This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez Son Fox Sports
fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services and Sure Your Most Prized Possessions kt z
R two, SAG and iHeartRadio Station. Hey, good enough to doon everybody.
Welcome to Eye on the Ball. Here a Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
I'm Steve Ribera, He's Jagin's awe. Now we have our guy Sammy with
us today on a Wednesday. Not that we didn't have to bail you out
of anything. Yeah, you know, hey, everything was everything was fine.
It fine. Have you cleaned up the mighty clothes from Saturday? Yeah?
I washed, the washed the shoes. I washed, washed both pairs
of shoes. Actually it was rainy out there, so it was not not
fun walking around. But didn't have to wash any of my shirts or my
or my pants from from doing anything for our listener, SA. Sammy does
some work for the PGA Tour and was at the Phoenix Open last week,
but was a spectator on Saturday when all the shenanigans were going on, and
he kind of not poo pooed or it was not as bad as we think
it was. No, I just I just think not to say that what
happened on Saturday was not over the line, but that's remotely close to what
it is every year. And I know the coverage of it, and the
twenty thousand people that quote unquote didn't have tickets were being let in this that
the other. But my whole thing was last year at the WM Phoenix Open.
It was a signature event, the first on the PGA, and the
super Bowl was in Phoenix that weekend, so you would think that that weekend
would have been the raw rah, oh my gosh, what's happening weekend as
opposed to this This year, it's a normal event on tour. It's just
another Saturday. Wait, what's the distinction there? Signature event is the top
eighty players on the PGA Tour are required to play. Oh and it's a
So last year was a twenty million dollar per and they had all the guys,
all the guys. So this year the field was still fine, right,
but last year it was a twenty million dollar purse compared to an eight
point six nion dollars purse this year. Yeah, so you're think what happens
hurts their chances for it to be a signature event. Again, No,
I think it's it's kind of like a cycle. So oh, I say,
okay, it's it's somewhat like this next week and that Riviera, the
Genesiss, it's a pristine event. It's it's it is a signature event this
year. But they they'll cycle through and I see eventually the waste management will
be a signature event. Okay, good, So I don't think this weekend
will hurt their chances of that happen. And look, we've been talking about
this, you know, the last couple of days, and I don't want
to rip on the Phoenix Open as as sure. Judy McDermott, we had
on here yesterday, said look, it's still a great event. They raised
a lot of money, it does a lot of good. It was unfortunate
what happened, and you know, there's probably plenty of blame to go around,
but you know, the Phoenix Thunderbirds up there obviously do a great job
and do a lot of good stuff. It's just unfortunate that this thing has
been hung on that golf tournament. Yeah, you know, over what happened,
and again and a lot look, as you said, it's probably not
so far over the top as other years. The thing was all the social
media that we see this time and you go, whoa. And I think
we were talking a little bit before the whole circumstance of what was happening at
the Tournament of the Rain, which which caused play to start early Saturday and
have there be a hiatus in the middle of the day right around where the
majority of people are showing up on Saturday. There wasn't really any golf being
played because they just finished the second round, so there's no golf. Granted,
not a lot of people go to watch golf anyway, but that helps
the product. And so it just the stars didn't the line this weekend for
it to be. But the thing is Sunday was a great golf watching day.
Yeah, if you enjoy watching golf, if you like that event,
the sun was out. Nick Taylor had three birdies in his last four holes,
won in a playoff. It was a great event on Sunday, And
that will get blown blown by with yeah happy people just forgot about it.
I had fun, though, I'm sure you did early. Did you have
to get there to work about six in the morning. Uh So? On
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, because I knew it was gonna rain. I
got there around like seven thirty eight, and then I got what I needed,
and then when it started to pour, it was I was like,
I don't need it was. It was miserable being out there when it was
coming down, Like as a fan, I would not have been there.
And then Friday and Saturday it was just muddy everywhere. So it was just
another weekend at the waste. You golfers aren't used to this madness. No
that they playing rain. They played, they played in rain at Tory,
they played at rain in uh Pebble, and then they played in rain and
waste management. Supposedly from what I've heard, it's sunny skies and beautiful at
Riviera. So hopefully we get a great week of good golf and Tiger's back.
Yeah I was playing this week. Okay, let's move on from the
state. We're putting Steve to sleep right now. But yeah, Sammy,
you and I right here, right here, right here, right you and
me. You still like sport a golf. Let's go onto whatever else we're
gonna talk about today. We have a different show today. Javio Morales is
coming in in the first hour, right all kinds of high school playoffs starting.
There's summer started, You've got state tournaments beginning. I know the state
wrestling tournament is up this weekend because my niece is in it. Actually she's
a grand niece, she's the niece. She's the daughter of my niece.
So she's a wrestler at Sunnyside. And then you know, I went and
saw my old Saint Gregory or the Gregory School Hawks last Thursday, and they're
opener in the state tournament and they're in the semi finals this weekend. They're
trying to win their fifth state championships since I think twenty two thousand and nine,
and so you know, following them a little bit, and you know,
and then you just see the you know, the other tournaments gearing up.
State soccer is going on, So all kinds of stuff. So we'll
talk to have your morales from all sports too, Son, And then at
four fifteen we have Yeah, Brett, I was gonna say, I forgot
Brett Ferris, sports editor. There's on a Daily Star boy to they they
had a whole bunch of things to deal with, uh, you know,
hiring it or a coach leaving a coach being hired and that fleg director fired.
You know, there's on a basketball and it's ups and downs and so
uh, you know, Mike andre is stepping it. Because Brett was at
the Mike Andrea press conference last week. We got some of his thoughts on
that women's basketball, women's basketball and all that stuff that's been going on so
with a small staff, right, So yeah, so we'll we'll, you
know, we'll get a we'll get a performance evaluation on Justin Spears from from
Brett. Let's see what he says about Justin. Justin is a busy man,
yes, and and and Lev too, right, yeah, both everybody
is guy J. Brown old right, and that's it. You date them
all that, all of them pretty much pretty much. Come on, we
did it with the Citizen five dudes, no sleep. Yeah, you know
how it is, yep, but it is a good do, good good
job. In fact, Brett I think helped with the Naya my Naya Nag
story. So we'll talk about him about that too, because I'm sure he
had a big part in that. Okay, cool, cool? Anybody want
to call remember five two o four one, six, seventy four forty we'd
like to hear from you at any point that we're not using the phone,
the phone, the phone, the one phone. Yes, yes, but
okay, cool, uh but basketball Tommy has Tommy has press tomorrow tomorrow,
so we'll well, we'll get some clips from that. I'll you know,
it's too late for you can go, but it's too late to go and
then race over here and do so. I'll watch it from here, record
the press conference, and we'll have some clips leading into the SU game.
Yeah, okay, I was gonna. I was on a show earlier this
morning and they said, if you were in Arizona, would you want to
be having a game this week in addition to the Saturday game? Or do
you not mind the day the days off? They don't mind the days off.
I don't. I don't. It's late enough in the season that you
feel like any extra day of rest that you can get, you're you're happy
to have. Yeah. I don't either. Loot from time to time,
played the big game in February, traveled somewhere or they played. Yeah,
yeah, they played the SU game on Thursday or even Wednesday, and then
go play a weekend game. They had. They had a bunch of those.
They would do that all the time. Yeah, yeah, you know,
and you got a nice non non conference it's like a high, high
visibility game. Uh. You know. They would play Duke, They played
Illinois a couple of times. They played just a bunch of those gonz did
it this week and they helped them. They went to Kentucky and and won
that game on the road. It's crazy. I was just talking about and
and they're playing really good basketball. Well they played they not in their conference
or they still they still are on the outside looking in, is what I
for the tournament. Yeah, they're like okay, they're like sixteen, and
I think they'll be okay. But you know there's gonna bell. They're not
in a strong league. That league's better than people give its credit. Correct,
but it's better than the Pac twelve. You know what we could go
get. We could go get like sixty guys in this town and be a
better league than the backlall I need true. But yeah, yeah, well
they might have as many teams. All I know is all I know is
if I'm you of a I would not want to play go Zaga in anything
in March. I think they're extremely well coached when it comes to few running
that system, and they're going to be playing their best basketball in a couple
of weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if they won their conference tournament. And
they win and they're in the second weekend in March. Did you go a
good Zachtor? No, I just think I just think their program is very
good and it's built for what is about to happen in college basketball. Could
be, could be. I won't fight you on that, Okay, Okay,
we'll see, we will, we'll join. You'll be part of our
little uh or picks thing that we do here. Let's go, you know,
make sure you have cash. I got cash? Okay, all right?
Taking money from a kid, Hey, that's fine, okay, okay,
Well anything else. Women's what's the women? What are the women's?
They're playing two games? Uh? They got let's see this week they've got
coming up? They are? They got Washington State on Friday and uh there
they're home against Washington State on Friday and then home again. Uh. I
guess I'm sending their home on on Sunday, Friday, Sunday, Friday Sunday.
Okay, I'm okay. Then what made you decide not to do it?
Just too too. It was too hot, too many games. I
was that Michael way way too much. Look, I enjoyed the games and
stuff, but one I'm you know, I was a volunteer too. I
wasn't getting other work done because and there's just a lot of time spent over
there. Yeah, that makes you know, I mean, you know,
for games at six, I'm you know, I'm there at five. You
know that kind of start five fifteen or five thirty or whatever. It just
it just became too much for me. Hey, I had some good stuff.
If you haven't heard the podcast on with the Pete Williams, go ahead
and try to check that down. Good good stuff. Yesterday he was he
had fun with us, and he said it was good. He enjoyed it.
Yeah, he remembers the two thousand and three That's the one I was
thinking about that you took a joy but you didn't know we were here,
we were watching it here would have been painful given that they were a number
one seed. And then the now when we went up at the that was
painful too. That was painful too. Yeah, okay, it was more
painful for some other day. You know. I think I've told the story
that you know, after they won on Friday, after they it was a
Friday, was it Thursday? Saturday? I think it was a Thursday Saturday.
After they won on Thursday. Yeah, I called my brother and said,
get your butt up. That was the two thousand and ninety eight.
They be Maryland on Friday or Thursday, and so I called my brother.
I said, get your butt up here. I said, there's tickets available.
He drives up, He drives up, gets with a friend, gets
two tickets, and then they bad and not in a pretty you tah came
and cracked the Yeah, cracked him pretty bad. Yeah. Yeah, Okay,
we only have a couple of minutes here, but let's uh, let's
go. We're already kind of right. Well, we got again have you
Morales? And we'll get him and go through the various you know, some
of the playoff scenarios. You know, Sunnyside Soccer twenty three and one.
They beat somebody ate the nothing last night. They're one of the best teams
in the country. Yeah, so we'll talk to how have you Morales?
Have you Morales? And we'll talk high school sports with him. So we'll
be right back Withhavia Marhala's Oll Sports Tison 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 rowse 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 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 and Materials provides a wide range of
landscaping materials, including decorative 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 to 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. It's twenty twenty four, a new
year, and it's time to think of recognizing your employees, salespeople, managers,
team members and agents with a Creative Award for the great job they did
in twenty twenty three. Come visit Creative Awards. Beautiful showroom with over one
thousand items to choose from. Creative Awards is located at two twenty eight West
Rackman Street and Tucson, Or visit Creative Awards website at Creative Awards az dot
com 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 called five two oh six, one eight,
five six two six today in MLS three oh eight seven, Arizon AA b
K nine two nine to four two equal Housing Opportunity, howt to commitment to
lyndrixon credit rates and available loan programs or subject to change with u numice.
Did you know sports cards at Memorabilia are setting record sales last month of nineteen
fifty two, tops Mickey Mantles 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 spend 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 Showtime Cards. Oh, how road trips
hit different when you borrow better with one rate. The one Rate Auto Loan
Program is a quick and easy process for affordable auto financing one rate for everyone
so ready to hit the road. For details or to apply for your one
rate auto loan today, visit Pyramid FCU dot com slash one rate. Pyramid
Federal Credit Union is an equal opportunity lender 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. 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 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 hard Works 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. Got bugs, termites, bees,
or rodents, Arizona Pest Control will hunt them down. Arizona Pest Control is
your complete desert pest management specialist that's can't run or hide from Arizona Pest Control.
They use only the latest and most technologically advanced methods of pest elimination of
a which minimizes the effects on the environment. Let Arizona Past 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. Steve Rivera and jag and Salez. They have their Eye
on the ball on Tucson's sports stage. Chet Fox Sports fourteen fifty streaming live.
I mean iHeartRadio. Wap Hey, Welcome back to Eye on the ball
Here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera he jiginsas snow and iPhone.
We have Javier Morales from allsports Tucson dot com. Javier, how you
doing great? How are you guys doing? We're doing well. I know
you're busy, you've gone any sleep and you're getting prepared for the high schools
playoffs this month. No, it's I've already gotten over sleep. Maybe when
I'm retired, someday, when I'm like eighty years old, I'll be able
to You're never retiring. Ho, you know that, You know that what
I got from that is going to look to eighty. Good luck to that
you ain't moving in with me. So have all kinds of stuff getting started
right? I know that some state playoffs underway, some are still in the
works. You know what's what's on your calendar right now? Well, yesterday
I went to the Sunnyside Boys soccer. Heard you guys talking about it towards
the break. There just an impressive team. If you if you love soccer
or if you want to, you know, watching a soccer team play like
the way they should, you should go out already at two o'clock to see
Sunnyside play Mason the championship or not the championship, sorry, the quarterfinals of
the six A tournament. They're twenty three and twenty three h to one.
Their rank fifteen nationally by max Preps. They have some great talent that mostly
juniors, so they're going to be even better next year. Just just a
pleasure to watch in Casey O'Brien. I know you guys have had him on
your show. He's one of the top coach is in any sport in the
state. Just the way he prepares that team. What makes this team special
because we've seen them play and do very well over the last two or three
years, but they haven't been able to cross that hump. What's this one
doing. A lot of balance, you know, a lot of scoring,
a lot of defensive you know, top defensive players are in the state are
on the team, and Miguel Lugo is a very good goal They've only allowed
thirteen goals in twenty four games this year. They had a shoutout yesterday against
Boulder Creek eight to zero. Game was stop twenty minutes early because of the
mercy role. You know, you have Sebastian Barrios on the defensive end and
then just on hell barcomntes balito and he has thirty six goals, which is
unheard of. Johan and n has had four goals yesterday and it looked like
he was just you know, having you know, like he was just scrimmaging
against those guys. The way he was playing and going past them. They're
just the joy to watch. And I think what's different about this team,
like you were asking, is just a mental aspect. They they are working
towards the state championship, where before they would lose in their early rounds and
not be really ready. But Casey O'Brien said that they're watching more video,
they're spending more time on each opponent than he's done it any other time.
And they won the state championship but five years ago. So you know a
school like Sunnyside by that, I mean, you know a school that's not
South Point that you're going to go mind players from all over town because it's
a private school or some of those other schools that do that. I mean,
these kids, these kids have to be coming from the neighborhood for the
most part. Right, how is this happening? Is that that you know
they've got athletes and then he's just coaching them up or what's going on over
there with that, Well, they are from the neighborhood. Mostly he has
an occasion got some players to come in from like out of area to to
play here and because they know how good the program is. But this year's
team is mostly from the Sunnyside School district and that's not all. And what
the difference is is because he spends a whole year on soccer, not just
the soccer season, and you know, club soccer is so huge. What
he does with these club teams is he spends more time with these players than
they do on their club teams. So he tries to spend as much time
with those guys as possible year around. They're playing in one hundred and eight
degree temperatures like at a park somewhere during the summer. That's what he does.
It's a year round thing with them, so he can stay with them
and know what he expects out of them. Yeah, okay, so you
got Sundayside. How are the cell Point the usual stories? Sell Point doing
boys and girls. Although the girls team is third seeded in the open division,
the girls basketball team uh they went big yesterday in their game and they're
there. They can go all the way to the championship game this year.
And all their top players are juniors. So that's another team that could really
uh you know, be a be a foce here that this year and next
uh you know, till everybody knows about the Leah Henderson, you have a
recruiting target. But they also have four other juniors that are really top notch.
Yeah, I'm sorry, three other juniors Sidney Anderson, Panna Williams,
and Alison even four other juniors. I'm sorry they those those four right there
can start for anybody, and they're just overpowering opponents. Why why are the
open tournaments already well underway while the other I know one A is underway.
I think two A also, But why are those being played so early?
Well, the one A, two A and three A they don't have they're
not part of the Open Division. They're just no. Yeah, but why
is open division started and the other six A, five four A haven't started?
Because they have? The Open Division happened earlier because if you lose in
the first two rounds of the Open Division, then you go to your conference
state. Oh, Okay, instance, sunning Side lost last night, so
now they're going to be in the six A tournament. They'll probably be a
number one or two seed now in the six A even though there are number
twelve in the open division. So now they do have a really good chance
to win the state championship. That's six A. But of course if you're
in the open division you want to win that. That's the most preceidious one.
They lost yesterday, so you have two bites at Yeah, that's that's
that's what football's done the last I think three years, they've done it three
or four years they've had it that way. But with football, that's it,
you're just top eight. But basketball, the last two years, if
you lose in the first two rounds, you go to your your conference tournament.
If you win the if you win in the first two rounds, that's
it. You're you stay in the open division tournament, even if you lose
the next round. Okay, so wait to go back to what about soccer
you had with wolf Gang in with uh with Peers, they're they're still alive
in their in their their state tournaments. Maybe not as dominant as years passed,
but they're still they're still in there as high seats, I think a
lot. I think Sunnysides in Tucson High have gone a lot of attention this
year because of the way they were ranked. And Tucson High unfortunately lost in
overtime yesterday the boys in the first round. That was a shocker because a
lot of people thought Tucson High would play Sunning Side in the championship game again.
But uh, cell point and the girls and boys are still highly highly
rated and they'll probably get to their respective state state semi finals at least in
state championship. And nothing's really nothing really changed with their with their you know,
their their dominance in their in their conference. Okay, what else is
going on? What other sports? H Well, you wrestling with Sunnyside going
for the thirty seventh state championship is Saturday, and uh thirty seventh and then
I think they won seventh in a row or they're won for their seventh in
a row, just like a factory. There's the visional champions, including Audrey
Jimenez, the first female to win a boys sectional title and she won one
hundred and six pounds. So it's just amazing what they do year in a
year out, so she's wrestling in the boys division. She's yeah, she
they they enabled that to happen this year, where where she couldn't wrestle in
the boys if she chose to, and she has chosen to do that.
Last three years she's wrestled in the girls division in state. Right, what
did it take to do that? You know? Did they have to get
some ruling or was it just she could decide to just go wrestle the boys?
I mean what what? What was what? You know? How did
that come together? They? Well, first, AA had a rule in
place earlier, this towards the end of the last school year, according to
this school year that the girl a girl couldn't compete in the boys sectional or
state. But they Sunnyside appealed it based on her background or wrestling and her
success, and the AA granted it. I think there was another girl in
the Phoenix there Waho did the same thing and they granted that appeal just because
of their backgrounds and their ability to compete at that level. I think what
AIA was concerned about is the you know, the competition might be skewed,
but obviously ob can hold her own and it's her choice that she's doing it,
So they granted that choice. So that's that's why she's allowed to do
it. Each athlete has to has to do that appeal. It's not like
a you know, any girl can decide she wants to wrestle in the boys
and take a shot at it. Yeah, there has to be an a
process and that's what they did a couple of months ago. Yeah, so
that's that's going to something to watch this this week. She could be the
first to win a boys state championship again competing against boys, and she wins
the title. What do you ask? I mean, do you ask the
guy how uncomfortable it was? But what's interesting is because the boys know how
good she is. He's a world class wrestler. She's in the probably wrestling
Olympics, not it's not this year than two four years from now, so
they know how good she is, so they they're kind of they're they're accepting
of it. It's not like where they're questioning it or or against it.
If you go to the meets, they're they're all accepting of her because how
good she is, and she's and she's wrestled with them right against them,
right exactly and she's had that background. Yeah, what's the record overall her
record? I think she's only lost maybe like three or four times. I
don't know her exact record, but she's overwhelmingly drum the fifty to the four
range, fifty and four range around there. How would you feel? Well,
I used to, you know, as a as you said, I
would get upset if I lost a race to a girl, and that that
that was you know, I mean I felt like I should be faster than
any girl, and that just wasn't ever true, you know, because there's
some great athletes out there male and four male. So but you know that's
us. We grew up in that era where you differentiated that. I think,
you know, it seems like, haven't correct me if I'm wrong.
And this, you know this this student now, the high school kid now,
they don't give a crap. You know, they'll you know, they'll
play baseball against girls. I remember when we were going up and somebody,
you know, girls wanted to play Little league baseball with the boys, and
they had to go to court, and you know, they had to be
protected, and and there were there were dads and players who were you know,
totally against him, like it's just a different era, and I would
like to think that you know, we've gotten we've gotten past that. I
don't know that I would even go as a reporter, right and have you
you know you, I don't know how you would do it. I don't
know if that i'd even go to the the let's she beats him? Boy,
I'm not even sure that I would go ask him that question, because
what are you doing there? You're saying, well, she shouldn't beat you
because she's a girl, and no, no, no, no, I'm
asking how comfortable it was to or uncomfortable it was to to do this.
But see, I'm not sure that that that I would even ask that.
I would just say because because by not asking that, now you're saying this
is normal and this is okay, right, it's more normal than you would
think because of her background. And what what I would ask him is just
what what? What was it? Like? What? What? What?
What? What made her be the winner? What did she do? You
know that kind of question? Right as her? Are you asking him?
Yeah, That's what I'm saying. I ask him like what what what was
it that allowed her to win? What did she do? You know?
What? Takeaways did you get from that? That's what I would ask her.
That's caim. I'm sorry. Yeah, I wouldn't. I wouldn't say
was it was it different wrestling her because she was a girl. I'm not
sure I would ask. I think I would. I would say I apologize
with the question, but no, see, I would try and ignore it.
I really would. Well, I would think maybe she's a senior,
so this has happened before. She's she's wrestled against boys since she's been a
freshman in different tournaments, so it's nothing new. The boys around here,
the coaches around the state, they know her, so it's a little different.
But yeah, I can see here you're coming from Steve too. I
get that. I get it. But has that story been written? Uh,
well, it has been as far as her competing against boys, Yeah,
and then her them accepting her. So Jay, Yeah, nineteen seventy
five, you're running against a girl and she and junior high track me or
whatever. Jay, you just got to beat And this is sexist, this
is a sexist question. But you lost. How'd you feel? I feel
like a weenie because I lost to a girl? Okay, okay, but
this is different because this is fifty years later, and this is a physical
thing, not a touch, not a running thing. I get it.
This is that's the difference. But yeah, yeah, I think have to
have a level of understanding and respect. I don't know what you call it
of the female athlete to say, you're just a good athlete and you beat
and you won your state champion. You put that in there. I mean,
that's part of the story too. It's part of the story about King
and Bobby Riggs, right, that whole thing. I think. I I'd
like to just the way we don't talk about black quarterbacks anymore. I would
like to think that we're of course that we would want to be past going
to the guy and saying, how did you lose? To Sure? I
get that. I get that, that's what I'm saying. I get that,
and I understand what you get are saying. I just I don't think
it's a wrong question. No, I mean no, And there were and
there would be some people who would expect you to ask, right told me.
Yeah, if I got told, I'm just not sure I would dwell
on And I get it, I get it all right. Hey, I
went and saw my old We got a few mores, my old uh Gregory
School Hawks last week in their first round game. Man, they play with
a lot of pressure. They were really you know, they look really good.
They're in the state semis this week. One a basketball boys basketball Desert
Christian in them that those guys are amazing. You look at some of their
players and that what they're averaging scoring wise, I mean that those are some
good teams. Yeah, but you know when I saw High is also really
good too. I'm sorry to They're twenty three and one. They're playing tonight.
They had I don't know if you've ever heard this story of a of
a team like this. They're twenty three and one, and they don't have
a guy who averages in double figure scoring. What nobody in double figures?
Nobody averaging double figure scoring. They're their their their highest score is nine point
seven points a game and they're twenty three and one. How many players do
they play? They have nine guys who average at least six points a game.
So it's it's that's that's the definition of a team. I've never seen
that before. And you guys are older than me, not not to date.
You guys, you got nice shot. Nice shot. You question,
have you got beat my girl. Oh wow, co Man Hovey has been
nice talking to you. Just to be the last time we talked to you.
I feel like I just got slapped in the side of the head.
But he is like a kid to you, I know he is. He
is. Thank you, Hey, Hey, thanks a bunch man, and
we'll check in with you again later. All right, thanks for guys,
Okay, bye bye. You know what, though I may be a lot
older than him, I have way more hair. Yeah. Take that.
If you're still listening, take that. You've never couldn HAREI exactly. All
right, Oh god, okay, let's take our break. We'll be back.
We'll take your cause. Would love to hear from you. Five two
zero four one six, seventy four forty. If you're a neighbor's on a
man's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now.
Take a look back at the Ludelsen 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. Hi,
this is formal while get 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, multigms and free rate 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 some day 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. Pima offers free career exploration classes so you can
choose the field that's right for you. Learn how at Pima dot edu.
Slash Someday with Picture Rocks, Cooling, Heating and plumbing. Heating is our
middle name. Call us at five two zero four four zero four zero six
nine to make sure your furnace is running efficiently, chastly Heating and plumbing.
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 a part of a winning team
the A Team Apply online today at a Team security dot net. Extreamy Live,
I Mean, iHeartRadio Act. This is I on the Ball with Steve
Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifteen. Hey, welcome back to
my in the baggaret Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. You're Jak
and Collis, two old dudes, as we found out. We know we're
old UDEs. We just don't like to hear it, you know what,
And hobbs right around the corner again. Dude, I've got, I've got,
I've got medicare coming up this year for you are old and who are
old? Hey? Did you see this thing posted by I guess Joshua Rebholtz
talking about Nils and I don't know who he's with, And they got a
lot of traction about nil. Opportunities for our student athletes aren't nice to have.
They are must haves. The only way we can compete and win in
the Big twelve or football is with healthy NIL program. Please invest in our
student athletes. Blah blah blah. And then he's from you know, he's
from somewhere. He's from, josh Rebolds. I'm not sure where he's from.
But then one of the guys from Juve, the kid who's doing the
jerseys, Quinn Magnuson, he came up with something that was pretty interesting,
possible solutions for other things. You know, he's got you know he's selling
this jersey and he's giving the proceeds to the kids to go to watch all
right, Yes, he says possible solutions base nil for all players at ten
to fifteen to twenty thousand dollars. Right, Okay, that's probably a year
bonos, incentives for GPA levels, community service, on field, performance starts,
all things that have a metric that you can kind of keep years with
the program are rewarded. Players get paid at each of the end of the
semester for the thing. But in order to do those things, Okay,
to do that, I believe that, you know, to be able to
regulate and not even regulate it's not the right word, just to have some
sort of standards for compensation. Yeah, I think they have to be employees,
right, because if you're just if you're just an athlete and you're not,
you know, an employee of the universe of the university. In order
to be that athlete, right, then you should have the right to go
get whatever you can get. Whereas if they require if they say, okay,
if you want to play football at Arizona or anywhere, if you want
to play college football, you want to play college sport and we're gonna pay
you, and you're gonna get paid for it. You have to be an
employee of that program or the university or whatever. And then you can because
then you know, the market still bears what and you know what you're gonna
pay. But you can say, Okay, we're gonna give you. We're
gonna pay you X for this, X for that, X for that,
and a school can have its pay grade just like you know, you know,
employees of the University of Arizona don't make the same thing that employe of
the University of North Carolina. Right, So university is going to have its
page scale and you know different pay grades. You know, the quarterback gets
this or or you know, you get this much for playing your sport,
you get this much for community service this much. The only way you can
do that is by having those players be employees. I think, do you
think eventually that's where we're gonna go? I think we are. Steve,
I hate it, but I think I think because that's the only way they're
gonna be able to rain this in. But that wasn't the initial goal.
That was not the intent. So that's why that's because that's why they call
it name, image, likeness. It's like you have those three things and
you get to benefit from those three things. What this is saying is in
order to be an athlete, you have to be an employee, right,
and that and like we just said, that wasn't the n's goal of doing
any of this. So I don't know if that will ever kind of come
to fruition, though it might have. The courts may decide that though,
right, But because they're they're you know, all these lawsuits that are happening
are happening because the the intent of n I L the intent of it,
Okay, what the what the n C double A envisioned of it is against
the law basically by by putting parameters on it, you can't be parameters.
And that was the intent, right, The intent was, Okay, let's
let them make their money, but we got to have as they kept calling
them, guardrails, and they're saying, you can't have guardrails in that kind
of a system. So the only way they're ever going to fix that is
if and the thing is, all the schools would have to agree. They
would have to agree, but the U of A would have to say,
Okay, you can only play for us if you're an employee, Well why
if ayas U says it's wide open, you can come and you can make
all the money you could ever want. What happens then you go? And
then you go with schools like you of a who's a high profile school?
What if you go to Grand Canyon University? Yeah? Like are they are
those athletes going to be employed the same wages as an athlete here? Right?
Right? And then then what happens? And what you know what one
of the conversations here, let's say taking in the n C Double eight Tournament
newcount Let's say Saint Peter's right, they're paying their their they're athletes are getting
you know, five thousand dollars a year. Yeahday idea, and and uh,
you know, Ohio States athletes are getting you know, fifty thousand dollars
a year. Can you put them in the same tournament because they're they're completely
different classes of programs. I know that we have that now, but going
forward, when you're talking about paying the athletes, you know, do they
still get to do they still get to compete against the big boys? Well
it's a big, big mess and we probably don't have a solution anytimes too
one. We're not going to solve it in here, no, no,
but yeah, yeah give it. Let let the three of us run this
damn show. Well it's I don't know if any of us wants. It's
gonna be crazy. You continue to be crazy because they're getting paid even before
showing up on the on campus exactly and seeing that and that. But if
you know, look, if you if you're looking at it, Let's say
you're just applying for jobs and you see a job that fits your profile at
the U of A, you see one at ASU, you see when at
PEMA, you see when at NAU, and they all have their own payscale,
and you're going to decide, Okay, I'll make a little less money
to work at a place that I think i'm gonna like more, or you're
gonna say I want to make as much money as I possibly can, even
if I hate it. You know, you make those decisions. Sure,
and that that may be, But you know, again, if all the
schools aren't doing that, you Let's say you have Ohio State saying okay,
we have a we have a payscale for our athletes, and Michigan says,
now it's nil and you get to make whatever you make. You know how
you know, how does that work? Plus, let's say in Michigan you
say, okay, you're going to get the quarterback that wants to make two
million dollars a year, but you're not going to get the volleyball player who
knows they can make more by going to the school that has a payscale.
Right, So how often are you with mkill in that area? Like?
Yeah, I mean almost daily. I go to the every day. Okay,
So do you notice do you notice there's a difference in I don't know
what the kids are driving or are they're driving? Do you notice that there's
money there now for the kids? Honestly? No, And even as someone
that's been here for now five years kind of seeing quote and after yeah,
quote kind of before the boom of nil to like what it was before,
I haven't noticed, even in when I've met the people or in my interactions
or even just seeing them in passing whatever. Personally, the athletes here that
have been here as long as I have, or at what I've seen,
haven't they're not driving a different fronts. They're not They're not Yeah, they're
not out on weekends or whatever's like paying for everything or like the the quote
unquote wealth that some of these athletes may have is not I don't see it.
No, it's not. It's not one bit. And I think maybe
that speaks to the athletes as people like who they are, but maybe it's
just how it is University of University like these kids. Not every single athlete
or not even every single kind of high profile athlete is getting loads and loads
of money. Sure, Like I'll use like Pelly Larson for example, it's
just the conference player of the week. Like if you went and asked him
how much actual money he's benefiting from this, it will be it would probably
be less than you think. Probably I think he's a bad example in as
much as he's an international guy. But okay, Caleb gets your point.
Yeah, no, I hear you. I think the guys like Noah and
Tam t Mac, those guys are benefiting both. If you're an athlete,
and I said this to Jay when this all started, you're the quarterback and
you're making x amount of money, a decent amount of money, and in
the center that's giving you the ball isn't making a decent amount of money.
And you're the center. How'd you feel, Yeah, I feel I feel
like partially like because why they're so good is partially en route because of what
I'm doing, Like he wouldn't be as good if I didn't protect as well
as I can and so, but I also think there is some notion that
like that's somewhat of an expectation, like if you're a center and you go
to you of a, you know that you're gonna be protecting Fafita who's making
an I own money. And I hope that like I'll make some do whatever,
But like I didn't, I hope that a lot of these kids don't
go to schools for just how much money they can make an io wise,
and I talk like I talk like offensive linemen. I talk like tight ends
that may that aren't going to be getting an i ow money wherever you're talking
like Jadfish, do you think, well, do you think that's past?
Well? But but Steve, I did you know I did hear you know
one of those n Cuba business guys who said that actually that that that the
way the market is developing that linemen, particularly often of linemen, just like
in the NFL, are making a lot of money because the importance, right,
because coaches know the importance of having those guys, so they are getting
you know, we sit here and think the offensive lineman nobody knows who they
are, so they can be. But offensive linemen are actually what I'm what
I've heard in the nil market, are actually very valuable because if you're going
to be giving a quarterback two million bucks or a million bucks a year,
well you better make sure you've got guys who aren't going to let him get
killed. Yeah, well that's what that So that the market is kind of
developing the way the NFL does is because we hear about the offensive lineman,
you know, the left tackle, right, the stud left tackle who's making
you know, ten million bucks a year because he's protecting their forty million dollars
a year quarterback. So so that that they said, the common thinking is
that the college linemen aren't getting that nil money, when that actually they say
that they are. And there's another thing that we talked about when this all
started. Would you rather go to a smaller school Tucson not soon say Shue,
but smaller school or usc U c l A given that it's a college
town, but the little resources are limited. But loyal or U c l
A those bigger schools where you have a lot of opportunities, but you're tenth
and the seventh in the total pole in terms of Rams, Chargers, Lakers,
YadA, YadA, And the money is kind of not from as a
college athlete, right right, right, And look we're already hearing it for
U c l A. There's no money, no money, there's no money.
I was gonna say, it depends how good you are, right because
because Caleb Willis wasn't going to have a problem. Even guys that end up
if you're a five star or you're a high level transfer. It's like those
guys probably aren't gonna have that big of an issue finding an an il deal
of some sort. Right, So it's it's again the haves and the have
nuts, right Like, I don't know, it's a it's the wild West.
No, and it's going to be that way for a while, you
know, I don't I feel sorry for those smaller schools. Yeah, it's
true, but but but that's just the way it is. That is I
mean it, I was thinking about it. It went from so before all
nil came and even like the transfer portal, it was like Okay, where
can A lot of it was where can I go and play? Or if
you knew that you wanted to go to Notre Dame to play football, even
if you were a four star, you would you would take not playing to
go to Notre Dame. But or on the flip side, it's like,
okay, I could go to East Carolina and start right away. That used
to be what it was all about, where can I go play? And
now there's where can I go play? Where can But now where can I
go get money and play? And where can I go get money if I
don't play? All there's so much more to this now than what it was
of kids just should want to play football, And that's that's the reality of
it. But it's a sad reality, that's true. That's a great point
one hundred percent. I mean, you know, we're I was just having
this conversation with somebody yesterday. It's like, you know, how many athletes
you know are are going to stick around in college because they know that they're
not going to make that money, you know, right like for like,
for instance, I used the example of Zulis to ballots. Right, if
you had been getting a decent amount of nil money, he probably would have
stayed another year. Yeah. Right, But then but let's say you got
you got somebody like, uh, I don't know, just you know,
somebody who knows they're not going to probably they're gonna be a seventh round draft
pick in the NF in the NFL, right, and they're they're you know,
they've had their for they can they have one more year of eligibility left.
They're really good on their college team, and so they're making two hundred
thousand dollars. You think they're not going to stay another year and taking another
two hundred thousand dollars instead of jump to the NFL. You know the best
example of that is the w n Bay where they're making They're make more money
now than the Kayalen Clark is going to make the road Man. Maybe she
will, I mean salary wise, the endorsements, right, but but that's
the case. You know, did Michael Wiley, you know, get a
healthy, you know, amount of nil money to cause him to stick around
one more year? And you know, with the understand knowing that, yeah,
do I have a future in the NFL? I think I do,
but it's not guaranteed. Yeah, And I'm not gonna I'm gonna have to
go through the combine. I gotta go through the Senior Bowl, and I
gotta hope somebody I get I get picked by a team that that I fit
with all these unknowns. So he says, what I do know is if
I stay here for another year, I get to make another six figures or
something that will help me guaranteed. And that was I think that was an
intention of making this happen. You wanted college kids to stay for their team,
and now it's it's a combination of you want them to stay sure,
but this transfer portal is everlasting. So now it's like they're staying in college,
but they're playing for different teams in three years, right. So that's
it's counterintuitive in a way of if the transfer portal was a little more limited,
then you would actually get to know these guys who were playing for you
of a year after year, and they're staying because they know they can make
a little bit more money as opposed to being a six round draft pick or
going undrafted for basketball. So there's the clash of those two things, which
that they don't help each other. You got to go because you got to
get to work yep, all right, coming, right, coming, right
after the break breaking news with Sammy