This is I on the Wall with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports
fourteen fifteen powered by Nova Insurance Services Ensure your most Prized Possessions, katz R
two SAD and iHeart Radio Station. Good afternoon, Welcome guy on the ball
here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm your reliable host, Jagan Zalez because
my unreliable host, Steve Rivera is on the road. I actually call him
that, but I can call him name because you're not here. Um but
I do have a Mike Vader again when you joining us today, Mike,
the long time baseball or just say pro sports executive here in town doing a
baseball Sugar Skulls for a year, Mexican Baseball Fiesta. Now you've got the
you're with the Arizona Bowl, You've got the Ludolesome Fantasy Basketball camp. Mike,
You're all over the place, but I did so. I do appreciate
you being here today and yesterday. Thanks so much for yesterday. No,
it's my pleasure. Thanks for having me so um uh. We've got a
couple of great guests coming in and we've had a lot to digest since since
yesterday with the vote on Colorado leaving the Pac twelve to go to the Big
twelve. Today, we're gonna have Brian Jefferies, the voice of the Wildcats
on Wildcats Sports twelve ninety. He's gonna join us for about fifteen minutes at
about three fifteen. Well, we'll ask Brian just kind of his thoughts on
it real quickly, but we want to talk about the football. Arizona football
starts practice next week. Media day is on Tuesday, and we want to
get Brian's thoughts on this team now that we're here. We had him on
earlier in the summer. He was getting ready to take some time off.
Now it's kind of like okay, he's he's got to be gearing up for
the season, as are we. And so we want to talk to Brian
about, you know, on the football field and the kinds of things that
he expects to see. So Brian will join us at at three fifteen.
Then at four fifteen our regular Friday guest, Jake Fisher form Arizona linebacker at
Arizona local kid played. I shouldn't call him a kid anymore, but local
guy played at Ironwood Ridge. He comes on. He's a great sponsor of
the show. I'm sure he's gonna tea. He's he's a health insurance He's
got a health insurance oosness out of Phoenix. He broker's UH insurance for for
his clients and from you know, all different things. It's called Arizona Insurance
or something like that. I should know this and I don't, and he's
gonna yell at me for not knowing it. But he's an insurance broker for
health and life insurance. So he's doing to get the only problem is he's
living up in up in Phoenix, right, He's I think he's in um,
he's in Glendale, not in Glendale. And Chandler Now he was living
in Temp for a while, so we got into some crap about that.
But he could say he's closer. He's closer. Yeah, and still still
a walk at through and through. But I'm sure Jake will have a lot
to say about the thing with with Colorado. So you know, again,
as I mentioned, you know, we've had twenty four hours to digest the
vote. Colorado's officially leaving the Big twelve, the PAC twelve. So much
speculation. It reminds me of a coaching surf right where Okay, everybody's throwing
out their candidates for what's going to happen next. You got you got speculation
everywhere from the Big twelve once one more team because they want three more teams,
to it's Arizona, to it's Oregon and Washington, or no, it's
Yukon. You know, where's San Diego State going? Where's SMU going?
A lot of discussion here locally because there's there's a lot of people believe and
if you weren't here in nineteen seventy eight, but in nineteen seventy eight when
Arizona went to the PAC twelve, famously Arizona wanted to go. In Arizona
State did not. John Schaeffer was a president of at Arizona and he said
we're going, and he got the border regions to say, as you you're
going to ASU did not want to go. They were the kings of the
whack. They the festival was formed for them, and they've been going to
the festival. They went twelve and oh one year, finished number two in
the country, beating Nebraska in the festival. That's where they wanted to stay.
They did not want to go, and they went kicking and screaming to
the PAC twelve, and so people kind of even young guys kind of remember,
you don't know about that, and think that's still the case that the
Border Regions is not going to let Arizona and ASU split up. But Bobby
Robbins has publicly said we could go if we want to, an ASU doesn't
have to go. So he has said I'm sure if that was not true,
he's not gonna put the Border Regions in a bad spot and say that,
you know, he doesn't do that. So let me ask you a
question. So San Diego State got forced basically backed by the Mountain went right,
Can they get out at the well? They can No, No,
because they it's too late to be in the you know, I mean the
next for the following It would still cost him. They could technically, you
know, get in for twenty twenty four, but it's gonna cost him thirty
four million dollars. It's gonna cost him twice what it will cost him if
they wait a year. They needed to get out by the end of June.
So now they can declare, they can say, okay, we're leaving
in twenty twenty five and the exit fee is back to the seventeen million dollars,
so they can join in twenty twenty five. They can't join in twenty
twenty four. The PAC twelve can go lock them in right right, sign
it. But there's no exit fee in the PAC twelve. Right no,
because because the grant of rights and the TV deal and at the end of
this school year. God, that's why Colorado can leave with no penalty.
Arizona can do the same. All all the PAC twelve schools can get out
after this year. West is seventeen million. Yeah, in the PAC twelve
zero because they have an existing existing grant of rights, a deal in the
TV deal, So they would have to pay a penalty to get out.
And I don't know how long their contract is, but it's they could get
out four twenty twenty five. And the thing is, you know the PAC
ten, if the PAC ten PAC twelve is going to expand they want to
get teams for next year. Now, I think they would wait for San
Diego State, if Sandex State would sign on the dot of lines, Okay,
we're coming and you know, notify the Whack or the Mountain West that
they're coming. But it can't be for next year. It could be for
the following SMU, on the other hand, who's the other team that everybody's
talking about. And now get the thing that you're hearing is sort of SMUs
jump San Diego State in terms of availability to the PAC ten. And there's
a lot of a lot of discussion that the PAC ten or Pack twelve.
I don't know why pack a pack. Let's just the pack should go get
SMU right now there there there. Their exit fee is seventeen million dollars,
which they say, you know, SMU boosters having their couch cushions right that
that and they really want to get out, get out of the group of
five, get into the get into a Power five school, and that Dallas
Boosters would be happy to pay that. So SMU is kind of considered.
If they ask, they will come. So people are saying, you know
what, why are you waiting for this team deal you got? If you
want to survive, you gotta go get more teams. Anyways, so go
get SMU right now, don't wait, get aggressive, make a move because
the fact that you're not making any moves is it's what's making you look bad.
The fact that you didn't make any moves is really why you lost Colorado.
They got tired of waiting. There was there was a feeling that things
weren't stable. There wasn't a commitment to this. They said, we're we're
gonna leave because we're gonna solidify our situation, and that's why they've left.
Bobby Robbins has continued to stand to stand by what he's been saying that he
wants to see the deal before they decide anything, and I think he will
do that. But they got to get a deal put together in the next
week or two. They can't wait for a football season. That's got to
happen now and so, and if it doesn't, then I would say,
you know what, Arizona, If if they can't get it together, then
you gotta go do I I kind of think that's what's gonna happen. I
don't think. I think if they'd have had a deal that was going to
be good enough for everybody, they would have had it by now. And
there's a lot of a lot of sentiment on that and I think Colorado leaving
doesn't help it. About people say, Okay, let Colorado go. What
did they bring? They were terrible at football, they're not very good at
basketball. They don't play baseball, they don't play softball. What do they
have. It's not a big loss, but it's a big loss from an
appearance standpoint. It makes it the Pac twelve look very unstable and not aggressive.
That's what stings, not the fact that Colorado has left. They say,
you go get san Diego State. Sendego. State's already a better program
than Colorado across the board. They got a better They got a better baseball
team, got a better softball team, got way better basketball team, and
they got you can arguably a better football program. Right now, you get
Colorado as as somebody say that's trade you get State, that's trading up.
So he go get San Diego State. Lock them in right now, lock
him in. If you're gonna get him, go get him now. Maybe
San Diego State doesn't want to come until they know what the deal is also,
and maybe the same thing with SMU. But that's why the importance of
getting the deal done. But you know, I don't know how good of
a deal does it need to be for you know, for Arizona, just
stay you know, And then you got people saying, well, the Big
twelve is now coming after Arizona next then if they get Arizona, the next
logical step is to go get Arizona State in Utah. And if they do
that, that's exactly what the big that's the big twelves ultimate goal. Two
big updates from yesterday. We talked about Joe Burrow. The sky's falling in
Cincinnati. He's out a couple of weeks. Well they say several weeks.
Okay, they say several weeks on Joe Burrow. So so thank goodness for
that. Uh, you know, one of the lead players are in the
league. Right, and then Sean Payton apologized. You know, well he
didn't. He didn't apologize. He didn't apologize for what he said. Right,
He just said I shouldn't have said it, right, Right, There's
a difference. There's a big difference. Um, he said, you know,
and uh, I you know, I'm okay with that. I mean,
I like go when coaches say stuff, right, I mean, you
know, I mean I feel bad for I don't. I don't feel bad
for Nathaniel Hacket. He was a terrible coach. He was he really was
a terrible coach. And so um, but you know Peyton, you know,
Sean Payton and Sean Payton, so he he didn't he said he was
sorry. He said it. He didn't say he was sorry for what he
said, right, which is interesting. And then your Dodgers a lot of
trade stuff going on. Dodgers picked up a couple of guys. Well,
pick up a guy that I really like, Joe Kelly. Uh he was
he was a key, a key bullpen guy in their World Series championship year.
They got him back. I didn't know he was gone, So I'll
tell you how much I know. And then I was watching the White Sox
and somebody and I also he's in the game, Like when did he go
to the White Sox? But yeah, so his last ending with the White
Sox against the coach was not a good one. Yeah. And then lance
Lynn, I know, you didn't really know much about it. Lance Lynn
is a very good major league pitcher that has had some troubles this year.
Yeah. But the White Sox are are in full sale mode. There are
a lot of their guys. They're thirteen games out in the Al Central,
they're sixteen and a half games out of the wild Card race, so they
got you know, they're selling, They're selling big time, and so people
are picking them apart. Uh. You know, Uh, Aaron Judge comes
back today, he'll be back in and but the Yankees are in the last
place in their division, so who knows what what he'll be able to do.
But yeah, all kinds of stuff going on, um uh, trade
deadline wise, baseball wise, all this stuff going on with uh with uh,
with Colorado and and and expansion and TV deals and like I said,
well, uh, we'll pick Brian Jeffrey's brain just a little bit, but
we mostly want to want to get into all the you know, I know
you also follow the NBA. How about the contract of Jaylen Brown. Well,
you know again one of those things where just he was the next guy,
right, and now the next guy year right, the next guy'll get
more than him, and the guy after that'll get more than him, just
like the quarterbacks in the NFL. Right, I'm of the mindset right now,
somebody's got access to monopoly money somewhere. Well, yeah, they get
where the again, they're getting it from us, Mike, They're getting from
those of us who who watch and want to go to games, right right?
I told you you know, or was it Steve? I told I
was watching the Dodger game I don't, did I tell the story? Yesterday
I'm watching the Dodger game and see all these empty seats behind home play.
Those are the really high price. So I got curious. I said,
Okay, how much does it cost to sit back there? So I went
on to a future game and just you know, and onto the ticket site
and it's eight hundred and fifty bucks right for one ticket, right, one
ticket right, So if you want to go, you know, if you
want to go with your friend or your spots or whatever, you're talking seventeen
hundred dollars. But that's not counting all the feasas. The bad news is
is the casual fan who watches Major League Baseball seize those empty, high priced
seats behind home and oh my god, baseball struggling. Baseball is up a
lot this year or attendance wise. Well yeah, and and those seats are
paid for. It's not like, you know, I went on the site,
the seats aren't available. There was only one seat in there. So
that means all those seats are taking a season tickets, so they're sold,
right. You know, the Dodgers are getting their money for those seas.
There's just not people sitting at them everything right, and and that's you know,
and that's the way that that works. But I like eight hundred and
fifty dollars. What I pay eight hundred and fifty dollars to go to one
baseball game? And the answer is is an astounding Actually I'm of the opinion
that I wouldn't pay fifty dollars. Yes, I hate yeah, I hate
paying a hundred right, you know I I you know that I told you
that you went to the game to see Joheyoto upper deck down the line seats
eighty dollars. Well, I hate to say this, but I'm so spoiled
that I could pick up the phone and call somebody I knew from thirty years
in baseball. Yeah, because because I don't like the pay for you.
If you don't have those connections, right, how do you go to more
than a game or two a year? Right? You know, we got
lower level you know, field level seats when we went to the Red Sox
now halfway back right outside outside the upper overhang, but you know, down
the third base line, and those see one hundred dollars apiece. And I
didn't mention this when you mentioned Fedrary yesterday. I worked the world Series games
in nineteen eighty six when the Mets played the Red Sox. Yeah, and
you know a lifelong cub fan, I walked uh Federary Park and this is
a long time ago. Yeah, fourteen thirty seven years ago. What an
old Rundown stadium was. I loved it, uh, And I can go
to Wrigley Field and I would never feel that same way now. I also
will tell you I went to the All Star Game when they wheeled Ted Williams
out and and that was something that was special. Yeah. Yeah, No,
it's a that's that's what it is. All Right, we're gonna take
a break, We're gonna come back. Brian Jefferies will join us and we'll
talk about Arizona football and maybe a little bit of the Colorado stuff. So
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mean my heart Radio Whip. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera
and Jacob Salez on Fox Sports fourteen fifteen, Welcome back on the Wall Hill,
Fox Sports Sports and fifty I'm your host jakelin Zalis I gotta gets co
host fifty to day Mike Vader. Who's hanging out with me on a Friday
afternoon and now also hanging out with us on the phone is Brian Jeffries,
voice of the Wildcats of Wreck Wildcat Sports twelve ninety Brian, how are you
doing on a Friday? Doing? Very good, gentlemen, looking forward to
the weekend. It's it's one of the last ones we're you know, we
get a couple of days off before get into the grind of the next nine
months. So it's looking to take some time off and relax. Also,
I saw on the forecast on Monday it's not going to be triple digits.
Wow, can hardly wait? Yeah? So, Brian, when when when
you answered the phone, Uh, you know, I asked you if you've
been having fun the last couple of days, and uh, you know,
I do want to ask you. We don't want to go into the weeds
on this because we said plenty about it, but can't have Brian Jeffries on
without asking you just your general thoughts on what's happened over the last few days.
Maybe go back to Friday. You know what's happened since then, the
comments that were made at media day and then Colorado leaving the league. Yeah,
well, I mean I'm disappointed in Colorado leaving because it really puts a
lot of pressure now on the nine schools of remaining in terms of what they
want to do, if they're going to stick together. And at this point,
I don't know if anybody can trust the other one because you know,
no one saw the LA School's decision coming. I don't think although there was
speculation about Colorado, like you said, at media day last week in Las
Vegas, it was made clear that the ten schools were in unity, and
then you know, just a couple of days later, you start hearing about
Colorado and now it comes to fruition. So you know, I'm disappointed.
I've been around the pack twelve, ten, eight all my life. I
hope the conference survives, but I think more importantly for the University of Arizona.
The Wildcats have to take care of themselves. And that means that Bobby
Robbins and Dave here looking out for what's best for the u of A.
And if it means staying with the nine schools and expanding or doing whatever they
want to do, then so be it. If it's better to move on
to the Big twelve, then I think that's a decision they have to make.
But I really do believe that those two guys are taking a very close
look at things and they will make the decision as to what's best for the
University of Arizona, because that's the most important thing right now. The rest
of the ninth, of the eight other schools, you know, they've got
to make that same decision. And so I think we just have to wait
now and see what's going to happen next, right, And then this is
I mean, you can argue this is the biggest decision that's going to be
made, certainly athletically and maybe as a university since nineteen seventy eight when they
went to the back. Well, yeah, and I mean that was a
you know, a huge step for the U of A. And something that
you know, brought them into the national limelight and they've certainly been able to
stay that way for ever since. But uh, you know, this is
a bigger decision now because it's a lateral move. You're not going up in
conferences, You're just going to a new conference. And so but I think
it's survival. That's what it's all about right now. And like I said,
I think that's what's most important. Exactly right. You're pointed and hope
duly recorded. So let's talk some football media days on Tuesday. Practice starts
after that. I'm guessing you've been spending the summer kind of taking a look
at you know, what's coming up for you, just some of your initial
thoughts going into camp, some of the things that you're looking for, you're
looking to see as they as they start practice. Well, I know jud
Fish is really excited about this team, and he should be. I mean
it's his third year, both he and his staff, and they've gone from
one eleven to five and seven, and so there's a lot of optimism.
And this is what you hope for in any program that you wanted to keep
getting better. And I fully believe that this will be a better team,
we'll let equate into more wins. I mean, we'll wait and see,
because there's a lot of things that come into play, including injuries, and
of course, the PAC twelve this year looks to be just loaded with talent,
and so it's not going to be any easier for the Wildcats. But
I think they're better equipped going in. They certainly have adapt on the offensive
side. I think they they've they've gotten bigger on the defensive side, They've
gotten more depth on the defensive side, maybe say, say for the secondary.
I think if you're asking me what I'm going to be looking for at
camp, at least initially, is you know who's gonna who's gonna play back
there in the defensive backfield because they lost three really valuable guys off last year's
team, and they've got a couple coming back. But I think they're gonna
find have to find some new faces back there that who will be able to
contribute right away, and hopefully if the front seven is as improved as I
think it's going to be, that'll take some of the pressure off the secondary
as they learn are are there a couple of players, specific players that you're
anxious to see, You know what they're going to bring and maybe you guys
or maybe guys who are you know, you're waiting as if they're taking a
big step or whatever. Who are a couple of guys that you're anxious to
see what they look like? Well, I want to see Justin Flow the
transfer from Oregon, because he's got a chance to fill a very valuable role
at linebacker. They've got some other transfers in at that position, but he's
kind of the headliner there, at least in my mind. Over on the
offensive side, Montana Lemonis Craig the transfer from Colorado. Losing Dorian Singer,
you know, that's that's big, but you know they've got plenty with Coween
McMillan. And then yeah, how about some of the young guys, you
know, Kevin Green, Chris Hunter, etc. Some other young wide receivers
that didn't get a chance last year necessarily to make their mark, and I
think they'll get more of an opportunity this year. So that and again seeing
who's going to play in the secondary back there, you know, you've got
I think Isaiah Taylor, by the way, he is primed to have an
outstanding season. Just you know, I think he's got a great talent,
great gene pool there trade and Stuke's Effie Price sock uh Tokario Davis and then
like I said, who who else is going to just kind of step to
the forefront in the secondary So uh, you know we saw it towards the
end of the year, A couple of guys as as as Jed uh talked
about it. Uh at packwell me today. They played a lot of young
guys in the second half of the year to get them in so that you
almost to kind of get them ready for this year. You know, there
are a few of those guys. I think Jacob man who comes to mind
is some of those guys you know, who are some of those guys that
you expect to see benefiting from what Jed did last year. Yeah, I
think Manu is a perfect example of sterling lane. I think that that comes
to mind. Uh, let's see who else, Uh, Jacob Conica on
the defensive line, a guy that got to play a little bit last year,
Russell Davis got to play a little bit last year. And you know
they're year older now you kind of expect, you know, you hopefully see
some more from them. Um. I mentioned a couple of the wide receivers
and so yeah, I just you know, they've got uh Ken Burnett the
tight end. I think I want to see, you know, how much
he steps up here and in year two because I think with Tenor McLaughlin really
right now, at least in my mind, is there number one tight end.
I think that position could be really valuable this year. Yeah, no
doubt, no doubt. But so, uh you know, with without going
into what the Jacob Delores situation is, you know what, how do you
think what's been going on with him? Well, it does it enter the
picture to offer him? Do you think he can shake it and just play
football? Um? You know, but there's high expectations of him. He's
he's he's one of the top passing quarterbacks in the country last year. I
mean, he's got to have a great year for them to have a great
year. So you know, what are your thoughts on how his ability to
you know, focus on the season. Well, I think you know,
he's on campus, he's been here. You know, he'll be here next
week of course, and I think once he's around his football family, I
think that's the support that he needs. And you know, I don't know
all the details if everything is is done in terms of his situation back in
Hawaii. But you know, he was very emotional over in Las Vegas about
all of it, uh and and and rightfully so. And I'm you know,
he's certainly got you know, you know, some of it's on his
shoulders. But you know, it appears that he's done everything he can in
order to you know, move on and hopefully all parties can move on.
But that's that's you know, a guy his age, that's a tough thing.
And I guess the question is how often, if if he will be
reminded of it as the season goes on. So when he asked to face
you know, media from outside Tucson, will they'll be asking him about it?
Or is the story over now? And if if that's the case,
then you know he's still got to That's something that he's got to settle within
himself. But I think he's got a lot of support around him on campus
to help out. Let's talk about the league a little bit. Um USC
got picked to win the league, but we've had I think we've had three
or four different sort of what I would what I would suggest are conference wide
media guys and we've got a different answer for who's going to win the league
from each one we've got in Washington, we've gotten to Utah, we've gotten
a couple of USC's. I think it's Washington, Steph and I have a
bet gooing he thinks it's USC. Where are your thoughts on that? Well?
I voted for USC, I, you know, just based on the
fact they've got a Heisman Trophy winner coming back and they've got a short up
their defense. But the thing with USC is they've always got plenty of talent
to burn, and so you kind of, you know, look at that
and maybe that's an easy selection. Yeah, I certainly like Washington. I
think Utah you can never overlook what you know, kind of witting hamas got
going there, and Oregon the same thing. I don't think you can ever
just you know, push the Ducks aside because that program has been too strong.
But those are the those are the top four teams in the conference right
now, and the question who's going to finish behind those four? To me,
that's you know, you could put them in almost any order, but
you know, I think USC might be a shape better right now. Arion
I picked a finish eighth. Where is that about where you had them or
where do you think they go? Yeah, I had them, I think
I'd come down as six. And the reason being that the two teams that
I think that they've got to beat one of them's UCLA. They've got them
at home in Oregon State and they've got them at home, and so I
think if they could pull off those two wins, that they got to win
some other games. But I think those two could be typebreakers in terms of
them moving up to the final standings. Yeah, I kind of Stephen,
I thought they would be picked eighth. I think I'd maybe have them a
spot higher because of that, because I think a couple of those key games
you know are here. I think Washington State is another very important game fair
Zone on the schedule, a game that you see is winnable, but they
got to go play it on the road. Plus there's the Jayden Delorri fact
going back to Washington State and what that's gonna be gonna be like for him,
and so I you know, those three games to me are the three
that you win two out of three. Now you're probably talking about a bowl
game if you lose two out of three you're gonna be struggling to get to
a ball game. Now, No, I agree. I think if the
Wildcats get off to a good start, and what I mean by that is
if they are no worse than two on one going to Stanford, And I
look at the Stanford game as they must win if they want to go to
a ball because the Cardinal our pick last, and they they're They've got a
lot of rebuilding to do there. So then you look at the fact that
you know, maybe they're at worst three and one hosting Washington. And I'm
not saying they're gonna beat Washington. I'm just saying that the Wildcats will have
a lot of momentum. You figure the stadium's full, and the Huskies do
not play well in the desert. Do you take a look at their record
and two sound and temptee and it's abysmal, and so you combine all those
factors together and you never know, Yeah, well, it certainly it's fun
thinking that those are games that might have a chance at because up and you
know, for it's been a while since we've been able to even have that
discussion. Well, and I think that's the one of the key factors getting
to the third year of jet fishing, his staff and being over in Las
Vegas last week. I heard it from people at the other schools. They
they see what he's doing because of course all the coaches are recruiting and they're
seeing what he's been able to pull in. They also respect his staff,
and so I think there's a lot of folks around the PAC twelve they're looking
at Arizona as you know, one of that dark horse teams, one of
those teams that's on its way up and could certainly pull off some big wins
this year. So okay, so we get started next week. Practices are
it's still going to be dang hot out there, but you know, it's
I think it's gonna it's gonna be interesting to see what they look like.
And Stephen, I talk about this all the time. You know, a
lot of times, you know, in camp, we don't know what we're
seeing. But do you feel like you've got a pretty good vision of what
it looks like when you you know, you've seen all the teams extensively every
year because of the work that you do, can you get a pretty good
sense of what you're seeing just watching them practice? You know, to be
quite honest with you, Jay, I don't. I don't think I've ever
left a training camp thinking that they didn't have a chance Arison, it didn't
have a chance to be a pretty good football team. And when you're practicing
against one another, I think it's kind of a false sense that you get.
I mean, certainly you can see some individual talent, and the thing
that I'm going to watch for most this year is the just the physical nature
of the team. My understanding is that they I think Jed told me I'm
trying to remember how many total pounds he said that they've added team wise in
the weight room since lay here. It's it's pretty if somebody needs to ask
him that again, because what he told me the other night was was pretty
impressive. So you know what they've done in the weight room. I think
that the size that they've been able to recruit, I tells it, that's
going to tell me a lot about you know, how far this team can
go? All right, Brian, I appreciate it. I know it's a
Friday afternoon. You probably want to get the heck out of there and cool
off. Mike's got something, yeah, Brian, All I want to do
is just uh from a sports fan in the sound thank you for everything you've
done. Just a class act. I just love listening to your broadcast.
Turn the TV sound down and just keep up the great work. Right,
Thanks Mike, And same to you, Mike. Thanks for keeping baseball alive
in Tucson because you know it's it's a great sport as you well know.
And I'm just I'm thankful that you're a guy that's not letting it die here.
Just keep fighting, all right, guys. Hey Brian, thanks again.
I'll see you next week. All right, let's see you guys.
Always really great to have him on. Great. I love I love that
guy, and he's just such a cool guy. And I mean, we
know we grew up with him. I mean I know he got here.
I was already grown up, but I feel like he's been here since I
was right kid, and dah, he's all good to have on. Okay,
let's take our break. We'll take your calls five two zero, four,
one, six, seventy four forty. We'll take your calls on pretty
much anything you want to talk about. Look right back. If you're an
Arizona Man's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for newly forty years now
take a look back at the Ludolson era in my new book, Lessons from
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to how he built the program into a national powerhouse. What one email me
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all the xs and os. It's Steve Lamera and Jagen Sommis. This is
I Am a book on Fox Sports fourteen Different Welcome back on the Bollingham Fox
Sports fourteen fifty on your Posy Jagen Collins with my buddy Mike Bader here.
I've been here since yesterday and but I sleep here sometimes we feel like we
do. But Mike's been here patiently to you know, going through stuff.
And I wanted to give Mike to talk about the many things that that he
does are on here and Brian, you know, talked about some of that
stuff. But uh, you know, as we said, you know,
Mike's got the Mexican Baseball f yesterday, he does the Ludolsome basketball camp.
Yeah, and you know he's with the Arizonable just all this kind of stuff.
So you got the Ludolsoon basketball camp coming up here next month. Just
kind of what's going on with it right now. It'll be our six year
Uh. We we do it as sporting chance. Uh. It's it's it's
always confused for when kids grow up they go to ludolson camp. Right,
this isn't a kids camp. This this is we bring in former you of
a players, uh. And they will then be the coaches for adults thirty
and older to sign up and and get their brains beat out for three days
because they're not used to playing that much basketball. Yeah. Uh, you
know some of the former UH players obviously all guys during your time. Uh,
the old timers Eddie Smith and Pete Williams. Great, you know guys
that kind of get the lute program started. Uh, you know, Benn
and Davison, Ben Davis, Craig McMillan, Joe Turner locally, Matt Muellbach,
Reggie Geary are involved. So a great group of guys and it's always
fun to be around them. And and what we do is the draft players
and the whole thing. Yeah, okay, let's take this, continue the
conversation. Hi, you're on the R and I on the ball. Hey
you guys, this is Gabriel calling from California. Gabriel and we talked more
about UM the alignment. Absolutely give us the What are you thinking now?
Is there any news? No new news, Just a lot of speculation,
a ton of speculation that Arizona is the school that uh, the Big twelve
is looking towards next UM but no nothing. Now you know, there's no
Arizona Board of Regents meetings, there's nothing going on like that. It's just
everybody's guessing now that one. That's far as we know, correct, right
right? Right? UM? So I think so. Justine Spears and Alie
Fahan brought up a good point on their show this morning and they and they
said, um, name, is there name one team for Arizona to stay
or is there a positive to stay to stay at to stay in the the
stay in the past twelve. I think no, No, there is no
benefit to staying in the path in the past twelve because, um, well,
let's just think about it. What teams can they get that will will
that will move the needle? Dan Diego State SMU, you know, the
Colorado State PRADL state. No, they don't move the needle at all.
So but let me let me let me say something that was let me tell
you something that was said to me way way at the beginning of this.
And this was back when you know, UCLA and USC left and it was
obvious that the PAC twelve was going to have to have to expand, and
then there was there was already discussion that they might go to the Big twelve.
And when I was told, do not underestimate the importance of academics in
this decision. The PAC twelve is a conference where all twelve teams or I
think ten eleven out of twelve teams were like among the top one hundred research
institutions in the country. And there's only one school like that in the Big
twelve, and that to the Remember this, this is the decision that's being
made by the presidents, not the athletic directors. And I was told do
not underestimate the importance of that. And if you're asking, if you're looking
for a reason that the Arizona would want to hang onto the PAC twelve,
it would be that to be in a league with Stanford and count Now two
of those, two of those top one hundred school are USC and UCLA.
They're gone, right, but you know, you know when you got Washington,
Oregon, Stanford, uh Cal those teams even as you is one of
those schools when those when you're rubbing shoulders academically with those instead of you know,
Oklahoma State and Texas Tech and Kansas State in Kansas, who none of
those schools are are in that grouping. Baylor's the only one that's a big
deal. And and and that's one of the reasons that I think they're trying
to hang on to the PAC twelve. Well, here's here's one thing.
Do we as Arizona fans. Do we trust Do we trust the scun Devils?
Do we trust Oregon? Do we trust Washington? No? No,
exactly, They're gonna do what is best for them. I mean, let's
take as to you. They're gonna they're gonna stay on this ship, speaking
ship because on the they're gonna stay on this spinking ship that is the Pack
twelve. Yeah. Presid Robbins has said that if the stun Devils and University
Arizona are not connected, he basically he said, he said that Arizona needs
d was best for Arizona Ie go to the BID twelve because he words stability
right, and you're right, you're right on a lot of those fronts.
But you know, you say, no, we don't trust Arizona, State,
Washington, YadA, YadA. They don't. Nobody trusts Arizona either,
because Arizona is the team that's being most talked about about going to the PAC
twelve. And Robbie Robbins has said a million times we're gonna do what's best
for Arizona and that that's what every school needs to do. Every school needs
to do that. Colorado did that. They did what they thought was whether
you like it, or not. They did what everybody what they thought was
the best for them. So that's what everybody's doing. It's every man for
himself right now. And so you know, you don't know, you know,
you don't know if Oregon and Washington you signed a deal to be in
to stay in the PAC twelve and Oregon and Washington are gone in two years,
you don't know if that's gonna or not. And I do, I
do think we are ty d ASU somewhat as far as the student athlete when
you talk about travel, uh, and you know when you start dividing up
a ninety minute travel down the road compared to a six hour travel and your
athletes having to go to different time zones and and they've stick out classes to
go to. And this isn't just about basketball and football. It's about all
the athletes and all the sports. And I think that still has to be
considered right, absolutely correct. But but is Bobby Robbins gonna let mister the
athletic director, mister Crow or the president of ASU hold holding holding Arizona back.
No, No, he's not. You want to be in the dust
fan of history then by all means, because they don't care about sport.
Right, No, you're correct, Gabriel Arizona is gonna do. Whatever a
SU decised to do is gonna have no impact on what Arizona decis to do.
They're gonna do what's the right thing. There was a thread on on
social media today talking about you know what, one of the local media guys
said, whatever Arizona does, ACU is gonna have to do and vice versa,
and everybody went back on and said, wrong, that's that's not correct,
right because Robbie Robbins is publicly said Arizona and as you can split up,
and and and if it's if that's the best thing for both of them,
that's what they'll do. Can I say one more scene that Krana worries
worries me? So say so, I know that President Robbins is still waiting
for call unquote the make Believe TV deal that is basically round like this,
but oh it's a myth. Nobody has seen that. But anyway, he
he basically said, we're still waiting for TV. Well, the TV deal.
Um, how how long is he gonna wait? I mean, if
what if it was up to me, I would I would say yes.
Last week was the last straw. Yeah, here's all I'll say over a
year, over over a year, you guys, here's what I'll say about
But here's here's the last thing I'll say about that. Bobby Robbins. You
know, I've I've interviewed him a number of times for some business stories,
and we've had him on the show and whatnot. He's one of the smartest
guys I know, one of the smartest guys on the planet, and run
he runs circles around all of us. I'm gonna say, I've got a
lot of confidence that he's got this figured out. He's not gonna wait forever.
He's gonna wait as long as he can wait to where if he's got
to make a move, he's gonna make a move. And he's just I
think he's just still saying we don't have to make a move right now.
And if he if I believe that, if he believes that, then I'm
good with it, because I you know, he I know you and I
are sitting here and we're impatient and we want him to do something or you
feel like it's gonna go away. I think if there's a point where they
don't have a TV deal and the opportunity to go to the Big twelve is
gonna go away. He's gonna weigh what, you know, what's the best
thing, and he's gonna make a decision based on that. And I'm very
confident of that. Honestly, Gabe, he's one of the smartest guys I've
ever met ever. And you know, I've worked with scientists and engineers and
some very smart people, and he is a smart guy. And the great
thing about that is he's a smart guy, and he's a sports guy.
He knows a sport. So I got I have extreme confidence. I just
don't want Arizona least well if if if Robbins feels like Arizona is gonna get
left out of something, I feel like he'll make whatever he's the right move
at that point. So that's all I got. All righty man, thank
you. Have a good weekend. Gabriel. He very very Gabriel has been
He's very passionate and he he you know, it's pretty funny. It's pretty
funny. All right. We got a couple of minutes before the break we
talk some more about this people you were talking about. Tell me, you
know, uh, how many how many guys do you try to get for
the you know, how many people can come and participate in the camp.
For you, we're hoping to have about thirty five thirty six campers, four
teams. That's you know eight a team somewhere in there. Uh And and
they just they play games Friday, two games Friday, one game Saturday,
one game Sunday. Uh And but the biggest thing is the associations and the
friendship they make with the former U of A players. I mean they stay
in touch now all the time. Uh And you know, and for us,
you know, I'm still working on on different U of A former U
of A players. H you know, finalized things with Matt Muellbach today.
Uh So, it's it's just it's just a nice, feel good camp.
We're not a big camp. We're not North Carolina or not Duke Kentucky they
have hundreds of people. But we you know, we invite people go to
loot Olson Fantasy Camp not basketball, Lootols and Fantasy seecamp dot com. You'll
see video, you'll see photos, You'll you'll see an information sheet. What
a cost or go on Facebook? Ye what's the retention? I mean,
how many guys come back each year, So how many are new and how
many come back? I would say probably over seventy five percent come back because
they love it so much, you know. Wine Camper said, you know,
jeez, I thought I'd do this would be a lifelong, lifetime experience,
and I've now had five lifetime experience. So they come back. I
mean, it's not very bad expensive and then they get some other acts,
but they get a dinner and correct all that stuff. Right. So,
and you know, Tommy Lloyd has allowed us to go to scrimmages the past
two years where Ben and Matherin and Cologo and Dale and Terry and then all
the players are all so it's up close and personal sneak preview. This year,
we're not going to do it because the basketball team will just be returning
from the Middle East from Israel and Abu Dhabi. But Tommy's still going to
do something special on Saturday afternoon for uce. Very cool, all right,
So we'll uh, we'll come back and we'll do breaking news here, but
we're also we want to let you cover the Mexican Baseball Fiesta coming up too.
We've got Jake Fisher coming up, so I'm sure we're going to kick
around some more uh some more uh Colorado realignment stuff. And I'm Jake's always
got a great opinion and isn't afraid to express it, so we'll do that.
We'll be right back with breaking news. Believe well,