Streaming live I the iHeartRadio WAP. This is Eye on the Ball with Steve
Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen to fifty. Hey, welcome back
toy the Ball here Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve, He's Jay.
Now we have sid with breaking news. Eye on the Ball, Breaking News,
all right, So we're gonna obviously start off talking about some of the
college football news that's going on right now. With the transfers. We've already
seen Alabama's lead receiver Isaiah Bond he's transferring. And then with Washington, they're
running back has declared. Obviously o'dunzee has declared. We'll see how many of
those guys leave as well. But I expect there to be some big names
in the portal, just like coaches. I mean, it's club, Like
we said, college football right now, it's a business, guys. We're
going to try to find opportunities that they're they're all conference. Cornerback Jabar Mohammad
jumped in the jumped in the transfer port as as as the Jeff Skirts said
within the hour, I mean it just started happening fast. Uh So,
yeah, they're they're losing guys in Alabama's losing guys. Because again to remind
folks, the transfer portal window had closed. But if your coach leaves the
n C DOUA a policy is that your your team gets a thirty day window
to decide whether or not you're gonna transfer. Could we see a local kid
I wanted to come back? Well that was I saw a funny thing.
Uh, somebody posted a thing of a meme of somebody going, you know,
come back, come back, say Elijah Rushing come back? Well he
was the other kid, I mean will Hi Will, No, But Elijah
Rushing I think did he go to Oregon? Did he follow his brother?
I think Elijah Rushing went to not like the other kid, the cruise cruise
Rushing. Oh he went somewhere. I think he went to Washington. Yeah,
he transferred somewhere. He's yeah, but yeah, but no, Elijah's
that You're right, Elijah's at Oregon. But it was you're right, it
was Keon Will had I confused. But then also though Elijah Rushing talk was
happening because the damn lanning right. So yeah, there's gonna be bodies moving,
bodies moving. Yeah, it's always been a business, but now it's
kind of escalated into a business because the kids are getting button bade and everybody's
getting paid. Stick. Sticking with that business talk from Wesley Steinberg, he
reported that Caleb william wants assurance that the Bears are going to trade the first
pick before he declares they're not. Have we ever seen anything like this?
Yeah, it's just when when Eli Manning got drafted, he said, I'm
not playing for the Giants and when and when? Uh no, no,
no, John Elway he got he got drafted by who drafted him, but
he said, I'm not playing for them either. Was it the Colts?
It might have yes, the Colts, and he said, I'm not you
know, I'm not playing for With Eli Manning, it was the Colts that
drafted him. He said, I'm not playing for the Colts because the end
went went to the Giants and then Elway, I can't remember. He said,
I'm not playing for them, and they traded the pick to the Broncos
that they picked them, and then they traded it. But no, it's
yes, this happens. And uh, you know what, Caleb Williams,
you weren't that good this year to be making those kinds of demands as far
as I'm considered, right, it's insane because now there's there's talk about him
somehow coming back again, and now I feel like, if he comes back,
how is he going to perceive be perceived in the locker room with dudes
that aren't doing what he's doing, that are there to play for USC.
So this we'll see if there's more athletes down the line, college athletes that
go through the same thing that Caleb Williams is going through, just because of
the amount of attention that they bring to themselves when when they're on those campuses.
I mean, Caleb Williams that I guess he's basically a celebrity USC at
this point, right, Yeah, I mean I think it's gonna you know,
normal. But you know, these guys have money too. You know,
they're getting their money already, So if they don't want to they don't
like the situation, then they don't like the situation. But I just hate
that. You know, Look, you know, you're you're, you're you're
fortunate to be in a position to play in the National Football League, and
you're gonna start saying, well, I don't want to play for you,
I don't want to play for you. I don't play for you. It's
like, you know what, then don't play go go you know, go
go go work at Chick fil a or something. I don't care to get.
Sunday's off right, exactly exactly exactly. Then you can watch all the
NFL games you want tickets. Speaking of an opposite situation, quarterback Casey Thompson
is going to play his seventh college season this year. He's playing. He
just transferred to Oklahoma. That's like the second dude that's gonna get seven years.
Because I was telling you you because you're in school for a little while,
and I was in school, I would take seven years and say,
because the real world sucks, I'm stay in school for seven years. I
can well, if I could get to be in the school for seven years,
I wouldn't mind doing grants, baby grants. I needed I needed money,
man, I needed money. I was tired of working at Spencer's.
Moving it to some u of a sir. Here's the Heather Thomas poster.
I'm sure you liked it. The candy pants is blessing. Anyways, you
have a football news here. Tane o'clock and uh accepts his Senior Bowl invite.
I feel like for most of the season he was he was kind of
an unsung hero for us. At times he was he was key the tight
end for you of a has kind of hasn't been there since Grockett. I
just wanted to touch on him here and and let know that he was a
big part of me. He was a huge part of it. He was
huge, kind of like the third or fourth guy mentioned that high because I
really because when they needed him, he made some he made came, he
had just tough hit, took something. Yeah, but he's in the Senior
Bowl with Jordan Morgan and Jacob Cowing, so they got Arizona's got three guys
in there. When I was a little kid, I loved watching those All
Star games. I did as I sit there and look for the for the
helmets. Yep, right, the helmets of the Arizona guy because they all
wear the same uniform. Then they bring their own helmet, and I thought
it was cool as hell to see an Arizona guy playing in those games.
And I'd look for their look for their helmets. Yeah, so good,
good for him. He had a great year. He had a great make
some money. He's gonna make some money. You'll you'll go somewhere you will
find it. Moving into some college basketball talk, I'm sure most of you
guys have seen them as they lost ninety to forty four last night, Steve.
That was like I couldn't I couldn't take my eyes off it. It
was like what it is like watching a car wreck. I turned it on
and I couldn't stop watching it. I was getting texts. I wasn't watching
it, but I was getting text on people. So how bad is you
say it? Well, they're bad. Look, Yeah, it's hard to
feel sorry for a guy like that. Truthfully, he was pretty. He
was pretty even killed when he talked to Ben Boltch after the game. But
then I saw the the quick ad I want to talk to the A D
and blah blah blah. Yeah, who's going to be back and who's not?
Yeah, you know, I'll tell you. Look, I have seen
him firsthand with my eyes do bad things to his play. Oh, I'm
sure, because you're right on sidee. Well, not only there, but
at the PAC twelve tournament. I've just seen him say some things to his
players that you go, why would you play for him? Why would you
ever play for now? You've seeing it and now you're seeing what's happening.
What one, guys aren't going to play for him because he does He's got
no guys. He's having to recruit international players who don't know who he is.
So, okay, let me say that. Say that because you've seen
a lot of things, and we've talked about a lot of things. You
know, my guy, George Ratlings has probably said a few things some other
guys, you know, other coaches. You're on the opposite side of Sean.
Where at any point, maybe at the PAC twelve tournament, were you
on his side to se Sean, Yeah, and did you see or here
he I didn't see him do and say those things. I've heard him yell,
and I've heard him cuss and get pissed, but I didn't. I
didn't see him be rate players the way Mick Cronan does. Never did,
not with my own eyes, okay, not with my own eyes. He
seemed he's he to me. He always seems so zeroed in on the game
and what was the next player to call and what was the next thing to
do. Now I know he had that thing with Caleb Tarzuski, but that's
the only thing that sticks out to me remembering that. I mean, yeah,
is there that one video where he's where you see his uh mouthing the
words catch the effing ball? You know he he was yelling that at a
player. Yes, but you know, uh, you know, I've I've
seen Mitt Cronin tell a player that he's the worst basketball player he's ever seen.
Well, now, you know, honestly you could if you're gonna do
this to me, I'll show you. In fact, I texted that's to
somebody. I'll show you. You want to hit it to right field,
I want to strike out hell with you. And he's doing that, you
know, at the Pactroff Tournament in front of fifteen twenty people. Right,
what's it like at a practice? Yeah, no, no, no,
I get it with the lights where the cameras aren't onne, Right, what's
it like at a practice? Well, we saw. And again, if
I hadn't seen this for myself, I would be saying, well, you
know, they say he's a bad guy, but you know, I don't.
I know he's a bad guy. I've seen him be a bad guy,
and I don't know how that flies. And and you know, if
that's the case, how does he get another job when they know they're in
the last place, Steve, Yeah, Well, come on, we've seen
we've seen bad dudes get some good coaching jobs. Dave Bliss, for for
God's sake, got a new job after he was at Baylor in the high
school level. And they killed a guy over there, right, I mean,
there's hey for for what it's worth, I think the world of Kildon
Sampson. Uh. And he was here and here and got in trouble both
places. Now he's got Houston in the right direction, right, I'm doing
the country. Yeah, yeah, No, forty six points man, forty
six, forty seven, it's the second worst, ninety four, second worst.
I'm I'm a little upset that that. I know, at one point
they were down by fifteen. I'm a little upset that didn't finish down by
got hit a three pointer at the Yeah, kind of, I was a
little upset by that. I was rooting for that. It has a ninety
point putting ninety points on someone in the college game, now, is right?
Right? That was that was That was ugly. But you know,
somebody texted me and said, are you are you watching UCLA game? And
I'm like, okay, and I turned it on like I got finished watching
this. It was crazy. I watched it from twelve minutes on, just
to see if they lost fifty, just to watch bad basketball, just to
watch to see the train wreck. Yeah, no, no, that it
was I could I couldn't pull my eyes away. I watched I know you
probably have a lot stuff, but I watched the party sneak of breaking news
on this for you. I watched the Clara Yeah. And do you have
that domb ball? Yeah, go ahead, Yeah, Dowmbo ball hit the
gaming shot yesterday to beat Gonzaga. So this was the Damba ball was here
when you were here obviously, because yeah, yeah, and I'm thinking Adamo
Ball because he was already playing. And I saw Adamo Ball. He's like
thirty years old. It didn't it seem like he was here a long time
ago. Yes, yeah, but he's only he's only gone a couple of
years. And you know what, and that what that tells me is that
Mark Few asked, uh, Tommy Lloyd, you know, is the damaballa
guy that you know can help me, and that Tommy Lloyd probably put in
a good word for him. Well, Dambo ball is not with Gonzega.
Oh it's at Clara. You're right, Okay, I got I got myself
confused, okay, then said, disregard what I just said. He was
a good he was a good dude here. But but you know he was
he was good good friends with uh Philip. I believe they both came in
around the same time. Yep. Uh. But he Sean, He Sean
and him never worked out. And there was the other guy that was really
thin, guy that was pretty good, and then he had to get kicked
off and he moved somewhere else and got kicked off. I have to come
up with a name. Somebody will probably text me. Sean knew how to
how to recruit, there's no question about that. Yeah. Just they couldn't
play for him either. Well, there's certain you know, that's the beauty
of the transferport. That's the good side. Find a place that you can't
play. Who's the guy who's like on his fifth school the guard for who
he Well, he was at Arizona. Couple, he was at Arizona three
schools. There's a couple. There's one he's an Albuquerque. Yeah, that
guy he went to Prisnol State. Yeah, it was an Albuquerque. The
shooter could shoot it. Yeah that guy uh uh uh Jared, Yeah,
bigger Baker Baker, Right, he was a big school Baker. He went
to Prisonel State and then he went to the Mexico. I haven't heard his
name in New Mexico very much, but I'll check. Yeah. When when
I heard that he was still playing, I was shocked. I did not
and I know he was still playing. He was still around. What else
you got, kid? Uh? I just got some NBA stuff that's super
interesting. So there was an NBA report that show that there's no link between
load management and having a less injuries. Oh, somebody did a study.
Yeah there's yeah, all right, Jamal Baker, jam Baker there he is
a regine seven points a game? How many minutes? Ten twenty one?
Yeah, he's playing. That means he's playing a bunch. He was here.
Was he here during that COVID year? Right? Yeah? I think
so. I think that was the year Kim and Hazard and all those guys.
I think you know, yes, yes, yeah. Finishing up with
some NFL injury news, Devonte Smith was a full participant in practice. Is
what about what about the Baker Beefield Is he gonna play. He do you
want to like it? Looks like he looks like he will play. Sam
Laporter for the Lions was another guy that was dealing with a lot of injuries
with his knee and looks like he said he's gonna play whether he has to
wear a brace or not, so we might see him with the brace on.
A j. Brown was one of the Eagles that didn't practice, and
obviously Jillen Hurts is continuing to recover with his finger. We'll see how that
goes. But yeah, NFOs, this is when you need to be healthy.
So we'll see, we'll see. All right, Okay, let's hit
it. We're gonna have Greg Hanson come on and we'll just kick around some
of all this stuff that's been going on all week. You know, Greg
did some time up in the Northwest, so we'll see what some of his
thoughts on the Washington job. But man, it's been a crazy week.
Let's stick around. The windows Depot is more than a windows store. The
window Depot is a one stuff warehouse with everything you need for your complete Homer
model shot. The aisles of pre built cabinets in a variety of colors,
granite and courts, countertops, sinks, skylights and hardware. To complete your
project, need a custom order, We can help. Our designers offer free
design services and can special order everything you need for your kitchen our bathroom Today.
Shop the window Deepot dot com or find a location near you. The
Window Depot more than a windows store. Steve Rivera here to talk about Dorato
Rock Materials. I needed a lot of gravel for my driveway, so I
called Eric at Dorato 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 Materials provides a wide range of landscaping materials, including decorative 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 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 to serve the
best you deserve. Arizona House the leading edge in exercise equipment on twenty second,
just west of Wilmot. Did you know sports cards at Memorabilia are setting
record sales last month of nineteen fifty two tops Mickey Mantle So for twelve point
six million, Lebron James Rookie So for five point six Also, collecting cards
is a family fun 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. At 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 voltpeteam
dot com. That's volpe team dot com or call five to zero six five
six two six Today in MLS three oh eight seven Arizona BKO Ninez two nine
four two Equal Housing Opportunity, how to commitment to Lindric syncredit rates and available
loan programs or subjects to change with unice Hey Southern Arizona is twenty twenty four.
It's a new year, so it's time that recognize your employees, salespeople,
managers, team members and agents with a creative award for the great job
they did in twenty twenty three. So come visit our beautiful showroom with over
a thousand it institutes from located at two twenty eight West Dractmen 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. It's that time of year, Summer in Tucson. Time to take
control with temperature control for all your air conditioning needs. Will 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 responds, affordable pricing
and sound solutions. We also excel in a plumbing and electrical word. We
handle every thing 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. Gout
bugs, termites, viz or 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.
Arizona Pass Control get rid of your bad bugs, termites, bees, or
rodents serving Tucson and Southern Arizona since nineteen forty seven. Go to azypast dot
com to schedule your free evaluation today. This is I on the Ball with
Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the
podcast on the iHeartRadio app Just Surgery. I on the Bar. Hey,
welcome back to joining the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve
Rivera. He's Jacobs. Ask Now on the phone, we have Greg Canson
from the Arizona Daily Star. Greg, how you doing. Hey, good
to talk to you guys. Some of the best times to cover a team
as a beat guy, and probably as it comes are are when teams are
on the rise or when they're on the fall, right because you have the
best stories to talk about or to write about. I know you're not writing
as often, but are you missing something internally as a professional, given what's
going on now at the University. I was thinking about that early today that
I'm sure glad that I'm not on the Jed Fish Watch because you know how
they were, you fin sure, sure, Yeah, no doubt. Well,
it's been a crazy week, and you know, because of what Fish
has done, you know, his name's in the middle of this. But
first, you know, just your thoughts on on Saban, your thoughts on
on Bellichick, you know, even Pete Carroll to a degree, and then
just the massive change that we're going to see next football season almost unprecedented.
Don't you think I couldn't think of anything to match it. But during this
whole week, I've been going back to Dick Tomy because and you guys probably
remember this, they went ten and two, they were the best defensive team
in the country. Oklahoma had an opening and you knew they were coming after
Tomy And when they finally called him, he said, why don't you talk
to my defensive coordinator Larry McDuff. Wow, So how many guys like out
there? We'll see that. And that's the thing, Greg, and we're
you know, we were talking about this at the at the start of the
show. You know, people are losing their minds over. Oh they're gonna
come and get jet Fish. You're gonna come and get jet Fish. Well,
you know what, there's nothing Arizona can do about that. If Washington
wants to, Washington's gonna come and get him, no matter if the contract,
his contract is done or not, So stop worrying about it. And
if he leaves, he leaves. And you know, and the people are
saying, well, why wouldn't he stay? Look, Lut and Dick were
the outliers, right, yes, the name other coaches that wouldn't leave for
you know, in a heartbeat, Larry Smith. Everybody thought Larry Smith was
here, and in a heartbeat, he was gone to USC. That's the
exception, not the rule. Ask you something, how big of a shock
was it for Larry to leave under the conditions? I think it was a
huge shock. As I recall, Greg, what do you remember, Yeah,
we'd just fallen back from the Aloha Bow in Honolulu. That night plane
stopped in Los Angeles and Larry and his wife got off, went right to
USC and the night before we've been in and hospitality suite in Honolulu with Cheryl
walked in and we all started doing the Trojan two fingers thing and just laughed
and laughed about it. And she got real serious and said, Arizona cannot
pay, cannot offer Larry a multi year contract, and USC can offer him
four years. So what do you think is going to happen? She told
us before it, I was just gonna happen, So you kind of had
a hint of it. Yeah, and he, you know, he cried
about it. He didn't He actually didn't want to leave, and I don't
think he wanted to live in Los Angeles, but the money was so different
then. I mean, that's forty years ago. Yeah, and that was
just silly, isn't it. It is silly, but you know, from
a fan standpoint, yeah, I was stunned. I'm like, I like,
why would you want to leave? And then I was like, well,
it's USC. You know. Okay, I'm driving a Camry, but
somebody's going to drive up in a Corvette. I'm taking the Corvette, right.
Oh And Larry, who could never get a corps back, goes to
USC and gets Rodney Pete, who he couldn't get get the three Rose bowls.
Yeah, okay, Greg, to me, that would be the that
would be the allure more than the money as the players you can get.
Yeah, okay, let's speculate, since that's what everybody's doing, speculating.
What would it in your mind, based on what you know and whatever we
all know about Jed Fish, what would it take for him for somebody to
be able to lure him out of here? You know, right now,
let's say next week? But what what? What would have to happen?
This may come off as sounding too simple, but I think it would be
if Washington had a stacked roster like they had coming into this year and he
knew he could win right away. Because if you go to Washington, now
what they lost their whole offense. Yeah, you're probably going to go seven
or five in the Big ten next year, and it's you're not going to
be that popular even though you make ten million dollars. I think that's a
huge component. And would you trade that for Arizona looking like they could go
ten and two next year? No? No, I brought that point up
Greg with Loot. Loot left when he left Iowa in eighty or eighty two,
whatever was eighty two. For eighty three, they had players and they
had a new arena going on, and he left, which was a huge
shock, and he came to dust bowl no talent Arizona. Yeah, I
know you don't like that term, but used to it. Yeah, you
don't have to get personal with the dust ball stuff. Okay, that's all
I'll say. It's no longer dust ball. It's just a little bit a
little dusty, but you know what I'm saying. That was another outlier where
he came to somewhere and he built it, and he was comfortable with the
build. Yeah, I mean he was old school though. I think jud
Fish have some Loot Jeans in him and Tommy Jeans in him. Where he
likes the build. He likes the ceiling of accomplishing something. He might prove
me wrong in twenty four hours, but yeah, like a genuine person.
But he also has that stacked line that plays eighteen of twenty twe twelve.
That's it because you know the other thing, the other factor you mentioned is,
let's you know, Washington, there's no way they can be as good
last year as they were this year, and now they're going over to the
Big ten and what's that? What that's going to look like? I don't
see him. He could take a job. He you know, he could
take a pro job or whatever. I don't see him going to Washington.
Everybody's throwing his name out there on that one, and it's you, well,
we've all done it right. We come up with our own guests.
We say those are those guys are candidates, And nobody ever really told us
that those guys were candidates. We just think that they're logical, and it's
logical to throw him in the mix. You. I think the PAC twelve
is a good good education on this kind of job situations because you look back
at two of the most successful coaches impact twelve football. Rich Brooks built Oregon
from nothing from nothing to Rose Bowl. He jumps to the Saint Louis Cardinals
and gets fired in two years. Yeah. And then how about Tyrone Willingham.
He takes a bad Stanford program to the Rose Bowl, jumps to Notre
Dame the next year, and gets fired in three years. Yeah. So
the expectations, expectations are mountainous. Well, let's give you this scenario because
every year Domino's fall right depends how big the job is and how far it
trickles down. So so Jed stays he does well. Again, these are
all assumptions and the Florida job tanks next year. Yeah, oh yeah,
that's the one. That's the one. To me, that would be the
one. Yeah, that's not even no brainer. And if you're an Arizona
fan, how coy you be pissed it? No? Right, no,
I mean Arizona fan will be pissed at it, but how can you That's
why all the mood talk today right now is probably moved, but we won't
know until it happens or not doesn't happen. And look, if he if
he goes to the Big Twelve, wins the Big Twelve, they get bracketed
to playing the Rose Bowl, and they're playing the Rose Bowl, and then
he leaves, you'll be happy. I'm happy. I'm happy. I'm happy.
You know one thing, I don't know if you guys have done much
research on the Big Twelve next year, but they've got like seven teams that
are going to open the year in the top twenty five Iriwish State, Kansas,
West Virginia. Yeah, that's gonna be really tough. But guests,
who's at the top of that heap Utah, Utah and Arizona, right,
Greg. None of those teams scare me, really, They don't you know,
I'm a good way to put it. Even with you know, the
years that USC was bad and then you even UCLA as bad as they were,
you always thought they had better players in Arizona, Oregon and Washington.
With those four guys all gone and out of the way, there isn't anybody
in the Big twelve that you know that draws fear into me Utah at the
most, right, and then look what Look what Arizona did the Utah this
last season. So I'm I'm very optimistic that what these guys can do going
into the Big five, and not just next year. I'm talking long haul.
There isn't a Washington or in Oregon that they've got to recruit against over
there. Yeah, that's you know, And they've got so much of the
southern California recruiting market to themselves now, right, you know. I looked,
I looked at you know, how they have They've taken so much advantage
of the Polynesian recruiting market. I looked at all the Big Twelve coaching staffs
this week. There are only two Polynesian assistant coaches in the entire league,
and they're probably so they're not recruiting those guys. Yeah, they're probably at
Utah and by uh oh wait BYU has four, b YU has four right,
but still in Kansas State has won. Yeah, So I mean yeah,
I mean I from from a competitive standpoint, I like Arizona's position in
the Big twelve better than I've ever liked it in the Pact twelve because those
four schools always seemed to be in the way. And then Stanford came along
and was good for a whole bunch of years. You know, ASU was
good for a few years. It's like Oregon State got good for a few
years. You know, they went to a Fiesta Bowl and stuff, it's
like, and yet it was always hopeless against you know, those those four
who are now gone off to the Big Dead. And so I feel better
about where Arizona is from a football standpoint, going not just like you said
next year, but for the long haul. Now, I'm not looking forward
to road trips to Waco and Lubbuck and still Water in those places, and
I'm probably not can even go to those places. But you know, you
just don't, I mean, don't you feel that Arizona's in a better competitive
position over there? Oh one? You know what Arizona's conference record was in
the in it's forty five years in the Pac twelve even maybe well so little
listen even Yeah, yeah, I know you would think, wouldn't you say,
think they go to the Big twelve, they can get it up to
sixty percent? Yeah, yeah, I would think. Let's talk about basketball
where I can't wait. It's can't come soon enough. Just this week you
saw all the upsets in the league. Kansas, Houston. All these teams
are gonna be BI State neck and Nick, Nick and Nick every and that's
every week you're gonna wonder can they survive this weekend I watched part of that
Iowa stayed upset over Houston. Yeah, that that look like that. That
is tougher than any Pack twelve arena other than McHale winning Hilton call us him.
Come on, come on it, poly Pavilion, Greg, come on,
they're losing by fifty over there. Yeah, go there next week when
there's about eleven hundred people. Yeah, but no, you're right. I
mean the basketball thing is that that's you know, Arizona fan is gonna have
to have a different mindset about that as well, because they're gonna have to
get used to losing. Confer its game, jepardy your enthusiasm quickly, Yeah,
because you're not in the Pac twelve anymore. Well, Kansas went to
Central Florida and got beat. Yeah. Yeah, per year they have to
go to Central Florida. Wow, right, right, it's gonna be fun.
And well let's talk about this year and then three and a Elvins we
have left. What do you see? It's no surprise though. I don't
think people know enough to say that winning on the road at any point is
a safe thing, because you know, Greg, you were on the road
a lot together the Washington State when there's no people in the stands, that's
when everysons struggled the most. It wasn't the Organs when it was crazy.
It was the Washington States that that famous game one hundred and fourteen to one
hundred and eleven. I think Washington State went three and fifteen in the league
that year and there was nobody there, remember yep, yep, and then
Oregon State. You know, but this weekend, Washington State's better than what
we don't think because we think Washington State, but they'd be USC on the
road, so who knows. Yeah, I was watching the Utah game last
night, and and the TV announcers Corey Williams is one of them. They
were trying to make a case for Utah being the second best time I heard
that is not true. Okay, wait wait who is? Who is exactly?
It's kind of like, you know, you got to be Yeah,
I saw a projection that I haven't seen them play. This did be the
third team and not even who the second team in the in the tournament would
be? How many teams in the tournament? There was an organ Yeah?
Who else? You tuckets? If Colorado can get it back together? They
lost the A s U come on, and then they went and lost to
cow. It's a strange time, strange time. Yep, yep. So
when are we going to see you again? Man, we catch you,
Michale. He was at a game last week. You were at a game
this week. Greg, Oh, yeah, we set up in the corner.
Now we don't. Bobby Robbins took our seats, remember I do I
do know that. I do know that. And he always brings a different
guest with him. He's he's sitting over there with Francona too. Francona's got
one of those seats right there in the front row. He's gotta sell those
seats for twenty four Yeah, twenty four million, ty million for those ten
times are good, you know, I mean, you know, we we're
hearing all this stuff. And Dave Pegey came out this week and said,
we're not losing any sports and stuff. But Arizona has had troubles financially in
the past, but this one seems worse than ever. What do you think.
I'm wondering if men's men's and women's swimming and men's and women's track make
it five years from now, think so, because if you look at the
Big twelve, there are almost no track teams in the Big twelve. Oh
really okay? And no swimming teams. Oh okay to death march now,
Greg with the analysis, man with the research. Yeah, I mean track
and swimming or pack twelfth centric. Big twelve is football centric. Baseball will
be fun though, right boy. They got some good programs there. Yeah,
and softball, and especially with Oklahoma going to the SEC, we don't
have to deal with them. Yeah, that's true. That'll be nice.
It'll be nice. Hey, Greg, thanks about it for jumping in on
short notice. We do appreciate it. You can. I hope we didn't
pull you off the golf course to do this. You can finish the eighteenth
right now. It's a little cold to be golf. Have you played.
Have you played this week? It's been freezing. I played Tuesday morning it
was freezing. Yeah. Yeah, okay, all right, mister dedication.
Hey, thanks again. Man. We'll see you around. I hope you're
feeling better, Jae, thanks man. Okay, cool, all right,
let's take the break, take our last break, do another read. Don't
know one oday? Right now, we're good one. We're good on that.
So stick around. Last segment of the week. Something you found something,
I found something. Yeah, We've got some stuff that we've been coming
across on social media that'll find conversations coming up. So stick around. If
you're an Arizona men'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
LUT is an insight to how he built the program into a national powerhouse.
Want one email me at Steve dot RIVERA ninety five at gmail dot com.
Hi, this is formal while get Leman Huntley 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 in 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 share 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 a four
year 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 in
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 Pima dot edu
slash someday right here. Here's wishing you a safe and happy new year.
I'm ron Aenus, the owner of Picturerocks, Cooling, Heating and Plumbing.
Don't let heating and plumbing problems spoil twenty twenty four. When you need us,
make a resolution to call five two zero or four zero four zero six
y nine or honest service to the Tucson area. For over twenty two years,
we are proud to serve Picture Ropschooling, Heating and Plumbing. The holidays
are fast approaching. After a difficult year, We're sure everyone could use a
little financial help. Pyramid Federal Credit Union is bringing back to the Holiday Helper
Loan, a low interest, short term loan that can help get you through
the holidays. In support of our community, Pyramid is making our donation to
the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona from each a loan. For more information
or apply online, visit Pyramid seu dot com slash Holiday Helper. All those
are on approved credit Other restrictions may apply. Pyramid Federal Credit Union Insured MCUA.
Do you want to be part of a winning team? A Team Security
is looking for friendly, 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 Rivera and Jacin sALS they have their Eye on the ball on Tucson
Sports Station CHET Fox Sports fourteen fifty. He welcome back to winning the bout
here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty on Steve, He's Jay get sid for next
fourteen hours and our week fourteen hours, fourteen hours it we'll spend the nights.
We'll spend the next fourteen hours in fourteen minutes. I spend one week
or one day Alvelquerque. So if you want to give us a call.
We have that much time? What do you have? Uh? Kind of
a funny thing at We've been talking about how people who are putting the putting
st uf at the base of the Nick Saban statue outside their stadium like he's
dead. Right, He's not dead. But Joel Klatt sort of did a
bit of an of an inventory as best as he could tell from the from
the photo. He sent this out a couple hours ago, but he said,
as best he could he saw thirteen bottles of coke, seven boxes of
Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies, which I guess was a favorite of the coach,
two bottles of wine, one of them empty, two cores lights,
a bag of ice, a Mallard duck, a get Well Soon balloon which
makes no sense, a slice of pizza, a jar of pickles, a
World's Best Bought Boss mug, one bottle of Smirnoff ice, a one dollar
bill and then and a four local gold which I have no idea is if
that's a cigarette or what. But it's just funny. It's like, guys,
he didn't die last I checked. Here's expensive. I'm I have to
make my way over over there. And a goat sign the big goat sign,
so crazy stuff. But the Partridge I thought that was I just it
just struck me as funny that how the how fans are so bought into or
dug into. Is there a go fund me yet? All this stuffy like
go fund me for what he should be funding? The go fund me what
he should be doing. But I'll be interested to see where he goes Steve
uh, you know, obviously saying he'll do some TV work. He'll just
do some TV. Yeah. Do where do good coaches go to die?
They go to die? He doesn't. He doesn't seem to have the personality.
Oh I think he does. You know who does? You know?
Who does Belichick? Because he's finally talking normal, like a normal human being.
I'm sure that the Beat writers there were having a rejoiceful party because now
they don't have to quote a guy saying we'll wait till next week, we'll
play next week. Come on, Really, he did that just to be
petulant, Yeah, purposely you felt that? Could you imagine like that?
Well, if you ever saw him do other interviews right where he was fine,
he comforted with somebody, he was you know, yeah, he was
fine. Well, you can't have a job where you're not like that.
You can't be you can't. You can't be in that job if you don't
have some sort of person you have to you have to. And I think,
like we talked about with Tommy yesterday and he was joking about dealing with
the media, I think it's part of the contract. Not so much maybe
in house radio, but dealing with the media. Guess what, how are
you gonna sell tickets outside of winning? Uh now, we'll see you saw
some of the the stipulations on the uh hekey, hekey, how they're gonna
sell tickets and how they gotta come up with money. You know, you
don't do you pay for your tickets? Maybe someone you guess what, You're
gonna have to dig a little. You're gonna have to to help that.
I'm happy to do it. You're the one. You're the guy, the
only one. You You know that there's gonna be a lot of I mean,
of course, I do not want it going up twenty five percent,
which is what they're you know what Robinson said, It's going to go up,
but I expect to pay more. But if if I pay more and
we get a better product, then well you're going to get that, then
I'm okay, you're going to get that, then I'm okay with you.
I think that you're going to get that. Wow, you hope to get
that. It looks like it. Yeah, you know some And look,
even if Fish doesn't stay, what she's going to he's Fish will be the
coach next year. He will be the coach here next year. Beyond that,
I make no guarant think he would have he would have already been gone.
I think if if he were to have left for this next season,
right, yeah, I don't think he's going anywhere in this uh, in
this coaching cycle. But I do think that I don't know that he's you
know, he'll stay forever, you know. And if if that comes and
Arizona is still a good program at the time, you would think that there
would be a spot or another attractive coach might want to come to. Right
and look, and and he he is provided a blueprint, right you know.
He I mean because of how he's doing this. He he seemed it
seemed like he was the perfect guy for this job at this time. If
the next I can come in and sustain all of that, then fine.
And you didn't know that three years ago. We did not know that when
he got here without what the hell are they doing? You know, this
guy who's never played football and he cut lighting in a bottle, He did
the right way. Two years in you you had some hope, and this
year you had a lot of hope. Yeah. But you know again,
we're so starred for this that you know that the thought of losing it after
such a short time is what got people losing their minds. Here you go
a get Sean Miller's leaving a hole. Who are gonna possibly No? And
that's what I'm saying, if fans are losing their minds. So it's saying
if if, if, if Fish leaves, there's not gonna be anybody like
him. Well, it's like nowadays, I lost my girlfriend, I lost
my wife. No one's gonna ever love me again, guaranteed, Justiny.
It's like the high schoo high school sweethearts, when the when the when they
go to different colleges, she's done coming back killed. No, you know,
you know there's gonna be somebody. There's always somebody has to be.
You to drive a bus, yeah, you ever get on a bus to
get But again, Steve, the thing of it is if you're seniors,
an Arizona fan and you're thinking of job hires, you think of John mckavic
and Kevin something, the people that you hope the lessons are learned. You
hope the people in charge don't screw it up. But you've been on a
bus before. He guess what you missed that bus. Guess what around the
corner, there's another, there's another one. I know, I know,
No, I know. Look, I'm I'm not. I'm not losing my
mind about whether or not Jed's gonna leave. Okay, I'm not. I
mean, I just lectured the fans at the beginning of the the beginning of
the show, forget, just forget it. Just let let this thing play
out. If he stays, he stays. If he goes, he goes,
you know, as a as a what's his name, uh Ivan Drago
said, if he goes, he goes, he dies. That voice right
because of my bronc. If he goes, he goes, because it goes
or dies, he says dies. If he does, I'm not saying dies,
though, because if he goes, he goes, so he can go.
But you know, I think Jed likes it here for now. But
you know, well, and he's got all the free you know, and
he rightfully has the freedom to do whatever you wants. Sure, sure,
Well when he first got here, you see his resume, He's jumped and
jumped and jumped. He's gonna jump. Yeah, it's the win, it's
win. There's a win in circumstances. I still think that the Florida jobs,
like we said, would be the jump time. And billion Apier is
not doing very well over there. You know, this could be his last
year coming out their scheduled next season. Oh my good good luck, good
luck? Really yeah, yeah, I mean he was, he's he's on
he's on the hot seat. So we'll see what happens. And if you
know what, if Jed says, I'm going to Florida, Jed, you
know what, thanks for being here. Uh you know, here are some
partying gifts. We appreciate what you And then that I mean not only the
wins, but as far as Arizona getting talent into the NFL also, right,
here's the bottom line. I want at least one more year here with
the talent that he brought here with with with Afida and McMillan, and and
and and Jonah Coleman and all these guys. I want to see them all
together at least one more year. So so all after the Oklahoma game,
maybe even during the Oklahoma game, you saw these these knuckleheads with the internet
going, well, Noah can get a million, team that can get a
million, YadA YadA, And guess what they're staying. Whether they grew offered
a million or not. I don't believe it, but that's for another day.
Now you have the coach. Uh, so I think there's gonna be
some loyalty or test that royalty. Uh, you know, what you say
on Tuesday doesn't really necessarily mean what you said. What you mean on Wednesday.
He was on Rome last week saying this is the place right. Yeah,
I'm staying. Things change, and Babe and I don't know how much
we know about him because we get him, you know, thirty minutes a
week during the season, and we don't get him at all in the off
season. But based on what he sounds like and what others say about him,
I think a big pool will be that he brought these guys here and
he doesn't want to leave leave him behind. Well that's the whole thing right
now, could they go with him if they want if he left, yes,
they could, but you know he brought him here. You know,
does does missus Faffieda who's very vocal and very visible and mister Faffieda, who
are very visible on social media? Are they gonna want to go to you
know, all the way up to Seattle else? It's just more than your
decision, right, And you have kids who trust you and want to be
here with you may want to be with you somewhere else, right. And
I mean, like we talked about earlier, if a coach is gonna get
paid from another school to go, he decides whether he's gonna go or not.
Say with the players, players are whether or not they're getting off for
this money. I mean, they we can't control that. It's their loyalty
to that program or that coach that's going to determine where where they're gonna be
at. And that's that's the determining factor. Okay, we got a couple
more minutes left here. I had I had something on I saw something on
social media Twitter, Twitter bo from Oklahoma State my college fan based tier list,
and I didn't I thought it was more like a big game Bloomer,
but it's not the elite BYU Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Wyoming, and
it looks like North Carolina State. It was the thing that caught my eye
eye was Arizona was in the great area, Kansas State, Arizona, Mississippi
State, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia football. And I'm
thinking, this is just another dude who has this thing, but he's got
a bias because he's an Oklahoma State guy because at the bottom of the list,
and it's it's sent sent from hell to to test my patience or my
faith. Oklahoma and Ardia Tech at the bottom. So this is all personal
because it's like big gag Boomer. When we talked to him last it was
a Tucson hotter than Phoenix because it was more self people who don't know,
people who don't know. Yeah, well we'll see, we'll see you'd you'd
bet jay. I think that next year the ticket base is going to increase.
What's maybe twenty two, twenty three year, I think they get I
think it' sell twenty two to twenty three season, So next year it could
be twenty five, maybe twenty twenty eight. Yeah, except for your twenty
five percent. Add Yeah, I don't know how that's going to play a
factor because Tucson is more the game week, game day, game hour.
Yeah, the walk up there there, Yeah, Tucson is a a quote
unquote walk up crowd. But I still think they'll get that because the people
who buy season tickets. There may be a few, some small percentage who
worry about the cost of it, but most people who buy see the tickets.
They buy see the tickets because they're allowing Arizona football and they wanted to
go to Arizone football games. And Steve, honestly, year to year,
the only thing that I know how much it costs is my t is our
tailgate pass because and the only reason I know that is because I have,
you know, everybody chips in for I could not tell you what my season
tickets cost me last year. I don't off the top of my head,
I do not know what my season because your wife pays for it. No,
I pay for him. But how would you not know then, because
I just you just do it. I just go in there, and I
mean I go in there in my account and I and I hit pay now,
and I pay for him, and then I see it come across.
But are they two hundred and thirty bucks? Are they two hundred and sixty
bucks? The two hundred and fifty bucks apiece? I don't, honestly don't
know. Yeah, well, I guess good for you, because I'm told
to you, I'm just going to be a season ticket holder, no matter
what. It's important to you. Yeah, you know, But I do
know that my tailgate pass costs me four hundred bucks a year. And how
much was it ten years ago? It's gone up from like two hundred to
fifty you know, right, No, it's four hundred bucks a year.
And I know that because I have there's eight people counting me which have been
fifty bucks a piece for it. Deal. It's a good deal. It's
a huge deal. Yeah, So you know, but that I do know
how much that is. But the rest of my season tickets, I really
don't know per ticket how much is it? So yeah? I mean again,
a small percentage will complain, but the vast majority will still get their
tickets even if they go a little bit. All Right, it's a crazy
week. I think we handled it pretty well, didn't we. Yeah?
I think so we were fair fair, right, I'm gonna hope to be
coming back on Monday without uh, without this yeah coughing and snorting that I've
been doing all week. So we'll see Monday. Yeah, we'll see Monday
Day. So Steve and I are coming in on the holiday, but we
hope you'll be here. So thanks for being here this week.