Breaking down the hall the exes at all It's Steve Rivera and Jacin salads.
This is I on the Ball on Fox Sports fourteenth fifty. Hey, welcome
back to Iron the Ball Hero Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve, He's
Jake. Now we have atleast with breaking news. O. This is I
on the Ball, breaking news on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. All right,
I don't even know where to start today. I feel like so much has
happened in the past twenty four hours, but I think we're gonna start with
the WNBA draft the Arizona players. I can't believe we haven't even touched on
this today. As Marie Martinez was drafted by the New York Liberty with the
seventeenth pick, and so she'll be going to the New York Liberty. And
then Helena Puyeo Wayo plus drafted by the Connecticut Sun with the twenty second overall
pick in the twenty twenty fourth WNBA Draft. Where do we be beget in
this room? Well, let me own up. Let me own up to
what I said yesterday that I didn't think either one of them was gonna get
and then they both got drafted in the second round. Kind of surprising.
Yeah, well, and I thought the thing would would be very good.
Yeah, because I really like the way she plays. It doesn't make that
she'll mean to make the team. Doesn't mean that she makes the team,
but hey, you have a good chance now. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
So congratulations to both of them. I hope they get their shot.
Well, they're going to get their shot. I hope, you know,
you hope that they both make the team. I think it's only the third
time. I think on the release that on the third time that women's basketball
has had two players drafted in the same draft women. Yeah, yeah,
well, no tells you how how do you had some pretty good talent on
there? Kind of explains what they were doing. Yes, just kind of
got the injury bug. Bad luck. Do you guys know who the first
w NBA pick from Arizona was ever Arms? Just second. Yeah, we
were all over that. You guys, you know your stuff. But to
your question, it was like, if you missed this up, if you
missed this, you know, I'm taking over as you should. And speaking
of the w w A draft, Caitlyn Clark had the most jersey sales on
a jersey on a draft night for a jersey ever in any sport right,
unbelieved amazing. They said they sold out in an hour. It was website
said they sold out in an hour and it was all sizes. I saw,
I saw, this is how I don't know what about me. But
they showed her schedule. It was a quick show on the TV and I
kind of said, Phoenix, I said, when I go to that,
I said, but I thought about it for a second because because she's kind
of validated everything, everything, everything, the thing about it, and maybe
this is a question for you at least, do you think it's going to
be continued at this level because it's the kitten Clark well the effect. We
were talking about this last week, how we were we were both saying,
we don't know if this is going to continue on because you know, she
was the star of college basketball and in the w n B A they don't
have that, you know, the bout of viewers and everything. But I
was not expecting this to sell out. The she'll have this effect in the
w NBA when I'm talking to the college level where it's heightened, you know,
the watches. I think this is more about her and and the and
the and the and the Yel s U rivalry and then the can't she do
it? And things like that. I think it gives other players that have
a talent you know, similar to her the stage too, and the opportunity
to be able to be in the spotlight and bring more attention to the sports,
because now people are know that this is possible, that players can bring
this much attention to a sport and elevated sports, so much like she's a
catalyst for this, where other players that have maybe not you know, her
skills is so rare and that she can just shoot from so far, but
other players who are really good will now have the opportunity to show it.
Let me seeing well, page page Baker Bakery from from Connecticut will be the
next will be the next one she'll get, you know, the spotlight will
be on her all next year. But you make a good point because now
you know, players, even players who are in the league now and already
who you know, the the Sabrina and Escu's and and some of those that
are that are already in the league, they're going to benefit from this too
because the because Kaitlin Clark Angel Reese's putting everything right it's you know, it's
increasing the value of what they're doing, so they'll benefit from It's like the
Tiger Woods effect, right, is that because of Tiger Woods, all the
other golfers were making more money. Yeah, that's great enough analogy, thank
you. We don't get Anne blind squirrel blind squirrel, so we what something
smart. But that's a great, great analogy because now you're going to see
a bunch of little little girls and ponytails playing basketball, right yeah, right,
yeah, and that and that's the thing. So yeah, I just
opened up the floor for everyone to be able to shine and show what they
got and and people they know, people will watch if you can make them
and if curiosity factor and all that stuff. But it's gonna be interesting.
She's on how many games still playing? She's on all of them, but
two or three on TV okay, of course. And it gives you know,
people the other teams that are playing going to be playing against the opportunity
they are going to watch. You know, you got to show up for
that game. Attendance will be very good at those places, right yeah.
So just it opens up the floor for everyone. You know what, you
just stay on the trend of women's basketball. Kate Pey is the new Stanford
basketball coach. She played at Stanford and has been an assistant coach for seventeen
years, so she's the new head basketball coach. And obviously the Stanford program
is you know what got me that that terror van of your one. I
think only two national time, maybe three, three, but still I would
have thought she had like eight. Yeah, right, well one of them
was like two. They were also playing, you know in the during you
know, during that stretch of Connecticut was winning. Sure, yeah, sure,
but I would have thought it was. She is the winning coach all
time, I k most wins. And do you think that Stanford will will
no, will LI know because she's swollen, limit will know, but she's
out in a different league that it'll sustain what it has because that is the
PRIs, that's the jewel of the Stanford direct. Well, it kind of
reminds me of like coach k yeah, yeah yeah, and they're doing okay,
yeah, but they're doing them. Hey they made a part in Arizona.
Wow, that's kind of hurts you both ways. Didn't you see what
she did? Yes, well she's in Arizona, guys. She can reach
your back and pain for them both. But it's a different kind of love.
Your mom must really be in a big influence. Well that was like
our tam okay, okay, all right? Else, all right, Well,
I mean I have so much here still. We can talk about some
more Arizona things before I get to the NBA and stuff. I know,
I know, you guys, I don't want me to even mention it.
But Olivia DiNardo, the softball UH player was has been named Pactful Player of
the Week after hitting point five with three home runs over the weekend and two
in one game. Yeah point five you met five hundred, right, yeah,
five hundred? Sorry and g yeah, and yes, she was then
Impactual Player of the week. That's pretty cool. You want to transition into
the Oregon girl here? Yeah, so that. I think she hit the
two home runs in the game against the UH in the game against Organ where
Hannah's Elgono who's the Organ player, banked her head and neck and hit the
wall while hitting the wall on a diving catch and her neck was immobilized.
Right, they had immobilize her and it turned out that she did have some
fractures. Because that's reported on an Organ softball fan page. That the Uh,
they were able to repair the fractures and displacement. So I don't know
if that was her neck, her spine, and probably her neck because she
hit that. She hit the wall head first and immediately just kind of rolled
over and and you could I was watching the game. I was watching the
game when it happened, and it looked bad. You knew it was bad,
and you know the players, you know, the right fielder who was
right there immediately started waving for the trainers to come on the field. Trainers
for both teams went out there, and they took off on an ambulance.
Apparently she was at Banner University Medical Center. She had surgery. They say
she's doing very well. In this post, it says, uh, the
U of A athletic staff were super supportive and came daily to make sure Hannah
had everything she needed. Uh is she still here? I think she's still
here. It said it should come as no surprise that within minutes of being
told she could try to walk, she was doing laps around the ward.
Uh. So, Uh, it sounds like everything, uh, you know,
is going as well as it could possibly go. But she did have
some fractures and you have to assume that they were either in the neck or
the spine were both so scary? Yeah yeah, And then U of a
one ended up winning that game in Oregon won the game the next day.
Yes so, but Arizona won that series. Yes, yes, but yeah,
so the team left in I guess she's still in. And then sticking
to the diamond. I know, we already talked kind of talked about a
bunch of baseballs today with the guests. But Jackson Kent was named Top Cap
Top Cat of the Week because he allowed a season low three hits and Friday's
win and struck out the two hardest to strike out players in the nation and
combined three times in the combined three times in their sweep against Louisiana. Louisiana.
Yeah, yep, And the Wildcats are now ranked number twenty one.
Twenty one. Yeah. From ten to thirteen to eleven game win streak and
it's the longest active wind streak in college base They are at home this weekend
again, or they're home tonight. They got Grant Caro, No, not
tonight. There at home tonight. It's a grand Canyon, Okay, But
then they've got Washington State at home this weekend. So back in the back
in conference play this weekend. Yeah, so crazy eleven game win streaks,
Actor win streak College baseball. All right, yeah, and then I know,
looks like we have time for my next point. Stee go ahead.
Lake Griffin has announced his retirement from basketball after thirteen seasons in the NBA.
He was the two thousand obviously the two thousand and nine number one draft pick
out of Oklahoma, an All Star five times, earned All NBA honors four
times, and finished I actually didn't know this finish in the top three of
mp MVP votes once, even when he started dating the Kardashians. That's when
this went on. Hell basket, Yeah right, this is what it is.
You know, you get it, you get involved over there, you
pick your poison and they playing for the Clippers. Yeah. How can you
feel like dismissive when yeah, whatever for the Clippers fan over here? So
do you have the Leonardi You don't have the Loonardi top Oh I actually didn't
pull that up, But do you want to say just today, I guess
Lonardi came out with his way too early bracket and Arizona is a number three
seed in the West. Players, your roster has very little on it,
but they're projected there. I guess was a two Gonzaga really the destiny of
again, I don't know how. I don't think we can. I don't
know how you can listen to that make a prediction. You can't. That's
why I'm kind of knocking at it. But you know, maybe we'll remember
next year at this time. Remember Lenardi had this team was a three seed
in April. But everyone comes up these top twenty fives right away, this
way too soon, and everybody doesn't have rosters. Now Indiana has bollow and
he was they we talked about these yesterday, the number one recruit in the
in the portal. Okay, good for you, all right, I have
I have something here. I I am the ball correspondent. Justin Spears at
football practice right now. Posted a few minutes ago the first practice with the
transfer portal opened, and he said, Carrio Davis, A J. Jones,
Raymond Polito, and an offensive line named Matthew Lado are not practicing.
Wow, So I don't know if that means are they hurt? Are they
not practicing? The po thing would be very surprising to him, given how
the parents and the family has kind of been there because Cary Davis went into
the portal then got out right or there was a rumor that he was going
in there something like that. I can't remember exactly, but but yeah,
the name was out there. Wow wow, Well, well I guess we'll
know although he was kind of hinted last week by shere the teams would kind
of shake out or yeah in a big way. And again just you know,
okay, if you're you know, if you want to go somewhere else,
just go at a time that you know somebody can make a move and
replace you. And so anway, I just saw that. Speaking of portal
news, Damien Martinez, the running back for Morgan State. It was really
good if you remember, really really good. He's entered the transfer port and
Arizona is one of four schools that he is being rumored. How much would
he how much would he be loved here with the name with the name,
Well, I hated watching him against Arizona, so I think, yeah,
you'd love watching him, uh for Arizona. You know who, man,
and you know who knows what the running back room looks like right now,
And I know you've got you've got speedy Luke and a couple of other guys,
but they lost you know, three really good running you know, so
the more, the more you can get the marrier. Let me ask you,
April, we haven't even seen practice. You and I because of have
now if they finish, if they if Arizona finishes X, would it be
a backwards step to what happened X meaning the record? I think there's an
expectation, an expectation. I believe that they're gonna win at least a tight
or nine games next and okay, if they do not, when to go
seven to five, I think people say, you know, transition, They're
not gonna be pissed at Brent Brannan. I think it'll be more about you
know, transitional year, feeling each other out, you know, new systems,
all those kinds of things. And part of it's gonna depend on who
they beaten, who they lose to, right, you know. I mean,
look, Arizona, all the all the teams in the Big Twelve are
kind of the same team, right, A team that can challenge for the
league title or not. You know, Baylor take TCU, Texas Tech,
Houston, b y U, Utah, Color, They're all kind of like
they're all sort of like in one big bowl of salad or something awesome around
and somebody's gonna come out on top of you. Don't put carrots to myself
like one of those things. I like the Tiger Woods analogy better. He
doesn't always hit home. R Yeah, I do. All right. We
got to get out of here. We got it. We got a guest
waiting for us to give him a call, Jody Ayler from a Fox Sports
nine ten up in Phoenix. We're gonna talk some Phoenix Suns of playoffs and
NBA maybe throwing a little Cardinals in the draft coming up with Jody, good
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evaluation today. Streaming live. I mean, iHeartRadio app. This is I
on the Ball with Steve Ravera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen to fifty.
Hey, welcome back to Winning the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
I'm Steve, he's Jake. Now on the phone, we have Jody
Aayler from Fox Sports nine ten in Phoenix. How you doing, Jody,
I'm good. I'm I'm trying to figure out the map on lumar Bolo getting
a million dollars for being able to play three quarters. Yeah, no,
it's unbelievable. In fact, we try to get some nil people on the
show, couldn't get any. But come on, why are they coming up
with these numbers? Really, it's it's out of thin air, literally,
right, I mean, it's a whole new world. There's no there's no
president. Everyone's just kitting what they can. It's wild. And he's an
international player. Last time I checked, they're kind of limited. Oh yeah,
that's true. That was Zach Edy complaining about that for a tournament.
But how does it matter that he's, you know, been playing for U
of A reviews. I guess I guess it should, but maybe it doesn't.
It No, it should Yeah, if if he's getting that kind of
money, I don't know how they're structuring that that he can't get that.
Well, who's enforcing it? Like, who's who's actually overseeing all of this
and worry about it later? Come on, Jody, it's the federal government.
They're large and in charge, don't you know. Well, Hey,
listen, I just filed my taxes at nine thirty. Side for now,
as always, you beat the buzzer, beat the buzzer. Well, Jody's
okay, plaffs are about to start. How are you feeling about the Suns?
Should we be watching with anticipation or just kind of like whatever they get,
they get. Yeah. So I do four hours of radio five days
a week in Phoenix, and I've decided that the only appropriate answer to anything
sound like, I don't know, we'll see answer, because I've got so
much time to fill and so many people want to talk about the Suns.
But I've seen so many ups, I've seen so many downs. I've seen
so many poor performances, great performances. I don't know, we'll see.
I mean, Sun fans, I think are a little overconfident in the matchup
with the Timberwolves, who have played really poorly against the Sons, but they
can play better. But on the other end, there's a reason because they
spanked him on Sunday with the one seat on the line for Minnesota. In
Minnesota, that version of the Suns looked really, really good. So I
am in wait and see mode. I don't have eye expectations, but at
the same time, it's impossible not to have some expectations. You sound like
an Arizona men's basketball Then we don't know which team's gonna show up, will
be motivated to play all that. And I was in Phoenix the last ten
days. In two weeks, all I heard was this team is in chemistry
is messed up? What's up with the Big Three? Why are they doing
this? Same? Same to you? I'm sure you're hearing the same thing.
Yeah, I mean, that's what we've been talking about for so long.
And then that Sun game against the Timberwolves, the Big three played cohesively
together. There was real, you know, contributions from their bench. Frank
Vogel didn't totally screw things up. So I mean that if if, if
they didn't beat the pants up in Minnesota on Sunday, I would be expecting
them to lose this series in six. But the way they played, if
there is the proverbial switch that gets flipped with these stars on this team,
then I think that was all could be flipped. I think the Sons could
win in six, but I do think it's gonna be a battle. I
really do. Interesting what I guess, what's been the general opinion of how
their season went? I mean disappointment to kind of like, okay, you
know, injuries, we didn't see the big three together enough. I mean,
what, you know, how do the fans feel about how the Suns
ended up in the regular season. It's interesting there's been this kind of attempt
at a revisionifiictuyre like, well, they won forty nine games, and they
finished the last ten game seven to three, and they're thirty five and eighteen
since the All Star break, and it wasn't as bad. And I'm like,
man, if that's like reading a box score and trying to judge a
game, right, Like, you got to watch the game, and if
you watch these eighty two games for the Sun, it was not a pleasant
experience. It was not an enjoyable experience. This team was maddening, frustrating,
agonizing, and furiating more often than they were a joy. I think
they're one of the least enjoyable teams I've watched locally and quite quite a long
time. So I think they've got to find a way to just somehow rise
above all that. And really, I mean the reality guys, think about
it. I mean, in this series against the Timberwolves, if you're ranking
the top five players in this series, the Suns have three of the top
four, and that's that's a reality that they've got to make and put into
practicality and win this series. Well, you have the three, but they
need a little bit more than just three, right. I think that's part
of part of the problem. It's funny you talk about the fans a lot
like Arizona fans. When you moved up there. What were you anticipating with
the fans and what was the what did you get? Was it different?
It's so different because the Suns were so bad when I came up here,
right they were in the middle of that tenure playoff draft. But I know
Suns fans are loyal. I know they're passionate, and I know it's kind
of the one team in Phoenix where there's like real you know, floor level
loyalty and energy for it. So I think the Suns. Here's what I've
noticed is since their NBA Finals run, you get that bandwagon Suns fan effect
where they don't really understand or know or remember that seven Seconds or Less sons
or the kJ Marley Barkley Sons. And so there's a lot of spoiled bandwagon
fans from twenty twenty one who just think winning should be automatic and easy.
And if you're a longtime Suns fan, you know how treacherous an NBA season
is, how much luck factors into the playoffs, and so there are there
is a bifurcation of the fan base where new fans great, that's the lifeblood
of any team. Bandwagon fans are what make those sports will go round.
But at the same time, like a little perspective like it's never easy,
It's just never gonna be easy. He sounds like you you you were describing
j to a t as a bandwagon fans, the guy that just has been
through too much. Yeah, I'm it's like I'm I'm, I'm I'm scarred.
I'm scarred over all these years. Yeah, it's hard. I mean,
there's there's a lot of there's a lot of trauma, there's been a
lot of failure, there's been a lot of heartbreak. But you know one
thing that usually offsets that. And we've talked about this kind of in relation
to the Diamondbacks this year because they're off to a slow start. Is this
is true in life, It's true on the radio, it's true in sports,
Like, if you're likable, you're gonna be able to get away with
a lot more. And I think this Sun's team kind of made the Cardinal
sin them. They're just not a very likable team. So that makes everything
twice as hard. Now it's a lot easier to be likable if you start
winning in the playoffs, and that's still a possibility, but to the regular
season, this was not a very likable team and the personalities. You know,
you had Kevin Durant saying that, hey, why is everyone just looking
at me in the fourth quarter? I'm not going to make every shot.
And then he had Devin Booker after losing to the Clippers and scoring ten points
in the first quarter, saying, oh, we're chilling like it's not a
likable team. But they can fix that if they win a bunch starting now
yeah, no, I hear you, and it's uh, you know,
and they're kind of in a spot. I mean that, you know,
as a sixth seed, it's like you almost can't even have expectations there,
you know, going even very far right would be rating in a round waiting
in round two, you know, the defending champs, but they seem to
match up pretty well against them. But they're still the Nuggets, right of
course, of course, and you have the Big Three. They have to
play together, which is surprising that it's taken this long. And I agree
with you. You know, the revision is history and uh what do you
call it? Uh just recent recent bias bias, recency bias where they played
well for a game and well that's the team we want to see or that's
who they are. Yeah, that's what we've That's what I've been going through,
is like, you know, we the NBA season is not meant to
react to like an NFL season. Like every game in the NFL, you're
like, oh, we gotta we got to figure out why this happened,
how it happened, and what it's going to be forward. And we've kind
of consumed the Suns because they had so many expectations and so many headlines.
Every game was like an NFL game. Every game was like why did this
happen? Why did that happen. It's like, man, sometimes you got
to sit back and just watch trends. And the trend that this team had
is there are times when they defend the three point line poorly and they get
roasted. There's times when they shoot the three point all well and they can
beat anybody. There's times where you know, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are
making shots, and then there's times where those two just look like they're two
guys that are independent contractors working without any affiliation on the team, and it's
just a grab bag of what you're going to get game to game. And
again, you know, the NBA regular season is do guys coast and then
get to the postseason. Are we going to see the Lakers turn it on
it? We're going to see the Warriors turn it on it? We get
the Sun turn it on it? Possible. They're not alone, they're not
out of the playing tournament, which was a huge win for them. But
I'm still not optimistic that this team's going to fulfill what the expectations were by
any stretch. So let me ask you a couple of quick questions about you.
So how long you been up in Phoenix? Now? Maybe seven eight
years? Maybe a decade, a decade, Okay, so now you're to
you're a Phoenician. But let me let me ask you how many media members
and I'm sure you know a bunch of them. There are more like you
than not like you, because you're you're realistic, you're on poverty, almost
unrealistic in the other side where you're critical, how many are the other way?
I feel I'm the I'm the most biased person, but I feel like
it's it's probably most are a little tend to be a little bit more favorite.
It's easier to be favorable. It's give the tel fans what they want
to hear. It's easier to be optimistic. And you know, I'm naturally
a sports cynic, and so I generally will celebrate success when it's warranted.
But I don't give a lot of these teams in Phoenix the benefit of the
doubt because historically this has not been a high performing sports market. And there's
a reason for that. You know, I grew up on the East Coast
and it's like everywhere you go they're holding feet to the fire and demanding more
and then out here, if you do that, you're a jerk. So
you know, I think it's a it's a pretty forgiving sports market. I
mean, people are critical, people are pointing out the flaws, but it's
it's not a tough environment by any stretch. Interesting, well, speaking of
pointing out flaws, what what what? What are we going to see from
the Cardinals when the draft comes around? And what's their plan or do they
have one? No one knows. I describe Mantiausen for the general manager as
he's just alone on a castle on a mountain and he's will descend on Draft
Day and tell us what he saw and thought because he doesn't. They're not.
They're a leak proof front office for the most part. My guess is
they're gonna try to get the most it can for the fourth overall picking the
trade down. They're inna set a real firm asking price for that if the
team's willing to meet it, and they will happily trade down for multiple,
multiple future first round picks. If a team doesn't want and wants to try
to play hardball, then I think Cardinals will happily sit there and take Marvin
Harrison Junior a number four. So they're in a great spot. They don't
have to trade down, but they're certainly in a position to ask for the
world and not budge from it. So that's kind of where they're at.
Is that the long way of saying they're still committed to Kyler Murray? Oh
yeah, oh yeah, Yeah, Kyler's you know, Kyler's going to get
this full season to really prove what he's capable of. But there's a lot
of optimism. Kyler showed up at voluntary workouts yesterday. He's he's continuing to
put his you know, actions behind his words and be a different kind of
leader. And so yeah, he's the guy for sure. So is he
still five foot ten? Good? What's that? Is he still five foot
ten? Yeah? Well that's the problem. So Punks and Telly Phil will
come out of us all the same team will be there a year after year
until they get a quarterback, right right? I think? Yeah, Kyler's
Kyler's going to be the guy that either delivers everything or a full reset.
So there's a lot a lot still on Kyler should How do you like those
odds he's he's the husband that's going to be a faithful or he's going to
be the husband that's Hey, there's a lot of quarterbacks right now in the
NFL. If you just if you're if you're just decent, teams could be
happy with that. I think Kyler's boomer buzz all right, Okay, that
I mean, certainly, if nothing else, he's made it interesting the entire
time he's been there. I mean, there's no stuff to talk about.
He is. He is a constant topic of conversation. Yeah, and then
list finally, we got a couple of minutes our d Backs. Uh you
said there's a star. Yeah. I'm not worried about the Diamondbacks. I
mean they're pitching well, They've got pitching reinforcements coming. You know. I
love their lineup. Their bullpen's been bad, but the closer has been out.
You know, they should be eleven and six, twelve and five.
Tory Leavella has made some mistakes. He's tried to own the publicly. So
I think the Diamondbacks are in really good shape. I mean they're they should
have a better record, Their offense is going to get better. They're not
at full health. And we haven't indeed Jordan Montgomery or at Warto Rodriguez,
so uh, you know, Zach Gallon has been the early cy young in
the National League, and Merril Kelly's been awesome. So I'm I am,
I am not worried about the Diamondbacks pulling of sons where they have expectations and
then and then just make everybody frustrated. Well, and those crap ass Dodgers
have lost four out of five, so they've kind of come back to the
division already, so kind of pissed me off the last few days. Yeah,
it's a real shame. That's a real shame. Jody. That's always
thanks thanks for saving us today as usual. Appreciated Jody. Guys always appreciate
it. And I'll talk to you next time. Thank you. Jody Taylor
from nine ten Feights. That's fun. Yeah, he's always finn Yeah,
good stuff though, good stuff. I mean, the whole Sun's thing is
like it's honest stuff. Yeah, it's you know, he's probaby too,
not honest, but too critical. But that's good. Well yeah yeah,
I mean you really feel though, like you're getting somebody who's kind of like
not a cheerleader, right, right, that's why, and that's why.
Yeah, that's why I asked. Yeah, okay, well because there's let
me too, having spent some time up there, and there's a lot of
those there are all over them, and there's a lot down here too.
That the whole the whole journalism thing, it's totally changed. It's very different.
You don't you'll get off my long guys, right, yeah, you're
right, all right, let's take our last break. Whre to come back.
Would love to have have you call in five to zero, four,
one, six, seventy four, forty anything you want to talk about.
We're heading into the into the summer, but the plafs are starting, so
you know that generates some interest. A couple of games tonight, I think
one of them about to get started. So yeah, stick around. If
you're an Arizona men's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty
years. Now. Take a look back at the Ludolsen era. In my
new book, Lessons from Loot. It was a labor of love through the
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What one email me at Steve dot RIVERA ninety five at gmail dot com.
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at a teamsecurity dot net. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera
and Jay Gonzalez sound Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on
the iHeartRadio app just Surgeon I on the Ball. Hey, welcome back to
I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Youngster, See he's
day. We have analyst with us for the next fourteen minutes. Then we're
gonna call it a day. You go on a call please do five two
four one. I want to talk about Martinez real quickly. Oh oh yeah,
we were talking about Damian Martinez running back from Oregon State. Now being
reported that he actually has a visit to Arizona scheduled for tomorrow and what's today?
Tuesday? So Wednesday and Thursday that he'll be here on a visit.
But he's also got visits scheduled for Mississippi State, Tennessee, Miami and one
more so, isn't it weird to you just in hearing your just coming here
tomorrow that school plays no part in anything? I mean, honestly, he's
leaving school for a couple of days to come visit. In school, Well,
you can do all your classes online, But what if it's not online,
then you take a couple of days. Who doesn't cut classes? You
don't class, I don't classes. How's that working for you? I do
got in school. I just can't get a job. They don't care.
They don't care that exactly. That's why I tell kids do get internships and
do work. That's why Jay is doing so well because he didn't go to
school. Right, I went to school. Sometimes I am missing class,
that's right, you're but I get an excuse from the team. We gotta
call all right, let's take that. Hi, you're on the air and
eye on the ball. Hey guys, that's done. How you guys doing
done? I was going on, oh, not too much. Jay said
something that was a little interesting to me a few minutes ago when you guys
were talking about the football team next year, if they only win like seven
games, is there gonna be a lot of heat on Brent Brannan, And
then you said that it was going to be. Hey, you know it's
the transition, right, that's what Yeah, that's what I said. That's
what I think. Yes, And and it's funny because on Twitter, Chip
Hale is not getting the same He's not getting the same. Uh. People
aren't giving him that cushion. You know. Here he is. He's been
in the major leagues for you know, since he left school and now he's
barely starting, you know, to learn. He's got to learn how to
coach in college, he's got to learn how to recruit, and then you
got the nil and portal and all that stuff to deal with, you know.
And at the same time, Brent Brennan, he's got to raise his
game in recruiting because he's not recruiting to a state school in California nomore.
And so I think that I agree with you, Jay, and I just
I just would like to see more people giving giving Chip that that same leeway.
Well, the only thing different now though Chips in his third year.
So I think there's some feeling that, Okay, we should start seeing some
stuff. And maybe that's what we're seeing now with the with their winning streak
and stuff like that. But you know at ten and thirteen, now you
know that wasn't that wasn't a good place to be in your third year when
they were when they were had that record a couple of weeks ago. No,
it's that's I agree with that. It's not where you want to be.
But at the same time, there's got to be some there's there's a
learning curve they're taking this position. You know, there's gonna be a learning
curve. There's gonna be mistakes made. You know, there's going to be
you know, little battles won and and and those kind of things. Just
no, go ahead, I wouldn't show. You're talking about baseball. Have
you been to watch and playing during this street Let's see I don't think it
was during this streak. I went, I saw them when they when Grand
Canyon came, but I but I've been watching them on on the PAC twelve.
Yeah. Well, you know, man Michael Loft made a good point
though. He talked about that it looks like like, you know, because
I said, what what's going on? Why are they winning these games?
And I think Mike Michael said something about the fact that you can tell the
Chip has sort of changed his approach where he kind of had the major league
approaches let's just hit as many home runs as we can to where now he's
understanding, you know, he's got a pitching staff that is can keep other
teams from scoring, so maybe he doesn't have to, you know, go
for the big hit and to score enough runs to win. You don't have
to score eight runs to win. Well, and he's he's they're running,
which is something that they didn't They didn't do in the first two years,
right, he didn't try to steal any bases, and now and then and
then the guy the Shrimp before him, he used to give up and out
to move a guy over, whereas Chip is trying to seal base, is
I'm trying to get that base without giving you that out, because if I
get another fly if I get a flyout, now my guy's at third base
and I don't have to give you an out to get my guy to second.
And so it's it's it is changing a little bit and the hitting.
The hitting has caught up to the pitching a little bit. You know now,
I think because in the beginning of the year, absolutely nobody was doing
anything. I mean, if Mason, why if Mason, if my song
got a home run, there was nobody on and it was just a run.
And now now there's guys in front of him, and you know now
and and now the hitting is contagious, which which is what used to happen
when with Jay Johnson was you know, you get a couple of guys,
get a couple of hits, and then it's being big bay bayan. There's
a seven run inning right right right right. Well, I'm not sure what
your description for Johnson, but okay, he's very short, I know,
but some letters to don we'll get you his edges. I called him an
elf on Twitter. You would be going there with I used to love it,
Dobin. He'd go out and argue a call Oh my gosh. He'd
go out there and I go and I'd stand up and I day, you,
you don't have to take that, Jay, You don't have to take
that from that big guy. Okay. I probably didn't appreciate that much.
Okay, you didn't hear me, didn't hear me. Thanks, don appreciate
it. Thanks a bunch, man. I have a good one, guys.
You know, I think it's a little different because Brandon is gonna be
in his first year. And look, I just always go back to Dick
Tomey's first year. They went four four and three coming off a nine and
three season. I know there were people who didn't like the four four and
three record. They were running the option uh there. They had a kind
of a friend Chies wide receiver and Derek Hill and didn't really use him,
uh like that, and so I think that there were some people that were
kind of unhappy. But you know, then they went and had its string
of seven and four seasons, but still wasn't great, you know, until
they until they had that festival season. So I think that you know,
Brennan's gonna he's gonna one deserve some time, especially in this in the in
this environment now where you know, you lose guys and you lose good players,
right right, and we'll see what the portal. We'll see what call.
Let's take this call. Oh they hung up, Give us a call,
give us a call back. Sorry about that. He know some guy
just said he texted me. Go ahead and give us give us gives the
call back. But we want to we want to take as many calls we
can get here at six minutes aud. But uh, you know it's you
just uh, no matter what, and I mean, no matter how good
you are or have been, when you when you change every thing in a
program, it's going to be different. It was for Sean Miller. Yeah,
sure, Tommy Lloyd was the exception, not the rule. Right that
he came in and won thirty games. His circumstances were a bit different in
that he had talent and who was the anti Sean? The anti Sean totally
thirty one to eight because Sean got Autumn like crazy in many different ways.
Tommy let him play. Yeah, and it was like, you know,
the stepfather was in charge. Let's goey, here's a substitute teacher. I
feel like Tommy Lloyd had no expectation, right, people didn't have a lot
of expectations, and they didn't know what to expect until he did. There
were a lot of people who didn't Who the hell is Tommy Lloyd? Right,
let's take this. You're on the air and eye on the ball.
How's it going today? What's up, Brian? What's going on? Well,
I'll talk about the baseball. Baseball? Yeah, I think one thing
people have to realize how many starters did we lose from last year's team that
could hit? Wow? Yeah, I mean they you know, they had
a bunch of guys. But yeah, but you know, to me,
though, I'm Brandon in all honesty though anymore anymore, that's almost like not
an excuse anymore, because if you lose some guys, you should be able
to get some guys if you're if you're a good program, and so,
you know, you say that with Brent Brandon, you'll say that with Tommy
yd You know, yeah, he's lost Umar Ballot, he's lost uh Kylon
Boswell, he's lost Keyshad Johnson, he's you know, I think he's lost
Pella Larson. You just say, okay, then go get some other guys.
So that's that's kind of a big change, uh with pretty much all
the sports is that anymore you should have the ability to fill in the goal.
If you watch the baseball team now, I mean they're fun to watch,
Yes, they don't. They don't hit a lot of home runs.
They have to they have to scrap out runs. Yeah, there's you know,
they they're not going to score. I mean, that was an amazing
game Saturday night when they scored the sixth in the bottom of the ninth to
win, right, I mean you had to do it twice because of the
ruling on the on the ground world double. But but they they're they're pitching
has just been phenomenal. Yeah, no, I hear you, and I
think that you know, but but you're still having you're still having to build
a program what every year though every single huge difference between when Jay Johnson was
here. He didn't have to rebuild his program every year. And unfortunately that's
what it is now for every sport, not just basketball or football, it's
every sport now. Well, and he does now because look at the l
s U. They're not anywhere. They're like Baseball like awful this year,
right, Yeah, And I know there's people who are and one thing you
guys just said in the past, how much can these boosters pay out?
How many more years they can be able to pay out tons of money?
Right? It constantly, constantly, it's a big deal. It just is
and and and not get anything in return. That's what satisfaction, That's what
my thing would be. This, this is what I get. What.
Yeah, so it's difficult. I gave Spencer Rattler two cars and he hit
the road for the cars and then in South Carolina also to the UY plays
three this weekend against Washington State. Yeah, you want to have a nice
relaxing evening, go out there and watch the ball game. Yeah, there's
nothing like a sunset at High Corbett Man, that's cool, No, there
is, Thank Brian, Thanks a bouch Man. Okay, than Yeah,
no, it's cool. I think I think I'm gonna try and go catch
one of those this weekend. So I wish I could go. Yeah,
yeah, I got to go to one again. Well, and I mean,
I'm I'm gonna admit I'm going for the food. It's good, it
doesn't shock and the vibes. But you know, I had sons, a
Giant Beer, the Premium nachos and a Sonoran dog last time and a bag
of peanuts. It was I went to my first baseball game a high Corbett
was Sammy Actually, oh really, he was helping me do a store.
All right, we're about to hit the road. You got. The Pelicans
are up on the Lakers by four with about just under three minutes left in
the first quarter. So there's that going on right now. I think I
think the Pelicans are actually getting points at home. I don't know if that's
correct or not, but it's a it's like a very small point spat,
like one and a half or something like that. And the winner of this,
the winner of this becomes the seventh seed, yeah, the seventh Yeah,
And the loser then has to play the winner of the other games for
the for the to try and get the eighth seed and go play the Oklahoma
Okay, see, so there you go. All right, So we're running
out of time about a minute ago. Yeah, what are you gonna say?
Nothing? So good? All right? You know, well, we'll
be back tomorrow. We're gonna be here for a while. You're stuck with
us. Yes, no more breaks, no more breaks or guest hosts or
any of that as of now. So you know, unless Steve does something
bad with with his life doing you never know. I'm out of town in
a couple of three weeks. Steve's day to day, like everybody else,
not above, as they say, is in charge of my life. He's
taking exactly all right, we'll have Samuel be here tomorrow, right, yeah,
Sammy, right, okay, Well thanks a good show. Yeah,
it's fun, it's good. Thanks to Jody Taylor for giving us some of
the Phoenix stuff, Michael lev giving us some a look at baseball and what
are you seeing a football? Thanks for you three for bringing us nothing to
do show. All right, Uh, we're out here. We'll see you tomorrow.