This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez sound Fox Sports
fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services and Sure Your Most Prized Possessions kat z
R two sag at iHeartRadio Station. Yeah. Maybe if you turn on your
volumes, we can hear you. Hey, welcome everybody. I don't know.
I there's somebody was messing with my stuff here? Would you satage me?
I wouldn't, you know. Let's see, I do not go to
your side of the studio. Okay, I see what's over there? Food
over here? I know. Yeah, there's food like from four months ago
over there. Still good. Hey, welcome everybody. I'm Steve, He's
Jay, got Sammy in you sabotagers. Hey welcome. Hey, it's a
big day today, another big day forty seven minutes with Brennan and Dave,
Heikey and all the other fat the media guys like us. Yeah, good
day. I was I was impressed. We kind of knew who he was.
He didn't disappoint he didn't you know, they always talk about winning the
press conference and all that stuff. I thought he did a really good job.
You know. I've I've gotten feedback from from the peeps that I talked
to, they they like they like him, they like what they heard,
right, but it sounded like right, he didn't and he didn't sound corporate.
He did not know he could hang out in this room and and shoot
the breeze and not and not to beat the dead horse, but Jetfish read
a statement in his press conference. He read the thing. It was a
well scripted just saying that Brent Brandon just got up there and talk, you
know, a couple of times. It was clear to coming from the heart.
I mean he he almost started, he almost cheered up, like in
the first three minutes of the press conference. Right, That's what that's what
makes this so genuine and so good for Tucson because guess what, that's Tucson
tuson Right. They want to be friends with you. They want to be
yeah, and you have to be accessible to be friends with you, and
they want to feel like you're their friend or he's your friend. Right,
And and you know, when you think back to coaches who haven't done that
in this town, it hasn't ended well for those coaches. Yeah, I'm
trying to figure out how to do some of my story. But because I
think you know, when you think about what you're gonna write and then you
sit there and it doesn't come up. It doesn't yet, it doesn't come
up. It happens all the time. But he's one of the dudes that
just a normal dude. Uh he is. He has kind of talked Tommy
Lloyd. Right, just a guy who's just you know, trying to win
game. Right. I really thought that when you know, when he got
up there. First of all, he's fifty years old. He looks like
he's about thirty eight. Yeah, he's that's my first thing. But it
isn't that a little Steve curR and' a little opie you know. Yeah,
he said dude about eight times, which I thought was was was good,
was good. Uh, he made me feel he made me feel old because
he's fifty and he seems so young to be right, and and uh,
you know, I just like what he said. Right. He again,
he didn't really he didn't take anything up there to read for no, And
he sat there for forty five minutes and answered questions, told good stories,
told a couple of good stories. I think I think the thing and this
is kind of maybe too trite, but you always see it the coaches from
the entire university was there. I don't know if Tommy was there because he
has a game tonight, but it was it had a feeling of family.
You know, it's trite because he even said that it's feeling of family,
but it felt like, you're and I said this on a radio for somebody
else, how a nice, a well respected family member comes back from a
trip and he's gonna stay and you feel God, all the world in the
family is good again. Well there, Yeah, there were a bunch of
people in there who were here when he was here as a gradus right right,
you know, Mike cam Dre was there. You know, Chip Hale
was there. There were a lot of people that have been a part of
the U of A program for decades and they all showed up for that,
including you know, some of the newer folks. And I thought that was
that that said a lot about you know, how he's gonna really fit into
this athletic I'm wondering. I know this question was not asked, at least
it was not asked on the podium for Dave he Key and we sat there
aside and listened a little. How much he's inside his mind saying I knew
he should have been the guy in the first place. Yeah, but yeah,
and we'll play this clip in a little bit because if we can get
to it. But you know, for Brent Brennan, maybe it's better than
he's here now three years ago circumstances, right, right, well, we
never we can never, right, we can't go back and see he would
have done this or we would have done that. But he's it's it's it's
a better place for him to get going here. No, no, he's
yeah, thankfully because Jeff Jed left it in a spot he did and all
good congrats to Jef. Unless he starts ripping all those players out here,
well then then we'll go pee on him at the general bands. That was
so, I saw that. I saw that was. Well, let let's
let's get to it. Let's because we've got a lot of clips, get
from as many as we can. Who's coming in today, right, So
we got uh, you know, a lot of a lot of Dick Tomy
conversation in the press conference today. Yeah, his son Rich is going to
join us here about three fifteen. Uh, you know, as with you
know, player Brent Brendan is part of the family Nancy Tody Dick so widow
was here. Uh, and he'll refer to her in this first clip that
that that we play so rich, I'm sure we'll be able to tell us,
you know, quite a bit about him. And then Jason Johnson,
who was a quarterback during the time while while Brennan was here, will join
us. He Jason Johnson finished up in the Dick Tomy era and then he
was here for the Macovic stuff. But he'll join us in the second hour.
But let's let's play this first clip because right out of the box,
he really did get a little emotional. Uh, and he'll he'll he'll refer
to Nancy here and then he chokes up. And so just listen to this.
Yeah, when he was asked, uh, when when he was asked
a question about you know, it was sort of his first his first it
was his opening remarks. He wasn't asked a question. This was his opening
remark. I think people make the place special, and I'm absolutely all about
people. And that's what has been really cool. It's just the outpouring of
love and affection that I felt for, you know, from everybody here in
town, the community, everywhere, social media, whatever, it's the outpouring
of of uh, you know, well wishes and and and you know,
people excited about us being here. You know, Nancy, I can't I
can't even look at you right now. But the the impact that that I
know that Dick and Nancy had on this university, but really on my path,
it's embarrassing a little bit. I don't think very often in your life,
you when you work, you you think about somebody every day, like
somebody. But that's what coach Tomey has been for me. Uh, He's
been the guy that that every single day I think about what would coach T
do here? Coach T would kill you for what just happened in this game,
you know that kind of stuff. Just that we just love you and
we miss him. And again people make the place and uh, you know,
Dick and Nancy made this place home for a long time and obviously did
a lot of incredible things with the football program. True, yeah, very
true. That was you know my fans. I came out right there.
It's kind of like that Jerry mcguireson you had me yet hello, right,
I mean he choked up talking about Dick Tom that Okay, you know,
if you're an Arizona fan who's an Arizona fan, not just you know,
somebody likes to step in and out. Yeah, you had to love the
emotion of that. So I've been here thirty five years, you've been You've
seen it a lot in yours, in your one hundred years or sixty four
years, but you can kind of gauge from your sixties right on. And
I don't know anything before Dick Tomy. I didn't know Larry Smith. So
to me, it's back to normalcy for Arizona football given that. Okay,
whatever happened to Dick in two thousand and how that ended, Okay, that's
it. Some people bitching that he couldn't win enough, some people that he
did. Okay, you know whatever. Then we went to what Nakovic,
a disaster guy who then we went to Stoops, who's good but had,
you know, very a very impersonal administration and true never connected to the fan
based in the community and disconnected yeah okay. And then from him we went
to rich Rod, who had some of that and they still think, you
know, looking looking the side of eye to something. Uh. And then
we go to someone who didn't give a crap. Uh. And then we
went to Jed, who gave a crap because he was interested in going somewhere,
right, and now we're kind of normal again. Well, you feel
like you've got somebody who cares about themselves. True, true, And for
fans like you, you need you need that. That's why, because we
don't have anything else, Steve, No, No, I'm not. You
know, I'm not. Arizona doesn't have the history and tradition of a you
know some of the some of the schools that are out there. Michigan's got
to get its Michigan man. And you know they ran Rich right out of
there because he wasn't a Michigan many uh and and those kinds of things.
I need to see how Kaylyn de Boor does at Alabama. But what you
want is you want to feel like there's some sort of a connection there.
Uh. You know, a guy who really wants to be here. Oh
yeah, and sounds like you wants from here. Sounds like this is a
place where he's been aspiring to where Jed he was aspiring to be a head
coach, Yeah, somewhere and just gave him that avenue, right, and
so he got it here. Uh, Brent Brandan sounds like he wanted to
be a head coach here. Here's what he had to say about getting this
job. When I look at the opportunity here, all I can say is
that I am incredibly honored to be the head coach at the University of Arizona.
This is just an amazing moment for me. And I'm trying to get
to know the team. You know, I absolutely believe we can build a
consistent winner here. You have everything, We have everything you need to do
that. And as I'm getting to know the kids, and I'm been you
know, in the weight room, in the locker room, and in the
hall and in the indoor making sure I got all the right facilities there.
These these players love this place and they're really committed to each other, and
so I have to be ultimately committed to them, but also putting a great
staff around them, which I'm in the process of doing. That's one of
the more complicated things of taking a job. But I promise that we're gonna
have great leaders, mentors and developers of talent in this you know, in
the building to help them get where they want to go and elevate our program
as high as we possibly can. Well, are you just used it in
my story. He's honored to be here. Uh And let me ask you,
do you think the other coaches before him felt that way honored? Not
really, I mean they were happy to be here. Yeah, great,
happy to be happy that they got right happy they got the head coaching job
with millions of dollars. Ye. Yeah. You know, he seems like
he's like, this is a place that he really wanted to be. He
said that a couple of This is the girl that said, you've had a
crush on for a long time, and you you you asked her out one
hundred times please, and she finally said yes, And you think, God,
life is complete, Well, life is complete. I hope she's good
to be see how the date goes? Right? Really? No, but
at least you gotta you have a chance, you say, do you have
a chance? You book to the movie? You have your seats, please
don't call it. Yeah, exactly right. So so we're gonna get to
Rich here at Rich tell me here in a minute. But a couple of
key a couple of the key clips went to play. You know, obviously
you're right out of the box. You want to ask about how to go
with the players yesterday. Yeah, because you met with them yesterday. Uh
and uh, here's here's what he said, Uh, how it went yesterday.
I was just I was just really honest with them. But that's that's
how I operate, you know, And so I just I get it like
they're they're a little bit hurt, right, Like it's tricky like that.
And the reason I can say that is because I just did that to a
team yesterday, right like yesterday morning, before I got on the plane to
come down here, I had to meet with the team at San Jose State.
It was really really hard, really really emotional. And and you know,
if you do build it right and if your team is connected on a
level that gives you a chance to be successful on Saturdays in the fall,
they are going to be super connected. So when a piece of it leaves,
there's going to be some fallout, right, And so I was just
honest with them. I just asked them to give me a chance to earn
their trust, to treat each other with respect, and then trust will be
earned over time. And then I promise some much surround them with the great
coaching staff and and people that care about their development and who they are as
men. Yeah, yeah, that's part of my story too. It's it's
it's truthful and he's funny. It's because if people don't care, they just
don't care. It's like the something thing good good, he was here,
goodbye, take care and partly fish they cared because they won and they were
betrayed, right and and now here's he is. He can kind of dive
into his commitment, right, you know. And it's interesting. And look,
I know a couple of guys who jumped into the into the portal,
you know, Jona Coleman, Ephesians, priced Socket, a couple of those
guys. But there's only been a couple, you know, when when when
Nick Saban uh you know, announced there were a dozen people in the portal
immediately, Yeah, a dozen players in the portal immediately. The fact that
it tells me that these guys are waiting around to see uh and maybe they
are, maybe they aren't, you know me, they're they're checking things out,
But it seems to me they're gonna give them a chance if they haven't
already jumped in. Remember Kerk Chris had jumped in immediately when yeah, sure,
when Sean Miller got fired, and they're sticking around. I know some
people were happy about that, but you know the fact that there hasn't been
a flood of guys jumping in or Braiden Dormant. But he Braiden Dorman,
the quarterback, the Redchard freshman. You know, he tweeted something out.
They gave you an indication. Okay, that guy's coming back. So I
think it's I think it's gonna be interesting to see the one thing, the
one thing that you witnessed. This are witness that yesterday. We've seen we
saw witnessed here thirty minutes ago in our own building. What's his knock?
His record? Yeah? His record? How are you gonna win at San
Jose State consistently? It's not It's not Washington, is not Alabama. Right,
you're gonna have a bad record because it's not a football school. But
over the last three years, and I'm not giving it an alibi, he's
done very well. Okay, he went three and twenty two in his first
two years a program that was just awful. Since then, five seven seven
to one conference championship five seven seven, five and six and two or seven
and six. Uh, you know, he's he's won he won two conference
championships. What do you think, Well, he hasn't won a bowl game.
San Jose State. Rights San Jose State. You go win a bowl
game at San Jose State. They're looking they're looking at the resume in terms
of numbers, but there's more to a resume than numbers exactly. And we
heard a couple of media guys. I I'm like, what are you doing.
I can't explain you that You've got to be smarter than that to look
beyond that first couple of years. Because again, as we said, what's
Jedfish? What was Jedfish's record? Are on? It wasn't a winning record.
So anyway, all right, hey, we gotta get out of here.
We're gonna take as bringing rich Tony. We'll talk a little bit about
you know what he can tell us about Brent Brandon as we try to get
to know the new head coach at Arizonas stick around make the right choice for
your home when it comes to windows and doors. For more than twenty years,
the Window Depot has provided the best price and biggest inventory on in stock
windows and doors. The window depots open to the public, so whether you're
a homeowner or a contractor, you can shop the enormous warehouse. Browse the
shelves with over one thousand vinyl windows, interior and patio doors, and skylights
and several varieties and sizes available. To go home today shop the window Deepot
dot com or find a location near you the Window Depot best price, biggest
inventory. Steve Rivera here to talk about Dorato Rocket Materials. I needed a
lot of gravel for my drive, so I called Eric at Doratle Rock.
He found out the amount and color I needed and boom, it was taken
care of and at a great price. How do I know radio commercials work.
I heard one of his on the radio. Dorato Rock and Materials provides
a wide range of landscaping materials, including decative rock, boulders, gravel,
soil, and sand for residential and commercial use in the Tucson area. They
are locally owned and have been around for more than fifteen years. Give them
a call at five to two zero four zero zero four two three three.
Where do you buy exercise equipment? Arizona Health Arizona Health, Arizona Health.
Of course, to feel better and look better, it makes sense to buy
your fitness equipment from the people who know it better. Than anyone else.
At Arizona Health, our goal is to help you choose the equipment you need
to reach your goals. Your health and fitness deserve the best you deserve.
Arizona Health the leading edge and exercise equipment on twenty second just west of Wilmot
Hey, Southern Arizona. Is twenty twenty four. It's a new year,
so it's time to recognize your employees, salespeople, managers, team members and
agents with the Creative Award for the great John they did in twenty twenty three.
So come visit our beautiful showroom with over a thousand on institutes from located
at two twenty eight West Drackman. Or our website Creative Awardsazy dot com.
Come celebrate our fifty years in business. See all the creative products we create
and carry For recognition, promotional products, premium gifts for your special clients.
Call us eight eight two eighty six seventy seven Creative Awards, Nova Home Loans.
We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy the independence that comes with home
ownership. Paul Volpi is ready to help you find an option that best fits
your needs, whether you're a first time or veteran home buyer or want to
get cash out with the refinance. Nova has a variety of home loan programs
to meet your unique situation. Visit voltepeteam dot com. That's Volpe team dot
com or call five to two oh SIXE eight five six two six today in
MLS three oh eight seven Arizon A b K nine Z two nine four two
Equal Housing Opportunity, how to commitment to lindrixyn. Credit rates and available loan
programs are subject to change with U numbers. Did you know sports cards that
memorabilia are setting record sales last month of nineteen fifty two tops Mickey mantal So
for twelve point six million, Lebron James Rookie So for five point six Also,
collecting cards is a family fund hobby that can be very profitable. If
you want to start a collection or expand your collection, check out Showtime Cards.
They are one of the leading card shops in the country and have served
our local community for twenty five years. They are located on E Speedway.
That's show Time Cards. The Secret Savings Account from Pyramid Federal Credit Union is
an account you pay yourself and save oh right, it's set up as an
automatic transfer for any amount, and the transfers add up over time. You
can save for a down payment on a dream vacation or an emergency fund.
And the best part for withdrawals, Your Secret Savings account can only be accessed
in branch or over the phone. Visit pyramid FCU dot com slash Secret Saving
to learn more. Federally insured by NCUA. It's that time of year,
Summer in Tucson. Time to take control with temperature control for all your air
conditioning needs. We'll keep you cool during all the hot streaks. All you
have to do is stay in control with Temperature Control where we handle everything you
need with prompt response, affordable pricing, and sound solutions. We also excel
in plumbing and electrical work. We handle everything you need. Give us a
call at five two oh eight one five five six six' five or visit
our website at tempdash con dot com and remember, stay in control with temperature
control. Need concrete hard works, Concrete has it. We have more than
twenty five years of experience with all things concrete. Installing sidewalks and patio floors
are our specialty, and handle masonry work and retaining walls. We're locally and
family owned. Just let us know what you need, how you want it,
and we'll take care of it. Leave the hard work up to us.
We're Hardworks Concrete. Call us at five one two nine six' two
five six six zero or visit our website Hardworksconcrete dot com. We'll put the
work in for you. Gut bugs, termites, bees, are rodents,
Arizona Pest Control will hunt them down. Arizona Pest Control is your complete desert
pest management specialist. Tests can't run or hide from Arizona Pest Control. They
use only the latest and most technologically advanced methods of pest elimination available, which
minimizes the effects on the environment. Let Arizona Pest Control get rid of your
bad bugs, termites, bees, or rodents serving Tucson and Southern Arizona since
nineteen forty seven. Go to azypest dot com to schedule your free evaluation today.
This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jagonzalez on Fox Sports
fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeartRadio wapp just surge I
on the Ball. Hey, welcome back to my I on the Ball here.
Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, he's Jacinsauce. Nown't if
I only have Rich tell me? How are you Rich doing? Doing great?
How are you guys doing? We're doing it well. Let me say
this, I think somewhere in heaven your father is looking down from a plush
football stadium and saying, Hey, it got it right. They finally got
it right. Yeah, they finally got it right. I know for sure
he is. This was something he always talked about how amazing he loved Brent
regardless. I mean, he coached with him for years, so this was
always a place he envisioned Bret Brent going. And you know, I actually
think it's just a great set and I'm super excited for him and his family.
Well, so you grew up here, and one of the things we've
been talking about is how fans in this community really want to feel like they
have some sort of a connection to their coaches. And maybe that got established,
you know, with Loot and Larry Smith at the time, because they
both were kind of you know, community guys. They were out there and
stuff like that, and it seems like, you know, your dad continued
that, but then it kind of got lost since then pretty much with at
least all the basketball and football coaches. How you know, how important do
you think that is and how important is it to Brent Brannan do you think?
Oh? I think it's huge, And I know Brent is a huge
believer in that. I mean, you saw what he did at San Jose
State. I mean we've all I spent time up there when my dad was
coaching. It was a very challenging place to play, but he got those
guys to buy in. He did not want to leave, you know,
for anything, And I think it took something like this to get him to
leave. I liking it to when my dad was here and he got offered
other jobs and he didn't want to leave because he believed so much in the
players and the community and just loved to live here. So I think that
is a big part of it. And I see this as a destination for
Brent, not a stepping stone. So I think they definitely have someone that's
in it for the long haul. I also saw, you know, because
I covered Dick. We both did for a two or three years each of
us. He was just and this is a compliment and to you and to
him, he was just a normal dude. Football coaches aren't usually normal dudes,
and Brent comes off like a normal dude. I'm sure that's some of
that rubbed off and that's what, like I say, a compliment. Yeah,
oh for sure. I mean, good story is Brent, my daughter
Taylor's, was on some recruiting trips this year and we're swimming in San Jose.
State was one of the school's recruiting ers. So we went up there
for a visit and Brent met us out. We were walking around the campus
with all like probably ten different swimmers and the swim coach, and he ended
up just walking around with us the whole tour and just you know, telling
stories and laughing and girls, you know, and guys on the swim team
were joking around. But it's just like, you know, it takes guys
that don't care about who you are or what the you know, like people
probably said with my dad, he was best friends with the women's basketball coach.
He spend more time with talking to people in the ticket office. He
just and that's the kind of guy Brent is, and I see that as
just a huge plus for him as he comes in to keep this thing going,
you know, back when you know, back in the day, right
he was a grad assistant here. I mean, did could you see right
away the coaching was in his uh you know, it was in his DNA
and that this would this would you know kind of he would wind up in
a place like this at some point. Yeah, I mean, I didn't
know how far he would go. Obviously he started as a GA and then
he was an assistant for my dad when he was up at San Jose State.
And but you could definitely see the fire in Brent and he coached in
some great places. So just to as soon as he got that San Jase
State headjob. You know, his dad went to San Jose State, and
he's just been in some places where he has some roots. And I feel
like, you know, whether it was at Hawaii, his cousin was was
Cult Brennan, and you know, it's just like everywhere he's gone, I
feel like he's had a connection and this is no different. So I think
this is just it makes all the sense in the world. So I'm not
gonna I don't know where I want to go with this question, but but
bear with me. So you're you told us the age earlier. I think
you came to Tucson when you must have been sixteen seventeen, maybe a little
yn Yeah, okay, so so you probably heard stuff and before you came
on the air, we were talking about this. There are people, some
people that we think are clueless who look at Brent's record and it's not glowing,
but we know how difficult it is to win there. Over the last
three years, he's done very well, and Dick has admitted he was not
the first choice. In fact, he may have been the fifth choice.
Right, but you were you were listening to this stuff and part of people
hearing people, well, he why him, He's coming from a smaller conference,
he didn't win whatever. Did you get the sense of that back in
the day when my dad was coming in, when your dad was coming in.
Here's some some of some of the similar stuff, because Brent hasn't won
won, but he's won lately, right, totally. Yeah. I mean,
my dad was not the first choice in there learning he was like the
fourth choice, I think, and you know, I think that's okay,
And and my dad would be the first one to tell you he was the
fourth choice. But I think it's all about what you do when you get
in people have no idea, you know, how special of a guy Brent
is. Just I just view him as a mini me of my dad,
honestly, And I think he's gonna he's sort of the newer, younger version,
I guess you could say. And he's he's got some some cachet to
him and some cool factor and uh, he's gonna be a fun guy for
these guys to play for. So I'm super excited to see him and what
he can do with a little bit more resources than when he first started.
I remember that awful weight room that you you work with. Oh my gosh,
well, you know, but get getting to that though, to a
little more of that, because I you know, there number of times one
that Brent was asked about your dad and then your and then Brent just brought
him up on his own right right at the beginning. He you know,
he pointed out I don't know if you saw the press combs, he pointed
out Nancy, and you know, God got all choked up because of that.
But you know, when when you talk about he's got a little something
of your dad, how much of that does do you think he has?
Uh? You know, how much did your dad shape him and are we
gonna is it gonna show? Are we going to see that as he as
he goes about this job? Oh? I think so. I think it's
you know, for sure, from outside of the football field, you know,
out in the community and the way he deals with people around the university,
and I think you're going to see someone that's completely one percent down to
earth, you know. I mean it's just like uh my dad not wearing
socks, you know, doing interviews with his leg cross and you see his
leg and you know it's like he didn't care about all the all the bells
and whistles. He just really love people. And uh again, I think
Brent is the same mold and he's he's gonna be genuine. And I think
as soon as people get a chance to talk to him and meet him,
they're going to see that right away. You can just learn something about when
you first meet people. I'm when I first met many people, you get
you get an idea of who they are. And I think Brent is completely
genuine and people are gonna love that. Yeah, no question. So you
were you were I'm not I'm not even saying you know this is loosely you
were an actual athlete. You were a baseball player on the of a baseball
team, right, what as a player, what did you want from your
coach in terms of outside of the ability to coach you you know, how
to pitch and how to hit and all that kind of stuff. What were
what were traits you looked for in a coach? And I think you were
you were with with h were you with Stive Kindle? I was with coach
Kindle in his last couple of years there coaching, and the coach STI was
there and coach Wing. You know, I've played for some great coaches.
My my favorite, not my favorite. I mean, I love coach Kindle,
but my high school coach was Kent Winslow, who played a coach at
U of A as well, and just somebody that got the most out of
me and had away to just make practice fun and he he just brought out
the best in me. I don't know what it was, but in high
school, he just knew which buttons to push and it just helped kind of
catapult me with an opportunity to play in college. So that was something that
really I will never forget. And then in college, you know, I
wasn't a star by any means. But I got a chance to play,
and just the opportunity to be on a team and compete and contribute was just
But to play with someone like coach Kendall was amazing because obviously he has such
an amazing track record and just fun to be around that high level of baseball.
Yeah, yeah, no question, We'll see what We'll see what happens.
I'll go ahead. Yeah, well, you know again, you know
me, You know me, right, I mean, you know your dad
and I were ends and for for a long time, and you know,
I'm one of those guys who's been, you know, hanging on to those
hanging on to those years, you know, as a fan, waiting for
another guy like that to come along. Can't you know, can that?
Can that put too much on on on Brent Brandan though you know that people
have some expectation of that. I mean, how do how do we as
fans avoid doing that to him? Right? Well? I heard Brent say
today. I think it was a quote of of the I think he was
sorry of the team talking about the level of responsibility feels, you know,
heavy weighted responsibility because he is he's standing in the halls of a place that
of his mentor and the guy that shaped him as a coach, and he's
kind of handed him the keys from heaven. So it's like, I think
Brent's gonna feel an extreme sense of I got to get this thing right,
you know, So I doubt. I have no doubt he's gonna do that.
I think it's just gonna, you know, obviously, when everything shakes
out with the roster and the transfers and what he's left with. I think
hopefully we're we got a good, good team that doesn't look too much different
than it did last year. So but again, it's, uh, I
think you're gonna everybody's gonna have fun. He's gonna bring an exciting brand of
football, and he's uh, he's gonna be a fun guy to have around
press conferences. So no, I know when you're still a fan f down
here every now and again. Uh. And we had Ortis on yesterday.
Uh, did you watch this past year? Did you watch the games?
I did? Okay, So hold that hold that thought, Uh, I
asked, he's joking? League? Does I know that Jay was liked this
question? Who was better ninety eight or last year? Oh? I I
honestly think that ninety eight team. I don't know. I think if there
was the same format as this as I think that team was a national championship
team, I really do. I mean that defense, he just can't.
There's just no way that that defense is and that that offense. I mean,
it was just a complete team. But again, you would love to
see that matchup for sure. Yeah, that'd be fun. It'd be fun.
What would what if you would your dad have thought of this year?
You know, it's because this is possible. It's possible to do well here
the problem with Arizona football and it just hasn't sustained it, right, Yeah,
he would have been so happy. I mean, honestly, I am
so proud of of what Jed pulled together in a very short time. He's
still he did a great job. I don't I don't begrudge him at all
for for taking the opportunity. I think he he saw this and it is
an opportunity. His track record shows he does stuff like this, So that's
fine. But I I congratulate him and I wish him well, and I
had a chance to get to know him a little bit. But uh,
I really think, hey, we're in a good spot. And uh,
we got the right guy in the door. So this is gonna be great.
So does uh we didn't even introduce you correctly and saying that you're you're
with the Positive Coaching Alliance up and up in Phoenix, so you you see
coaches and you deal with coaches and whatnot. Is it is it gonna be
nice to have Brent a little closer to your to where you're at. Oh
yeah, Brent, I'm so excited. I mean I I spent a lot
of time with Brent over the years. We've talked, and uh, just
just gonna be tremendous. Feels like family. I mean, Brent always says
my dad was like his football dad, you know, basically kind of folded
him. And so Brent still calls me a lot and we talk and you
know, like he said, he thinks about him every day, and so
I have no doubt we'll just uh we'll have a I'll be down in Tucson
a lot more. I think that's great, all right, no question?
All right? Rich? All right, thanks Rich, thanks a much,
man, Guys, I really appreciate it. Say hated the family. I
can't believe how old they got. So anyways, I will again, I
will thanks Chris. No good stuff, good stuff? You know again,
I don't know, I mean it. And would we find somebody out there
who says Brent Brennan's is not a great guy. Where would you find somebody
like, well, that's so funny. Think about it in life. Let's
assume you let's assume I'm dead, You're dead, wil Mesard, and you
have someone speak. I think how many people can live their lives and say
not have somebody say he was just a bad dude, you know when they're
doing Not very many, not very many, not very many, and you
won't at the end of the day. Don't you want that? I think
my line would be relatively long that would say, you know, yeah,
yeah, he was a pain pain, he was right. Sorry, we
run out of time. We got the point. We'll get into that later.
Ready to talk to Jay exactly. If you had to cut call and
say what a turd I am good? Feel free to do that. All
right, Hey, we'll take your calls five two zero four once say,
seventy four forty got some more clips to play from the from the press conference.
By the way, I got a Texas morning very early, and I
think I know who influenced you. Oh well you you didn't get the text
off? Had you got your text from your your brother from the long thing?
Yeah, he's in the hospital. He just had back surgery, so
he's got nothing going on. He's got nothing going on, and he doesn't
have all the channel all the TV channels, so he's writing very very long
text messages. Yes, yes, but he's back on board. He says,
okay, okay, good, yeah, all right, we'll be right
back. If you're an Arizona Man's basketball fan, you know it's been successful
for nearly forty years. Now take a look back at the Ludolsen era.
In my new book, Lessons from Loot, it was a labor of love
through the eyes of twenty five former players, coaches, and friends to give
insight to the coach and the man who led them, competed against them,
and inspired them twenty five chapters for his twenty five years as Arizona's beloved coach.
Lessons from Loot is an insight to how he built the program into a
national powerhouse. What one email me at Steve dot RIVERA ninety five at gmail
dot com. Ki. This is former Wildcat Leman Huntly with Arizona Health,
imagine how home GM can change your health, your comfort, and your time.
Arizona Health is everything you need to transform your personal space and your life.
We off a complete line of cardio machines, multi gms and freeway equipment.
I'll certify fitness experts and technicians will set you out with the right equipment
and training to get you started to keep you going. Visit our shure room
today at twenty second in Wilmot. Arizona Health the lead edge and exercise equipment.
What's your goal a new career or career advancement? How about transferring to
it For your college? PEMA Community College can help you make Someday today and
reach your goals affordably on your schedule. With over one hundred programs to choose
from and financial laid available, it's time to earn the degree or certificate you
need to prepare for the career you want. PEMA offers free career exploration classes
so you can choose the field that's right for you. Learn how at PEMA
dot edu. Slash Someday Heat compare work in a state up with the new
year, we usually make resolutions to be healthier water quality in your home can
help you achieve healthy living goals. I'm Rounderinas with Picture Rocks, Cooling,
heating and Plumbing. We offer solutions to filter the water in your house that
you drink, shower, and cook with every day. For clean and healthy
water, call five two zero four to four zero or zero six nine Chips
and Rosy Cheating and Pluming. Do you want to be part of a winning
team? A Team Security is looking for free only outgoing event security guards and
event staff to be a part of our team. We've been providing our outstanding
services to some of Arizona's biggest sporting events and concerts for over twenty years.
We want you to join the action. A Team offers a fun and exciting
opportunity to work in the sports and entertainment industry, with flexible schedules that are
perfect for those looking for a part time job or a second income. Come
be a part of a winning team the A Team apply online today at a
Team security dot net. Steve Bravera and Jacob Salaz they have their Eye on
the Ball on Tucson's sports stag chat. Fox Sports fourteen fifty Hey, welcome
back to Eye the Ball here all Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve,
He's Jay. Got Sammy with us today, got about thirteen minutes. If
you want to give us a quick call. I'm sure many of you guys
listen to the press conference. What did you feel you heard? In the
meantime, Wait for your hoss. We're going to go over his contract.
Yeah, So the general terms of Brent Brandan's contract we're handed out. He's
starting out with a with a base salary of two point two million a year,
escalating by two hundred thousand dollars a year over five years. So the
average over the five years is two point six. But he also gets a
five hundred thousand dollars annually for you know, fundraising events and activities, and
got yadayada two hundred thousand dollars with a radio agreement and a two hundred thousand
dollars a Nike agreement. Really on average, a three and a half million
dollar contract, which is about, you know, more than more than not
as much as Jet was going to get. We'll go there. Take let's
take this call. Hire on the ar and on the ball. Hey Jay,
Hey primo, this is done. How you do it done? How
are you doing? Say hello to the family. Oh dude, I'm doing
all right. I heard. I heard the press conference actually speaking. You're
breaking your biggest thing that go ahead? I heard? Am I hold on,
I don't know why I'm doing that, right? No, no,
no, no, stay with us, go ahead, just go ahead,
Okay. Well, the biggest thing that I heard was a guy that wants
to be here. Yeah, right, yeah, And I think what Tucson
wants is a guy that will be here, be successful, and be here
for a long time. We we don't want to we don't want to be
a truck stop school of truck stop football school. We don't want to be
a stepping stone for these guys because then it's, you know, we're rebuilding
every four or five years, and that's not that's not good. I've said
it before. I've told you guys before. I would be good with seven
and eight win seasons and every once in a while jump up and grab that
ten win season. What about you, would you? Yeah? You know,
if you look. I was happy with what Dick had done here,
you know, because they were they were decent every year. You know,
they had pretty much all winning seasons. Remember he didn't have a losing season
until his fourth or fifth year, a couple of ten win seasons had a
chance to you know, okay, didn't get to the Rose Bull, but
you know, had chances. That's that's almost what Ducsson should expect at the
at best. At some point though, you're not going to stream together ten
ten wins. At some point though, Jay, if you're going to go
there, people get tired of that. Well, he's got to win a
championship. If Dick had won a championship. Don don't you think if Dick
had won a championship gone to a Rose Bowl, it wouldn't have ended the
way it ended. No, that's that's true. If he if he would
have got a conference championship outright and we would have gone to the Rose Bowl,
he'd have been golden, right, That's the only and then the thing
is is Drem could start out with that. If he keeps most of this
team together, he could start that way. Yeah, and then as long
as he keeps it going, he's going to be Okay. See tell me
what you think to me a number at Arizona that you say, Okay,
if you can get to this every year, you're happy, eight eight wins,
you can win eight games, you go eight for in the regular season,
and like you said, don you know now and again get you know,
playing a conference championship game or something like that. You know, people
will be happy here. People be happy here. And every once in a
while, if you go to the Las Vegas Bowl or if you go to
the Holiday Bowl and every once and you tickle the playoffs every once in a
while, if they keep it at twelve twelve teams for a bunch of years,
that's gonna be fine. Yeah, because I don't think any anybody,
anybody that's in Tucson that thinks that Arizona can come out and start competing with
even the Oklahomas and Texas is that haven't been that great for a long long
time. You know, forget the Alabamas and the Clemsons and Georgia's forget that.
I mean, if we if we were to jump up there and do
that, you know, on a on a one year thing, awesome,
that'd be like ninety seven with the So let's let me go there. But
let me go there with both of you guys. Okay, let's switch switch
the script on go basketball. If they do what consistently, if they do
what, get to the final four, it's final four. It's final four.
You delusional. You guys are delusional. That's why I asked the question.
I think if you're Arizona, the expectation is you get to the final
four every few years long. The thing is, the thing is, the
thing is is what what? That? What games? The final four being
the target means you're getting to the regional final every couple of years. You're
in the round of thirty two in a competitive game against a really good team,
that they get to the final four, that we don't lose to the
guy that loses in the next round. That's that's the thing is Arizona,
most most people in Tucson are are are smart enough to realize if we lose
to the champion, well, you know, and we play and we played
toomy Ball like they didn't want to play us again, that's gonna be good
enough. We're gonna go. Dude. We took them to the fourth quarter,
we took them to the last possession. You put back to football.
Yeah, no, I get it. I get it. I still think
that the Arizona fan is unrealistic and they want more. Yes, everybody wants
more. Who doesn't want more? Fishes at Washington. I'm saying you guys
are unrealistic. All right, No, no, I'm not. I'm not
unrealistic. I'm telling you I'm settled for a win seasons there and every once
in a while you jump up into the double digits. I'm cool with that.
I think a lot of people are you just you know, if you're
competitive. Everything, okay, done. One thing, one thing I'm very
not cool with is Tommy Lloyd congratulating Jetfish on making a decision for him and
his family and that he's great. That's that's mallargy. That was bad.
That was bad on first round Tommy, first round. Tommy's got to cut
that out. He needs to apologize for that. Guys a bunch of bit
all right, don appreciate what did he tell what you first round time?
Tommy? Well he's only been twice. Let's go back to this. So
here's the con So really it's with with the with the what they call peripheral
compensation, it's an average of three and a half million, which it seems
about right for a guy. It's kind of moving up. It's kind of
a very inexpensive. We got but guests, and I was I posted the
contract on the Facebook and a couple of weeks. Wow, look at that.
Look at that. But in relation to the Big twelve, it doesn't.
It's low on the tote exactly. He's got He's got some other some
other incentives from getting know, getting me the playoff, winning a conference championship,
other postseason participation, a coach of the Year, final top ten rankings,
a number of things, plus grades and things like that. He can
that, he can make some more money. Let's take this call. Hi
are on the air and I on the ball. Hey guys, how you
doing the powerward? What do you think? More? Yeah, more than
anything, I'm glad for Jed. I am because he's going to a school
that doesn't have the overhead of US where we're a basketball school period and Washington,
in my opinion, arguably the least basketball school in Bay twelve, I
mean, the Pack twelve. Do you think that bothered him or why do
you bring that up? Do you think that was a problem? Well no,
but but I'm just saying, and let's put let's put it in Arizon
terms, because I know a lot of people that had both uh season tickets
for basketball football. It's what they got rid of. First football football,
and then Joe sixpacket and they didn't have good seats on one. And then
of course I knew more wealthy people that have both. But but this is,
this is this is a basketball if you want to face you know and
me just me talking about you know me, I'm gonna go to a basketball
game twenty times before I go to one football game. Yeah. No,
I hear you, I hear you. No, you're you're You're about right.
I mean it. I mean, I hate it when people call Arison
a basketball school. But I understand why they say that because I because I
do think when if football is rolling, you know, it's it's different because
they're like, I mean, we rolled this year and it still wasn't.
Well it wasn't And that was the thing, you know that that people are
still waiting to see. Sure, right, sure, you never know if
he would be doing good in the in the Big Ten and then us doing
But I think Tommy's got a brighter future than Jed does in his new league
period, and I think Tommy's Tommy's the one that we have. I would
I would flicking be like Tom Arnold when uh, when loude Olsen left Iowa
Tom Arnold, the actor. He freaked out because he oh, I remember
that, but I don't. I don't remember that. But he well he's
he he he. Basically Tom Arnold's a little older than Jay even because I
remember him talking about it. This is years ago. Again, he was
probably in one of those college guys in twenty four years old. He was
there. He freaked out, and and and and the legend of Loot didn't
even really get made until he was at the U of A. Okay,
all right, Howard hey Man, thanks a bunch, appreciate it. Yep.
You know, look, Arizona is who they are financially. This is
a step up for Brent Brandan. And I don't know what his contract was
at San Jose, but you know he's accepted this contract and you know he's
good to go. And you know, as as you said when we first
when we first talked about this off air, you know, if he does
well, it'll get it'll get bumped up and bumped around, just like just
like a dead Jeds was. That's the thing that people forget. The Jed
got a contract extension after last year. Yeah, a contract extension and a
raise another one. You know, people saying, oh, well, you
know they didn't do it fast enough. Well, yes they did. It
was done. He just didn't sign the damn thing, so what the hell?
Oh another key, another key piece of this though, is the the
assistant coaches, uh poor salary four points Like it's like a million dollars more
than what what Jed was getting four point two five million dollars per year over
five years. Interesting how that's negotiated into a coach's contract. Mm hmmm.
Well they're saving money. They're saving money with the Jed stuff giving some of
that to the assistant coach, right, and then that might have been party.
He said, look, I'll take this, but you got to give
me some more for my coaches. And uh, well we'll we'll play this
clip after the after the top of the Arkans right out of time. But
he did say that Dwayne Keen's coach. He talked a little bit about his
coaching staff. In that same clip, he talked a little bit more about
about about uh, you know what, they're trying to put his coaching staff
together. But he had talked a little bit more about you know what,
who was the gun he was he was talking to the guns assistant he brought
Ben or something. I can't remember. He was, Yeah, but he's
he's you know, it's it takes a little time to get these guys coming.
We're gonna have some announcements on the breaking news right about taking some of
the guys already on three or four of the guys, and we'll have breaking
news from my guy here on the other side. So strike up the music,
bed man, let's go, let's get out of here, all right,
all right, all right, there we'll be back breaking news from a
excuse me from Sammy, and then we'll have Jason Johnson, quarterback from the
late nineties early eighties who was here when Brent Brandon. Jerson'll stick around for all that