Breaking down the ball the exes and oh it's Steve Lavera and Jacin Salmaz.
This is I on the Ball on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Hey, welcome
back to my the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera.
He's Jaginsaus. Now with us from breaking news is Ryan. This is
I on the Ball, breaking news on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I started
a little right now starts a little bit of book news with u of A.
The Hall of Fame class of twenty twenty four was announced. I'll run
down the names real quick. You got Kinsey Feller on a softball, frequent
eye on the ball, guess Kenzie Feiber and nine to twenty fourteen andre Iguidella,
Jay's favorite player. We'll get to that. We'll get that, Louis
l Lange. I do apologize by think you got it right if I mispronounced
any names. When the all time great cross country track star field track and
cross country guys yep. Julie Labante, Arizona Track and Field as well,
two thousand and nine to fourteen. Doctor Donald Porter, University of Arizona head
team physician from eighty nine to two thousand and twenty two. Bob Ralston baseball
from eighty two to eighty four. I think we knew him as Bobby and
I don't know who he is. Bobby Ross early eighties, early eighties.
He was a good player infielder nice Nick Ross Arizona Track and Field, oh
nine to fourteen, and I jumper Jason Terry men's basketball from ninety five to
ninety nine. Also NBA champion with the Evericks. Yeah, go ahead and
speak your mind. Well, look, I'm just I've just never been a
fan of Andrea Gudala. You know, I think he I think his time
in Arizona was kind of again, another one of those guys who I never
felt really was coming to be an Arizona Wildcat. I think he was kind
of very lack of days ago about you know. He was. He was
just here to get to the NBA, like some of those other guys,
and I never really felt like he wanted to be here. But it's the
best place for it, accurate, right, I covered him, so I
followed him. I don't disagree with you on a number of those fronts.
A couple of quick stories. He he was the guy before the PAC twelve
who was up packed ten at the time, I think on a cell phone
before the game and two after the sophomore year, we all knew he was
leaving to the NBA. We were all trying to get the story whether he
was or wasn't. They had the lamee for a game after they came back.
I lost a seat in the hall. They came back and he was
playing in the game, and I went to the game obviously to track him
down, so he knew I was there, and he was kind of trying
to avoid me, and we're in the halls of McHale on the bottom.
He ran into the women's locker room and he stayed there and women, the
women were coming out, and I says, is Andre in there? No,
what are you talking about. I knew he went in there because I
saw him. And that's just kind of the guy. He was a smart
dude, heck of a player and all that. But but to your point,
yes, and he was just different. I remember a story coming out
and I think he had been out on a year or two and Arizona was
trying to tout his academic prowess or whatever word you want to use, and
used him as an example and I'm thinking, why would they use him because
he's going to be here two years and he doesn't care. But they used
him, and I think it backfired on him because he left and it was
just you know, he just left after two years. A smart dude though,
very smart. Well he was an academic. Yeah, I'll pack five
academic or I'll pack ten whatever. Very smart and makes a ton of money.
He's he's a representative now in the NBA player Rep. I think he
is very bright. Uh, He's made a great player for himself. I
just other than that Missus Lincoln. Yeah, his his his Arizona, his
Arizona stuff is just yeah, And I mean I get you know, he's
got all these NBA championships and his long career in the NBA and stuff like
that. And if that's what they're giving him put him in the Hall of
Fame for then great. But his Arizona career was not Hall of Fame work.
And I'll just say that one of the guys I really like he's in
is doctor Porter, Doug dor Reporter man. Fantastic dude. But I talked
to him frequently. Just a just a good guy, a great guy.
Great and he'll probably be embarrassed if he hears that I told this story on
the radio. But he had a party at his house and it was just,
I mean a party bash. Yeah. You know, you go there.
There's hundreds of cars in the neighborhood, and there's loud music and stuff.
And we go with my wife and I go to his party and having
a great time. Loud music inside. People are dancing in the living room
and the music is really loud. We go out into the backyard. All
of a sudden, we hear like an explosion and smoke starts pouring out of
the house and he blew up hysterio. It was so loud, it just
blew Oh god, this is before I had kids, So this was,
you know, thirty years ago. His hystereo system blew up in the middle
of the party and people coming out and they're coughing and stuff. Every time
I see him, I said, Doc, you know, getting you stereo
because it was it was hilarious. It was a great and it was a
great party and we had a lot of fun. But it kind of ended
things because he just blew up the stereo and literally blew it up. I
mean, it's like, just like you see in the movies. Eighties.
Yeah, yeah, late eighties probably late eighties, maybe early nineties, but
that timeframe. But a great guy, very well, very deserving, was
there a long time and just this guy whiles have a smile on his face.
Right, even after a loss, he was like dang, you know,
but he Yeah, I love that guy, and it's it's great to
see him get in there. I don't think I've ever heard of a party
ending because of the stereo blue Well, I don't think the party actually ended.
Just the dancing ended and everybody just went on the backyard and we were
just hanging out out there. It was very funny. Well, sticking sticking
with the college sports, a little bit of news from Illinois. Ex Illinois
star Terrence Shannon Jr. Former basketball player for Illinois, was found not guilty
of rape this morning. The charges came from last September while he was visiting
Kansas for a football game. He was he was charged for sexual assault.
Right, Illinois took a lot of heat for that. They bought him back,
he was suspended, brought them back on the team. Right, They
were very good with him. Yeah, and a top ten team with him.
And this is it was not that guilty. And you know, and
and and you know, in all fairness, we talked about it when he
got arrested, so we needed to talk about it, you know, when
he was when he was acquitted. So he's acquitted of too sexual assault charges.
Stick a little more news out of college the Big Twelve. This is
just a new new story that popped up today exploring naming rights to title sponsors.
I like believe for the league. For the league, it's like they're
it could potentially take the big out of the Big Twelve and replace them with
a sponsors name. Yeah, in the future. A lot of money involved
it. Yeah, you know again you know that we talked about that with
Will Learned. You know you're going to see you're going to see that,
right, But uh, you know, we had I having a long conversation
with you know, some of the guys that I talked to, and they
were I'm saying, do you know is this really worth it, you know
for these companies to name these things? And I said, yeah, it
is because you get mentioned all the time. Right. We know, we
know the All States Sugar Bowl, we know the Capital One, you know
Orange Bowl, we know the whatever, it's the Verbo Festival. Now you
know those sponsorships mattering. Now, I was involved in naming two Selectric Park.
It's still called two Selectric Park years later, even though it hasn't been
Two Selectric Park for a lot of years, because that's what people remember,
because that's what people remember, and so no, oneder my rates are always
high. Yeah, exactly, so you know, but you know, they
said, well, are you going to call it, Let's say it's the
all The example they've been using is all State. Are you going to call
it the All State twelve Conference. I'm like, if that's the name of
the conference you're going to Yeah, are people gonna still call it the Big
twelve? Of course they are. But when you put it in print,
when you put it in a in an ad or whatever, it's going to
be All State or whatever it is. So I don't know if All State
is a company that they're actually talking to, or if somebody just use that
as an example. I never remember, But yeah, you know, those
things they do matter. If advertising didn't matter, people wouldn't do it,
wouldn't advertise. But the one in this article is the CVC Capital Partners.
Yeah, it was one of the sponsors whatever it is. Yeah, and
then and then who you know, A you're gonna name the sec something like
that. You know they're gonna find money whatever. Well they have to steve
you know, we talked about that. They have to wherever it comes from.
It's wherever, wherever it comes from. So is this kind of like
the one I covered a while back. It was like they're going to start
adding logos to the field. Well that's a that's a separate one that the
the n c double as given teams the okay to put logos on their fields
and quarts, which they haven't been able to up to now, but they
at least at least that's one thing that the NCAA realizes they've got to go
get some more money, so they've opened the door for them to do that.
Maybe eve putting patches on jerseys and stuff like that like the NBA does.
Now. I just picture these quarts and fields are just gonna be covered
with logos one day. Yeah. Yeah, it's like the boxers when they
had the tattoos on their back. Yeah, that was that's a that's a
funny one. I can't show you mine. I thank you to keep your
shirt on please. I have a blank canvas. I'm thinking. I'm thinking
adult expectations or something like that. You don't put Mercedes baby, gather yourself
rying. I can't. Last thing I wanted to bring up was NFL the
Talkings and Eagles. We're a couple of teams that run in to review a
while back for I guess signing players that they had an improper contact with before
the before the free agency period, and the fig the Eagles. The Falcons,
excuse me, they are going to lose one of their draft picks and
they're fined for tampering. The Eagles have been cleared of any improper contact.
And this goes back to like when Cousins was signed. He signed that big,
four year, right one hundred million million contracts, but I guess he
was talking before the actual the fifty two hour free agent negotiations. Well,
I mean, you can't imagine that deals like that come together as fast as
those do. They had to be some preliminary discussions, right, So I
don't know, I'm just kind of dumb, I think a little bit,
But I guess there have to be some rules at some point about all of
that. Yeah, And I don't know if you guys all this or talked
about it already, but they kind of went over Dan Hurley and his decision
with the Lakers, saying that it wasn't a leverage play, that he had
already agreed to a new contract with Yukon, which him I would have stayed
a Yukon because he just he just won two national championships. Everyone talks about
money because it itit's big, Yeah, but sometimes it's not about money.
I mean, that's just about where you feel comfortable, what you want to
do. Yeah, like you say those commercials, I'm not here for the
money, because it was like dak Press Presca, It's not here for the
money. Just win the damn game the money stuff. Just win games exactly.
And you know, and I mean and again, when you're talking about
five million, seven million, eight million, nine million, how many millions
do you need to feel sure? But I would go to the Bobby Bonilla
route. Yeah, pay me for the rest of my life one million a
year? Good with that? Yeah, I'm all good with that. So
this is just breaking news. I just saw Jaguars and Trevyd Lawrence just agreed
to a five year, two hundred and seventy five million dollars. Deal,
Jesus, just win some games, man, yep, some games every time,
man, every time a new contract, it's got to be the next
guy getting being the highest paid guy in the history of mankind. He's receiving
one hundred and forty two million at signing. God, let you borrow some
of that, man, What do you do with that? Where do you
put it? Steve? Now, I know you get you know, you
get tax on it, you gotta pay your agent and YadA, YadA YadA.
But you're still like, what do you do with all that money?
And I just about like that. I'm mad. It's how we started the
show. Not good for him, you know. He seems like one of
the good guys though, right file accounts. Yeah, I mean I I've
enjoyed like watching him with the Jaga Jaguars started doing better. My sister wants
to go out with him? Is it there? Yeah? It is?
This is of course, this is well, my sister would want to go
out with him. And don't ask your wife. No, she's she's stuck
on Mookie bets. Okay, she loves Mookie. Are you laying? We
know more abouty Lane than that we need to know about her boyfriend's Gonzales.
What's his name, Louise, Louise Gonzalez. Probably you know Steve we get,
the coach of the Cardinals. Oh h h Cliff Kingsburg. Yeah,
well my wife wanted some of that too. Oh I know too much about
the just too much, all right? So uh okay, so we're gonna
take our break here a few minutes. We're getting close. Roxy Bernstein is
ready for us, so we'll get him on in a minute. But just
last report before we head for the break. Uh Rory McElroy has moved into
a tie for the lead at the US Open. He started with Patrick Cantley.
You've got ludvig Over in third at minus four, and then you got
a guy named Matthew Poplone and Bryson Deshambeau in fourth. So's it's five under
as the lead. So it's a hard golf course. Are having a tough
time in the Scottie cheff are down in thirty ninth place and tiger Woods they
think last we saw was an eighty third place, so a lot of work.
You know, Phil Michlson is even further out of it than that.
So all right, let's say let's take our break. We're going to bring
up Bring in Rocksey Bernstein and just talk about the a little bit at the
end of the pact. Well Bill Walton and where he goes from here,
So stick around. The Windows Depot is more than a Windows store. The
Windows Depot is a one soft 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
remodeled today. Shot the Window Depot dot com com or find a location near
you. The Window Depot more than a Windows store. Steve Rivera here to
talk about Dorato Rock and 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 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
deserve the best you deserve. Arizona Health the leading edge and exercise equipment on
twenty seconds just west of will Not 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
volpeteam dot com. That's Volpe Team dot com or called five two oh six
eight five six two six Today three or eight seven, arizon A BKO nine
two nine four two Equal Housing Opportunity, How to commitment to lindrixyn Credit rates
and available loan programs subject to change with un notice. It's awards season for
summer sports leagues and time to look at trophies for baseball, softball, volleyball,
and swimming seasons for youth and adult leagues. Summer has arrived and it's
time to replenish your promotional products for your company's giveaways. Keep your employees looking
great in fresh new apparel, polos and caps with your sharp looking logo.
Creative Awards is here to serve your professional and promotional products needs. Visit their
Creative Awards Idea Center at two twenty eight West Drackman Street or visit them online
at Creative AWARDSAZ dot com. 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
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 laws. We're locally and family owned. Just let us
know what you need, how you want it, and we'll take care of
it. Leave the hard work up to us we're Hardworks Concrete. Call us
at five one two nine six' two five six six zero or visit our
website Hardworksconcrete dot com. We'll put the work in for you. Gut bugs,
termites, bees 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 available, which minimizes the effects on the environment. Let
Arizona Pest Control get rid of your bad termites, bees, or rodents serving
Tucson and Southern Arizona since nineteen forty seven. Go to azypast dot com to
schedule your free evaluation. Today. Streaming live I the iHeartRadio WAM. This
is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen
fifty. Hey, welcome back to I on the Ball here Fox Sports fourteen
fifty. I'm Steve Averre alongside partner Jacob Zaus. Now on the phone,
we have Roxy Burnstein ESPN play by play announcer, among other stations. Roxy,
how are you, Steve doing well hanging in there. I was gonna
open this on this may be a funny thing or not, but Jay and
I have been here a long time. We look old, we feel old.
You look like you're twelve still. How does that work? How does
that work? That's that's the ultimate compliment you just gave me. I don't
feel that way physically. I'll tell you that. You know, I saw
you two weeks ago to the baseballs is he doesn't he doesn't doesn't right,
And one of the those guys I did make up or something. Yeah,
I can do wonders exactly exactly. So Roxy, uh you know, uh
you know mentioned uh you know you did the you did the last uh PAC
twelve Networks uh broadcast with the championship of the PAC twelve Baseball tournament. Then
the next day you had uh while you did the semi finals and then the
finals. So you you know what was that like for you? Because you've
been such a big part of PAC twelve Networks and the PAC twelve conference and
and all the sports you gave. You know, I loved your your speech
on both nights and yeah, uh you know what what you talked about.
I think, well, when when we all look back after we heard that
Bill Walton passed away, we felt like you gave us a clue that something
was might be about to happen. But what went into all that in terms
of what you wanted to say and how you wanted to leave it, Well,
they were they were two different deliveries or two different endings for me between
the two. First off, as you could tell, it was emotional,
as you alluded to, you know, the network certainly meant a lot to
me, but the PAC twelve in general, growing up in the Bay Area,
going to games of Cal and Stanford as a kid and going to Cal
and being around this conference as long as I have, It's sad and it
was emotional, and I think that was something I wanted to get across in
when I was signing off. But the other thing also was For example,
when I was signing off with the PAC twelve network the final live broadcast on
the Friday night, the second semi finally Arizona game against Stanford, I was
speaking. I was speaking for I felt for everybody at the network like I
was the voice for them. And the network has taken its criticism over the
years, and some of it's fair as far as the care issues it had
over the years, and for some the ability just to get the network.
But I don't think anybody could fault the efforts the broadcast itself, the delivery
from us that we put everything we had into those broadcasts. And I was
in a lot of ways speaking for everybody at the network, whether it's the
faces on camera you see like me, like Matt Muleback, like Ashley Adamson,
like Yogi, you know, on and on, but also the people
on the other side of the camera, all the production people, the executives
of the network, and I wanted to relay what I thought was everybody's feeling
toward the ending of the network and what it meant to people. And I
think I did that. And then the next night when I did the ESPN
sign off, they wanted it a little bit more personal for me, which
it was, and that's why I showed some pictures of my family, some
of the pictures over the years with different people I've worked with, and so
there was some similarities between the two, but at the same time they were
a little bit different in what the message was that I was getting out there.
I'm sure you did get a lot of messages because it was heartfelt that
you knew it was coming from the heart, and then you mentioned Bill,
and then the next day it was it was just just just hint hit everybody.
It did. And look, I knew that Bill wasn't doing well.
I had known for a while that Bill was battling, and I was clued
in by a couple of people that had either seen Bill talk to Bill that
unfortunately the end was going to be sooner rather than later. And I wanted
to get my appreciation for him across as well, because he is the epitome
of the Conference of Champions and it's not just his signature catchphrase, but he
lived it, and I wanted to get that across and also publicly pay respect
to him and thank him for everything that he had done, not just for
the conference, but for me personally, for all the student athletes that he
came in contact with, because he loved it, He loved being around the
game, and it meant a lot to me when I got a text from
his wife Laurie after the game Saturday night that Bill had seen what I did
and it was a great honor for him, and she relayed that to me
and that meant the world to me, that Bill knew how I felt about
him and what he meant to me, and what he meant to the landscape
and what he you know, he symbolized the PAC twelve. Well, and
you mentioned all the people that you know, we're thinking about. Is that
as it relates to this. You know, Yogi Roth's been on our show.
Ashley Adamson has been on our shows. You mentioned Matt Muhlbach, local
guy. Just all these people that you say, Okay, this is all
over, and I'm you know, you guys are going to move on to
other stuff. You're still going to be doing stuff for ESPN, but there's
gonna be a big hole right with the pack, with the PAC twelve gone,
and these the teams from the league scattered all over the place, you
know, and all these conferences from where you said, what does that feel
like to you? I know it's sad, but you know we're like,
we're talking about Okay, now everyone who's in the Big twelve, We're going
to the Big twelve. It's time to start talking about the Big twelve instead
of looking back at the at the PAC twelve. Have you moved on to
that point yet? I had to turn the page now because that's life and
that's what we got to do. And all year long, even though I
knew it was coming, I didn't want to look at it that way.
Like I tried to compartmentalize as best as I could that I threw myself into
every game and what that I was doing, and I didn't want to look
at sort of the bigger picture down the road. But I wanted to focus
on those two teams as programs, the players, the coaches, the two
universities, and that's it. But now you have to look at it differently,
and it's gonna be weird. It's gonna be bizarre. And ESPN started
moving media some Big twelve last year, so I'm sure, even though I
don't know the plan yet, but I'm sure I'll be doing some Arizona,
Asu, Colorado, Utah BYU to Big twelve next year, and probably some
ACC because Callen Stanford. And then what else does it mean? Probably some
more West Coast Conference the handful of Big West games that they have, But
it's certainly gonna be different, but it's gonna be weird that instead of it
Arizona against Oregon or the Sun Devil's playing Washington. I'm gonna be doing Arizona
against Texas Tech and Colorado against Baylor. It's just gonna be take some getting
you too. And that's that's the real shame all so on. All this
is these great rivalries over the years, right, the Arizona Ucla basketball rivalry
and what that's become. And it's great that they're going to play each other
in these one offs and have a contract signed for a number of years.
But we're not gonna have cal UCLA Stanford USC. These rivalries are going to
be gone. And that's one of the other real frustrating and sad things about
all the pieces moving into different conferences is there's some great history, especially when
you look at the Southern California Northern California schools. Yeah, no question.
So we've talked to a lot of people who have come through the conference.
You've done a number of years in the conference. Any great to maybe two
or three great moments that you've just come off the top of your head about
games you've been at and followed. Boy, there's been so many. You
know, I go back and it's funny, like I was trying to reflect
on some of the I did with Bill and we did a game boy.
I mean a number of years ago that when both u CLA and Oregon were
in the top ten and it was a Pac twelve opener on ESPN. That's
when Lonzo Ball was at UCLA and Oregon had Chris Bouchet and Dylan Brooks and
Peyton Pritchard. It was just phenomenal basketball and the arena that night in Eugene
was electric. And that's one of the games that stands out to me just
in terms of the impact of the game, and the game lived up to
the building because Dylan Brooks hit the three pointer at the buzzer to win the
game. But it's opened the door to some great relationships to become friendly with
Bill. You know, for years, ESPN had pared me with Miles Simon
unpacked all games, and Miles and I are still very close. In fact,
Miles and I had breakfast when we were in Scottsdale for the baseball tournament,
catching up. And that's what I'm going to remember more. Yes,
they're the game and all these phenomenal players over the years that have come in
contact with but it's relationships and that's what I'm going to miss especially with some
of the schools going to the Big ten that I'm not gonna be covering Washington,
Oregon, SC and UCLA at least for a little while. Probably right
we're talking to Roxy Bernstain. I guess do we call you former PAC twelve
networks broadcasters? I guess we can. I haven't. I haven't changed a
Twitter profile yet. You know, at some point I'm reluctant to drop the
PAC twelve dandle on there. But if it doesn't, well the network's still
airing for another what couple of weeks contractually. Yeah, it just doesn't feel
right. But also also with the ESPN, so all over the board.
So okay, so we're going on. Okay, we're moving on right as
you say, we're turning the page. You got these schools that are going
to the Big twelve, and you know you'll be you'll be a part of
part of that. What do you think of the big tough season? Right
it's started, We're starting to build it up. You know about Utah being
a favorite or Kansas State, you know, Arizona may be you know,
it may have a chance to contend. These PAC twelve schools moving to the
Big twelve. What do you expect to see. Well, I think that
Utah steps in as a favorite next year, and going on the track record
of Kyle Whittingham, I think you have to give them that edge. Plus,
they have Cam Rising back and a lot of key guys coming back for
Utah. And let's face it, the league is a little bit of a
step down from the competition in the Pac twelve because all of a sudden,
well, Oregon and Washington were prime candidates for the College Football Playoff and Washington
went into it last year year and year out dealing with the talent for SC
even though they had a down year this past year, I think that it's
a more winnable conference to be honest with you. There isn't as much of
a challenge where Utah is a favorite, and I do think Arizona is going
to make a push. I'm a huge Brent Brannan fan, but you know,
selfishly, Brent and I grew up together and Brent I as we were
seven years old. Wow, they were real good friends. And so I'm
going to root for Arizona because of my relationship with Brent. And that's the
one thing that you've learned over the years too, is you've root for people,
and I've come across some great people over the years around the league,
and you tend to pull for them. Now that a lot of them are
going into different areas that you can root for them. And for example,
I'm still very close for Sean Miller. I root for Xavier. I want
Sean to do well. And that's not going to change because people are people,
and over the years that people have helped me do my job, I'm
going to be more inclined to help them and because we are in a position
where we can help these programs and get their message across. And that's the
thing is like over the years, all these relationships and that's going to be
sad about that. Okay, no longer am I going to have that relationship
with University of Washington. Well, Mike Hopkins got let go anyways, But
you know, Dana Altan's been in Oregon forever. Dana's great, and that's
going to be the weird dynamic. And then turning on and watching Oregon play
Rutgers in a conference game, Ucla playing Maryland, like what are we doing?
How does this make sense? And I just don't know if it's sustainable
to be honest with you, but at least for Nick a little while.
That's what we got right right, Just so we have a couple of minutes
left. You're close to Sean. What are your impressions of Tommy? I
love Tommy and I've gotten to know Tommy very well from when he was working
with Mark Ugh. In fact, you know when coaches would call me when
he was still at Gonzaga. Hey, i'm putting a list together. Your
athletic directors would call me in terms of I'm looking to hire a coach.
Who do I need to talk to? Well, Tommy was the first name
that I thought of always. In fact, you know when Cal went through
this search a number of years ago. This is all you need to know
about how I feel about Tommy. When Cal was hiring Mark Fox and putting
Jim Nolton r Ad put their list together, I said, look, I
don't know how your search is going to go, but you need to call
Tommy Lloyd at Gonzaga. That's the guy you need to talk to. And
I just thought the world of him personally and professionally, and it's showing now
because as we see, he's a tremendous coach plays such an attractive style.
He's bringing in talent, Arizona said, it's you know, you go from
loud Olston to Sean Miller now to Tommy Lloyd. That's that's an embarrassing of
riches right there. Oh what about that basketball conference now in the Big Twelve
with Arizona. I mean, boy, I know, I'm of all the
things that's happened as sad as I am about the PAC twelve folding its ten.
I can't wait for basketball season. Well, and that's the thing is,
Okay, maybe football isn't going to be at the level it was before,
but certainly Arizona and the newcomers to the conference are stepping into what is
perceived as the best basketball conference in the country with you look at the success
across the board right that these teams have had, and then he threw Houston
into the mix last year, and certainly Baylor the recent successes they've had.
Of course, you got a blue blood in Kansas, Iowa State, what's
going on there? And now you're going to throw Arizona into the mix with
these schools that you're set up for some amazing basketball coming up in the years
to come. Yeah, no question. Well, well, Rochy, thanks
for joining us. Always good to talk to you. Go appreciate it,
man, We're glad you're still going to be coming around. That's at least
we've got that going for us over here. Who don't you know, Miles,
you got Tommy Man. It's funny that you know. I was going
through a list of and it's far and away Arizona's number one as far as
the school that the analysts I have worked with the most, like the highest
number of analysts because I go in basketball, Miles and certainly Corey Williams and
he and I have been attached to him for years now. But it's not
just basketball. I mean, I've worked with Richard Jefferson, I've worked with
Melbach. You go to football. I've worked with Glenn Parker baseball, West
Clements, JT. Snow, Scott Erickson, and I probably I did a
basketball game with Jay John once. So you know, it's almost like the
list is never ending with all the Arizona people I've worked with over the years,
Right right, right, Okay, great to hear from you, Roxy,
Thanks a whole bunch. Again, we do appreciate it, and well,
you know, we'll see you around. You got it, guys.
I'm just happy and I can't wait to get back there. All right,
thanks you so much. One of the good guys, one of the really
good guys. Yeah. I just remember going to Northern California and then he
was doing those games there. Yeah, and I'm brilliant. I mean,
sitting you're thinking, I'm glad that he's with ESPN because you know he'll keep
doing Arizona games. And he's one of the guys that you know, you
when when you turn it on and you realize Roxy Bernstein's doing the game you're
about to watch, you're happy that you're happy that you got it. So
very cool. All right, thanks so much. Okay, let's take our
break. We're gonna come back. We'd love to take your calls. Five
two zero, four, one, six, seventy four, forty anything you
want to talk about. We're here for you. Depression. I'm out of
my depression. Roxy brought me back. Look good, Roxy has that power
over view. I feel good again and I'm looking forward to dinner. All
Right, we'll be right back. 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 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 Wildcat Lemanhunely
with Arizona Health. Imagine how home GM can change your health, your comfort,
and your time. Arizona Health is everything you need to transform your personal
space and your life. We off a complete line of cardio machines, multi
gms and free rate equipment. I'll certify fitness experts and technicians. Was you
out with corret equipment and training to get you started? To keep you going?
Visit our share room today yet twenty second in Wilmot Arizona Health to 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. PEMA
offers free career exploration classes so you can choose the field that's right for you.
Learn how at PEMA dot edu. Slash someday right here, we're going
to state up here? Is it hot in here? Or is it just
me? Honey? I always think you're hot, But it's June and we
all know it's going to get hot in Tucson. It doesn't have to be
hot in our house, honey. You should call Picture Rocks fully meeting them
plumbings. They have the solutions for us for all your air condition needs all
today zero four nine two zero seven four eight or visit us at Picture rockscooming
dot com xsu coops pay and coming. Ready to save but not sure where
to begin? Take the Pyramid Federal Credit Union ten thousand dollars saving challenge and
we'll guide you along the way. Save five hundred dollars over six months as
a member and you could win big. Watch your savings grow to help you
reach goals like buying a car, owning a home, and more. Visit
pyramid FCU dot com Slash ten k challenge to get started today, Been really
insured and CUA? 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. This is Eye on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez
sound Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app
Just Surgery I on the Ball. Hey, welcome back to my Iding the
Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve, he's Jay, and
we have Ryan with us fourteen minutes. If you want to call us five
to two, zero four, one, six, seventy four or forty you'd
love to hear from you. Good to talk to Roxy. It was our
first time to talk. Yeah, it's first time we have at least I've
been on the show again. One of the good guys. I got to,
you know, have some drinks with him in in China for that China
game. And he's just a fun guy, you know, always kind of
upbeat and funny and uh, very really personable guy and uh, you know,
he's just you know, somebody who's just his good fun to be around
it. So yeah, well he's been here a long time and then he
does to be look really really maybe I need to shave up. Yeah.
Talking about this naming rights thing, I'm looking at through Twitter, and it
is, in fact All State. According to Ross Dellinger, it's All State
that the Big Twelve is talking to and the new the name that they're considered
that sources say is they're considering calling it the All State Twelve. Put me
the name of the conference instead of the Big Twelve, and that the the
the Big twelve is the one that wants to retain twelve. If you know,
they don't want to take away the big because then they feel people won't
use the all state part of it. Let's take this call, Hire on
the air and Eye on the ball. Hey guys, what bick? What's
up? So I had a quick question. I asked a lot of people
about this. So when I lived in LA and you guys know for forty
years, and after I got my divorce, moved into my own place and
I was gonna get direct TV and I first question is you have Pack twelve?
They said no, So I had to get this network. Then when
Spectrum picked up the Dodgers, I twitched the cable. The first question I
asked Spectrum was do you have fact twelve networks on Facebook every the last ten
years? Or whoever you read? Oh, what's up? Back twelve?
I can't get it, bah Like, if you enjoy the Wildcats or you
enjoy the Dodger, whoever may be, What the hell can you not get
the PAC twelve network when it's it's readily available to me? To me what
the PAC twelve did though? Just just not getting direct TV? If there
if you point to one single thing that killed the LEGA was that never having
direct TV, so never being everywhere. I was one of the first direct
TV customers in Tucson, and you know, and I mean I I hung
on to Direct TV as long as they possibly could, but ultimately had to
you know, had to go over to to Comcast, you know, our
cable over here to be able to get packed off network. And it was
frustrating that they could never get that deal done. To me, it circles
all the way back to that. That was sort of when they couldn't get
that done, that was like this, this was ultimately gonna happen. It
just seems so weird that if you enjoy the cast, if you live in
Tucson and you're not gonna go to the game, that you're not going to
get a cable that has right well right, no, absolutely, I'm gonna
tell you guys another thing, and you kay hit on it with Rockny.
I love nothing more than Bill Walton and Neil Bach and those guys that know
they know every travel team that everybody played on. They know what high school
they say, Oh, this guy played for Gary mcnight at Modern Day or
wherever. Maybe oh, we're gonna get that in the Big Twelve where the
guys know the players personally, and I don't think, no, you're right,
You're right, you won't get that personal. We're gonna lose a lot
of that, you know, you won't get that personal and ad vice versa.
If they have the West Coast guys there, they're not gonna do the
same thing. You know. One of the things Vic that I'm I'm I
wouldn't call it worried. It's just like I feel like it's gonna happen.
Like you know, all the Big Twelve media, I feel like they're gonna
still kind of embrace the current twelve teams. It's gonna kind of look,
Okay, these four guys are coming, but we'll cover them as much as
we have to, but not any more than that. It'll take it's gonna
take a while. It's I think it's gonna take a while for the media
to absorb these four new teams, uh and sort of make them consider them
really a part of the Big Twelve. And as I think that's sort of
a natural thing. I mean it was. I think it was kind of
like that with the Big Twelve when Colorado Utah came in right there was kind
of like, okay, yeah, you're in the league, but you're kind
of you're not really part of the league. Yeah, I agree. I
had one more quick story to tell you and before I hang up. So
years ago, when Dick Tomy had left Arizona, we were doing a he
was he was joining a clinic at the state championship at the Home Depot Center
there in Carson, and my company had sponsored it. We're setting up all
of our wares and stuff to show and I go to the bathroom and Dick
Tomy's in there and I'm in the ural next too, and I said,
Coach Tomy, I'm a big fan, I'm a wildcat. We live blah
blah blah. And he says, Vic, wash your hands before I shake
him. It was great, good good. That was That was my interaction
with Coach Tomy. Good good you guys, fantastic show today. Honestly,
I was, man, thank you, thank you. Checks it. Vic
is only I think that last thing falls under the category of t M.
I no, it's funny because I have a story like that with Mike Graham
and myself and and Loot. You know how, sometimes we go in the
tournaments, and we have a new side guy go to the tournaments, and
and he needed to get a front page story, and he needed to talk
to Loot, but he was already not on the podium anymore. So I
said, the only way you're gonna do it, you got to follow him
to the bus. You gotta fallo him to the bus. But one of
those pit stops was the restaurant. It was like the La Coliseum, I
think it was l A is one of those arenas, and you got to
go. So he went in there and started asking use. He says,
I gotta do what I gotta do, and if you're not gonna if you
don't get that quote, you're screwed. I had to get drunk to do
a story. Was that the driving? I think still hungover from that.
I don't think I recovered. That would answer a lot of questions. Yeah,
how were we before the call came in? Well, I don't know.
You were talking about the All States All States? Oh yeah, yeah,
that it's gonna be All State twelve. It sounds like that that's the
that's the company that that that they're talking about. Oh, what I was
going to say is that you know All State's gonna want They're not gonna want
people to keep calling at the Big twelve. I know some people will,
but it has to it has to be the name, like some of the
bowl games. Right for a long time, was that Tony the Tiger Bowl
not the Sun Bowl? Right. Well, you know, in the world
of journalism, the last thing that we want to do is use the sponsors,
use the sponsor name. And sometimes we just had to. Yeah,
yeah, and I get it, you know, you know, you pay
for something like that. You wanted to, you know, you wanted to
work for you. But yeah, we we always fought that, right,
whatever the sponsor of the bowl game was, well, we didn't call it
that. I think the media has gotten a little bit better about that.
Yeah, And certainly with contracts and stuff like that, you know, especially
ESPNS and the Foxes and stuff like that, they have to you know,
say, you know, when we mentioned your bowl game, we will mention
the sponsor, especially if those sponsors are buying ads of the paper, right,
you have to, you have to. So yeah, I again to
me, Fine, we're in the All State twelve. I don't care.
Let's take this call. Hi, You're on the air, and on the
ball. This is Dave. How are you guys, Jem, how are
you doing? You sound better than you did the last time. Yeah,
I know. I'm just getting over my allergies, so yeah, I'm very
better. What's on your mind? We're doing fine. What's on your mind?
So, honestly, uh do This fish did an interview with the guy
who basically with Jetfish to interview that a couple of months ago that basically said
that Jetfish wasn't gonna leave, that it wasn't going to leave Arizona. But
now he did an interview with the same guy, and this Fish basically basically
said that the reason why he left was because of the DC coordinator Johnny Hanson
leaving and some other sugar honey, I see that it's full of human vehicle
matters. So anyway, Yeah, I just wait for Jetfish to Bountill,
Florida and have those husky fans feeling like the world's biggest idiots. So yeah,
Dab, I saw the same interview. I didn't think much of it
because to me, it's an old story and I need to walk you off
this ledge. We're moving on, Okay, We're gonna move on. Okay,
you know, yeah, you ready for the Big twelve game? You
ready? Oh oh yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely Arizona, I think.
Well, in nineteen ninety eight, No, nineteen ninety nine, Arizona
had a really down year in and or cross chair Arizona football. But hopefully
that's not going to be another reality. Hopefully they can stop. Hopefully they
can stock wins on top of them, and then and then proved to the
mainstream media that Arizona is the next Utah. Well, yeah, you bring
up the ninety nine. Jade talks about that all the time. After a
strong year, they've always not lived up to it the next year. Well,
also in twenty fifteen, I mean in twenty fourteen, Arizona did a
pretty good job. In twenty fourteen they went to the Sestible and play against
Boise State, and then in twenty fifteen the train went off the rails.
And then and Arizona hasn't had consistency in quite a while, correct, Jay,
Right, That's exactly it, And that's the frustrating part of it.
Great seasons have not been followed up by another great season so far in the
history of football. You know your history, Gabe, Yeah, way to
go. Gabe. All right, man, thank you, Gabe, thanks
for listening. We're moving on, Gabe, We're moving on. Thank you.
I think you know what Brendan kind of said it officially, they have
to say thank you to what has happened. He brought him here. Just
let's go, just move, let's go, let's go to the next thing.
Yeah, you know, we got it. Yeah, I mean,
and I mean I know it's June and I We've got a ways to go,
but I'm ready to start talking, you know, stop talking about the
PAC twelve and let's just talk about Okay, we're in the Big twelve.
Now, let's let's go through what all that's gonna mean. It's gonna you
know, and that's what Roxy said. It's gonna be different. You know,
it's gonna be different. But maybe someway, once it gets going,
maybe it might be refreshing. I don't know, I don't know. Yeah,
I think so, I mean, you think, yeah, I think
so. You buy a new car, are even ready to drive it,
and you get excited until you don't drive it anymore. Unless the cars the
tires go off the real and they don't do well, then you're thinking,
what the heck? Did we get ourselves into Yeah, yeah, and that
and I don't think that's gonna happen now. I think Roxty makes a good
point there. You know, it's it's not a top heavy league. You
don't have an Oregon in Washington, were Washington usc N. Well, let
me tell you something. That point has been brought up here a thousand times
thousand times because they moved to the better competitive conference for them, right,
Yeah, No, And I feel like, you know the way I lunch
yesterday with my my Wednesday group, I was explaining to them, guys,
Arizona is in a better position to go to a Rose Bowl then it's been
in a really long time because if they get if they get it, can
get into the playoff. And look, let's face it, with a twelve
team playoff, all you got to do is finish first or second in the
regular season and you're going to be in the playoff whether you win the league
or not. And then if you can get bracketed into a bracket where you
you win a game or two and now you're in the Rose Bowl, there's
there's actually some hope. I think I feel like more hope than having to
beat all those teams to get indoor ros. But you'll take that. I
take that. I'll take that one hundred percent, you know, you know,
I mean, it'll suck if Arizona does get into a playoff and then
their bracket doesn't get them to the Rose Bull and they go to the Cotton
Bowl or the whatever. You're going, If they get to the Cotton Bowl,
you're going, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll do that.
Yeah. But yeah, if they're in a playoff and they're in the quarterfinals,
you know, in one of those old games, of course, we're
going. Those are New Year's Day games. They'll be fun, it'll be
fun. So I think I football wise, Arizona is in a better position
in terms of you know, being relevant. I guess, you know,
no question, yeah, no question. It's a win win, It's a
win win, especially especially in basketball. We'll see what happens in football.
I mean, am I going to miss the USC game, the U c
l A game, the Oregon game, the Washington game. Yeah I am.
But we'll get used to the other stuff, you know, and then
we'll we'll just see these other teams and just try and kick their asses.
Change is good sometimes I think this case, this one. It's gonna be
okay better than you'll turn, which is to be Oregon State and Washington.
But we're not having a place to go. Because it was the point where
you said, I hope they take us exactly right. We were worried about
that. At least I was worried about that. You don't worry about any
of the the US was figuratively exactly yes, yeah, exactly. Okay,
all right, we're out here. Fun show today, Roxy Burnstein, John
Wilner. If you're just getting here, the podcast will be up tonight.
Give those guys a listen, and we will be back tomorrow.