Breaking down all the exes and ohs. It's Steve la Vera and jaygen Salmins.
This is I on the Ball on Fox Sports fourteenth fifty. Hey,
welcome back to win the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve,
He's Jay now and at least with some breaking news. This is I
on the Ball, breaking news on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. All right,
welcome to breaking news on I on the Ball. So starting off, we
have a couple things. So the first I wanted to start it was start
with was last night Ronel Blanco through the first no hitter of the MLB season
for the Astros. Wait, oh, go ahead, go ahead, because
I was gonna say some here. He knows what I when I say.
He threw one hundred and five pitches and struck out seven of the Blue Jays
and this is the seventeenth no hitter in Astros history. So first one of
the season, I mean the season started, you know, over many days
ago, five days ago, already crying. Yeah, he hats everything,
he's well, yeah, I mean I had anything when the ass was do
well. Yeah, we did have Francisco on fun. We had fun with
it, mate, you know, we gave each other some crap. I
told him he needed to get his butt over and work for the Dodgers someday.
And this was only his eighth career start in them. Wow, that's
a big deal. That's a big deal. And it was only because the
two people who would have been before him were injured. He was the third
strike. Were you able to find out if it's the earliest snow hereter thrown.
I didn't see anything about that. I think it's just because something,
but I can't remember. I thought it was just that it was the first
one of this season, which is like, I mean, obviously, yeah,
but I think it might have been the earliest one to ever be thrown
during the regular season ever close to really, Yeah, I mean that would
make sense. Yeah, the season started. Yeah, it's been a week.
Yeah, not even a week. Yeah, so because we don't count
those first two games of daughters, right right, right? Okay, yeah,
but eighth is eighth MLB start? Crazy all right? Then I was
going to talk about L s U and versus Iowa and the twelve point three
million viewers We kind of already talked about it. This was three million more
viewers than last year's game. So the last year's titles, last year's title
game three million. More so, it's been kind of up and coming ever
since. This season really took off. Obviously in Kaitlyn Clark has been a
who catalyst of that. Let's go there now because we talked about it before
the break, Why well, how is this happening, especially because it's these
two teams? No, I well, well, first of all is what
it's what happened last year and you know this was national championship game. That's
the first thing. You know, the intrigue Angel Reese and and and Kaitlyn
Clark have continue needed to be uh you know, high profile figures because the
way they played, uh you know during the season, there was you know,
clearly the back and forth that happened in the championship game Kaitlin Kaylen Clark,
you know, saying some stuff Angel is coming back at her. And
so I think that that created a lot of intrigue, but that in created
that created intrigue for the whole season. Kaylyn Clark's a really compelling player.
People have been fascinated by her, but Angel Reese's too, uh maybe not
for the same reason because she doesn't shoot from a mile away. Let me
ask you this and be careful how you answer, because it's a weird question.
So Ben Bolches call him. You knew what he was doing. Had
he not use the words that he used, it kind of would have been
well yeah, because yeah, because yeah, because you know, look,
fans love having good guys and bad guys, and that's what this was,
and that's what he was. That's what he's trying to do. He sees
a lot of a lot of really unfortunate you expressed in a lot of really
unfortunate ways. Because there's good guys. Duke's the bad guys yeah to Arizona.
Depends on what you want. The dude who was always tripping guys for
Duke, uh, he's in the yeah bad guy, bad guy right unless
you unless right, unless I was the Phoenix guy. I don't like when
people say that he was always tripping people. Well, he did it.
He did it a number of video that though. I know. But you
know, people love to have sure bad guys and it's a drama game and
they love to have good guys, all right. In this I'll just say
in this particular case, you know, the bad guy is an African American
girl, the good guy is in people's minds is is uh? You know
what do you want to say? You know what a Caucasian girl? You
know, and people with the way things are in this country right now,
people lose their minds. Of course, I didn't throwing the throwing the situation,
the Kim Molk thing, and you know what to people out there,
Kaylen Clark's the bad guy. He's a trash talker, like, yeah,
nobody's business. She's hard. In fact, they don't want her to succeed,
right because because of that. So it's just element. You know at
LSU, who's the bad guy? Kaylyn Clark's the bad guy? Right?
You know in Tucson, Arizona, you know everybody at Duke is a bad
guy, or everybody SU is a bad guy. And then when you see
the game thirteen million or whatever, a great game, fantastic game. They
stayed watching. H you didn't get the craziness. They played basketball and it
was a great game. And then Moki didn't dress over the top. She's
dressed normally. I don't know if you noticed it, and you're thinking what
happened? Yeah, so, but I think all that intrigue for whatever reason,
you know, created a back and then a women's basketball season that people
were interested in, curious. They watched this all year long. They did
ls. You averaged four point seven million viewers per game this season. And
what I didn't say Iowa because I'm sure there's more, probably more, bigger
numbers, probably more. So, you know, it's just they were very
you know. And then Juju Watkins, you know, you know, add
and Alsodden. Here's this freshman that plays like a senior and plays like an
NBA player, and and you know, it just there's no interest. It
had all the elements of good bad coaching rivalry. And then look and then
South Carolina undefeated again and then really damn good. You know what. I
think that helps them because the focus isn't on them, right, and it's
on these other guys. You know, they're gonna you know, if they
wind up playing Iowa in the in the that'll be in the That's what a
game that will be. How much is that gonna be? And who are
people going to be rooting for? That's gonna be the bigger than the thirteen.
I mean, they got to play Connecticut. You know, I was
matched up against Connecticut in the in the semi finals. But they these teams
that are in the in the National, in the in the final four.
That's going to just draw a lot of interest. People are going to be
watching those games on Friday and Sunday. Yeah, I'll be watching on Sunday.
I mean, how can you not. Yeah then well Friday will be
in Phoenix, but we'll see, okay, Yeah, all right. So
I wanted to talk about a few Arizona things which I thought was kind of
funny. I remember last week how I brought up that the for the basketball
team heading to the Sweet sixteen, they did like the send off McHale.
They did that again today for the gymnastics team, and that has to be
something with the new ad, like a send off with a bunch of people
outside of McHale, you know, with signs, probably say for the gymnastics
team going to NCAA Regionals, And they did it last week. It was
it was bigger for the men's basketball team. But very cool. Yeah.
I thought that was cool. Yeah, that is very cool. And then
today Arizona softball rank the coaches Pull rankings came out today and Arizona Softball is
holding steady at number twenty one despite being twenty I mean, they're doing good.
They're twenty two and eleven, five and seven in the Pac twelve.
They lost two out of three to Stanford, Yeah over the weekend, which
was unfortunate, but yeah, you know they're they're doing okay. You know,
probably one of those teams that if they can get hot and stuff,
they can you know, get into some postseason stuff. We'll see, Yeah,
and then something else I saw. We've never I've never talked about this
on here, and I played beach volleyball, but one of Arizona's pair,
Anti cost and Hope Shannon from Arizona Beach Volleyball are undefeated on the year nine
to zero, with wins this past weekend over GCU number sixteen g c U
and number eighteen Stenson. So how is that going to play out in the
Big twelve. I have no idea, Yeah, because you'd think that they
wouldn't have a pee and they wouldn't have many teams. It's like for women's
it's like you know, becoming a bigger Yeah, but in the Big twelve,
where there's no beach or anything. There's no beach here. What I'm
saying, it's in the car, we're within reach of a beach and the
cold, cold still in the middle of the you know, they do like
indoor beach volleyballs. Yeah, they have a stimulated wind. I've heard.
I don't know all the beach I don't know about the Big twelve schools,
but I know like in kind of like the Middle East and stuff like that,
they have beach or not the Midwest. I mean in the Middle East,
in the Midwest and they have Yeah, they have stimulated wind in indoor
beach. All I'm looking at the I'm looking at the Big twelve list of
sports and beach volleyball is not on it. Really, so what happened is
they'll get into a league probably yeah, from the West, you know,
because that that that's what because the Big twelve doesn't have as many sports as
the pet isn't the average seventeen. Yeah, they talked to me. So
they don't have all the sports that well, they certainly don't have. They
have a question in that Arizona does well that and what about what about they
don't have triath They don't have the triathlon. They have rowing, but Back
twelve has rowing. Just Arizona doesn't have a rowing team. You know all
the standards baseball, batman's women's basketball, cross country, football, golf,
gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track, volleyball,
and wrestling. But then they have rowing, rowing, and equestry.
So well, you have any more stuff, I'm sure you do. I
have a few more things. I know you wanted to talk about. Eric
Musselman, Arkansas head basketball coach. Is there's rumors he may be interviewing for
the USC head coaching position. Yeah, he doesn't like it in Arkansas,
apparently not. He doesn't. He's gotten with two Elite eights and a Sweet
sixteen, and the fans are on his crap because they had a bad year
this year. Fans are on fans are crazy. Yesterday, I don't know
if you have this, but the Tennessee coach got let go and she's been
to four or five sweet sixteens, but she We talked about this yesterday,
right circling back to the no hitter, was it was the earliest? Now
he really? Wow? Cool? Yeah, I mean that makes sense.
Yep, his eighth career start unbelievable. Yeah, okay, anymore, Yeah,
I have one more thing. I know you guys talked about baseball last
week, but Clark Candiotti was named Top Cat of the Week because he pitched
his first career complete game and earned the win against UCLA. We know,
they swept Ucla three to zero and a career high twelve strikeouts and the first
twelve strikeout game by an Arizona player since twenty eighteen. Cool. Yeah,
no, I saw him throw and he looks really good. Yeah. He's
a big dude. He brings it, he throws hard. He was very
impressive. It was a three to two, you know, nine to any
game walk off, one of the three walkoffs that they had, and I
was really impressed by him. I need to get to a baseball game.
It was fun. We had a great time, mate, so much.
Yeah, I love going to the baseball I haven't been to one yet them
have you anymore? Yep, that's it. I have one. What there
really? Oh? I thought you were losing weight. I'm trying to get
it back, trying to find it. I got one. Caleb Love has
just been announced the Wooden Award winner. He's All American top ten, finished
in the top ten. He won. No, no, no, no,
he's in the top ten. So he had it's a it's a ten
list of ten. He did not make the finalist. Oh, man,
I have the list one for sure. I think the Yukon guy Newton,
I think it is. I'd have to go back and see what the see
what the list is here? It is okay? Uh? Oh Davis R.
J. Davis of North Carolina, Zach Edy uh connect from Tennessee,
UH, Newton from Connecticut, and Jamal Sheed from Houston. The guy that
got hurt and ruined my chances, well, he went down. I think
you went everything for me and Kelvin. Sorry, Steve. This is what
it is. Another year. It's all about the gambling, the disappointment.
Yeah right, my twenty dollars, my twenty dollars. Okay, let me
tell you. Okay, that's it, all right. I have one more
thing. Well, I mean I'm following this. So two four seven Sports
put out a football recruiting ranking for the Big twelve. Uh. Unfortunately they
only rank fourteen teams, leaving out Colorado and Arizona. So I just sent
a nice, a snarky reply to that, saying, you guys do know
that there are two more teams in the league and aren't listening did you did
you do you like Rodriguez Rodriguez Yankee Yankee Alex Rodricks as you like? Not
particularly, Okay, so I won't even we only start that because it's we
only have a minute. But he, you know, he was gonna buy
the Minnesota that fell through because of egos and people with rich with you know,
rich people with money gon to fight. And then now he's not going
to buy the by the the Timberwolve. Yeah, so you knowing the Timberwolves.
He was trying to another part of a group three billion I think it
was, and that's no longer because the owner. Oh no, it's one
in half. Now that they're doing really well, the value went up twice.
If any kind of like a hot head, he's kind of there's a
lot of things. Yeah, well you can tell these guy who's got a
high school education and that's it because letters sudn letters to this Gonzales, they
went to he went to baseball out of out of high school. He doesn't,
you know, as opposed to Lebron James. It's smart as hell.
Right, let's take a break, come back Letters to Jay. All right,
we'll be right back. We're gonna have Brett Farrah coming on sports that
her airs on Daily Star talking about the Robbie Robbins needs. We'll be right
back. The Windows Depot is more than a Windows store. The Windows Depot
is a one softwarehouse with everything you need for your complete Homer model. Shop
the aisles of pre built cabinets in a variety of colors, granite and courts,
countertoks, 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 or bathroom remodel today. Shop the
Window Deepot dot com or find a location near you. The Window Depot more
than a Windows store. Steve Rivera here to talk about Dorato Rock Materials.
I needed a lot of gravel for my driveway, so I called Eric at
Dorato Rock. He found out the amount and color I needed and boom,
it was taken care of and at a great price. How do I know
radio commercials work. I heard one of his on the radio. Dorato Rock
Materials provides a wide range of landscaping materials, including decorative rock, boulders,
gravel, soil, and sand for residential and commercial use in the Tucson area.
They are locally owned and have been around for more than fifteen years.
Give them a call at five two zero four zero zero for two three three.
Where do you buy exercise equipment? Arizona Health Arizona Health Arizona Health.
Of course, to feel better and look better, it makes sense to buy
your fitness equipment from the people who know it better than anyone else. At
Arizona Health, our goal is to help you choose the equipment you need to
reach your goals. Your health and fitness deserve the best you deserve. Arizona
Health the leading edge and exercise equipment on twenty second just west of Wilmot.
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 two t twenty five years.
They are located on e Speedway that's show Time Cards, Nova home Loans.
We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy the independence that comes with home
ownership. Paul Volpi is ready to help you find an option that best fits
your needs. Whether you're a first time or veteran home buyer or want to
get cash out with the refinance. Nova has a variety of home loan programs
to meet your unique situation. Visit voltpeteam dot com that's Volpe team dot com
or called five to two oh six eight five six two six today in MLS
three oh eight seven, arizon A BKO nine two nine four two Equal Housing
Opportunity now to commitment to lindrixon Credit Rates and available loan programs are subject to
change. With Unumbice, it's Spring awards season for all your academic and sports
awards from grade school, junior, high, and high school and the U
of A. Come visit Creative Awards idea center located at two twenty eight West
Drackman Street and Tucson, across the street from PEMA College Downtown Campus. Creative
Awards has a plethora of awards, custom and stock awards from plaques, trophies,
acrylic, optical glass and many other specialties. Visit Creative Awards online at
Creative Awards AZ dot com. It's that time of year, Summer in Tucson.
Time to take control with temperature control for all your air conditioning needs.
We'll keep you cool during all the hot streaks. All you have to do
is stay in control with temperature control where we handle everything you need with prompt
response, affordable pricing and sound solutions. We also excel in plumbing and electrical
work. We handle everything you need. Give us a call at five two
oh eight one five five six six' five or visit our website at tempdash
con dot com and remember, stay in control with temperature control. Need concrete,
hard Works Concrete has it. We have more than twenty five years of
experience with all things concrete. Installing sidewalks and patio floors are our specialty and
handle masonry work and retaining 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 EA.
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
guy. Bugs, termites, bees, are rodents. Arizona Pest Control will
hunt them down. Arizona Pest Control is your complete desert pest management specialist tests
can't run or hide from Arizona Pest Control. They use only the latest and
most technologically advanced methods of pest elimination available, which minimizes the effects on the
environment. Let Arizona Pest Control get rid of your bad bugs, termites,
bees, or rodents serving Tucson and Southern Arizona since nineteen forty seven. Go
to azypest dot com to schedule your free evaluation. Today. Streaming live on
the iHeartRadio app, This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jacin
Salez on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Hey, welcome back to EE on the
Ball, you know Fox Sports fourteen. Cookie, I'm Steve, He's Jake,
and at least with us today. Now we have Brett Farrah from the
Arizona Daily. Start Brett, How are you thank How are you thank you?
How was your quick trip to Los Angeles last week? You know,
I think mine was a little longer than yours, only because I was able
to loop it in with seeing my parents for the first time in a while.
So I stayed through the weekend and and got a little bit of relaxation
out of the deal. I guess that's the one benefit off Arizona losers.
The work stops, but get to get to sort of still hang around.
But but yeah, it was, it was, It was fine. It
was. It was interesting. As you know from covering them for so long,
they're always interesting. It's funny though, I thought you could to say
my trip was not longer than yours, because when I traveled six hours with
Brian Peterson, and that alone makes it twenty four hours I get there,
that makes it a lot longer. I spent the week in Albuquoquie one day.
Yeah, it was like that. It's too funny. So Brett like
like like us, you've seen the news. Uh, doctor Robbins will be
leaving at the Arizona sometime you know, in the next uh what fifteen months,
but could be soon if they go find a president and he's he's agreed
to step down if a new president gets gets picked. But you know,
those of us who follow sports love you know, U of a sports have
always liked the fact that he's very interested, committed to it. Some people
made didn't like some decisions he made coaching, coaching wise, and stuff like
that. But in the end, you know, when your university has a
president who's committed to athletics, you know, it's generally good because we've had
ones that were not. Your thoughts on him leaving and what you think,
uh, what kind of role do you think athletics will play in, you
know, getting the next president? I think what's interesting, and I mean,
please forgive me and I'll try to correct you. But what surprised me
this morning was it actually like twenty six months. It's twenty six and I
just can't fathom it's going to be that long that he's in the role.
Once you once you put this out there, my guess is it's it's you
know, logic says months sometime by the end of the calendar year, but
that's you know, who knows. It could be sooner than that. It
could take a little longer. But to your point, you know, I
was, actually I was I was working on campus. I was working with
the students that the Daily Wildcat back when he was his first day on campus,
and he came by the newsroom. It was part of his car wash
on campus, and you know, we had set up to have you know,
archives of the daily Wildcat out and stuff like that, and the first
thing he did was turned to the page from whatever day. It was April
first of ninety seven, the day after winning the national championship. And so
the students start asking him, literally his first day on the job, well,
who are some of your favorite Arizona Wildcats players? And he's not just
saying like Mike Bibbie and play with people like that. I mean he's tossing
out Tom Colbert and like, yes, names that are known, but you
kind of have to know these are Arizona people. So from day one you
could tell he was very interested in this. And I don't mean this as
a criticism of him, but to travel as much as he does and to
be at as many sporting of that he's in, there's really got to be
three of him. Like he's cloned himself twice, is what I've realized,
because I, you know, I get tired. You guys get you know,
it's like eight o'clock at night for a basketball game after a long day
on a Thursday of a long week, and yet he's still sitting their courtside
and he's doing his hard job the next day. So so it's it's a
very unique, I think personality to be in a job like that and still
be as directly connected to the sports scene as he's been. And I think
to find a replacement that's as connected will be will be very difficult. But
maybe that's part and parcel with him setting it up the way he has,
with with getting the hires in the way he wants. Getting things financially obviously
is a whole nother ball of wax, but getting the stability of how he
wants the coaching situation set up and and and then hand it off to the
next person. But I would be hard pressed to see if we could,
we will see someone with as much interest in sports as he's had. So
let me ask both of you, what do you think his legacy will be
from an athletics standpoint? And I think it's going to beation. You know,
I think if you look, if you look back prior to Anne Weaver,
Hardin's predecessor, her legacy was sort of that that issue with her being
on the board of directors for I think Debri and simultaneously working here and things
like that, and I think everyone kind of their worst war kind of follows
them around. But in terms of athletics, I think, you know,
this is thrown around a lot, at least not necessarily in formality, but
he's got a very Jerry Jones like personality and not in a difficult way and
not in the way that gets criticized. But you know, he has athletic
directors, there are coaches, but yet he still has his handprint on stuff.
So I think athletically that legacy will definitely be there. I mean,
if football stays competitive for the next decade, that's on him. I mean
he's the one who pushed for a jag Fish higher, so so I mean
he definitely will will maybe you have to see that in the next five to
ten years, but but that's definitely a tie to his tenure. Yeah,
but he's also got a lot of ground to make up over the Kevin Sumlin
higher because that was that was him too, So you know, he dug
the hole, but he's also helped them dig out of it out of it
with that, I think ultimately for just general people, uh you know,
who follow and are interested in you, it'll be the financial situation. I
think the business community will be it'll be a very good legacy because he's done
a lot of stuff business wise, athletics wise, some of both. Right,
you know. The you know, the financial situation in athletics, you
know is on his watch. But yet they did a lot of things.
Yeah, you know. And let me ask you another quick question to both
of you. So you talked about him being everywhere and we saw him everywhere.
Was that a good thing or not? Maybe over the top ish,
I think you're Jerry Jones' analogies is a very good one, and not in
a bout way. But he's around and and if you're the ad or you're
whatever, you're kind of are you looking over your shoulder? Maybe Dave did,
Maybe he didn't know. He wrote that story. I wrote that story
on Ikey, and it was they all played well, they all played good
together. Right, But but yeah, you know, I think I think
it's good and bad. I mean, I think it's good in the sense
that obviously he cares. I think the bad part is is it creates a
perception that he cares about that more than other things, which I don't believe
is true. But if you're front facing all the time, sitting courtside at
you know, at McHale and and or in the or you know, in
the press box at the stadium, and it's that's what That's what everyone athletics
supporters and the rest of the community are going to focus on, and that's
what they're going to see. And so it's it's one of those things that's
always going to happen in the college athletics team or college university of this stature.
It's going to happen in that game, which is you're going to have
the people that think it's great and the people that think it's absolutely terrible.
There's very few in between. Right, There's a lot of the people that
want that kind of attention paid to it, and there's a decent, if
not vocal minority, a decent number of people that are vocal that think that
too much attention is paid to sports and athletics. So I think it's hard
for me to assess that there was good or bad, But I don't think
we could say he didn't care about the success. And it's the same thing
goes for the people that believe that athletics and these are words from Viky and
him that athletics are the sort of front door of the university. If you
believe that, you loved what Robert Robins did. If you don't believe that,
and you believe it's tied to the research grants and the science discoveries and
things like that, that those are really what's bringing in more applicants and a
better quality of students applying for day to day admission, not athletic admission.
Then you wouldn't like that. And so I think it's all what side of
the bed someone wakes up on. But the reality is, anybody connected to
athletics, I don't know if I've heard anybody who hasn't been in terms of
inside McHale, you know, inside the mkale machine, who hasn't seen and
thought that he was a good press and supportive of what they were doing.
Well yeah, well, well, I mean part of what his legacy with
the faculty is exactly that Brett, that he did pay too much attention to
athletics as far as they were concerned, and they didn't. They don't like
that. But that's any any college campus is like that. You know,
the faculty, you're out there doing the teaching and the research and the fundraising
and stuff like that. They get pissed when people pay so much, you
know, when when the school gets identified by its athletics, they go,
what the hell am I doing here? And there's a lot of that,
and he'll walk away with a lot of that. I mean, the faculty
group, you know, came out a couple of weeks ago and said that
they should just flat out layoff twenty percent of the athletic department without any kind
of reasoning behind that number, because that's what you run up against. And
that's going to be his legacy with the faculty that as you said, he
was front and center so often, you know, at athletic events, which
I mean if I had those seats, I'd be there every game too,
But you know that that's what that's how it'll it'll be. You wonder,
though, then, is the board of regents gonna go for somebody just a
little less focused on on athletics. What's the next president? I wonder too,
And I wonder if they, you know, if he's created a scenario
behind the scenes some of its public, but behind the scenes too, where
they can do that and they know it's not going to necessarily die off the
one thing I you know, I think we all remember about people in this
position is, and he has said this, He said almost these exact words,
his job number one is to be cheerleader number one for everything of the
university and the Block A and the you know, Cardinal and Navy and everything
tied to the university and its brand and its mission and athletics being connected with
that. I would be I would be shocked if they bring in someone who
didn't at least support the endeavors of athletics in the in the grandest scheme.
You know, it doesn't have to be to the minutia that he did,
but I would be really surprised if it was somebody who wouldn't at least see
it for the value it brought in terms of camaraderie and social conversation and stuff
like that. But to have someone, you know, the last thing I
want to do on your Guys show is make a joke about sports talk radio.
But like the number of times I've heard him talk about, you know,
how much he listens to sports radio, Like it's it's kind of kind
of cool in some respects, but it's also like wow, like that's that's
a lot. Like I remember remember when he called into Jim Rome and was
trying to convince Jim Rome to send his kid to u of A. You
know what I mean, It's like he is. He is so finger on
the pulse with sports that I think whoever comes in to replace him will will
care about it and we'll have enough people around them to understand the nuances of
it. But probably w won't see anyone in the next two or three ten
years of presidents that had the attention level he did to what was going on
in the kale and at the stadium. Well, you talk about that.
I opened the show today with a question to Jay. So now you have
are you're going to have a new president. You have a new football coach,
you have a new ad, you have some coaches that are just three
years in to their tenure. You know, what's that dynamic going to be
for the new president? I think I hope the interesting dynamic is going to
be for the coaches, meaning that you know, and this I'm not trying
to throw anything against the wall or anything like that, but but if you
see coaches who are have legacies here, so you to look at like baseball
and softball, for example, with Chip Hale and Caitlyn Low like they deserve
time to figure out their programs and get them going in certain directions. But
who knows what a new president is going to look at or what there's very
Riefrancois was going to look at without a past history with them, So it
just it could get interesting, That's all is. We don't know, And
I'm not trying to trying to, you know, be gossipy. I'm just
saying, like where where in the past I would have thought there's a lot
more rope to figure things out. New people coming in expect change, and
they expect you know, answers, and they expect movement, and who knows
how that's going to end up implicating or affecting what goes on in McHale and
and with the different programs in that way. To the point to the of
what you said, Steve, I I think it'll be an interering dynamic on
that front because the history is not there. They're coming in brand new.
More than likely, I don't see there being a real internal candidate, especially
without a current provost and things like that in place, So so it's more
than likely going to be someone from outside. I'd be shocked if it isn't.
And well you talk about and then the ad of course you mentioned does
right, Well, you wonder you wondered did they have this conversation when he
hired her? Did she ask them how long are going to be around?
You know she did? You know she would have to have asked that,
right, So, and you wonder what his answer was. Yeah, I
would be shocked, knowing what we little we know about her so far and
kind of her her go get him mentality on stuff. I'd be surprised if
she did. And as that question in the process, I mean don't know
was a quick turnaround for her to get hired and everything, but I would
be surprised too. Yeah, Well, it's gonna be gonna be interesting times.
I'm like, I'm thinking like you though, Brett, I think he'll
they'll start looking for his replacement, Like right now, I think you know,
Katie Hobbs has made it clear that she's not happy with with with you
know, how things went with with this financial situation. Part of it depends
on what the Border Regions thinks. But you know, if the governor has
any saying, and I would imagine that they're going to start a search relatively
soon, And you're right, it takes six months or whatever you know,
to get to get somebody. So be interesting to see how long that takes.
Well, it's going to be very interesting. I remember last time when
he was found. You know, the two finalists we were him and we're
a guy he goes by the nickname of Punch because he's got a name that's
difficult to pronounce. And I'm not gonna lie in that he was from a
su and the two of them couldn't have been more different, you know,
he was he was a deputy to Michael Crowe and had a very hefty scientific
background, whichppens he Robin sayes we forget sometimes that he's a heart surgeon.
That sometimes we don't because we're told a lot, but but to kind of
different personalities going through that process. So it's gonna be interesting to see what
they focus on, you know, if they want someone to align with the
state elements of how a FU and NAU are built, or if they want
a unique voice down here like they did with Robbins, to have this sort
of flagship Land Grant University have its own personality with it. With a state
like this, it's still very strange to only have three public university, not
the norm across the country. Yeah, well, Brett, I'll assuming maybe
can you preview tomorrow's or today's story you're gonna have anything sports related. I'm
sure the news side is already working on theirs, not yet on Robbin's.
We're working on that in terms of both Michael lev and Greg Hanson are likely
going to be opining on that a little bit in the coming days, but
news is kind of who's handling it right now. But it is an ongoing
thing because he has had his fingers so much on the pulse of everything happening
in that athletic department. It's successes too, I mean the growth, the
getting Tommy Lloyd and getting his extension in place, and simultaneously what we said
about about fish and now what they're trying to build with Brennan I think,
and every sport, but really those two obviously being financially so important to the
athletic department, it's definitely going to be something that there's a lot to talk
about with it. Thank you, Brett. We appreciate your time. Thank
you guys, appreciate you man than you got good stuff, good stuff.
A lot of very smart analysis. I mean in the also, you know,
athletics aside. This is a huge job for the community, without question,
without question. You know that the university sets the tone for a lot
of things. And look at the tone where it's at now. Yeah,
and it's yeah, well, and it was going well and then it crapped,
you know about the last eighteen months. You know, he said that
in his think the last eighteen months has been difficult. Yes, they have,
and it's affected everybody, and everybody says it to the point that the
governor said, you're doing it well again, not a shock to us,
right. In fact, we thought it might have come earlier, given the
hikey and the other. The ball, the snowball has been coming down for
a while, and then we'll see what it stops. All right, let's
take our last break. Well, we'd love to take it. Call us
five two zero, four, one, six, seventy four forty. If
it's a buzz, we'll kick around anything you want kick around. If you
want to talk about the final four coming up, we'll do that too.
So we're 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 Lout is an insight to how he built the program into
a national powerhouse. What one email me at Steve dot RIVERA ninety five at
gmail dot com. Hi, this is formal while get 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 in your
life. We off a complete line of cardio machines multi gms in free rate
equipment. I'll certify fitness experts and technicians will set you up with the writing,
equipment and training to get you doted to keep you going. Visit our
shure room today at twenty second in Wilmot. Arizona Health the lead edge and
exercise equipment. What's your goal? A new career or career advancement. How
about transferring to a four year college. Pema Community College can help you make
Someday today and reach your goals affordably on your schedule. With over one hundred
programs to choose from and financial aid available, it's time to earn the degree
or certificate you need to prepare for the career you want. PEMA offers free
career exploration classes so you can choose the field that's right for you. Learn
how at Pima dot edu slash Someday. If there's a hotspot in your house,
you may have leaky duckwork. The Department of Energy says ninety five percent
of homes do those leagues can pull in dirt and humidity. I'm Rondinus,
the owner of Picturerocks Cooling, ask how we can tackle those leaky ducks and
keep cool air in and dirt and humidity out with aerocal picture Rocks at five
two zero four to four zero or zero six y nine Picture Rocks, ping,
keating and clubbing. The holidays are fast approaching after a difficult year.
We're sure everyone could use a little financial help. Pyramid Federal Credit Union is
bringing back the Holiday Helper loan, a low interest, short term loan that
can help get you through the holidays. In support of our community, Pyramid
is making a donation to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona from each loan.
For more information or apply online, visit Pyramid SEU dot com slash Holiday
Helper. All those are on approved credit. Other restrictions may apply. Pyramid
Federal Credit Union Insured MCUA. Do you want to be part of a winning
team? A Team Security is looking for friendly, outgoing event security guards and
event staff to be a part of our team. We've been providing our outstanding
services to some of Arizona's biggest sporting events and concerts for over twenty years.
We want you to join the action. A Team offers a fun and exciting
opportunity to work in the sports and entertainment industry, with fible 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 I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and
Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the
iHeartRadio app. Just surgery. I on the ball. Hey, welcome back
to the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve, You're Jay
Emilie Swip. That's for fifteen more minutes. You want to call. The
line is opened by two oho four one six seventy four forty. We'd like
to hear from you. Stuff coming across. Brownie Jame in the portal,
in the portal, yep, not declaring for them, not declined for the
NBA. He's in the portal. You might go to this m I was
gonna ask what kind of school do you see him going to? He's going
over he can start, Yeah, you can start, Yeah, Yeah,
I don't know. I don't know. But also Jordan Pope, the guy
who nearly single handedly beat Arizona in that game against Oregon State back in January,
hit the game winner, scored thirty one points. He's in the portal.
Arizona's got women have a player, Paulina Paris who played at North Carolina
coming in coming in Okay for Arizona. Well, when they leave, they
also come, so we'll see. She missed a bunch of the season,
according to PJ. Brown, with a lower body injury. Started eight games.
So she's already on the d She was the number twenty seven ranked player
in the class of twenty twenty two by ESPN according to PJ. Brown at
the start. So a lot of that, a lot of that stuff happened.
You saw what happened to PJ Brown last week. Credits cuse. Yeah,
I had her on the phone that day. He came on the show
after after all that. Yeah, you know, I reached out to her
and she said, well, I'm having some issues today, but I don't
know that I can and then came back right after It'll be okay, I
can come on. I'll tell my story about going to the e R and
I'm like going where. Yeah, she tweeted about it and uh and she
got on the phone and she told the story and what a troop and uh
and uh, yeah, seriously take this call. Hi, you're on the
air and eye on the ball. Hey, welcome back, Steve, Thank
you. Rick. I might see you today, I think, No,
No, I don't know. I've got physical therapy today. I should have
mental therapy. Beat me to the punch, Rick, I know, I
know, but you know I did. I do have to say I missed
your money last you sure. I'm sure you did. So what's up,
Rick, Well, just real quick. Uh, by the way, Jay,
you had some great guests on last week. Thank you, thank you,
good job. Uh. First of all, people forget when you go
all the way back to Dempsey, he had his fingers in Arizona athletics.
J did not to the degree that said Dempsey did. And then you had
burn Burns, Greg Burns. He was very much had his bringers involved in
what's going on in Arizona athletics? Wait wait, wait, Rick, Rick,
Rick, Rick, they're the ads. There's well not I'm sorry,
I met the president. The president during that time, John Schaeffer did obviously
because he drove He drove Arizona into the twelve. Forgive me. But my
point is this, athletics in any school is also a big lost leader.
To a certain degree for academics. It's used as a marketing tool to bring
other people to the area. And uh, people lose sight of that.
The fact that the man got himself in such a budget disaster. That was
his downfall. It wasn't his in into athletics and anything else. And I
think your next person, whoever comes in as president. First of all,
he's not gone till twenty six unless they really do find somebody. Number one.
Number two is whoever comes in has to be very delicate with what's going
on in the athletic department because they're moving into the Big twelve and it's a
totally different dynamic. So it's a big learning curve and having our new ad
understand the Big twelve the way she does is a big advantage. And if
I'm the president coming in, I don't want to get my fingers in that
too much too early, because I could really mess up to buy and really
make it uncomfortable for everybody. So with that, gentlemen, you have a
good day, have fun tonight. Steve. All right, thank you,
Rick, I'll miss you. I'll miss you. I know you will.
I know you. I know you love getting me your money is Sue.
Thanks for talking. You said that's so rare. Well, I think he
makes a point. And would you agree with him in the terms of lost
leader? Uh, yeah, I guess you know, I mean, yeah,
yeah, again, what's the school. It's thirty thousand underground. That's
it's like forty thousand total, right, thirty thousand underground and then yeah total,
yeah, because a issues got like seventy five years. It's massive,
much of it, so much more of it is onlineline right right? Is
it more the merrier because you get more money coming in? Or what?
What is it? Because I don't know. Some people see it one way
and some people say, like athletics, what brings people to a school like
this? Got another calling him, Hi, you're on the air and on
the ball. Hey Jay, Hey, Steve Hian Elise, this is done.
Done man. Why don't you guys just take this whole president thing the
way you've been telling us to take the basketball season? Well, no,
no, no, hey, whatever happens, it'll be fine, you know.
And you know that's ever ever since the Sweet sixteen Laws. That's all
I've been reading on Twitter. Hey be happy we got Tommy Lloyd. Oh
great, you know this is great. He doesn't lose to in a row.
The problem. The problem is is he loses too many one in a
row that he shouldn't be losing. Wow, did you what you eat for
lunch? I've been stewing, Steve very You've been ready for something. These
things happened. I mean that's what we got to look at. Yeah,
but I think It's an important position, though not just for athletics. This
is an important vision for this this whole community. Yeah, it'll be fine.
Worried about what I am worried about it. At the end of the
day, Doun's right, because you're going to find somebody very capable. We're
talking about that, we're talking about university. It had and Weaver Heart as
a president. And she's nothing one to put him in the ditch, I
know, but she she did a lot of other things that had to be
fixed. Sure, of course, so so and I like Bobby so no.
I liked Bobby's presidence. It sure seemed like he really cared about Arizona
putting on a good face athletically, and I think he knew the importance of
it. So I'm sad to see that lose. One point I wanted to
make about IOWA on LSU that you guys didn't really touch on is that both
of those teams developed from last year to this year and you knew them.
Like the men's game. The men's game, who's the top five guys except
for the list that you read earlier, I have no idea who any of
those guys except for Edie is right, No, I hear you, I
hear you. And then the women's side, you know who they are,
right, you know who they are. I mean, if you pay attention,
you'll know that the guard for LSU, the blonde girl she was in
a little tip for tap with against LSU a year ago because she was with
Louisville. That's right, Hayley van Liz and she was good. She's good.
And then at LSU though she's like she's like just another player. It's
it's kind of weird thing that they kind of misused her. But I think
that's the difference now with the women's game is you get to you get to
know the players, and you get to know the team, which way,
which way, which way is better, which way is better. I like
the way the women's game is going right now because it reminds me of how
when like nowadays, there will never ever be another set of gumbies. And
you know who I'm talking about right use those are the guys, the guys
that are going to start next year or the year after that, because they're
playing behind these guys. And nowadays we have no idea who the eight ninth
and tenth to the I don't even know how many guys are on the roster
at Arizona. I have no idea because they don't get they don't get to
play, and we don't write about it, and we don't write about them.
Well you don't write about them, but they don't get to play because
this team and and the and the regime before, they don't win games by
more than twelve points, whereas back in back in Lootsay they were they get
up by twenty five, put in the gumbies and win by thirty five because
those guys are doing the same thing that the starters are doing, and they're
the ones pushing the starters. And nowadays that's what happens in on the women's
game. Yeah, I hear you. Well, you look at you look
at the Arizona women's They won one game and they lost one game in the
tournament, and their their tournament was way more successful than the men's because of
all the things that they've gone through. And they never took a possession off
as a team, offensively or defensively. They never took any possessions off.
They couldn't afford to, No, they couldn't. Well, thanks for stewing
done, Thanks for calling Hey, don't worry about it. It'll be fine.
You know, it'll be fine. You know, it's okay. I
mean, only loses Tommy never loses to in a row. So expect the
next game to be a win. Thanks be pre season, all right,
thank you, all right, thanks. I think he was trying to I
think he was trying to be sarcast just a little bit. He makes up
a good points, so he does make some good point. Okay. I
just saw this, and I wish i'd seen it early because we could have
talked about it more. About three minutes left, John Wilner put out a
ranking of the top the best Pack twelve teams since Arizona and Acey joined the
league in twenty in to make it the Pack ten teams we want to be,
so say it again, Top twenty teen, top the top the top
teams of the of the Pack twelve basketball era. So going back to going
back to when Arizona and Ace you joined, Okay, seven G seventy nineteen,
this is the top team. Everybody, everybody, top the top teams
of the Pack, Okay, Pack ten slash packed. Who do you think
he was put number one? Now back to anybody would the title MONTORYA.
I don't think so there was one, say the eight team in the top
five. Maybe, I don't know. You see his ninety five team thirty
one and two won a national championship. Edo band and Ty said, those
guys top team, okay, all right, second team seven Arizona eighty eight.
Yeah, so he can the same best teams. You see, he
thinks the eighty eight is better and I don't agree with him. That is
better than two thousand and one. After that, he's got Arizona ninety eight
as the third best team. Two thousand and one is better than both of
them. Yeah, U c l A two thousand and eight. That was
one of those Kevin Love, Darren Collison, Russell Westbrook teams. They went
to the final back back to back to back to back final four. The
third team then number five is Arizona ninety seven. You got to put him
up there because they want to sure right, greatest run in two thousand and
one nowhere it's coming. So the top five is all UCL and Arizona,
right right. Then you get to Oregon State of eighty two. That was
a great team, but then they blew it in the in the tournament,
in the tournament. Oregon of twenty seventeen got to a final four is number
seven. Oh they were not very good. Yeah, but it was thirty
three and six until the organ which was the Oregon thirty three and six A
SU of eighty one Byron Scott fat lever Elton Lister. Another team that blew
it in the in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Nine is eighty
eight Arizona of nineteen eighty nine. Then you go Stanford ninety eight, and
then your team Arizona of two thousand and one is the number eleven. No
to me, to me, and I think a lot of people agree with
me. That's two thousand and one. Arizona in the top ten has most
of them. Yeah, they have a whole bunch one, two, five,
fiveteen, four teams in the ninety five eight team wow. Yeah,
and you know what you have to agree with that thirty one and two they
lost two conference games. You know, beat beat Arkansas, who was the
defending nations. What about Stanford? We have a Stanford team. He's got
Stanford, uh, Stanford of four Josh Childress, Justin Davis, Chris Hernandez
for thirteen team Stanford ninety eight. Yes, number ten. Yeah, because
Mark mad Mark Mark Madison team. So there you go. Well showing that
a little bit more tomorrow maybe. Okay, that's cool, all right,
all right man, that's it right here. Thanks, thanks and least for
being here. Thanks guys, we can in turn of the day. We
can keep you you guys can just keep me on forever back torow. Reminder,
we are off Friday and Monday because Steve and I will both be at
the Final Four, but we will have shows tomorrow and Thursday, so be
sure to come back for those. See you tomorrow, kick up, see
you tomorrow.