Steve Rivera and Jaken Salez. They have their eye on the ball on Tucson's
Sports Bag Jack Fox Sports fourteen fifteen streaming live. I mean iHeart radio wapp
Hey, welcome back to Wing the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
I'm Steve Rivera, He's jacins Aus. Now we have Henry who's breaking news.
We'll just go straight into this then. So Arizona will be playing Washington
in the Pac twelve tournament tonight at seven pm in Scottsdale. Washington had lost
the COW twelve nothing yesterday. Who Arizona plays tomorrow and Arizona has to win
one of the next two games to advance out of the pool play to the
semifinal rounds. Right, So I didn't realize that Washington got beze so bad
last night by cal So. Yeah, we were explaining that the how the
bracket works. So aarri Zona wins both its games and Oregon State can beat
as they can still be in the in the fourteen bracket. If aar Zone
loses a game, but it wins one and loses one, they still get
in the bracket. It's just but that could kick Oregon State to the curb,
so we'll see what happens. Colton Smith of Arizona Tennis won his third
round game today and is now in the Elite eight of men's singles, where
tomorrow he will take on Murphy Cossona of Arizona State. What he's what?
What see does he? He was the twenty second there was there's a guy.
Yeah, and the issue guy is he's done unbelievably. Yeah. Well
the guy he beat today was sixteen sixteen, so he's knocked off two.
Yeah, she's ahead of it right, right, and you know he's planning
to be, you know, an individual national champion, which will be a
huge deal. You know, Arizona's other guy that got into that into the
individual bracket got beat in the his first match. But Colton Smith is there
and it was cool too. They because the Arizona So this tournament's being played
in Stillwater and that's where the softball team is. So the whole softball team
went to chair Mint at his match, which is very cool. Cool.
Yeah, I saw I saw that. I was running what he was talking
about. It was a meme or yeah thing from you yeah, yeah,
So the whole softball team was there rooting him on and he said he really
felt like it helped him, you know, to have people cheering for him
in the crowd. So that's very cool. Yeah to ask you guys number
eleven. Okay, so maybe another upset. Yeah, that's great. The
Arizona versus Kansas State game time was announced for five pm Mountain Time on Friday,
September thirteenth, and this does count as a non conference game for Arizona
Central Clutch. When's the first game the Labor Day weekend? It's the thirty
first against? Is it the week zero? Is it the week that's week
one? Week one? Week zero will be the week before first? Yeh,
it's Labor Day weekend day week. The thirty first is a Saturday,
and then the Kansas State game is a week later, weeks two weeks.
It's the third game of the season. Who's the second game? Au no
NAU then New Mexico? Oh, I thought it was in New Mexico,
and then I think they opened with NAU right. Oh wait they opened with
New Mexico. My bad, So New Mexico, that's what thirty first Labor
Day weekend? Uh? Then they get then they got an AU here.
Then they go to Kansas State does should be a good game with New Mexico.
But here's what I'm already liking in the game times. What five o'clock,
Well, just that you know it's gonna be This would have been an
eight o'clock game or seven o'clock game or something. You know, you getna.
I want to remember Henry Shustill with us. Remember to talk to him
five o'clock about these games when it's one hundred and two on the field.
I don't I have no problem with you know why because I sit on the
side of the field where you're in the shade at five o'clock. Selfish fish,
you know what I mean. All about me, Steve. It's all
about me and the fam. You know, we're on. We're on.
We sit on the west side for a reason. And that's one of the
reasons. Well, no question, because the times are going to be better,
yeah, but in the first month it's still going to be. People
are just gonna still say, oh, it's too hot, too good the
game, Steve. They always do. It's either too hot or it's too
cold, or it's too early or it's too late. It's never right on
the money. Goldilocks A bunch of people, a bunch of wienies. Hey,
I'm on your side. I complained about these fans. Who I mean,
I've sat there at a at a day game because they people bitch and
bitch and bitch and bitch a bitch. Game's too late. Seven thirty is
too late. Seven o'clocks too late, eight o'clock too late. Then you
got a day game. It's a beautiful day, and now it's too hot
too. I'm in the sun. I don't want to be I don't want
to go to this game. I'm in the sun, Like, shut up
and go. You can't have it. Yeah, I can't have it everyone.
No, I've tweeted at a game saying, where the hell is everybody?
Because you beg for this game, you got it and now it's still
you know, now you're not here? Yeah, all right. I hate
that UCLA and Arizona have final Line. It's an agreement to begin a multi
year series for basketball. And next year they're gonna play at foot Print Center.
Twenty twenty five, they're gonna play at Las Vegas. They're not gonna
play twenty twenty six and twenty twenty seven. They're also going to play a
last fagas well. Jay, all I have to say is I hate going
to Vegas, but I know I have to go. You're already looking at
flights six and a half hours. Okay, I this came up in my
list today with that my group, right, my group of fans, basketball
fans, football fans. The complaint now about this is, yeah, there's
a complaint of course. Why can't they play these games at the school sites?
Why won't they play at Michale and Polly. Why do they have to
play it in Phoenix? Why do we have to go to Phoenix? Why
do we have to go to Vegas for this game? Isn't the answer obvious?
It's a it's a neutral court game and they get to play each other
normally. I mean it's I like it. I'll go to Vegas. Yeah,
Phoenix, so Vegas, and the third one would probably be back in
Vegas, or so thought. I thought the third one was in l A
somewhere, like maybe it's Staples or something like that. Well, and that's
fair. I saw to Vegas to Phoenix. Okay, so even better.
But I get the question, but no, it's a special game. Put
them on a true course. But that's what they're saying, they're special games
to play. It's a rivalry game. Whatever you say, it's still a
rivalry game. Play these at the campuses. Don't play them a neutral car
was the question from more than one person. A couple. Yeah, and
the reason, well until until we said one of them is in Vegas.
The like, okay, that's fine, I'm good with that. Yeah,
I understand. That's it's perfect. They're not there. It's not a home
and a home situation. You know, if it's a set, you know,
if it's a Saturday afternoon game on you know in Vegas up on Friday,
spend the night. Yeah, go to a buffet, gamble little,
go to the game on Saturday, come home Sunday morning. A nice,
cool, fun weekend. Yeah, it's like going to the Indiana game back
in the a couple of years ago. Yeah, yeah, I think it'd
be fun. I don't know. Your friend, you're old guys, your
friends they are they are. Actually, this was promon of the younger guys
though, just saying I wish they were playing these amachale because he'd want to
go Yeah right, right, no, just right. For you know,
it's the atmosphere, it's a home game for each team, and it's like,
keep keep it like it's been. I'd rather go there than go to
UCI because you may not get a ticket to go watch that game. Yeah,
you will, because they don't. Therefore, well, in Arizona they
actually said that's the one game, that's the one game. Yeah, but
you know, I think I think we heard didn't didn't Ben Bolts do a
story or tell us that, you know the only times right that Mitt Cronin's
not coming back to Tucson Like ever, Oh, that's right that I heard
maybe the line you know what, that could be? Right? I have
some kind of that they're that they're I think Ben told us that because of
the spitting incident and then the situation that happened at this last game and the
Justin spears, Uh yeah, that they just that they're just not gonna want
to come here. That I think he predicted that if they continued this series,
it will be on the neutral. Yeah, and that makes sense.
That that makes even more sense because now you know, you know, the
the degenerates that do cause problems, that probably aren't gonna spend the money.
And it's funny you say that because when sales Crown is a baby. Well,
remember that you didn't go back to New Mexico for a reason, right,
same kind of reason. It's hard to win there. Well without saying
that, right, right, I mean there's really he didn't play Indiana all
those years, and Bobby Knights, he just look, I don't have to
play those games, So I'm not gonna have why should I? Right?
And you say it's going to have enough issues of its own. Moving over
to the Big ten. Last thing Next year will be the last year of
NBA on tn T, as the NBA is forming contracts with ESPN, NBC,
and Amazon for rights that would start the twenty twenty five twenty twenty six
season. Yeah, out of here, those three guys are one of those
guys that again, I like that show. I just do. I make
my plans to sit around and watch it. No, but you know,
if I'm watching an NBA game, particular playoff game, you know the halftime
show comes on, I'll watch it. You know, I'll watch ten minutes
of the postgame show because I think those guys are entertaining. So I think
they'll be a that show gets moved. Okay, Well we'll see if all
of them come back together too. Yeah. I think there's reports that Ernie's
definitely saying on TNT. But the other three micro yeah, yeah, they're
kind of free agents anyways. All Right, So here we go with some
of the we're going to start to see the Big twelve media, all right,
just kind of the whole I'm going to say, the whole media bias
thing is going to exist for a while. That, Okay, Arizona and
these schools are coming over to the Big twelve. Well, we still think
we're all better than you guys. So a two four seven sports, a
guy named Isaac Trotter put out a a too early packed a Big twelve football,
basketball, Basketball, okanky, okay, where do you think well twenty
four seven? Okay, yeah, where do you think you put Arizona?
Third? No, seventh, fifth, fifth? Who'd he's got? Kansas
Okay, okay, which that's legit. Houston, Houston, Okay, Kansas
Houston, Iowa State they're good. And Baylor okay, and then Airs.
They won't finish fifth, They're not gonna they won't finish fifth. They may
finish third, but they won't finish in the top If they fish in the
top two, that'd be fantastic. It's gonna be that kind of kind of
thing you hope for that. I don't know if you hope for that.
But it's gonna be competitive and it's gonna get you better for the for March
until you don't show up in March and then you lose and you say,
what the hell are you doing here? Yeah? So fifth, you can
live with that. It's gonna be it's gonna be like the It's like the
sec of the of the I think you gotta put them at least third.
I said there, I did. But those teams that they're there, they're
very good teams. But yes, because Arizona was gonna face stuff they had
never seen before in the back twelve packed crowds, crazy crowds, obnoxious crowds.
Uh and and and and Arizona's gonna have its mark. People are gonna
say, Arizona will show you you come from from uh uh not so good.
PAC twelve. I'm trying to find the word for it. But you
know the the soft PAC twelve Welcome to our building. Yeah. So anyways,
but to me, this reeks of you know, we don't know you
well enough. So that's true. And that's true. You know, we
don't know you well enough, so that's true. But you but you know,
going in because we've with a lot of people, it's gonna be tough
and it's gonna be hard. I know, how many teams eighteen, how
many teams there's sixteen, sixteen, eighteen, eighteen, but fifteen and eighteen
in a tough conference. If they win it, more power to them.
Got them. I don't have the number a seconds, still looking, but
I don't know. Sixteen six sixteen, they've got Colorado sixteenth. Uh,
they've got U toh fifteen, Oklahoma State fourteen, ASU thirteen, So three
of the four teams coming over they got him from thirteen to sixteen in the
league. It's like, you know, we we always thought the Pac twelve
sucks and we think the Pack Dove still sucks. So here you go.
You know, we'll see, well, I think it's fair, but it's
you know, we'll see Arizona can easily prove that otherwise finished top three and
maybe win it. Who knows. Again, they'll be underdogs, so they'll
play well until they don't. An if you get else lest minute, No,
you know, I was gonna look, you know, who do we
have on Roman Bravo Young. Okay, so let's let's go. No,
I just think his four seventeen will be about that time we said we call
him so yeah, all right, okay, stick around a Roman Bravo Young.
We'll talk about again his path to the twenty twenty four Olympics coming up,
how he feels about that, and we'll see what he's got to say.
And then again after that in the last segment of the day at four
point forty, Steve Kerr will join us and we'll just have all kinds of
fun with him when he gets when he gets on, so stick around.
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Dreamy Live, Honey, iHeartRadio WAPP. This is E on the Ball with
Steve Bravera and Jay Gonzalez Fox Sports fourteen. Hey, welcome back to you.
I in the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera.
It's Jacobs always. Now on the phone. We have Roman Bravo,
young Olympic wrestler, big time wrestler at Penn State and locally. Roman,
how are you very Hey you guys doing Thanks for having me on. Yeah,
No, great to have you on. You're what just a few months
away? Where are you at in preparation. Yeah, I just picked up
prep uh pretty heavy. Now I'll be competing here in about three weeks in
Poland. We'll go up there to get some reps and competition in in the
Warsaw Poland. I think I head out in June nineteenth and then we'll come
back finish out training camp, and then we'll fly out to Mexico maybe like
a sendoff, and then we'll head to Paris and kind of just the opening
ceremonies and training camp, and then I think wrestlings were the last events in
for Suth August. So some of this international traveler. Have you traveled much
as a you know, certainly you know as an as a college athlete around
the United States, But have you had much experience with international travel and how
is that going to be for you? Yeah, you know, this is
my first year on the international scenes. So I went to Grands back in
January of rust in Mexico a couple of times, and I qualified in Uncle
Poco. So you know, it's an international competition of day thing. It's
a lot better you travel, You get to see all these new class and
you know, at the end of the day, I'm doing what I love
and I'm wrestling to get against the best in the world, so it's definitely
exciting against fun Romant. You must be about twenty three years old something like
that. I'm twenty five. Yeah, twenty five. Okay, what would
fifteen year old Roman be thinking? How did you make it this far right?
I mean, come on, you must think he must think there there's
no way, or maybe there is a way. What would he be saying,
I can't believe this might happen. Yeah, it's crazy. I kind
of I don't get my credit some time. I really enjoy the things that
I've done, so I look back at it and now I'm just trying to
just enjoy everything day by day and just be present. You know, my
Grandpa's always been hard to me growing up. Just keep your hand down to
work and you're not doing enough. So I kind of have that mindset.
But as I'm being don I'm sarting to realize that I have done some cool
things and just to make sure that I'm enjoying it and still having fun with
it. So yeah, where I'm at right now, Like I tell everyone,
I'm living my dream and I get paid to strain my butt off every
day and I'm grateful for it. But when did that dream start roman to
be, you know, in the Olympics as a restaurant. I mean,
was it, you know, in middle school? Is it at Sunnyside?
Was it a pencil? When did that become maybe even real for you?
I think it really some came and when I got to Penn State and I
was in the starting lineup. I mean, obviously I did well and twos
on Arizona at Sunnyside, but you know, I feel like a lot of
kids in Arizona is something that I'm trying to be a role model. And
I go back and how when the times ride, it's just these people the
doorway that there's more than this high school state championships and stuff like that.
Let's use when the spot we use to get to callers to get to make
world teams, national teams, because it's it's doable. But it's hard for
kids in Touson. I feel like to buy any because they don't have someone
leading them who's done there and been there. And that's why it's so easy
to be successful and here at Penn State. Because I can look back in
my corner, I know that I got Klee Sanderson who's been there, done
at all, and I can buy into him and trust him as a leader.
If he tells me to run offa run through a brick wall, you
know I'm gonna do it, even if even if I know I shouldn't.
So I think this comes down to the leadership. And I think it all
really started obviously in Sunday Stop, but I really got to Penn State.
That's when everything just teems and yeah, it's the mindset everything, just because
even this moment, the whole new person. Well, I would have thought
you would have said when you were really young, what did you still remember
your first match and how that was and how maybe you thought maybe I can
continue to do this. Yeah, I don't really think as much as I
kid. I justmet my grandpa taking me to the Saturday tournament, and I
think nowadays it's kind of you don't know why we're doing it, and uh,
for me to find my why wasn't really tough. I got to college
and it was like, Okay, this is why I was working so hard
because the me in the moment, I really to undershot why we're going to
practice this. Boy, it's not fun and it's hard to be my community.
But you know, we started getting the disclosure. You know, thinks
of the line the winning is winning, the more winning, more matches,
and and people are starting to look up to you and stuff like that.
I feel like, now I know why, but you know, it's kind
of the way I see it. Now, what was your record in high
school? I think I was undefeated, but I don't really talking about it.
You know, origin I asked, you could say one hundred thousands of
zero, but I'm thinking, you mean to tell me you didn't know where
your wing you can. Everybody's asked I do I do it? Go to
be a four time stage champ? But my grandpa always wanted me and that
was it for me, Like he didn't expect to expect me to do any
of this stuff. We always just said he wanted a four time state champion
and that was the cosed mind he has. And now everything that I'm doing
is kind of for him. And he's one of my wives, and now
that I'm doing this stuff, it's super easy for me to both be motivated
and I just like to make him happy. So okay, so, so
as we as we mentioned, you're you're representing Mexico, there were some issues
with I think the weights and stuff like that. It got changed for the
Olympics, and it really kind of put you in a in a tough spot.
So tell us a little bit about how that, how that happened,
and and and and what your situation was as it relates to, uh,
you know, the the Olympic competition. Yeah. So, I mean,
obviously I could stick around here and trying to make the US world team,
or I can go rest for Mexic. Go and you know, it's one
of the things where I can just sit down in the mirror and think about
what you want to do for your life and the goals and how you want
to set yourself up. So you know, I took that leap of faith
and I went to go wrestle from Mexico. And now I switched this.
I got dual Ciniship and then I switched and I can't never wrestle with us
again. But when Olympic year comes around every four years, is only six
weight classes and then call it. I wrestled with one hundred and thirty three
pounds and now the Olympic weight is one hundred and twenty five point eight pounds.
So as you can say that's eight pounds liar than what I've wrestled for
about five years in college, and I'm only growing. So I really had
to do really how to get with the right people, get super disciplined to
make this weight and do everything right. There's no taking shortcuts, there's strict
diet, there's a lot of work being put in, and you know,
I think that's one of the biggest things I've proud about myself, is just
how discipline has to be to get down that way, because people don't understand
how hard it is to shrink your body down to weight that you never competed
after college when you're still growing right near maturing. Yeah, you know it's
hard, but you know life parts. So I don't do what I gotta
do and that week. Now I can say I'm Olympian for the rest of
my life, but that's the job's not done, and that's not what I
want to want move So now, so now comes a task of your family,
family members trying to go see you out in Paris. Did they see
you a lot in college and and what are you trying to do and how
can we help get people out there? Yeah, I don't go back home
to Tucson much more than I want to. I'm just so busy walked in.
You know, we had to plant it out and I've been I've competed
like every two months and mean that small injury I got to take care.
But yeah, when I want to get it back to Tucson, I want
to get my family out of Paris. So yeah, I started to go
fund me just to help get my get my family because people don't It's like
me from Tucson. It's not all the easiest, and you know that's why
I work. I work my butt off because when I go back home,
there's not much there for me. So this is what this is why I'm
so motivated. But yeah, if anyone wants to help, you know,
greatly appreciated. To get my family there. Obviously, this is the once
in a lifetime opportunity, but my goal is not. This is not gonna
be my last Olympics. Obviously want to make it to twenty twenty eight too,
but uh, you know, this would be a cool experience for them.
And I'm just gonna go out there and appreciate all all the support so
far. And I've had just my whole career and then I'm just gonna keep
doing, keep doing my best, and that's all I could do. But
yeah, you know, I appreciate the support. And eventually, when I'm
done wrestling, I'm definitely gonna help out the community and Tucson and get some
wrestling fitness going out there. But just waiting for that, for that movement
I want to be. Uh, I'm gonna be a light there at Tucson
for young athletes. Yeah, I just got to wait for my time.
But I'm still competing before we get back to the go fund me. There's
another reason why you don't come back to Tucson. You have burritos. You
know why you're gonna make wait here. I'm pretty I'm pretty disciplined now,
but I do this though. So after I'll go after August, I'll go
back for a couple of weeks. Hopefully I go back with the metal run
mind. So right, yeah, you can eat whatever you want. So
okay, So how do people find the go fundme? They'll go fundme page.
I think it's on my Facebook. I'm not really too sure how to
work it too much. I posted it, but I really haven't posted it
too much because I'm not really I don't really like to ask people for but
you know, if it's for my family or do whatever I need to.
But I'm not too sure that. But I know if you look up on
my Facebook, it should be on there. All right, we're looking at
that right now. I think we might have an all sports twosun dot com.
I think I of your shared it as well. But anybody who's listening
to us, you can go to your to your your Facebook, right yeah,
yeah, okay, yeah, I just found it. It's right at
the top of your Facebook. And if you go on to the go fundme
page, I think if you just search Roman Bravo, you'll find you'll find
the page trying to get your family to pair. So goal of fifteen thousand
dollars, you're about it a little over a third of the way there.
So let's get going. So sometime, let's get going. Yeah, you've
been a great you know, you've been a great representative Tucson, so you
really deserve this, right right, let me ask you a dumb question because
Jay were wondering why I'm asking you this. I mean, I asked you
when you were here last time with us. You you're one thousand and zero
as a as a as a high school guy, you did very well in
at Penn State. How did it feel when you lost for the first time.
Yeah, I think that's a good question and no questions. But I
feel like losing is good at the same time. Obviously it sucks, but
you know, now looking back it up, maybe I had to lose to
make the Olympic teams. You'll never really know what if a loss is a
blessing at the same time, because obviously I was just lagging a really long
winning streak going for my third title and I end up losing in the finals,
and you know, hurt, and it sucked, and I questioned myself
if I even wanted to wrestle, and then you know, something happened and
it clicked at me and I was like, you know, I'm gonna wrestle,
and I'm gonna take this leap at sayth to Mexico and look where we're
at NATS. Now we're going to the Olympics. So like I can you
can do all in the past, or you can kind of just put your
head down your work and double down yourself and now look where we're going.
So I feel like losing, obviously, no one likes to lose. But
in the big picture, the big eternal picture of life, like, it's
not that big of a but it's just a repping match. So I think
as they're going up and get you have kid in Marizona and then you don't
get the same video all like you think, like the Olympics, people make
it a big deal, but at the end of day, it's just it's
just more repping matches and that's it, and then it's be common. It
can go thing. Losing is good. It definitely helped me get me to
where I'm at. I could, I could be excuse of it. Yeah,
tell us a little bit about the qualifying process. You know, how
do how do you make the team? You know, what did you have
to do all the way from how do you just sign up? Right?
And then you mentioned you had to go you had to get dual citizenship,
so you had to go through a process and then you had to go through
the qualifying Walk us through that a little bit because I'd be interested to see
how this happens. Yeah, so just getting builds. So people who don't
know what wrestling is. Obviously it's international and there's a lot of the just
don't be good rushing in the world. There's Russians to wrestle with Belarus and
things like that. So like the the world champ at my weight last year
named Stefan Michik. He lives in the US trains here, but he wrestles
for Serbia, so it's known everywhere. But so how to get dual citizenship.
Our grandparents are born there, so they got a bug certificate. My
mom's for her birth certificate. I got mine done, and then you get
that, you get a Mexican passport and then once you're once you have that
in your citizenship, then you go to the United World Wrestling and tell them
that you want to switch nationalities, so that I just have to like pay
a fine to leave the US right switch national aladies, And then now I'm
competing for Mexico. So now I got to get in contact with the Mexican
Federation. Okay, what's the process? This is my goal. He's like,
you're this because of your resume, Like, doesn't mean crap. I
don't want nothing given to me, So I gotta make weight scratch, I'm
gonna earn everything. So I showed up to two tournaments. One of the
tournams I needed to. Then there was a qualifier in Alca, Polco in
February. They get into the top two to qualify the weight for Paris.
So I went there, made the weight, qualified, got top I mean
you make the finals. They don't wrestle the finals match because top two go.
So I made that and then once you qualify the weight, then you're
good to go. They take sixteen countries to the Olympics. Well, have
you faced any of the other ones yet? Before I faced one of the
Egyptian guy, I wrestled them in France. So I wrestled him, I
beat him, and that there was like four or five Yews in the US
that I've just known. I wrestled for different countries, but the US citizens
that I know who they are. But yeah, you haven't wrestled anything.
The world champions, the multiple worlds, not a winnings, World Champions,
the limit champions, the weight. It's gonna be fun, and you know
all you can do is show up and hope for the best. But I
know that I'm prepared and I'm gonna be putting in the work and leave no
sounds don't turn. So I'll be at piece. What's whatever happens. But
I'm excited to go out there and get my hands on the best guys in
the world because this is something that I've been chasing for a while. Do
you let yourself think about being on the podium, you know, with any
kind of a metal deed, Do you let your mind go there or would
that be kind of distracting for you? Yeah, I mean, I mean
it's always good to matifest I think it's good to write down your goals of
stuff. I really just like to keep my goals to myself and don't really
put it out there too much for everyone, because that's when it starts losing
value. But but yeah, I mean, like I said, that's obviously
the goal of everyone going there. So I got pulling first though, So
we're gonna take that one at time, and then my next goal for me
is just we win a world medal and I'll be done wrestling. So however
long it takes you, very nice, very nice role, Roman, We
appreciate your time. Good luck again. Go to his Facebook young looking him
up. Look him up on Facebook. There's a link to it. But
if you go straight to the fund me page, I think if you search
Roman bravo, young you'll find a Roman. Bravo, You'll find it.
So and you get to the golf trying to raise fifteen grand you get your
family over there, so good luck with it, Roman and all the best.
Thank you so much on come bless be well, thank you. That's
cool. That's cool, dude, to be that tough. And let me
tell you the wrestlers of the tough dudes in the world. Ud you know
right right, watching these guys in high school, right, you thought those
are the badasses of the school, right, Football players, yeah, whatever,
But wrestlers, you just go. They make fantastic football players to angles,
big leverage, all right, stuff, Okay, we gotta go.
We have luck, We have a g take a break. We're gonna come
back in about six minutes. We'll have Steve Kerr on, so come back
and uh we'll be chatting with him. Stick around. If you're an Arizona
men's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now
take a look back at the Ludolsen era in my new book, Lessons from
Loot. It was a labor of love through the eyes of twenty five former
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who led them, competed against them, and inspired them. Twenty five chapters
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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
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net. Breaking down all the excess at alls. It's Steve Rivera and Jagin
Salvinz. This is I on the Ball on Fox Sports fourteenth Theory. Hey,
welcome back to Eying the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm
Steve Rivera. He's Jenkins Owes Snow on the phone. We had one of
Tusson's favorite sons, Steve Kerr. Steve. How are you? I'm good?
Thanks? How are you guys? We're doing well? Thank you very
much for joining us. How the heck you doing? And now that the
season is no longer the season. Well, definitely feeling rested. Not that
I want to feel rested. I'd much prefer to be playing still, but
that's the way it goes. So you got to take advantage of the time.
Do you sit down and watch the NBA playoffs or how much attention do
you pay to them? I think I'm a bitter guy, so I think
if I was out, I would just get not even care about him anymore.
You know, when we lost the Sacramento in the playing game, I
went home and I swore I wasn't gonna watch anything, And two days later
I had every game off. I can't can't stay away. Yeah, I'm
sure, I'm sure. Sure, that's pretty funny. Do you how do
you look at the games? Because we always ask ex players, how do
you look at the games? Yeah? I think it depends on the time.
There are some nights I just have the game on in the background and
I'm not really paying close attention, and maybe if the game really grabs me,
like last night's game, which was incredible, I really pay attention to
what. You know, what each team is doing down the stretch, plays
they run, what what what they're doing defensively? And you know, there
are times where you pick something up and you file it away and you go,
yeah, I think I'd like our team to do that. Okay,
So like you know that Rick Carlisle is not going to have his guy foul
when there's three, you know, when they're down, when they're up three
at the end. You know, it's funny they mentioned that on the on
the broadcast, but it's h It's actually one of the hardest things to do.
At the end. It seems like it's an easy one, you know,
to have that lot of fouling, but there's so many variables and we've
been on both sides of that. You know, sometimes you foul and they
you know, they determined that it was in the act of shooting. So
you're worried. You know, the next time you're worried about fouling. And
you know, like I thought that play last night. You know, see
hackem was clearly nervous about fouling in the corner because he didn't want to give
up retreat throws. So's it's always a hot button topic, but it's more
difficult than people realize. Over the years you had you guys have had a
great run since you started back in what fifteen sixteen, whatever it was.
Do you kind of look back and say, you know, it's been pretty
good to us, to me, oh every day? Are you kidding me?
You know, the ability to to or the opportunity I should say to
coach Steph Curry and Draymond and Clay and Andrea Gadala you meet these guys are
are legends and for them to all be on the same team, you know,
at various times of their careers, it's it's just been, uh,
you know, it's complete honored to coach them. Have you ever given Steph
Curry your shooting tip? You know your your elbow is out or you're you
know, anything like that. Yeah, if you're old enough, you remember
the the advertisement TV for the may Tag repair Man. Yeah, much,
you're your younger listeners are like, what the hell are those guys talking about?
But yeah, the may Tag repair Man was was basically never busy because
may Tags were perfect like being steps shooting, you're the may Tag repair Man.
It's funny because you know obviously follow you and follow you from all time
and as a I'm a Golden State Warrior fan. When I'm thinking, you
know what I wish I could be Steve Kirk for a weekend. And then
I realized you put up with a lot of crap, and I just never
mind. Uh no, you know, I think that's uh, that's part
of it. The job is you just have to understand you're going to take
a lot of crap and the fans are never happy. Uh you know,
I I'm I'm well aware that there are lots of fans who would love to
see me get fired and all that stuff. But that's that's the life of
the coach in professional sports, you know. And and the sooner you get
used to that, the better, and you just you just don't worry about
it, and you just do your job and enjoy all the the great parts
of the of the job and ignore the rest. Okay, So now you're
you're you're you got yourself into the Olympics. You're going to go do this
this summer. When when does all that start for you? You know?
In earnest and have you ever thought what the hell did I get myself into?
Or is it you know you're looking forward to this? Oh I can't
wait. It's that We start in July July third, we go to Vegas,
players arrived the fifth and we practice for a week or so, we
get right into exhibition games and and and then to Paris, so it's all
in all, it's only about a five or six week journey and I can't
wait. I mean, it's gonna be so exciting. We have great players,
great talent, hell of a coaching staff, and obviously going to Paris,
one of the most beautiful cities in the world. So it's it's gonna
be really exciting, but very difficult, you know, even though we have
the best players in the NBA on our team, so do other teams in
the Olympics, by the way. Yeah, uh, there's some really really
talented teams out there. And PIBA is a different game than the NBA,
and our guys have to make a big adjustment. And you know, these
teams now are very capable of beating us, and we know that very well.
Yeah, the European game with the international teams. Are you are you
nervous at all about this because you know what they you know they hearing this
expect gold medal. Does that make you nervous at all? Of course it
does, you know, But that's the nature of competition. And I love
the competition. I love being in the auction and having something on the line,
having a challenge. You don't get that juice, You don't get those
feelings unless there's a downside, and there's definitely a downside here. We I
coached the World Cup team last summer. We lost to Germany in the semi
finals and uh, and then lost to Canada and in the in the bronze
medal game, and uh. It's hugely disappointing. But at the same time,
it was an incredible experience. And I think all of this. When
you're coaching at this level, you really learn to appreciate everything and and understand
that these are the best athletes in the world, best coaches in the world,
and you know, winning and losing is all part of it. That.
Yeah, when you're the coach of USA men's basketball, you're supposed to
win, for sure. Those are the times I didn't want to be Steve
Kirk. Well, yeah, I mean, what if you have to what
if you have to yell at one of those guys, right, or you
know, go sit on the bed, go sit down. You know,
how's that going to fly? Yeah? Well, you know, it's it's
an interesting experience for these guys because they're also used to being the stars on
their team, and all of a sudden, they're looking across the locker room
at eleven other Hall of famers, you know. And I think it's one
of the appeals to the experience for the players is that they really get to
play together and be together, you know, when they're used to competing against
one another, and in my experience, they really do just kind of got
their egos aside and enjoy the idea of being being one. Let's talk a
little about Arizona. We talked yesterday, J and I about those guys that
have come through the the Mikhale Doores historically and guys you needed on their team.
I think you were one of them. I don't think. I know
you were one of them back in the mid eighties because people played for you.
And in fact, Harvey Mason in the book talks about he was he
played hard because he went he didn't want to disappoint Loot and he didn't want
to disappoint Steve Kerr. Did you no, No, And I'm not I'm
not joking, I'm being serious, because you had that presence about you.
I think even Pete Williams talked about it a little yesterday. Did you sense
that when you were on the team with them? Definitely not. I mean,
you know, especially with Pete. Pete was a junior when I was
a freshman, and my freshman year, I was just trying to you know,
survive. And I think my sophomore year it was a different vibe and
I had a lot of more confidence and became a starter. But I think,
you know, my experience that U of A was special because it was
five years and I really did feel like I just grew from this, you
know, a young kid or didn't know anything to you know, a fifth
year senior and you know, playing on a final four team. It was
just an incredible experience the whole run. And to be there for Luke's first
year and to see him build it from the ground up was just amazing.
Well, we talked about when you got hurt that summer. We don't think
that the history of the program would have been the same had you not and
gotten hurt, because it seemed like everything fell into place in eighty eight where
they needed you, you needed them, You helped tremendously with the team.
Does that make any sense? It does it does. I think if I
hadn't gotten hurt before that my senior year, my fourth year, we would
not have been a final four team. I think the rest of the guys
that year that I sat out, they all made such huge strides and we
brought everybody back and we were just loaded that that that last year for me,
and I think that final fortrait really kind of validated the program, validated
each of us individually, and and I think it helped set the course for,
you know, the next twenty years where Coach Olsen just built this this
amazing program. Well you know, yeah, I mean you'll always be thought
of as one of the as we call Pete, you know, Pete Williams,
you know, the cornerstones of what Arizona basketball is today. You know,
through Sean Miller now now with with Tommy Lloyd, that you'll always be
thought of as the guy who helped build what is even happening today. Is
that I don't know, do you put your hand on the pillow at night
and ever think about that? Where do you think your place is there?
Well, it's a great source of pride for sure. And that was one
of Loot's messages to you know, his first year or two was you know,
we're building something special and and you know you're you're going to be you
know, one of the you know, one of the groups that really got
it started. And I think we all said a lot of pride in that.
You know, that's that's a pretty unique thing to be able to do.
And obviously the way my career turned out and the way the fans you
know, took to me and took care of me and cheered for me,
it became something that I never could have even imagined. But when you were
here and Sean was going through his his stuff here and being becoming Sean Sean
Elliott right. Uh. In the book he admitted that he wanted to leave
a time or two because was on him. He was on him a lot.
I'm sure you saw that. And did you know that, Oh yeah,
oh yeah, yeah, Sean was you know, he was so good
but so so raw and coach also and coached him hard. And I think
if that happened today, he probably would have tried. Yeah. But but
but but back then, it didn't work that way, and it was a
much healthier environment, to be honest with you, And in terms of player
development, especially with with a coach like lude Olsen who would coach you hard
but had total respect were you and and treated you like like a grown up.
You know. He was never demeaning, he was never insulting. He
was just very demanding and most young players need that. They don't always know
it though. Yeah, well, well Steve, thanks for your time.
Good stuff, Steve. We appreciate your time always, we know it's valuable.
And best of luck at the Olympics this summer. We have some fun
with that, I will. I will appreciate you guys having me on.
Yeah, well, Steve Kerr, thanks so much. Yeah, great to
have one on the show. We always get him like, you know,
it's kind of like we've got to He's one of those guys. I mean.
One of the best things I've ever written read from him. Remember he
was a student and he went to cal and he wrote a column about about
their band. Everything was a funny joke about everything, fantastic view of other
teams. He's never look, he's a serious guy on a lot of things.
He's very good at what he does, but he's never taken himself so
seriously that you think, you know he's so I mean, he's just he's
he's a he's an average guy who happens to be incredibly successful and that and
that's I think that that's the cool thing about say this, without any regrets.
He is the smartest dude I've ever met. Yeah, because he goes
a lot of different directions he does, and he handles a lot of different
things. Whether you agree with his politics or not or whatever, it's just
sense. I mean again, a guy who came here, as he said,
just that, you know, a young guy just trying to find his
way. And when you think about what he's built in his you know,
in his life is as a college basketball player, a professional basketball player,
an NBA CO she was a general manager. I mean, you want to
talk about a guy who's pushed every button, and it seemed to seemed to
have pushed the right buttons. But you're right, though you think it's harder
than anybody think I want to do. It's very harder than anythings. All
right, Thanks so much to Steve Kirk for joining us. That was very
cool. So all right, I think that's it. Have fun. Show
went fast, went fast. We'll be back tomorrow, but we're gone Friday.
We'll be off on Friday and Monday for Memorial Day, so catch us
tomorrow. Would love to take your calls five to zero, four one,
six seventy four forty. If you're just catching the end of that or missed
it, it'll be up on the podcast today so tonight, so so be
sure to check that out. So thanks for being here and we'll see tomorrow.