary's american wants co by former NEXT gm Ed. Tapscott there you. Go, okay do we even need to discuss? This duke moves on.

Easily mount Say mary's coach By Donnie, lynn first year head. COACH i once had breakfast with him at A panera In, Blacksburg. Virginia why did you Go panero of all the? Options, well it was it was on very short, notice and uh, yeah it didn't have a lot of time to make it. Happen but that was in like twenty. Nineteen and look where he is, now Spat i'm gonna take a little.

Bit of credit for.

That, okay go to breakfast With Ken, palm you get a college coaching. Job So i'm sure the breakfast was. Great does he have a chance in the? Scamp not Against. Duke, no he has a chance Against. AMERICAN i think he's gonna pull it. Off but, Yeah duke will beat them by forty two. Points For jazz fans out, there If baylor advances Past Mississippi, state you will SEE. Vj edgecomb take On Cooper flag two very good, prospects But Mississippi State, Baylor ken who'd you?

Like we're gonna.

Close our eyes and go With baylor on that. One it's a pretty even.

MATCHUP i think my maybe MY i guess against THE sec at this point is coming into, Play baylor maybe was slightly, better like higher end, talent not JUST. Vj, edgecomb but nord Chado mere who previously played some meaningful tournament games At. Miami he's one of their better players as. Well so we'll go With.

Baylor five twelve out of The East region is The Oregon, ducks out of The Big, ten which sounds so. Weird they're taking On. Liberty liberty make this? Interesting you think they.

Could they've been playing well down the stretch coming out of. Conference THE usa another you, know kind of mid major team that has generally had success at their level and made a bunch of tournaments in recent. Years and, yeah it could be an interesting. Game But oregon's just kind of the more talented, Team So i'm going to go with.

Them Arizona, akron and If arizona, wins we'll have some OLD tac. Twelve but he's getting. Together of, course oregoning out of The big. Ten arizona of The big twelve is Wild akron thirteen, Seed arizona four.

Seed how do you see this one going? Down we'll go With arizona in this. One did you Like Akron John gross running a pretty up tempo system? There that first round game should be high. SCORING i have the score of. Forecast it is eighty nine to seventy, Six so it might be the most high scoring game in the first. Round but kind of want to See arizona advance here a round or. Two they're always just never know what you're going to get with. Them in a team that's run By Caleb love on the, court a

Court.

There Did arizona lose in the first round last?

Year they lost in the second round last. YEAR i want to, say did they lose in the first round the year? Before they lost in the sweet sixteen last year To, Clemson so.

It must have been the year BEFORE i picked them to win the whole. Thing they lost like the first or second round they lost To. Princeton, yeah that's What that's what it. Was, yeah all, right that brings us to the six Seeded Brigham Young cougars hailing From, Provo utah taking On VCOs the eleventh.

Seed we've already broken this game. Down Can Kevin young get it? Done, yeah you can get it. Done we'll advance them on to the second. Round and you, Know i'm not just saying that because there might BE byu fans out. There actually kind of enjoy picking against the local teams IF i. Can but but NOW i truly think B yu will will take care of this one. Though it is the highest rated game in terms of like watchability on my site in the first.

Round, okay, yeah just two like good teams should be a close.

Game so it's to, me just as someone who doesn't have a stake in, This i'm really looking forward to seeing how this turns.

Out Wisconsin montana three, Fourteen ken who we got The?

Griz, Really, no we're not going with oh, man that would have been. Awesome it would have been. Awesome but we'll go With wisconsin in this.

One.

Okay Saint mary's of course the old conference fellow bringing me on seven seed taken On vanderbilt as a ten.

Seed who do you like?

Here?

Yeah once AGAIN i Will i'll pick against the Sec Saint mary's with the eighth best defense in the, country led By Augustus. Marshallonis, yes shout out To. Sarunas right out out To.

Sirunas.

Yeah remember The Tai die The lithuania Tidye jerseys back in the. Day all, right, absolutely, yeah all, Right So Saint mary's advance is Past vandy absolutely. Yep alabama two Seed Robert morris fifteen, Seed, ken you should know that you are talking to A Robert morris recruit circle nineteen ninety. Six, Really i've got like three letters From Robert. Morris that's. Amazing that wasn't. AMAZING i, mean they're they're. Decent, now it was just like a throwaway.

THING i wouldn't throw that. Away, well that was.

Kind of a LEVEL i should have tried to play out instead of BELIEVING i could play it to you because that didn't work. Out But alabama Two Robert morris fifteen we. Got, yeah it's going to Be. Alabama but shout out To Robert. Morris they back in your, DAY i believe we're in The Northeast. Conference, indeed now they're in The Horizon, league so you, know advanced up a level and they have been up to the.

Task and won the league this, Year so shout out to, Them. Bud, Yeah obama's the far superior outfit.

Here round two in The East, Seas duke And cooper flat taking On baylor and Vj.

Edgetroum who you got, Here, KEN i Got duke winning. This we're Assuming cooper's gonna be.

Healthy but even if, Not baylor has really struggled against top flight competition this, year So duke is still gonna be able To they're still gonna be able to get to the second weekend if even if they don't Have cooper flag this.

Weekend since you brought that, up do you think they should even Play cooper On friday against whatever the winner of this playing game.

Is, right it's a, yeah it's a little.

SUSPECT i, mean if he does, play you have to think that he's like fully, healthy, Right like it's a great sign if he does.

Play but, yeah there's really no reason to risk it Against Mount Saint Mary's.

Oregon five Seed arizona four, seed round to two Former pac twelve buddies, Here, ken who gets it?

Done we're gonna go with The? Wildcats were still on board.

With arizona just a really consistent season this year in The big, twelve so we think they'll they'll get.

It DONE Byu advances according to our. Model here to round two to take On. Wisconsin so who you Got round two By? Wisconsin i'm going with The. Badgers, yeah just the advantage. There you, Know wisconsin has a top flight defense and bou does. Not Saint mary's seventh Seed, alabama two, Seed ken who you got round?

To a fascinating, matchup you, know to just polar. Opposite Saint mary's loves to slow it, down prevent three point, shots defense, Heavy bama's speeding it up offense, heavy loves to take. Threes it's gonna be a fascinating, matchup BUT i do Think bama will.

Prevail alabama advances on all, right back up To Duke arizona in the let's The sweet sixteen Matchup Duke Arizona sweet.

Sixteen who we Got.

Duke arizona and we're gonna again assume Assume Cooper flag is back and if he, Is duke should have no problem.

Here Wisconsin Alabama sweet. Sixteen where we're Going alabama back to The elite, Eight elite eight and now for the final four team out of The, east the winner Of Duke alabama is.

That's gonna be The Duke Blue.

Devils all, right we'll Go. Duke so we Have duke out of The. East we Have Michigan state out of The. South we'll move over now to The west. Region and AS i referenced in our previous, segment sometimes there's a year where every TIME i watch a, Team i'm, like they might be the best team in basketball in college, basketball that team for me Is.

Florida this, year we'll start With. Florida Norfolk. State, uh, yeah of course that will Be.

Florida, okay let's just move right over to the back to back national champs and a very grumpy coach on the sidelines and One Dan.

Hurley But yukon Gets. Oklahoma where are we going?

Here?

Yeah, no, no what's talking About yukon this? Year what's the? Deal they won back the back back back. Titles can we give him a little little?

RESPECT i, mean, LOOK i mean, here you, KNOW i grew up forty miles away from. Campus i'm A hurley. GUY i Want yukon to. Win can they get Past? Oklahoma they can get Past?

Oklahoma, Yeah so it has been a down year for The, huskies Or Danny hurley missed on missed on some, transfers and Freshman leam McNeely is kind of the leader of the team and he's been pretty. Inefficient but they do have enough to get By Oklahoma memphis five, Seed Colorado state twelve. Seed will The Mountain West conference hate ken manifest itself in this, matchup or you Think Colorado state.

Can get it.

Done we will go With Colorado. State they're ACTUALLY i think a slight favorite even In. Vegas it's not even like necessarily going on a limb, here but they have been playing so well down the.

Stretch Nie, clifford player to, remember.

Has not appeared on any All american teams have been released the last couple of, days presumably because people make up their mind about like two months before the. Deadline, yeah but he has been awesome down the stretch and certainly one of the ten best players in the.

Country So Dan marley once upon a time was the head coach At Grand, canyon, right that's. Correct, now for some, REASON i didn't follow the news cycle AND i just thought he was the head coach until like a few months. Ago he very much is not But Grand canyon thirteen, Seed maryland as a four.

Seed who we got?

Here we Have Bryce drew as the head, Coach Ran cannon don't Forget valpo ninety eight tournament, hero but it will Be. Maryland maryland one of those underseeded teams as a four. Seed really tempting to pick them to come out of this. REGION i don't want to spoil, it.

But they do win this. Game Is Kendrick lamar the?

Tournament?

No But drake is see WHAT i did their kids pop culture. Reference let's move over To Missouri drake six to eleven.

Seed drake plays at the slowest base in the, Country so this is not a game THAT i would recommend tuning in for unless you have money on it or. Something BUT i will Squeak missouri By. Drake but this is going to be a real grind and a close.

One another big twelve, Team Texas TECH Unc wilmington is the fourteen.

Seed three to Fourteen, Ken what's what happens? Here?

Yeah Texas tech has been outstanding all, year number seven in my ratings and never seems to get the. Respect they do have some injury, issues a little banged up at a couple of starting, positions but they will get by you and see well LinkedIn number Seven, kansas number Ten, Arkansas Little bill, Self John calipari action round.

One, wow what have you got?

Here else is not a uh, yeah this is not like when was it two thousand and eight two eight title?

Game Memphis? Kansas?

Right so, yeah not quite on that. Level we will, Again we'll go With. Kansas but these this is a game that looks like it'd be looks like it'd be a great one to, watch but it's just really much weaker versions than these coaches are used to.

Coaching Rick patino has taken The johnnies back to. PROMINENCE i was once upon a time A Saint john's, fan back in the Old Big east days With Chris mollan and.

Such omaha the fifteen seed didn't do, it.

Didn't mean to do A Peyton manning impersonation, There But Saint john's Two omaha.

Fifteen what happens? Here Saint john's has the best defense in the. Country they've lost their four games by a combined seven. Points nobody in college basketball has lost their games by fewer. Points, Now Saint john' didn't play a super difficult non conference, schedule but, nonetheless this team's legit and they.

Will they will Beat omaha round of thirty two out of The.

West according to the model that we have in front of, Us florida yukon round.

Two what happens, Here florida will put an end to the dream For Dan.

Hurley Can Colorado state keep The cinderella run going against the number four Seed Maryland.

TURPINS i think in a different circumstance they.

Could But maryland is just a really solid team and it definitely plays better than that four, seed so they'll get by.

Him missouri sixth, Seed Texas tech three. Seed do we got?

Here we will go with The Red Raiders Kansas Saint John's bill, Self Rick patino another heavyweight. Matchup it'll Be Saint john's, Here, Okay Florida maryland for the right to go to The elite.

Eight we'll Put florida in The ELITE. A but do not if you want to Pig. Maryland there not a bad.

Idea Texas Tech Saint john's at the bottom of the.

Practice we'll go With Texas tech to upset the offensively Challenge Red storm.

Okay and going to the final. Four out of The west Region Florida Texas. Tech have we got it will Be Texas tech wow or upset. Special there we.

GO i was waiting for.

One there we.

Go so so far we Have Michigan state out of The, south we Have duke out of The, east and we Have Texas tech now out of The. West our final bracket portion of the racket will be The. Midwest any intrigue with The Houston cougars round one or no Intrigue Gonzaga georgia round.

One gonzaga will pull that.

Out all?

Right all?

Right we do not have a five to twelve upset so? Far do we have one With clemson and. McNeice we actually do Spence Colorado state Over. MEMPHIS i bet. Yeah we do not have it With clemson over. McNeese Will wade is already thinking about his next, job which appears to BE Nc, State So clemson will capitalize in that.

DISTRACTION i win that game perdue four seed High. Points, yeah as your thirteen seed we.

Got we will go with High. Point they are the out.

Number they are the top team in terms of their dependence on offense in this, tournament And i'm a sucker for. Offense they have the twenty fifth best offense in the. Country don't ask me what their defense is. Ranked it's very, bad but their offense is really.

Good, Okay illinois sixth seed will await the wain of Tonight's Texas xavier.

Matchup does it? MATTER i don't think. SO i, mean, YEAH i don't think.

So i'll go To.

Illinois kentucky shout Out Mark, pope FORMER byu. Coach they take On troy as a fourteen.

Seed what goes down?

Here, YEAH i Think Mark pope has gotten more out Of kentucky than you could have. Expected they, are Like Texas, tech a little banged up heading into the tournament, here but they'll obviously they'll get By.

TROY Ucla Utah state local. GAME ucla a five point five point.

Favorite do The bruins get by THE AGGI i, Mean i'd love to see The aggies do, it but it's hard for me to.

Envision them getting by. This THIS ucla team.

Two Fifteen Tennessee, Wafford tennessee get this done pretty. Easily, Yes, okay all, right let's head back up.

Now round.

Two Houston, gonzaga who you got, here should be a great one in the second. Round houston has just been so good this.

Year they've lost four Games spence and only one of those was in, regulation so they've only been hot scored in regulation one time all.

Year they've just been so. Good so, YEAH i think we'll get Back gonzaga.

Five teen high point gets By. Purdue do they get By? Clemson they do? Not Brad Brown now back to The sweet. Sixteen fair Enough Illinois. Kentucky Does Mark pope keep it? GOING i think so close call, here but, YEAH i do believe In Mark. POPE ucla seventh seed after Beating Utah. State they'll take On tennessee as a. Two what happens, Here, well we're gonna Go tennessee despite the long term struggles

And gets to the elit.

Date, okay now for the right to go to the final, four it'll Be, Houston. Tennessee what goes down?

HERE i will go with The Houston.

Cougars, Okay so final four matchup number, one let's start on THE i Guess i'll just say left side of the, Bracket Michigan State Texas tech for the right to play for The national championship In San.

Antonio what do we? Got we are going to go WITH. J. T toppin and The Texas Tech Red.

Woh, Yeah, okay A Ken palm Surprise Texas tech in The National championship game and they will play the winner Of duke And. Houston who you got that's kind of that would end up being the de facto national title.

GAME i THINK i just Think duke is a team of.

Destiny Year duke advances to take On Texas tech Your National championship?

Game who Is ken your national?

Champ duke will win seventy eight sixty Eight cooper, flag twenty two, points nine, boards eight, assists and two. Steals, wow did you say seventy eight to sixty. Eight, yes all, Right i'm writing this down right.

Now seventy eight to sixty, Eight duke is your national champs beating The Texas Tech Red.

Raiders, correct that's. Correct, there you got it down all? Right hopefully you were taking.

Notes.

Porter you didn't Copy ken's bracket thick by, pick did you one of?

THEM i knew.

IT i knew.

IT i knew. It here the, sound hear the. Sound there you, go it's going. Away SO i hope you guys were paying.

Attention there really is nobody better that we could have in the studio to walk you through this, exercise which more often than not ends in extreme.

Frustrates all, Right, ken where can people go get your? Work kenpom dot.

Com it's twenty five dollars for twelve, months so even if you sign up, tonight you'll get twelve months of, access so you'll basically have it for all next. Season very, nice my. Friend, well great to see you enjoy the.

Action it's such a great, tournament and even though you don't have any clue what's gonna, happen it's still fun because you never know.

Exactly that's the whole. Point all, right my. Friend good to see you all, right Thanks.

Bence the sun is shining here in Downtown Salt Lake city To it's about forty degrees or. So expected to heat up throughout the course of the rest of the week and through a really nice weekend leading into some seventy degree weather next.

Week so if you've been waiting for the warmth.

LIKE i, have it is on the way and it's good to have you along for the. Ride The drive at five is brought to you either the twenty twenty Five Big Twelve Gymnastics. Championship you can watch the best of the best coming up On, Saturday march the twenty second After Maverick. Center gets your tickets today At maverickscenter dot. Com The Utah jazz are in action. Tonight it's a, massive massive, game two teams with so much at. Stake The Washington wizards roll in town to take on The Utah.

Night of, course the madness Of march is upon.

Us if you Missed Ken Pomeroy live in, studio, specifically the last segment we, did we went Over ken's brackets And ken Me ken's.

Bracket ken never fills out a.

Bracket he was kind enough to do it for us on the show, today and if you missed, it a lot of good, information a lot of good. Breakdown nobody pays attention to the matchups and the teams and everything in. Between Like Ken, Palmer i'd encourage you to go To kenpalm dot. Com i've been a subscriber Of ken's for a number of. Years it's very affordable and it gives you a lot of. Knowledge So ken's we'll just we'll call It. Ken's we'll go over The elite eight real

Us all, RIGHT i want you to be. Honest.

Porter During ken's comprehensive, breakdown were you filling out your own bracket in real time based offs?

NEGATIVE i still haven't even filled out a single. Matchup i'll wait till after the.

NIGHT i have something to. Admit what's that you?

Did, well it's not the Bracket i'm using for the, station BUT i did pull up THE espn bracket in front of, me AND i just filled it in with every one Of ken's. Picks i'm not submitting it to our work, bracket but you're submitting it. Somewhere i'm submitting it ON espn dot. COM i respect that it will not be the bracket that represents my picks in in

I don't agree. There ACTUALLY i Think.

Auburn, well MAYBE i agree there in the fact of the, schedule the route That auburn, takes BUT i ACTUALLY i think that they are one of the teams That i'm most confident in being a top seed going. Forward one hot take that you, KNOW i don't know if it's it's super hot as of last, NIGHT i don't think THAT unc necessarily should have been. In you could have gone back and forth on.

That i'm not on the.

Committee i'm not going to PRETEND i dove in at the depth that they, did but that has no bearing on what they do in the. Tournament and WHAT i saw last, night the versatility that roster, has the shooting that they, have that's a team that if the jumpers are, falling that's a playing team spence THAT i could see making a legitimate run in THE ncaa tournament just because of the talent they have on the roster.

Man they looked really good last.

Night San Diego, STATE i, think according To Ken, palm one of the top fifteen or twenty defensive teams in college.

Basketball they couldn't do.

Anything and AS i referenced, earlier as As carolina was Running San Diego state off the, floor like all, right let's check out Some Utah Hockey club, action which did not go. Well The Utah Hockey club got dog walked In edmonton last night at seven to.

One final Score Utah Hockey club.

Has fourteen games, LEFT i believe, thereabouts and they need to make up a four point, gap AND i hate to break it to, you it's probably not gonna. Happen would be really fun to have playoff hockey here In Salt lake during the first year of OUR nhl, experience but ultimately too many games early on that you let slip away at, home so many games where you led going into thirty and you just couldn't. Close So Hockey club got smoked last night by The oilers seven to.

Carolina so a lot of basketball.

This time of.

YEAR a little bit OF nfl offseason, news The Minnesota. VIKINGS i don't know why you have to announce that you don't want to Sign Aaron, rodgers but apparently they're out of The Aaron rodgers. Sweepstakes so a little bit OF nfl offseason stuff kind of going. On but right now it is the badness Of march with THE Ncaa Tournament get And roll and coming up tomorrow. Morning, now the final two games of The mini four team play in tournament are taking place.

Tonight right.

Now Mount Saint mary's has a thirty six to twenty eight lead Over American.

University it is On TRUE.

Tv stick around For eastbound And down replays after the basketball tonight and Then Xavier texas will be the game coming up at about seven to, ten depending on.

When the first game ends On TRUE.

Tv As ken pomp pointed, Out xavier kind of a bid stealer this. Year ken doesn't believe that they were worthy of making it in even in the first. Four so we'll see if they can do the same Thing caroltta did last night To San Diego state by taking care Of xavier and advancing to the tournament which gets rolling. Tomorrow NOW BYU vcu is at two five mountain, time so right as we start our, SHOW byu will be tipping off AGAINST vcu Ball, Aerena, Denver Colorado elevation will

Vcu line opened up minus three point.

Five as we sit here today at five thirteen mountain time on A wednesday, AFTERNOON byu is a two point five point favorite OVER vcu two.

To five mountain.

Time and then the late night game as far as the local state, goes will Be Utah STATE. Ucla first game right out of the gates will be interesting Because louisville is a team That Ken palm told us to watch out For louisville eight, Seed creighton nine seed ten point fifteen ON. Cbs then it'll be High point In, Purdue, Montana, WISCONSIN Siu edwardsville taking on The Houston, Cougars Alabama state taking On auburn, McNeice, Clemson, Georgia, Gonzaga, Wafford, Tennessee, Arkansas.

Goodnight right about six, o'clock The.

Jazz aren't action taking on The Washington, Wizards so if you want to go Watch Jordan poole And Isaiah, callier go ahead to. HEAD i don't, know, MAN i haven't heard your. This SO i Thought tim was good on this today and we've talked about. It as a result of What sarah, Wrote Sarah todd front of the show at the Des Reed, News so of course she covers The jazz and joins us very. Consistently if The jazz are able to luck in to a, little you, know lottery magic in a way they've never been able to

Talent.

Here Cooper, flag for people that don't, know reclassified and should be a senior in high. School, okay he will be eighteen during his rookie season in THE. Nba, Okay AND i don't care if You're Cooper flag Or Lebron. James it's tough as an eighteen year old to really dominate or do anything super. Special lebron was insanely effective as a rookie and as a young kid in a

Started let's not get it.

Twisted but if they want to further this dumb narrative like, hey we've been breaking it down so we can build it. Up if they Draft Cooper flag and they, Say, okay now we're starting this, year might be exactly what we're in for next.

Year.

YEAH i guess it just depends on how you look at the, timeline how you view the. TIMELINE i don't think it's linear enough to, say, hey this is when we, start this is when this, starts this is the.

Phase that we're in.

HERE i think The jazz are very much keeping more options open, then you, know it would be possible to have that kind of linear view of the timeline of your. Rebuild but like you, said when you trade basically the entirety of your, roster you move on from your your head coach part ways with your head coach on both. Accounts you trade your cornerstone. Pieces that's a. Teardown there's no,

Healthy.

Right we're seeing that right now with The, jazz where there's a draft pick that they really do, like but he hasn't seen the he hasn't seen the floor in four.

Months.

Right that's that's part of this situation as. Well so WHILE i do believe the teardown is very much maybe still in the in the, process because there are pieces on this. TEAM i don't think we'll be here for the long. Haul you can't say it's just starting as far as the rebuild, goes because you are well into that. Process my take would be that it's just a longer

Arrive, yeah and you've got to count on some things that are unseen to fall into, place you, know a mid round lottery pick Like Donovan mitchell popping and becoming, awesome Or john's, Doctor Karl malone or Go bar at the end of the first. Round but the problem is during this three year period where, yes you have been, rebuilding it's so silly that they would believe anybody would buy into this, nonsense, like, hey this has been a because all the players you've drafted so far have left

Have so we'll.

SEE i, mean it's gonna be a long, game and there are a lot of teams that try to do this and it takes a number of years before you kind of back at. It so of local interest, tonight The jazz are getting, going of, course a couple of play in games in THE Ncaa tournament before the tourney gets rolling tomorrow And ernest. Tomorrow The Utah Hockey club is an ACTION rsl is taking On dallas coming up this. Weekend so a little soccer coming your way as the

Utah app is very easy to.

Use all you have to do is pick more or less on two player stat, projections meaning this Tonight Jazz, Wizards jordan pool more or less than twenty point five. POINTS i don't, Know, isaiah call you more or less than seven point five.

Assists it's that.

Easy if you've ever been interested in putting a little cheddar a couple of ducats on, sports this is an easy way to do, it and they're offering you free. Money you might as well go take advantage of. That download The Prize picks app, today use the promo CODE espn seven hundred to. Checkout when you play your first five dollars, bet they're going to hook you up with fifty. Bucks you do not even need to win the five

Hundred all, Right, porter what comes our? Way on A March Madness thursday edition of the, Show.

Yeah a game day edition of The, drive we'll have live reactions to a lot of the tournament action as you see it in the studio. Here we'll also Have Craig Bowler. Jack you mentioned one of the games you were talking about. Earlier Craig bullerjack was on the, call not anymore but still doing jazz, games still talking plenty of college. Hoops Pablo. Mastroenni we'll discuss the latest With real Salt. Lake Andy larson stops, by and we may

Go so if you're looking for a place to Watch March, madness come join us as we'll be out and about on The thursday, afternoon but we'll say good night for A wednesday show. Special thank you today To Neil, Smith tim, McMahon Chris comaradi And Ken. Pomeroy if you missed The Ken palm, interview go listen to it before you fill out your.

Brackets it was good.

Stuff and if you miss any of the sound at all from the show today or, ever quite, frankly we've got that thousands of episodes up on our podcast, page which is Called The drive With.

Spence check. Its that's available wherever you get your.

Shows check out the WEBSITE espn seven hundred sports dot com and download our mobile app for port Im SPENCE.

Sa goodnight and enjoy the madness.

Tomorrow.

Guys it's a lot of fun to have a Great wednesday.

Evening we'll talk to you on A thursday show and as well as you can catch it right here ON espn seven hundred ninety two ONE.

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