This is II on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez sound Fox Sports
fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeart Radio while just surgery
I on the mall. Hey, welcome back to the ball here on Fox
Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, He's Jaging Zeales. Now we have
Kevin with breaking news. This is Eye on the Ball, Breaking News on
Fox Sports fourteen to fifty. All right, one for one this week,
only one opportunity, so we know that we know, all to a good
start. The Steelers fired their offensive coordinator Matt Canada today. Matt Tomlin came
out and said it was his decision and his decision alone. There were some
competing reports out of Pittsburgh as to whether or not he had control over that
decision because he was kind of indifferent all year about making changes to that.
Well, if you wanted to score points, you Bobby should have done that
a long time ago. Yeah, yeah, go get the offensive. Yeah,
I was figuring the same thing, but not like that. It would
probably look the exact same, Yeah, exactly. Poor Canny Pickets out there,
you know, I mean, he just you know, yeah, but
again, the statement was posed me a couple of times because they scored just
enough points to be exactly. They're winning. They're winning, right, but
not win winning like I was winning. I was got but two losses.
Yeah, and they're averaging eighteen points a game, right and people think they're
good. Well, I'm not sure if they're not good or not, but
I mean, they don't even think they're good. They asked Najie Harris,
the running back, after after last week's lost to the Browns, whether or
not he thought that they had a sustainable style of football, and he said
no, Like, there's there's two ways to look at it. But either
you know, we're doing good despite everything and we're going to figure it out,
or how are we still here today? And that's where he was at.
That's where you transitioned to Tom Brady thing. Yeah, yeah, Tom
Brady was I don't actually know where he was talking about this, but he
did come out and say there's a lot of mediocrity in today's NFL and that
the rule changes have kind of places a lot of bad habits on players,
and I think we're seeing a lot of a lot of bad football. What
rule change is not being able to hit the quarterback. Yeah, pretty much
not being able to hit the quarterback and not being able to touch a receiver.
Yeah, you know last night even though it happened against what Kansas City
on that and the quarterback uh pedant uh late in the game. Yeah,
and they gave him hope. Yeah. I don't know if he hit him
that. I don't know if to hit him that. I thought that was
It happens all the time, I know, I know, you know,
And and Brady's got a point. He said, you know, games are
being one because you can't touch a quarterback and you did, Yeah, or
you can't you know, yeah, you can't touch a receiver, but you
did. And so it doesn't require any you know, any skill. You
don't have to drive a team down the field, just throw the ball up
in the air and hope for a flag. Yeah. You saw that a
lot. Yeah, well there it's been a lot of that. Yeah,
we're seeing we're seeing like an incredible amount of from a betting perspective, we're
seeing an incredible amunt of unders hit. And that's not all necessarily because of
elite defense. There are some elite defenses Browns, Ravens, things like that,
but a lot of a lot of bad offenses, a lot of bad
offenses out there, and you know, I mean, look, look you
look at the Broncos, right, and all of a sudden are five and
five after they were so horrible and continue to be horrible, but yet now
they're they're five five or six and six. I'm like, they're five hundred.
Now. If you want mediocrity, look at San Diego. I mean,
they have a lot of potential, and that's mediocre at best. I
mean I think they've I think that they've lost like six games by combining fourteen
points something insane like that. Their their margin of loss is ridiculously small.
And people are you know, Brandon Staley, their head coach, is kind
of getting his seat's getting a little warm. Yeah, he's getting a little
defensive a press conference. Yeah. But ESPN plus came out with a ranking
for the nine rivalry week games. Okay, I guess we could just do.
I mean, Arizona spoiling spoiling it is not in the top five.
Arizona su is number eight. That's well us who's who's the author of that?
Is there? Somebody? And the reason I ask is because if you
can kind of the credibility of the Heather Dinich, Yes, okay, yeah,
so number nine is going to be Georgia versus Georgia Tech. I mean
Georgia Tech. It's so bad. Yeah, I think we're looking at something
similar with number eight Arizona and Arizona State. Arizona State just not being relevant
enough to like boost the matchup any higher, respectfully. Uh, Kentucky and
Louisville number seven mm hmm okay, number six, Texas Tech and Texas Okay,
these are games that are this week though, right, okay, yeah,
alright, Alabama and Auburn number five the Iron Bowl again an not very
school stage, just Auburn. Holy moly, Steve Man, Holy moly.
We have Washington State versus Washington here coming up at number four, and it's
good to renew that, keep playing that. Yeah, that's always good when
you get the rivalies to continue through the conference realignment. Oregon and Oregon State
number three because it's I thought it actually could be one higher. Uh,
and swap with number two Florida and Florida's they well, the thing that is
just not very good. Wow. But the thing on that one is Florida
State's quarterback is out and that if you know Florida goes and wins that game,
Florida, Florida State is out of the playoffs. That's fair, that's
fair, and they're undefeated right now. And then the obvious number one is
is Ohio State Michigan obviously, I yeah, you know they got with all
the extra stuff going on with a high state Michigan, it's kind of that.
It's gonna be fun again, a game I never get right whenever I
bet it or pick it at a pool or whatever. Never get that way.
I never get that. And then Jed Fish came out and said that
there are still thirteen players remaining on the roster from that seventy to seven game
in twenty twenty, including Jordan Morgan, Michael Wiley, Trading Stukes, and
Kyle Ostendorp. And yeah, I think it's gonna be I think I think
it should be. Uh should He's time On spoke about it this week.
It's not gonna be hard to motivate these guys. So do you think,
given I don't I don't know what a tennis has been for issue, do
you think I think there's gonna be more sixty sixty forty percivage I know you
don't go. I just realized there's a break breakdown to the fans at the
game, right because a issues doesn't want to go to see their bass hat
into them, right, and as a probably wants to go for that reason.
Yeah, and it's it's an easy drive. There's a lot of alums
up there. I think you're gonna see a lot of red and blue.
Yeah. Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if that was if that was the
breakdown, you know. Yeah, well again, and all the fans that
live in in the Phoenix area they'll go, you know, No, I
think it'll be a really good contingent. There always is the question is where
where does this you put them? Right? You know, because they there
was fighting about putting the fans put in the corner and they and they've asked
you has been not very shy about promoting it either. They've had the billboard
up in Tempe about no pity for the kiddy? Right? Is it back
up? It is? I don't know if it's back up, but well
it's made a lot of news yesterday, Yeah, because she brought that up,
you know, in a one word type of thing. Yeah, and
it was great. Uh, and yeah, and then the last bit of
news for today as a Super Bowl rematch last night to the Chiefs and the
Eagles averaged twenty eight point nine million viewers for Minda Night Football, which makes
it the most watch Monda Night football game over twenty five years. Wow.
Yeah, wow, I mean it was a great game. And then it
was a good game too. I mean it was a it was a tight
game the whole way. It shouldn't knt have been more scoring, but it
wasn't. Yeah, but damn Kansas City still mad about that. Well,
you know what it could happen, could be a repeat of the last year
Super Bowl too. Yeah, and you know, and and again, uh,
you know, maybe I think Kevin you know, said this on the
way in. You know, maybe the Eagles were a little more motivated because
then because of the loss in the Super Bowl, because again a little bit
of that going into it, trying to get something back for something you lost.
Who knows. Okay, you saw the game left that, you see
the game last night? Yeah, who's a better team? Who think?
I don't think we know? Even though Kansas City lost, right, I
would still I would still a side on the on the side of Kansas City.
Yeah, they blew every chance to score. Yeah, they would have
blown them out had they scored. Uh. It's kind of like or in
Washington. I mean, Oregon lost, lost the game, but everybody thinks
Morgan's a better even even thought there was a drop hole that came out on
the on on the heisman that Bo Nicks is the front runner for the highs,
I think as you should be. Don't you think I still got Michael
Pennix at the top of my lands. Okay, so I think that they
haven't lost. He hasn't played that well, but he he beat Bo Nicks.
You know, I can't argue that. But but but but but but
you know he's getting he's getting the run, you know, and then Jayde
Daniels is getting you know, he's getting all this, which is surprising up
all these yards. But your your team's not that great. Yeah, that
doesn't necessarily make you the best. You know, it's the Tony Romo Thingy.
You can move the ball between the twenties, but you can't score.
What's the point? Yeah, I agree, Michael Pennis is still at the
top of my n For the record, I do think that Eagles are the
more well rounded. Probably probably yes, And I do have a lot more
faith in them to win. You would say Philadelphia, yes, And I
wouldn't argue because they won last night. You can take either one. Yeah,
I still think that, you know, it's it's the horse race today
that game. This happened, the next race, this could happen right exactly.
And I just think that when you look at Casey's offense that the weapons
that are there as the games getant, are they gonna get any better?
They could? Well that's the whole thing. Their weapons didn't didn't explode most
drops drops That was amazing, crazy, that's an incredible number. You get
paid how much money to catch the ball? A lot? Doctors don't make
that. Yeah, no, I YEA know those guys. And and there
were a number of the last time and again it was raining and it was
wet and stuff like that. But there were a bunch of catches last night
that you know, they they can't you know, uh mahomes kept on into
eighty four. I don't remember Watson. Watson, yeah, kept throwing and
then like why is he getting because also tripe Kelsey right, and then mvs
might be locked up because he's a deep threat. So he's gonna be going
down. They might cover him, and then you what do you have left?
And Kelsey short on a couple of you know, short one characters and
as did as did Watson? Is that what his name is? As as
as did he? You know? And then again it's gotta be frustrated for
Patrick Mahomes. Yeah that these guys, you know. Yeah, Well it's
like the kid. It's like the kid who's and I always ask you this
question, his name the L L shu can that that rich Rod had here
the quarterback? Well, we can throw a mile, you can? Randall?
Yeah, Jared Randall. Yeah, what's the point of throwing a mile
when you don't need a mile yards? Yeah? Exactly. It was I
guess to pat my home because after the game they asked him about the drop
and he kind of put it he kind of yeah, he was a diplomatic
put it a little shorter. But he's not gonna throw anybody under the bus,
right because they still need to catch his balls next eight weeks, all
right, I have something. So just shortly after being named to the Bleetnikoff
Award watch list, a semi final list was I think put together looking on
their website. Maybe not. Lewis Riddick uh uh tweeted that he didn't make
the Blletnic that Team Act did not make the Bleetnikoff Awards semi finalists, really
did not. Yeah, but that he's as good as any receiver in So
let me say this to you, Jay, Could you be lived here and
I worked here and was part of the media for a long time. How
much being in the corner of the world in this world plays a factor in
that? Yeah? No, it does. It absolutely does. Tucson,
Arizona, all they do is Mike Sausa over there here. The semi finalists,
Brock Bowers from Georgia is probably gonna win it, Luther Burden from Missouri,
Ke Coleman from Florida State, Troy Franklin from Oregon, Marvin Harrison,
Oh, Marvin Harrison Junior really good, he is. He's in the run
for Xavier Laguette from South Carolina, Malik Neighbors from LSU, Romo Dunzee from
Washington, Brian Thomas Junior from LSU, Malik Washington from Virginia. So both
cow and of course both Colien and and t Mac were on the list but
got left out. So let me ask you this, Jay, because you've
been here again a long time. Your money, your money can reminded me
you're your volume. Because I've only been here thirty five years and I didn't
pay attention for a long time. But I've seen a lot of the games
and I can't remember saying maybe who the guys were the receivers were in our
time. I can easily say this was no no hesitation. T Max is
the best wide receiver I've seen at u of A in my thirty five years.
Yes, nope, yeah, absolutely a friend of mine. Thro dron
Kriner, Yeah good, great, great receiver. Good uh uh the guy
we have Mars show every now know you was catch touchdowns. So god,
he's a friend of mine. You know what I'm talking about, right point
Dexter. Oh yeah, Shohn point Dexter. But when you're talking about just
no, T has already proven to me that he is because he can do
it all. He can catch, he can go over the middle, you
know, and he'll break the tackle, he'll take the one handed catch,
he can jump out of the building. I don't even know who would be
second. You covered hill right Hill in the late committees. Yeah, Yeah,
Derek Hill was was you know, it was really good. God,
there were a couple. I'm trying to think Hill Hill was Hill was with
the h Reps for a while, Kriner Hill. Yeah, there's been a
there's been a few, but not like this. Not a guy, not
a guy that you think, Okay, this guy stands out because you know,
all those guys were pretty good. None of them was the first round
draft pick, right right. And this kay and this kid is you know
it's going to be you know, he he will, you know he assuming,
you know he he says on the trajector trajectory that he's on. Yeah.
I don't even have a hesitation when I say that, because he just
comes up with stuff clutch, not clutch. That last touchdown pass, the
one that Jaden the Lord, he caught that one handed. I don't know
if you notice that it was it was it was a back shoulder throw and
he turned and he caught it with one hand, one arm and pulled it
in and you know, and then breaks the tackling scores. It's like it
that's a that's a man among boys. Yeah. Yeah, I remember him
playing in Cal last year and he coming up with stuff like this right,
there is the reason why you went to go get up. He comes up
with everything. Yeah, and then this year he's just been spectacular. I
can't wait. I really can't wait to see him one more year next year
with a full year with my feet and those guys, and then you know,
you can assume he's gone after next year. Yeah, but he is
really damn good, really good. Okay, we got Brian Jefferies coming up.
We'll get into his brain on both Michigan State and UH and Arizona State
Michigan State Basketball, Game of the State football and get his perspective on both
of those as he heads out to work both of those. To stick around.
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they have their Eye on the Ball on Tucson sports station CHET Fox Sports fourteen
fifty. Hey, welcome back to Ia the Ball Here Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
I'm Steve Rivera. He's jacobsofs. Now on the follow we have Brian
Jeffries, the voice of the Wildcats. Ryan, how you doing? Are
you somewhere or you haven't left yet? Haven't left yet? Now? It's
uh, you know, it'll be a busy weekend, but at least there's
a day in between games. I'm like this past weekend, so everything's good.
Looking forward to trip over to the home desert area and then back to
Tempey on Saturday. So too big games this week. It's it's a lot
of fun. Do you long for June already? No? I you know
a day off would would be nice. I think next week there are no
games, you know, between Saturday and Saturday, and so I'm going to
find some time maybe to do something other than you know, look at the
stats next week for a day. Well, we had a really hectic week
last week, and then you got this thing coming up. You got Michigan
State. So let's take these in Coline Lotze. Lord, you got Michigan
State coming up on on Thursday. You know, they've blown out the teams
that they were supposed to blow out, and they beat Duke. You know,
how much do we really know about about them and what can happen in
this game? Well, I think beating Duke definitely, you know, put
the Arizona on the radar on high alert. Not that they were off the
radar by any means, but I think you anytime you win at Cameron,
then you're going to get somebody's attention. And they've gotten the attention of everybody
in the country right now. That's why you know, they've vaulted themselves into
a top five ranking. So to me, that says a lot right there.
Yeah, the other teams are supposed to beat, are supposed to beat
them handily, and they did that. I think they've you know, there's
been a couple of games where they've struggled in the first haft. This last
one was probably an example of that, where things didn't get going really,
probably to the pace that Tommy would like, until late in the first they
won the game, and good teams find ways to win the game in different
ways. So I think so far is so good. And now you've got
another test and another really good team, another really good program, hall of
Fame coach on Thursday on a neutral court, and I'm interested to see,
you know, how much better the Wildcats are. And in Michigan State,
for that matter, they've lost that home opener and they end up losing to
Duke, And I think there's probably some people wondering what their situation is right
now, so we'll find out others. It's funny you kind of already answered
my question. But before you go into a game like this or any others,
do you kind of and look at you know, what what am I
looking at now? Is maybe something different? Or you just kind of go
in and add lib with any no no thoughts, not with no thoughts,
but no bias, well, no no bias. I mean I try to
look at the other team and find out what their strengths are. And you
know, ask the coaches at too, because I think you're going too.
You never go into any game just thinking that Arizona's going to automatically win.
I mean there's some games where you assume that based on the competition, but
a game like Thursday, there's no assumptions at all. And Michigan State has
been too good for two long to take lightly and you can't ignore, well,
you can ignore if you want to, their current record, but I
don't think that really means a lot in the you know, the long term
of things. So they've got a great player in Tyson Walker. They've got
some athletes Arizona, you know, so other than the Duke game, Arizona
hasn't faced a team with I think the athletic ability that Michigan State has,
and you know, Tommy Iso just does a great job. So you expect
them to play their best, and I think based on what the Wildkits did
in Duke, you kind of figure Arizona is going to play its best because
that's the type of team they are, and that's the type of game it
is. This is a showcase kind of game, and I think plays as
you well know, they love playing in these games. So I hope the
atmosphere is great and it's as exciting as it looks on paper. You know.
I think coming out of the Duke game, when we saw what happened
there, you know, we felt like they're starting to answer the question about
being able to play you know, much more physical, but maybe much more
intense, with a little more intensity, a little more urgency than maybe we
saw at the you know, at the end of last year, and Tommy
and you had to fix some of these things, and that seems to be
sort of a narrative that there were that you know, the word generating sort
of that you know, these guys are, this is different. This looks
a lot different from what they've done in the past. You saw it up
close. I mean, how you know, what did that look like to
you from where you sat? Well, I don't think there's any question that
they're a more physical team. All you have to do is look at Colin
Boswell, I mean, look at what he's done to bulk himself up.
And then you add the likes of Keisha Johnson, who brought an immediate physical
presence in with him. I think Caleb Love is a very physical guard,
and then Wee Crevis is the one that stands out to me amongst the freshmen
because you know, he's seven foot two, what he weighs about two sixty
So physically you said, Okay, this guy's imposing, but lots of times
freshmen can't handle that right away, but he can. He handles his weight
extremely well, and he is a force inside and gosh, just think about
he's only played what five games so far, and we've seen a lot from
him, and I think it's only going to get better. So I think
Arizona is a more physical team than it was last year, and that's going
to bode well. They're going to run into a very physical team on Thursday.
I mean, Michigan State plays great defense, and I think going into
this season, you guys probably agree that if there's one thing you had at
least my question was, Okay, can Arizona improve defensively? It's not that
they were bad defensively last year, but I think they want to see more
and so far they have. Now they're probably going to face one of the
ultimate early tests here against the team that is better numbers wise. The found
the defense inside than Arizona is. So let me ask you this question us
not trying to sway you, Keishak Johnson. We haven't seen a player like
him in a while here. Just what he does and how he is.
Does he remind you of anybody? Oh not yet. I'm trying to think
of somebody that you know kind of has You know, the guy that I
always think of that's a similar size to him, that at a great skill
level was Brian Williams. That you know, that kind of pops into my
head. First. I think it's too early, though, but what we've
seen from Key shot and of course I say early early in his Arizona prairies,
early, he's proven himself in San Diego State. So I just think
he's got he's got so many tools, and I have a feeling that is
three point shooting is may. He may not be a great three point shooter
when the season's over, but he's going to be good enough that people are
they're not going to be able to leave him alone out there. Yeah,
No, I agree with you. In fact, Jay was the one who
brought up the Brian Williams comparison. Corey kind of had Wayne Wollmack in a
variety of people. I have him as a combo combo of Bennet Davison and
Jean Edgerson because they're not the same, but together they're the same, you
know. To make him up. I think key SHOT's got maybe what an
inch more height wise. I have a feeling that his wings pan might be
well, maybe not go womback, but he'll be. He's just got some
different tools, I think than those guys. I mean, they're all very
close. I agree with that, but at the same time, it's hard
to compare guys. I mean, everybody's got their their own abilities and the
own things that they need to work on, and I just think Kisha has
got a lot of really good things going for him right now. All right,
let's let's reach over to football and let's compare there, because you know,
this is a football team that none of us saw this coming. Maybe
they saw it coming, right Jed said he saw it coming. We didn't
see it coming. But this is a team that I compare to the ninety
two team that you know, had a loss, but that kind of turned
their season around. Jed talked about the USC loss being a turning point for
them. You know, we think about the Miami loss in ninety two that
that was the birth of Desert Desert Swarm. That team didn't finish, right,
they lost their last three games. This team is, it seems to
be hell bent on finishing. You know, they've beaten you know, four
straight ranked teams. Do you see any similarities therede in Not so much in
the way the teams were made up, just on what they're doing. I
see one major comparison two words, Dwayne Aquina. Yeah, yeah, And
you know, even though he was the offensive coordinatornety two, he was on
the staff and I think his influence had a lot to do with that team
because remember the ninety three they won ten games. And you know, he's
been added to this staff now, and you know, Johnny Nansen deserves all
the credit in the world, and I think this entire I think the staff,
you know, Jed's hired a great staff, and we've talked about that
for three years. But the addition to dwyna Qina has added another element to
Arizona's defense. And so I find that similarity between ninety two and ninety three
and ninety two and now, even though Dwayne's on the other side of the
field, so to speak. But you know what, George Malahulu was a
quarterback in ninety two and Arizona. Yeah, like you said, that was
the birth of Desert swarm, and you could say that this was the birth
of a new Arizona defense this year. So that's certainly a good comparison.
Both teams went to a bowl game, you know, they in ninety two
went to a bowl game that started to run a three straight. As going
to an Arizona's going to a bowl game this year, maybe that'll start a
run a three straight or more. So, Yeah, I can see some
comparisons. I think this team, to me, might be a little I'm
gonna say this team is better offensively than ninety two, no offense. To
George Malu, I think this is a better offensive team than ninety two.
The defense, the ninety two defense was better and it got better after that.
But offensively, this team has, you know, been very consistent,
and they turned the ball over since the first couple of weeks, and they
found a quarterback. So we all know that job happiness is a fun thing.
When it's happy, you're caring a great team, a very good team.
How is it compared to two years ago, maybe even last year where
there were a few wins, maybe the first year to now where I'm sure
that there's a even for a radio guy who's not part of the team but
is part of the team, how does it feel, Well, you know
something, There's a couple of things that always come to mind, and I
know lean back on guys that gave me great advice over the years. And
you remember Herb Score, the great Indians pitcher, and he went on to
become their broadcaster. And of course they were hearing Tucson at spring training.
When I first moved here, they held a spring training out at High Corvid
Field, and I met Herb and had a chance to talk to him.
And one of the things that remember that in that era of Cleveland, the
Indians were not very good. I mean they were bad. They were out
of the race by the first of July. And I asked Herb one time
about, you know, how do you deal with going into the second half
of the season and you know there's nothing there? And he said, well,
you've got to do kind of like the coach. You've got to take
one game at a time, and mage game a new event and so that's
some that was great advice. And I try and follow that. No matter
what game or what team, you know, it's it's the next game up
and what can you make of the next game. So, yeah, a
couple of years ago when things weren't going well, I mean, you can't
ignore that fact. But at the same time, the next game came up
and you thought, Okay, do they have a chance they pull it off
this week? And that's what you always wait for. And uh, you
know now, I mean when when they're winning, then you know you're excited
for the next game because you think they can keep it going. You don't
know that they can, but you think that they can keep it going.
And and that's you know, So if you're asking for a comparison from one
era to the other, that's that's probably it. From my perspective, I
thought you'd be giddy about it about it, you know? Is that guy
man, he's like, you're the I've said I've told you this before.
You're the guy that you can listen to. And well, you you know
that you're there Zon announcer. You don't know you're you're the Arizona announcer.
You know, compared to a lot. Some of these other guys that I
listened might go, oh my god, dude, you know, go sit
in the seats. They'll be up in the press spot on the show.
Yeah, yeah, right the next game. I think you have to you
have to be a realist because you know, in radio, in radio broadcasting,
you don't know who's out there listening. And you figure that ninety nine
percent of the people listening are Arizona fans and want the Wildcats to win,
and I do too, but there's also people out there that are neutral or
might be rooting for the other team, and you want to be fair to
them and the extent that you present the facts and you paint the picture as
to what's happening. And yeah, I mean the announcers are always better when
the team wins, and and you know, I sleep better, I'm in
a good mood every day. I mean, there's nothing better than winning.
And I'm not afraid to say I'm on the bandwagon one hundred percent. But
you have to be realistic too. And I'm sitting here right now pouring over
numbers for the game on Saturday, and of course, statistically, you know
AFU has no reason to beat Arizona on Saturday. But it's a rivalry game,
and it's on their home field, and you guys have seen it before
when the team with the worst record beats the team with the better record,
and so you have to be realistic about it. You have to be prepared
for what could happen. From my perspective, you hope it doesn't, but
you've got to be prepared and find things that Arizona State has done well that
could get my chance to win the game out of that. You know,
listening to Jed at his press conference yesterday, I really feel that I don't
mean to take a shot at the other coaches, but I feel like he's
the first coach since probably Dick to really grasp this rivalry. You know.
I remember Mike Stoop's specifically saying he thought the Oklahoma Texas rivalry was better.
John mcavic, I don't think he ever cared about it. Dick, Kevin,
someone never cared about it. Rich Rod, I think he cared about
it, but it wasn't so much about the rivalry, is so much about
winning the last game. You do you feel like he's he really embraces and
grasped this rivalry better. Than anybody since since Dick. Absolutely, I agree
with you fully and the previous two coaches, and things didn't go well with
Kevin someone, I mean, I got along with him. Okay, I'll
just say, okay, rich Rod. I really liked rich Rod. I
still think he's one of the best play callers that I've ever been around.
But you're right, I don't think he was ever fully invested in the rivalry.
I'm not sure how fully invested he was, you know, with with
being here full time. I think he liked being the coach, but you
know, when things didn't go well, well, you know, he was
on his way anyway. I like the guy, but I agree with you.
I think Jed understands. Jed understands a lot of things that some of
the previous coaches have not. And that started with bringing in the football alumni
and making them part of the That's huge. Yeah, that has not happened.
You know, you go back to Dick, Tomy and and you guys
know, because you see them there. They still there is still a group
there that those guys have never lost touch with each other. There's a kinship
amongst those who played for coach Tony and Jed saw. I think Jed wanted
that, and he's that's what he's done. He's brought the alumni back and
so and part of that is the rivalry and making this as big a deal
as it is because it goes beyond just pride. It's recruiting, it's it's
everything right now in the way college athletics college football is lined up right now.
Boy, winning a game like this means so much in a lot of
areas other than the fact that you get to brag for the next year that
you won the game. So we want to ask you this. We've got
one last question. Well, I wanted to ask you this question. You've
been doing this thirty some years now. Sorry to say that number, but
you've seen a number of games. Any favorite in there? Any favorite ASU
game? Oh? Favorite ASU game? Yeah? Well let's see. It
was Sun Devil Stadium. I forget the year right now. When ASU had
the game won, they muffed the punt return and I think was that the
tie? Yeah, and Arizona tied the game. But as far as anyone
it was concerned, Arizona won that game. I mean, there was nothing
but joy. That was the best tie you could possibly ask for. So
that one stands out to me. Uh, you know when when this when
Larry Smith got the streak going there and they had you know, that decade
where Arizona dominated, you know, all of those games. You know,
we're big, I think so, and there have been some disappointing ones as
well, but those are some that I certainly think about, think back to,
and you know, hopefully now uh you know, it's it's it's going
to continue with a win this week and have to uh, don't have to
think about the previous five years. You know, the win last year was
I think really really important. We're going to that game last year and everybody
I talked to Sid Ryan, we have to win this game. I mean,
we have to and they did, and I think that was very important
for the health of the program. All right, Brian, will again appreciate.
I know you're busy guy, so we always thank you for taking some
time out for us. And even though we uh uh you know, just
we love having you, so we we we do appreciate this and I know
you're busy, So have fun at the Michigan State game. We'll see see
how that one goes. And take more than one day off. Yeah,
yeah, ten, take a couple of days off next week. Tell wait
a minute, I'm writing this down. I'm going to submit it. Tell
Joe to the boss and see what he says. Even told me, I
get two days. Joe listens to the show, He'll they'll let it happen.
All right, all right, thanks a bunch, Brian, Thank you,
travel, thank you, good stuff. Always you know what, always
great. And there's nobody more connected to the teams on the inside than him.
Honestly, I can honestly say that, Yeah he is. No,
he's there and again and again. Love the fact that he's ready for his
oonna. He wants to win. It's an even stilla. He's skilt handles
a very even hand. Yeah. Yeah, that's what I've always loved about
him. Because you're listen to other people. Yeah, yes, what the
hell with that? Hell yeah? Yeah yeah, all right, let's take
our break look back. Take your cost five to zero, four, one
seventy four forty. 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
Loudolsen era. In my new book, Lessons from Loot, it was a
labor of love through the eyes of twenty five former players, coaches, and
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as Arizona's beloved coach. Lessons from lut is an insight to how he built
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us and fans are bearing down for our new and improved Arizona football team.
I know Edmund Marcus is He's a huge Arizona football fan and of course a
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Team apply online today at a Team security dot Net. Steve Bravera and Jacin
Salez they have their eye on the ball on Tucsons Sports Stage jet Fox Sports
fourteen fifty streaming live. I mean I heard radio wire, Hey, welcome
by toying the ball here Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve, He's Jay.
You got Kevin with us. You got eleven minutes before we take off
out of here. Man here, I missed you guys. Time time.
Well a lot more than that though. There's all kinds of football going on
this week, and and basketball and family and I mean, I'm thinking about
Thanksgiving Day. You know, we say we do our Turkey Bowl, we
come back. You got the Lions game is on that flows right into the
UFA basketball game at two o'clock. We'll do dinner after the basketball game,
and then we got a forty nine Ers game at night. It's I mean,
that's that's like heaven. We can't get any honestly, I mean really,
you know, and there's Black Friday football this year. Yeah, yeah,
yeah, well we'll Colorado on the Oregon in Oregon State right usually you
know what I think it's the Jets and with Ustuff football. We had a
call. Are you're on the air and I on the ball. Yeah,
this is Nico. Man, Nico, I love you. You're Peter Brady
to me. No, Man, your voice is totally changed. Hey man,
it is what it is. First, I would comment on the Taylor
swifter. Go ahead, she's all right. It's not like she's all right,
Okay, Jay's well, you know those are both those are kind of
both in my wheelhouse as far as that closes. But are they your Hey?
No, I know I'm not in there. I'm not Travis Kelsey,
Hey SpecAn. Though I went to the game on said he it is a
good game. Did you think the same thing that Jay and some other side
of where is everybody? Yes? I was surrounded by Utah. Then I
was like, what the hell? Did they have a lot of peop here?
Jay? Utah? You know, it's hard for me to tell because
they're they're sections on the same side as we are all the way at the
other end. So how was well? I sat in the under the Sands
club and there was like probably twenty Utah fans around them in your area.
It's hard and plus the other thing is they're red too, so you know,
it's hard to tell, you know who's you know, who's who's wearing
red. That's an Arizona fan, that's a Utah fan. Yeah, yeah,
yeah, So I don't know, I don't know how many of them
were there were. But Nico, you sat through there? Did you stay
through the rain and all that stuff? Yeah? I stayed there in the
rain. My old man went and hit under the little Paris. But yeah,
did you tell me, please tell me you didn't go rush the field?
No, man, I was rush in the bathroom. Okay, okay,
I'm a little too old to be Russian. You are, period.
I'm glad. I'm glad. You know that, Nico. It's important that
you know. Did you rush the first time? No, man's just like
I said, I'm too old. Okay, So good, that's good,
man, I don't need to break a leg. Nice smart, smart for
three that's good. You know they're doing it just to do it now?
Yeah, yeah, they need to stop. They need to stop. What
about that? What about the basketball have a good thing for giving you too?
I want to talk about the basketball team real quick. What about him?
You like him? All right? I guess all right, all right?
And is the basketball team do a leap a hot or not? We'll
find out in March. I guess all right, he's right, he's right.
Rights, But come on Thanksgiving year one? Right then? Thanks?
Yeah, my my sister, my sister, my my daughter still laughs.
At the first time that I ever saw do Alipa on the Grammys, she
watched me. Not your reaction was just price this sixty year old. Let's
do it. She could be my daughter anyway. All right, we'll keep
taking your costs. Five tuz thereo four one six, four forties. So
I got about seven minutes before we hit the road for the week. Steve,
your your your Thanksgiving plans? What do you do? A good question?
I had a little bit, baby. I had libit, why we
go get a meal and my mom or whatever? And I had live it.
I was gonna say to you, we have a prediction maybe for Thursday
the basketball game. This is quiet, it's bitch like you. It's a
little work and kind of do some writing, but quiet, which is good.
I don't have to come here. Yeah, I mean this two hours
is longer than two hours, you know, getting here kind of a little
not that we prepare because you can tell we don't prepare, but you don't
take some time. Takes some time. Yeah, you know, it's fun
obviously. Yeah. No, we have a last and we got another call.
Got in the car. Let's take that. Are you on there and
I on the ball. Hey it's Richard, you guys. How you doing?
Richard? What's up? I just want to say, you know,
if there was a twelve team playoff this year and they put like six or
seven conference champions in and then they said, you know, we got four
or five more slots, they would say, Okay, which team out there
right now is coming around the bend? Which racehorse has caught the pack and
is headed toward the faceline and looks like they're gonna beat everybody? And that'd
be Arizona. No, I think Arizona would be in the damn playoff this
year. If we had twelve teams, they'd be in the running for it
for sure. Yeah, yeah, you know, that's that's for sure,
because I mean again, I think we said yesterday. I don't think anybody
out there that you know, wants a piece of Arizona right now. I'm
certainly I know I feel it. I feel like if washingt if Arizona winds
up in a let's say they wind up in the pack Claf Championship against Washington,
that's not going to be like it was when Arizona played Oregon back in
twenty fourteen. You knew Arizona was going to have no chance in that game.
Oh no, yeah, I would love to have them have another crack
at Washington. Oh no, this is a team that's growing in confidence,
that's just very fluid and very strong. And so, Steve, I want
you to think about this this weekend. Uh. You know this is a
field of dreams year and even your new Mexico State team. Good. Now,
the world is going to end in twenty twenty three, twenty whatever it
is, Man aburn, Man, holy moly, Hey, if Oklahoma plays
Arizona and maybe we'll get to that if it does happen, what do you
got the early who's the early pick? I'd say early on, I have
to give Arizona whom I command as the underdog. I think Arizona wins the
game. I think Arizona's more focused than hungarer and probably right now, better
team. Yeah, well the hungry part has a lot to do with who
wins both. Oh yeah, right, And how much does Riley want to
go back to Man? I don't know, Man, I don't know.
You get him back, you guys might get him. He was just ugly
watching him against the u C l A. It's just it's just ugly.
Yeah. So anyway, what I remove off from those guys, it's all
that matters is Arizona right now and the Oklahoma Sooners. Sounds great, Richard,
Thanks about a great thank you, thank you, thank you, Richard,
Richard Richard's you know, it'd be interesting on a lot of those aspects,
you know, when Arizona play, because there's so many people around here
who have another favorite team, right Oh yeah, yeah, Like I got
a buddy of mine, a guy that I know, Uh, I guess
he's a friend. He's you know, in that breakfast club that I work
with, and he's a huge Indiana fan. He actually played it played in
Indiana. But yeah, he's a huge Arizona fan too. You know,
Well, how about this, because we know a lot of islands, how
about they playing them? That would be like I think there was crush them.
Yeah, and because everyone thinks they're pretty good, right right. The
record shows that they're pretty good. But I'm not sure they're pretty good.
I know how good those guys are, but you know, but there's a
lot of that to the point of his confidence. And that's why I asked
Jed a month ago. Remember the month ago the confidence and turned around whatever
was. You could just see it, man, you could just see it.
And he said, you know the USC game, all right, last
call, Hi, you're on the air and nine on the ball. How's
it going today? What's up, Brian? Well, it was a great
weekend again, another one weekends in a row. Can't ask for more than
that. I thought the game Saturday was really good. I did like the
last touchdown we scored. I'm not happy about that. People around me were
complaining, why are we doing that? I look at it this way.
They had their starters in the whole time, and they went for they went
for two, right, so you guys would try to score. Yeah,
yeah, it's a whole Yeah. I mean I think Jed's reason when he
said I wanted to give Jayden to Laurie a little something that that, to
me is is more of a reason than anything. Well, to me,
I think his reason was, Okay, you scored a touchdown, then you
went for two twice. You know, I think I think he just went
to prove a point. Yeah. Well, I still think if if I'm
against you and I'm gonna win, I'm gonna win by as many as I
can. Yeah, and if you can't, do you want to have a
start court, a start court for me, try to prevent me from beating
you. Exactly, that's right, That's exactly right. I mean the basketball
team I thought played, I mean, they didn't play high quality teams,
but watching them play the physical game is very enjoyable to see. So that's
both of you guys. Just a minute or so, Brian, just make
it quick. The last two weekends. I mean, this this could be
a trend for Arizona football and that'stball together a little while. You don't you
haven't had this in a long time yet. I know it's it's been a
long long time since we've seen this. But you know, hopefully we you
know, we Oregon State can figure out a way to break bow Nicks's legs
and we can win, you know, I mean it's I mean, it's
I don't give Oregon State much of a chance. Better there's I guess there's
always a chance. I guess there. All right, Brian, Hey,
you have a good thing. We got to run. Hey, happy Thanksgiving
to you and your family, even your kid. Okay, all right,
just like that, just like that. Yeah, so Arizona fans. I
mean, you guys deserve some happiness. We've had the Yeah, yeah,
we we do, we do. You know, you just feel like it's
about time nice things happen. You're even almost not talking about Lucy anymore.
Pulling the ball today you like to say, Okay, yeah, no,
because you know what, there's nothing left for you know, I mean,
it's house money right now, as far as there's no football goes, as
far as I'm concerned. You know, it's house money. You get if
if you get to nine wins, great, if you get to ten wins,
even better. But it's house money. All right. I think that's
about it. Steve, Yeah, ready to go, Ready to go.
We'll see you guys. Bday. Kevin, Happy, Happy Thanksgiving to you
and your plan as well. Thank you for whatever you're gonna do with your
life. This weekend's going to Phoenix. Yeah, going to Phoenix, watching
sports, doing the whole thing, you know. All right, nice and
Steve, be sure to come back on Monday. Man, don't forget you
have about to text me reminded you might take him a while the wake up.
All right, we'll see all everybody. Thanks for being here. Happy
Thanksgiving to everybody. We'll be back on Monday week. I have a good
sample holding in that the bots in the Land of Sassy. I'm get