This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez Sound Fox Sports
fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services and Sure Your Most Prized Possessions kat z
R two sad at iHeartRadio Station. Hey, good afternoon, everybody. Welcome
to Eye on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera.
He's Jacob's ass. He's Adam. I hope your name is Adam,
because that's what I call you. That's what we call you. Right.
My voice is bad. It is Steve like it's something about ten o'clock.
But I think my houries started kicking. I have no idea why, but
it just feels weird. Sounds weird now that I hear it. Hey,
but welcome to Friday, our final day of the week. We did a
whole week for the first of like five weeks because we were in Vegas and
that was gone in a while. So we we well, we're not done
yet, right, so something can happen, but we have two hours here.
I hope you guys get involved by calling five two oh four, one,
six seventy four forty uh. I people have a nice, eclectic type
of show. We've been trying to get Damien Alameda and saw him yesterday at
the ribbon cutting, So I said, can you do it now? And
he gave me the nod. I'm thinking, okay, great, better not
change your mind. Yeah exactly, so him. And then we got another
guy, yep, Rickleer Rose, the former golf coach, really kind of
the guy who built the program to you know, to what it is today.
He coached both men's and women's teams to national championships. They gushed all
over him yesterday. Yeah. Well, you know, he's you know,
he's the guy that kind of built it and uh, you know a lot
and the hill he won't admit it, and he'll tell us all god,
you know, you know, don't you know, don't put that on me.
But you know, when you think about what they've got over there,
the facility they're at Tucson Country Club, it started because that's there, because
in the end, because of what he built up. Oh, he talked
about that, and that's that he put you know, he just gave the
timeline. So we'll get a shorter timeline from him today. Uh. The
one thing I was going to ask you, because uh, you know,
I've been here since eighty seven. You've been here along along all your life.
And they were talking about all the accomplishments, and I'm thinking, Okay,
we know some round Rushmore guys, right, Blue Kendrea, Ke Kendall,
Yep, he accomplished someone what those guys did in his sport. Yeah,
And I'm thinking, well, well, he's got to be thought of.
What about Frank Bush, Yeah, Frank Bush another guy. There's a
lot of dudes on the Yeah, Arizona's Mount Rushmore can't have only four heads
right when they were mentioned in him. Of all the things he's done with
the national championships men and women, the only guy to coach men and women
title ever in all of its double A, I'm thinking that's kind of that's
kind of big big deal, is a big deal, and he's not talked
about enough when it comes to that. You know why, you think because
it's golf, okay, right, it's not baseball, it's not basketball kind
of football like Frank Bush and and Kendrea. Even though it's softball. You
can't avoid what he's done exactly, you know, you know, I mean
you talk about Candrea because he won how many seven eight eight championship that's why
he's you know, he's up there. But on top of that, softball
has become a television sport, so you know, it's got more it's got
more of that visibility as well. But you know, you know, Rick
Lerosse while he was here, he was you know, well, let me
quiz you real quick. What else did he coach at Ubebe. There's not
a trick question. It is a trick question. I didn't know this either,
because he said he started as like as a water polo guy and some
other tennis maybe I think it was. And then they said, hey,
you want to coach golf and he said, okay, so three jobs.
I could be wrong in the sports, but he had three when he first
started back in the mid seventieses crazy. I had no idea. Yeah,
so we'll clarify with him. But he said that to begin, you know,
a bit you guys didn't know, blah blah blah. I think I
didn't know. Well, well, I'm looking at his at his bio from
the from the U of a. H Hall of Fame. You have a
Hall of Fame website, and he in college, he was a college swimmer.
He competed in swimming golf and cross country, so Rockport to date.
Yeah, I have a fun story from one of my friends who will talk
about him, and I'll mention to him because we all know that he was
a heck of a competitor too. So okay, we'll move on from that.
But we have some great guests today on a Friday, This should be
fine. Just stay out of the heat if you can. It is hot,
you know, see, I have to you know, I let John
Wilner, you know, uh convince you no, no, no, I
let him give you a crap about going to buffets and stuff yesterday. Well,
I gotta admit I've been to the I've been to a buffet twice twice
the last two days. I went to We beat the bullet and went to
Sweet Tomatoes yesterday or lunch, and then did it again today to both put
tomatoes again twice, mister Gonzales to welcome back. I'm gonna bar back.
I can barth right now. You're gonna be like norm at at Tamato Sweet
Tomatoes. Well, it's funny because you know there's a line, right,
so they let you in, you know, little by little, and the
late and the lady who was letting you leading us, and she goes,
weren't you here yesterday? I said, yeah, yeah, I was.
I was so but I you know, I went easy today. I didn't
have the chocolate chip cookie. This is this is not the Vegas buffet where
you have to eat up what you lose. No, no, no,
no, no, this was I They lost money on me the last few
days. They really did. Uh. So I've been you know, I
got to stop. I can't eat the rest of the day. So does
your wife, the nutritionist or your boss know that you're doing that? Yeah?
Well she went with us yesterday, but we've been dying to go because
we've been taking our kids since they were little there. So she went yesterday,
but she she she's off out of town on a business trip. And
my daughters and I went back today, so we're we're all here. So
it's kind of fun. Hey. By the way, I can't find my
keys, the ones I gave you yesterday or two days ago to get into
how to get in here again? Back there? I know you did,
and I don't know what I did with them. I don't know. So
I was hoping they were here and they're not here. But are those are
those keys. That's something important. But you had a car key on larkey
house key blah blah blah. Y. I know what to tell you.
My interns are partly living. You know. I'm bad with that. You
know, I know it's not at him because he's here. Yeah, yeah,
you just got here. What's up at him? I'm good, You're
good. Another dude who only has a short timer. Man, you're ready
to get the heck out of here? Almost almost. You have senior itis?
Yet? Are you still going to class and stuff? I'm still gone.
I'm trying to finish strong. Sure your professions are listening so you can.
I'm gone, I'm going. How did you do that? Were you?
How long did it take you to graduate? Took five years and you
would have been able to take ten. I was at the Were you having
trouble at the end of No, no, no, it was I took
like three classes my final dismester. I was pretty much five years. I
was paid for, so I didn't care. You know, that was scared
of my dad that if I didn't get out in four years, because to
him, you got four years and that's it. You got four years and
I was living at home. Yeah, and uh, and he said you
got us said you got four years yesterday with and I scrambled and I took.
I took like forty units my last two semester. Wow, you know,
twenty each, Wow, to be able to graduate. And I didn't
know I had graduated until after I walked because I used to walk for graduating.
I had a class that I didn't know if I had passed well.
And then I got I nailed the final, and I graduated. And I
had already devised my plan of how I was going to take a summer school
class without my parents knowing, you know, to get out, Okay.
So that's why I was just like, you know, you like, you're
you're clear, You're good, You're gonna You're gonna graduate. I'm all good,
no doubt. A four years five? No five, I did five.
You went somewhere transferred, You came in from somewhere. Hell Like,
I'm like Luke Walton says, if I could live here the rest of my
life, I'd I'd still be going to school. Yeah, what a life?
What a life? Come on in the real world sucks. No.
I wanted to do work. I wanted to make dude, I was living
at home. I had to get the hell out of there. Okay,
said, how's he going? Now? You wish you were back in school?
Well now, yeah, I mean school was easy compared to what we've
been doing. Man, and it shows, it shows on us. But
you know, I wanted to get out of there. And today there's a
lot of stuff going on in the rules. Well let's the college stuff is
going to be a little different. Yeah, well let's talk let's talk about
a s u Okay, because I don't you know, there's plenty of breaking
news, but this is this was big to get up today. You know,
get on social media and the first thing you see that ASU football has
been put on four years probation. That's a lot. But what does that
mean because they've already self imposed that one year. Yeah, well it means
though that for four years they've got to toe the line. I mean,
if they get caught again, you know, somebody gets caught doing something again,
you know, penalties can get worse and worse. I mean, nobody's
going to get the death penalty ever. Again, that's not going to happen.
But you know, you start, you know, cutting into scholarships and
you start cutting into right right, but uh, you know, in terms
of you know, since since all the you know, all the perpetrators I
guess less lack of a better word, are gone, right, that penalty
is over with. You know, one's a head coach in the NFL,
one's a commentator for ESPN, and you know the other guys. But and
they've already got their bowl. You know, they they did their their you
know, very smartly did their bull band in a year where they weren't going
to a bowl game. But the probation piece of it, though, means
that for four years you got to toe the line because and who knows what
sanctions you can put on teams later. But more Steve, I think it's
a it's an image thing. And and here's where the image thing sticks out.
You know who's what program is the poster child for n C double A
violations when it comes to football. God, you tell me SMU, Well,
then the only school that got the death penalty, right right, But
let me tell you something. Adam probably doesn't even know that because that's our
time, right, Well, it's coming back because those of us who do
know that, you know, there's a there's a there's a stat out there
that a s U is now tied with SMU Football for for the most violations
ever. Well, so when you talk about SMU and being having gotten the
death penalty, they've killed their program. And you say, as us,
you know, the next door neighbor, that that says something about who you
are the think about it? Well, with all that, okay they have
and what do they have to show for it? Absolutely right? Right,
I was in I was in Dallas, a king from Dallas to here at
the time, right after the time all that the you know, pay for
play, the Pony Express, blah blah blah, when it all happened in
the mid eighties, and it was just coming out with the penalties. So
I'm thinking, yeah, that's a big deal. Yeah, obviously, I
mean, at least when SMU cheated, they were really good and Roger Craig
guys, uh you know. But but when you know a SU cheats and
they are off, they got worse as they were cheating. True. True.
Anyway, let me ask you something. And I know we're talking about
issue, we have no really good ties to it. Uh So I'm two
questions. So when they hired HERM when they hired her and I'm gonna ask
this some maybe the next time we have some Phoenix guys in there. What
did you think? Can I have another question to go along with? Well,
my first reaction was what are they doing? Because here's a guy you
tell me that who hadn't coached in forem? No, no, is it?
Give me the what are they doing? Yeah? Yeah? Like what
the hell is all this? Okay? That kind of what are they doing?
You know? Like whose idea was that? Right then? And then
it came out there he was buddies with Ray Anderson in the whole bed and
you know, and then Herm comes in. He says, we're gonna run
it like a like an NFL franchise and stuff like that. What they what
they didn't realize was that there were some college rules that they had to follow,
uh, that you don't have to follow in the NFL. That was
my thinking. Remember his first year they played, they were really good,
not really good, but they were way better than anybody expected. And they
were better than Arizona because Kevin someone was here crapping all over the all over
the lawn, so you know, and it was kind of like, god,
you know, maybe they know something that we didn't. So Okay,
so that question because he he and someone were hired at the same time,
right same year. Okay, so now that you and I thought we got
he had gotten the good, don't jump ahead of me. I'm sorry,
I was so when someone was hired, what are you thinking, I'm thinking
Arizona hit the jack. So totally different things, right, totally different things,
but with the same not same results, but kind of kind of the
same result. Some of them was nothing, didn't do anything, didn't care
to do anything, right, and hear and put these guys in the ditch,
a big ditch. Well yeah, I mean, you know, Kevin
was just a big steaming pile of you know what. Yeah, he just
didn't he just didn't care to care. He didn't care, you know.
And and uh, it was kind of funny because we were talking about and
this is something we can talk about down the road. But you know,
there's some changes going on in the athletic department at the OVA, and one
of those changes that you're hearing is that free tickets that you get from your
contacts aren't going to be as readily available as maybe they were in the past.
But we were talking about the fact that well, in the past.
You know, they were giving out tickets because nobody's coming to games, right,
and you know, you got people coming to games and so now you
know there's some more value to it. But you know, we were talking
about the fact that how terrible it got here under Kevin Sumlin and how strong
it took to get out of that and what they awesome. You can say
they didn't get out of until last year. I know that five and seven
year was good and stuff, but attendance wasn't great. Year before last football
they were still you know, thirty crowds and low thirties, mid thirties and
stuff like that. Realistically, Yeah, and and you know it was it
wasn't until last year that that they had some uh you know there was a
semblance of recovery football. Well, we'll see, we'll see if that momentum,
if you called that momentum, continues under under Brennan. But you'll have
to build that up. Yeah, because with Fishley, people were excited.
Yeah, people were excited, and now you're gonna have some weight to see
people again absolutely are Okay, let's just go to break all right, and
then we get Daman Alameda. A lot of stuff's been happening here since the
last time we had him on the show. Yeah, So let's take our
break and Damian will be joining us right after, so let's stick around.
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your free evaluation. Today streaming live on the iHeartRadio app. This is I
on the phone? Steve Rama and Jakenzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Hey,
welcome back to IV the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm
Steve, he's Jay. Now on the phone. We have Damian Alameda from
KOLD Sports. How you doing, Damien Ida? Guys, how are you
interesting? I know I saw you yesterday working hard at the Old River.
You're working so hard. You missed, you missed your show. You got
to take what you can get, right, So the One Man Band is
alive and well here. Believe me when I say I'm not the only one
who does this. By the way, No, we know you guys.
Man, you guys there, you guys have to be everywhere. It's it's
fun. So I was saying off air, man, a lot has happened
since the last time you were on our show. Well, the last time
he ducked us and du well yeah, yeah, yeah, yes, since
the last time you didn't duck us and you didn't have a ready answer for
why you couldn't come on the show. But you know all these big stories
that that have come along. Let's just ask you. You talked about being
a one man show. How hard has that been you know, to talk
about you know, the conference stuff, the football program, you know,
the basketball all these things. You know, have you been managing your time
and been able to do all that? You just figure out a way,
you know, because like people in my position are are in the position to
have to just find a balance and kind of take the shot as they come.
And so thankfully the storylines have been totally overlapped at all times. It's
when they do that it gets a little hairy. But you know, like
the Jetfish news broke and that thankfully, like you know, we were kind
of in the heart of basketball season at that point, so it wasn't too
big of a deal to shift focus and dive a little bit and so forth
and so on. It's you just kind of like pick your poisons. I
guess she was one, and go on there does the approach change to an
I asked, because Channel line's doing something different, they're not really doing the
daily, daily stuff, but they're looking for stories. Now that you're by
yourself, how are you handling it? I mean, I'm a story teller
at heart, so I put present on story. That being said, we're
also a news organization, so personally, again, one of the reasons why
I love this job is because every day is different, Like there is no
similarity between Monday day and Wednesday because the things happened, and I enjoy kind
of like rolling with that slow because I would get very bored if it wasn't
that case, you know. So in terms of how I do want job,
it's just a matter of whatever is coming at me to day of and
that's how I'll rolled. So for example, for like yesterday, you know,
the golf the opening of the golf center was huge, and I wanted
to make thee because I haven't given a lot of coverage to two men's and
women's be able to tell that story as much as I possibly could. I
spent the entire afternoon and evening out there talking to Laura, talking to Jim
and mister rickla road. So I understand coming out on your show with you
to be able to tell that story right and you know, at the risk
of maybe not the Roadrunners the Coyotes, right, I see. Yeah,
Well, Steve and I have talked a lot too about you know, being
being newspaper guys right us telling the story. Man, we need a time
with an athlete or a coach or you know, you know, be able
to get with people for extended amounts of time beyond the fifteen minute press conferences
where you get maybe get one question in. You know, how how have
you gone about, you know, telling those stories with the amount of time
that you get. You know, you talk about how you want to spend
that whole time, but let say you want to do a story on a
player, how tough is it for you or how much time do you need
with them? Because I know, you know, I used to need an
half hour an hour with somebody to be able to really tell any kind of
a story, and then I'd have to go talk to a bunch of other
people. You know, how's the storytelling worked for you over the last few
years. So you're watching news cast in at least the early shows, like
you know, a five thirty box eleven show or our six o'clock thirteen news
show, and I'm not in that show. The reason I'm not in that
show is because I'm spending time with a camera and a microphone talking to somebody
for a prolong period of time. Right, So, like it's all about
choosing what I'm willing to sacrifice, and more often than not, I'm willing
to sacrifice the airtime to go get a really good story. So so part
of that was yesterday you missed the whole thing. How did they replace you?
They just figure it away, No figure it away. So, I
mean, you know, yesterday with Alex Morello, the Coyotes's owner, going
on the Gambo Show up North and about his decision to look the prone runners
up to up to Tempe, I'm not here to talk about that. So
they're going to give that to the news anchors to talk about and then when
I come back eventually we'll expand a little bit more on that, you know.
But I guess the thing is that when news like that break, it's
not isolated to like everybody has news right, So in that regard, it
doesn't really matter who tells it right right when it comes to the storytelling though,
and like the in depth stuff and digging deeper into you know, a
wildcat sport, a wildcat athlete, a high school or the high school athlete,
then then I get a chance to do my thing and put my own
little spin. But it was like, if it's straight breaking sports news,
it's hard sports news things like that, it doesn't necessarily like do people really
care if I'm the one telling that or if or Brooke tell it. I
don't know. I don't know. I was gonna ask you, oh about
about the basketball. So you're out like asture, out and about and people
know who you are, and then talk what's the sense you got from or
you're getting from from people about Tommy in the basketball program? Okay, I'll
say this, Like, I know people were very disheartened to be like Umar
Chance are out. Maybe you weren't as its harden to see like Kyland were
out, but there is I find it interesting because like they they didn't have
the same questions and reservations for Tommy and the men as they did for say,
like Idea and the women and all the behind the scenes pseudo drama that
was going on with the women's most of course of the season. You take
a look at at what Tommy is able to bring back next season, and
let's say perfect scenario, Caleb Love discovers that his draft stock isn't as high
as he wants and he comes back Holy cow, Like that's that's a good
rock going in the Big twelve plays and that gives fans the reason to be
excited. There's a lot of sentimental with regards to this past season and past
roster because of the expectations that were placed on them, and because of guys
like Umar Balo, who is just i mean one of the one of the
personal level, one of the most gentle giants I've ever come a from,
just an absolute gem of being. Yeah, next season it'll be a different
look but funnier reason to be optimistic as far as I'm concerned. All right,
So as we meant, you know, there have been so many stories
that have come along over the that, you know, just the even just
the last year maybe a little more that's just been nuts with you know,
realignment and all those other things which story or stories give you Maybe I don't
know the right way to put this was hardest to cover, gave you the
biggest headache, was just most difficult to follow or whatever that just occupied so
much of your time and your your thought process over the last years. You
know, Arizona football being good, but then the coach leaving, you know,
the realignment stuff, whatever kind of which one was the hardest on you?
I mean, hands down, it was the move to Big twelve.
Yeah, hand step, because I mean there's with the big twelve and the
relignment and all that was like breaking last summer, and I think I talked
about this the last time I was on the show. It was also personal
for me because I'm a Pacific coupe kid and I hated every minute of it,
like every minute of it. And so when Arizona finally announced the move
to kind of put a bow on everything after there have been but at that
point, like a half months worth of speculation and he said versus he said,
and playoff coff sane one thing, and you know, then we can
just finally focus on football. Even then, I was my head still hurt
because I didn't want it to be a reality that was more personal than anything.
And now that we're getting in that, I'm sorry. Like I'm still
at that point now where I still do not care about the Big twelve.
I'm sure just because of the nature of my job, eventually I will be
forced to probably skinner rather than later. But it paid me from like my
heart, my heart, that the little piece of my heart died today,
that that all kindreds that was that was the heart. If that was one
of the many, I mean, I'm sure the the ad change, the
new ad coming in the president now leaving at some point all this stuff.
It's it's been a crazy one year of news. Speaking to the President Robbins,
I mean, see if you were there yesterday, like you could hear
like the genuine I mean Jenny Clements gets up there on the podium microphone and
makes it very plainly clear to everybody when she says and for those listening,
Jenny Clements is one of the big big Arizona Athletics. Great husband is now
the names for Arizona's call center. Her name is on the Arizona Wildcat Student
Learning Center. And she said away President Robin, and all of her time
working with the different presidents at the University of Arizona, President Robbins was the
best president is the best president she has ever worked under. And it's like
they were making my very conscious effort to underline the fact that doctor Robin was
was that president? Uh, what's that sound interesting? I don't know what
you thought about that, seest. No, it was a very clear message,
no question. And you know the funny thing about it, he was
lighthearted about it because you know, some people thought maybe he wouldn't show up
because yesterday was a border Regents meeting in the morning and the afternoon, and
he was there, you know, he was there, and he kind of
joked with me, uh the time or two about you know, above my
book because he hasn't written it read at all, and he says all half
time now you know, because he said it, he joked about it,
and because he knows his days are numbered and maybe sooner than the are the
border readers going to fire him for right, So so you know you could
tell even his speech was kind of that way, right, Yeah, it
was. It was to a point self, right, what else could you
do? Right? You have? Uh, but to kind of go down
that about so I know, David yah, good, what are you gonna
say? I was rambling, Well, when when did you When did you
get to Tucson? When did you start covering this this this time? So
I want to say, July, what's been the biggest change in terms of
not just covering you know, like an Arizona or something like that, but
what what's the biggest change in terms of what you're covering here? And you
know what's important? Uh, you know those kinds of things like I guess
I'm trying to get at you know, when you think about what the types
of things you were covering in two thousand and six and what you're covering now.
What what what's different? Oh, that's an interesting question because again Arizona
at this point it's still wild Cats men's basketball. That's that's the life are
won A football was there too, But I will say this, Uh,
once a DA took over the basketball program, I found myself most definitely covering
women's bast a whole heck of a lot more. I had covered it Aya
a really great religionship with but not the extent. Uh Yeah. Part of
that is obviously the success. Part of that is Yeah, and it's been
the last watching that rock to the other women's sports, like like Laura and
I have a great relationship covering with golf in their spreading the love. I
think it's been the biggest change. For the first few years it was just
men's basketball, wildcatch football and then everything else beneath it. And that's not
the case anymore. Yeah, because that's I mean to be like it should
have been that way Day won it just right, It just wasn't. That's
a good point. That's a really good point. So we talk about this
all the time. Kind of based uh, going on the radar or whatever.
You're one of those guys that's not out there purposely, not out there
on Facebook or Twitter or you know what I'm saying, you're you know,
showing pictures or you know, we know what you look like. You don't
have to have a selfie every other day. You know who you're talking about
exactly what I'm saying. There must be a purpose for that. The purpose
is I just don't. Really Maybe that's the wrong way to look at it.
I mean, I get it. I was actually having a conversation about
social media to day. I have started doing a little bit more of the
like Facebook reels, but only because I find them interesting and find they're short
to put together. But as far as when it comes to like me,
I just don't. I don't. One for privacy purposes and two because that's
like a vacuum might choose not to enter. No, that's good for you,
and that's kind of where I was going with that. You knew where
it's going with it. Good for you. I mean, I'm just just
not that guy. Like uh, I just I don't. Again, I
follow it because I have to, it's my job and a lot of the
news. The breaks on social media is something that I can pick up on
it and you know, follow up on and delve into. But as far
as me contributing to it, especially when it comes to like my opinions,
it's like, dude, I pop air what I I don't care? Oh
no, no, Like I totally get it. And I'm with you right
there, because okay, you're you're one man's opinion. There's tens of men's
opinions. Who cares. Yeah, you're right, exactly right. That's why
I don't know if that's like the old school way of looking at it.
Uh. If that's the case, it'll be it. If I'm in the
room. Because of that, I will accept that. I know what pride.
I just not to get involve because I've seen how these things and you
guys know, you know, you follow enough people to realize that, you
know, one thing is taken out of contact here, that's great, the
whole of the domino effect that truthfully, I don't want to have anything exactly
See, you are an old soul. You're fifty five. I am going
sixty. That would make you as old as Steven. You know what,
you don't want to come back you know, you don't want to be cranky.
Yeah, yeah, Damien, thanks for coming on and we'll tell you
another six months when you heady talk about it now, I'm kidding. Appreciated,
Damien. Have a great weekend, Really good guys. I went there
for a reason because he is one of the good guys, like just you
know Deep Silver is one of those guys too, just got to go about
the business. Yeah, yeah, they do. And he's been here a
long time, knows the community, knows all the stuff, and he's it's
fun to talk to you about that. All right. Hey, thanks to
Damian for being with us. All right, let's take our break. When
we come back, we do have Rick Lorose, who was at the golf
event yesterday, when you know, legendary golf coach at Arizona, the Centerpieces.
He'll join us in the in the in the next hour. But we'll
come back and we'll take your calls. Five two zero four, one,
six seventy four, forty. Lots to talk about this Friday. 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. Ki,
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It's Centurion time. May the fourth be with you the Great Death Star Infiltration
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That's du Centurions dot com. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera
and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifteen. Subscribe now to the podcast on
the iHeartRadio wapp just Surgery I on the Ball. Hey, welcome back to
One on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve, He's
Jay. We have Adam with us today. We got thirteen minutes if you
guys want to call five two zero four one six seventy four forty love to
hear from you. Somebody sent me a note yesterday. We haven't really gone
through the all time moments of Big Peck Pac twelve Pac twelve in our memories.
Yeah, we could just make a day of that. Yeah at the
end, you know, maybe no, we could maybe get a couple of
guests who could speak to that as well. But you know, look,
we still got some baseball and softball to play. Yeah, right, but
now you know there's as we've as we've poppy before, most of mine are
probably bad losses. Well those are your memories. And like I asked you
a day or two ago, say what keeps you up at night? Probably
that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, well it's it's uh yeah, I
mean that, that's just the nature of a lifelong Yeah, Arizona Arizona fan.
I mean, yes, there's been there's a national championship, you know,
but let's talk about like eighty eight, right, great season ever,
but it didn't loss? Yeah right, Uh, you know the greatest football
seasons in in Arizona history. There's a loss in there that broke your heart.
Yeah, you know that. That's just the way it is. Oh
yeah right, no, I guess you know you know how you avoid that?
Don't be a fann't be a fan. But that's no fun, Steve,
It's perfectly fun, Adam. Yeah, you like being a fan of
a team and stuff like that. Right of course you get a passionate about
it, right, And how does that make you feel when they didn't work
out for you? Well, it makes it better when they win. He's
a glass half full guy right there. That says it all, he's a
little kid who hasn't been through enough. In fact, in fact, at
least was sitting right there and we had to say the same question to her,
Right, she hasn't gone through enough pain to be Jay. And you
know I've got sixty five years of pain, like I said to build out
man, I said, and you have a teather, right, I've been
through some tough stuf. Nothing like give me the violin version of it.
Okay, the worst, Yeah, worst thing that's ever happened to you as
a fan, A loss of season or whatever, one of the Laker losses
in the finals, maybe the Boston that was you were too I bet he
cried. Did you cry? I may have cried tears in your eyes at
least? Yeah, probably, of course you were right because you were ried.
In fact, this is a good topic to have. What's been as
a sports fan? You crazy people out there? What has been your worst
year, worst moment as opposed to have been your best? Yeah, we
will go through the best, lad what's been the worst? Because what hasn't
been my worst? I got I can. I've got this. And it
wasn't even an Arizona game. It was U C. L A losening to
Miami in ninety eight. That cost Arizona the Rose Bowl. That was it,
That was the one Arizona was going to. Oh I can't. Can
you remember seeing the game because they had to move some sticks. The game
was originally scheduled earlier in the year and they canceled it because there was a
hurricane coming in They didn't materialize. Yeah, I mean the hurricane happened,
but it wouldn't have caused a game to be be postponed. So Ucla doesn't
play that game. They added to the end of the schedule and they go
in and they lose. They blow a big lead and lose, and you
know, they would have gone they would have been undefeated, would have been
in the National Championship game. That was gonna be the first BCS Championship game,
and Arizona as the second place team in the league, and a team
that was dying to go to the Rose Bowl, would have gotten that Rose
bull bid that year. So that loss that day, even that the moment
was when Ucla fumbled the ball or the fumble late in the game, Miami
went in and got a winning score. So your worst what was your reaction?
Did you cry? I didn't cry. But I think that was the
only time in my life I really actually wanted to kill someone. I actually
wanted to commit a murder. And it didn't matter who it was. So
no, no, if something does happen, well, he did admit to
a few years there, there would have been a dateline, because there would
have been about the guy who just lost his mind after a football game and
win he killed someone was inspect a little pudgy with a big head out there.
I just couldn't. I just couldn't believe that had happened to Arizona.
I just couldn't. But then upon for the review, you probably could because
yeah, that's part of that. But that's that's that's since Arizona the identity,
that's the identity. But that's yeah, that that's not too far from
the truth. In terms of how I felt after that game, I just
couldn't believe that that had happened. And even even how good everybody felt after
they went and beat Nebraska in the Holiday Ball. It was a freaking Holiday
ball and it was and it was it was It was a so so Nebraska
team. It was a good game. I remember the great game. Yeah,
you know, but but you know, we were heartbroken, and you
just wondered we and we really thought, I mean, I know, I
really thought Arizona may not ever have another team as good as that, and
they haven't since then. So far, this last year was pretty good.
Twenty five years now, twenty six years ago. How long does that feel?
Twenty six years? Well longer, and yeah, it's it's mean,
it's less than half my life. But that only means because I'm old.
You know, the last time Arizona want a national tem I know. So
now you're now you're thinking it's long. Yeah, it's it's been a long
time. It's been a long time, you know. And you keep picking
that scab, you know, you pick the scab, it scabs up,
and then you pick it again, like once a week, you know,
you know things it'll leave a scar a scarred. I'm scarred by you bringing
that up. I would have no I have two things to bring it up.
If you guys want to call it, please do. What's your worst
moment as a fan? You know? Did you cry? I know I
do. I can't tell you one that I did cry, And it goes
to, yeah, I would have been I would have been nine. Actually,
not quite nine. Nice, I would have been eight. I cried
when the when the Colts lost to the Jets in the Super Bowl nineteen sixty
eight, I cried, I'm a huge Johnny United fan and Colts fan.
Yep, yep, he pulled that. Well, that's that's something, you
know, I guarantee. Come on, No, we've had some I mean
we you know, we had an intern who had no idea who Tina Turner?
No, I get it. No, that was a good pool.
It wasn't good pool. But you know you can well he's hitting on Colbert.
You know you can't know Susan Colbert. You remember that dude, who's
that guy? It's names whatever name sixty nine he was the sixty nine wolf.
I'm impressed by super Bowl. Yeah, it was the sixty nine.
But after the sixty eight seen Si Adam, I love you man, that
was that was a nice you know you're right because the victory Tina Turner and
Donna Summer. That was Jason. You know you didn't know either one.
Late ladyes Well, we gave Justin and I give Justin a grief all time
because did you know who Christy Brinkley was? Yeah, yeah, that's right,
that's right, you kids, Okay, all right? So yeah,
yeah, give us a call with your with your your worst moment as a
fan, maybe down the road when we're in a better mood and that it's
grouchy under fresh. Yeah, we'll talk about you. We'll talk about your
best moment. We'll talk about that's what the PAC twelve coming down with the
pipe here personal? Yeah, yeah, I'll but uh yeah, a lot
of well you and I've got a lot of history. Yeah, Oh you're
okay, I spilled mine you You're worst. It was younger, obviously.
Uh, when I cared about the Cowboys are nineteen seventy five, I think
so. I thought they lost to Pittsburgh. That's one the cat the catcher
Jackie Smith dropped the ball and all that stuff. That time. I might
have to be maybe twelve eleven. Yeah, you know you're thinking, what
the hell am I doing here? Cheering on this? Dude? That's what
I realized, what the heck am I doing? Okay, Adam, in
your young life, did you you said there was a what the two thousand
and eight NBA Finals or something like that. Yeah, with the Big Three
in Boston. They just came together and that was a bad loss. They
beat the Lakers by forty in Game six to win the championship, So it
was not a good feeling at all, but it's beenner sweet. In twenty
sixteen, when the Cubs we're playing Cleveland and they blew the lead but they
got it back. That was a great memory. It was that you had.
That had to be like the coolest thing. Yeah, So what was
the what was the the ball though? What's his name? With the interference
ball with Miami was at Miami, Florida with yeah that guy. Oh that
was the Cubs against against Marlin. So what year was was that? I
was three? Oh so you were you were like two? I was three.
Yeah, it wasn't Yeah he remember it's been I was like yesterday over
here, man, Yeah, it was like yesterday over here. Wow,
wow, Steve, I never Yes. I mean all these things are kind
of like that was just the other day. My kids hate when I say
that the other day. The dad the other day can't be more than like
a month back, and I'm like, I talked the other day was like
two years ago. That's true. They hate that's true. Yeah, yeah,
used to do Yeah, Yeah, they hate that they hate that funny.
So now all right, right, but the comes winning the World Series,
I mean yeah, now, even though you didn't have the one hundred
year you know, it was a it was a sweet for you. Yeah,
it was a sweet moment. My dad's big Chicago guys. Yeah,
for him that was probably a lot sweeter. But yeah, like all those
people came out of the woodwork when the Red Sox won it, right,
I mean that that was a big deal to them too, you know,
the the Tom Holiba's you know, Tom was an old friend of ours,
who Anthony, those guys who just uh, you know, bled the stuff
and then just all the you know, the eighty six game and all that
stuff. Right. Well, for me, it was some Reds and they
have a once since nineteen ninety and you know I grew up with them in
the seventies, so you know, that was the ideal team. Yeah,
back then your Dodgers, you know when they had oh yeah, that was
such a great rivalry. Got I hated the red Yeah, I mean I
really hated the Reds so bad. And that's when I probably didn't like the
Dodgers. And the Dodgers their farm team was an Albuquque. Yeah, yep,
they used to come through here. So all those guys that seventies the
infield of lobes and all those guys all play in Hi Corbett Field. Yeah,
were the Albuquerque Dukes, which is very cool. Fine, the good
days, and now we're not gonna have another triple A team or whatever it
is. You know, it was hockey. They're taking a hockey team.
Man, Holy cow, that's a god, you know, I mean,
I get it. We talked, we kicked that. We didn't need to
kick it around her. So right. You know what the story is with
that, though, is how much it'll affect the economy, not economy,
but you know, the the it had to make some money. Yeah yeah,
and the the you know, the arena loses a tenant, you know,
with something like sixty some uh well probably what thirty some games, you
know home games or thirty forty home games? Two hundred thousand people or two
hundred thousand people. I mean, that's that's the deal, you know,
you know, people going downtown for you to get a dinner and do stuff.
Yeah, no, it's a big deal. We've got one call and
we can squeeze. Right, Let's take this call real quick. Hi,
you're on the air, and id the all. Hi. I know that
you guys are lamenting the teams that we've lost, but what about bringing in
something that's really a little different. Have you guys heard about the Savannah Bananas?
Oh yeah, oh yeah yeah. Wouldn't it be cool to have a
Tucson Toros or you can name them whatever, the Tucson Tortoises, I don't
care, but but they packed them in. Every stadium is sold out.
I wanted to go to the one in Phoenix one hundred and fifty bucks in
the outfield grass. WHOA, what was this? They were sold out?
And their game is and then until June. I think it is well and
you could have them tour and then come back here. I mean June,
May, April are fabulous times, even September for baseball. That's idea outside.
That's a good idea of Mike Favors. If they mean these are all
professional baseball players that have gone past their prime of you know, major leagues,
but are still in good shape. If you've never seen their videos,
they are hilarious. They're just fun, and they packed them in. You've
ever been to Savannah in the summer. It's hot as hell, humid,
they pack them into that stadium. What's your name real quick? Kathy,
Kathy, thanks for a great idea, because I'm with the band's alumni.
Yes, yes, okay you Hey, great idea, Kathy, Thanks so
much. We'll pass that on. We need something exactly we do we do?
Thank you? Hey, that was positive. How do we slipped to
I don't know she did? I don't know. You know, somebody,
somebody was something nice and to take care of these nice and an original and
thoughtful and smart. She doesn't belong. All right, let's take our break
top of the hour. We're going to come back. It's breaking news.
Uh, and then we'll have a Rickleros on after the break, So stick around.