WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:04.200 He's the pride of Norwich, Connecticut and an adopted son 2 00:00:04.280 --> 00:00:07.679 of Salt Lake City. After forty years with the Utah Jazz, 3 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:11.599 there's no one better to talk some hoops. Richard Smitty 4 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:15.439 Smith is back on the drive on ESPN seven hundred. 5 00:00:17.079 --> 00:00:19.280 All right, Scott Mitchell's gonna roll by coming up in 6 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:21.640 about an hour from right now, and then Bill Riley 7 00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:24.079 will join us following Scott's hit. 8 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:26.359 Bill's gonna join us at four thirty. 9 00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:28.559 So back to some college football, some good stuff with 10 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:32.000 Joe Fordenba today talking a little pro football, little college football. 11 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:33.799 But it's been too long. 12 00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:36.520 We have our guy back in studio, forty years with 13 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:38.679 the Jazz front office and now just living the dream. 14 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:42.200 Richard Smith, Smitty, Happy Tuesday, buddy. How we doing it 15 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:43.119 is a dream too? 16 00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:43.600 Oh? 17 00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:44.119 I know? 18 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:46.920 Look look look where I've gotten the station in life 19 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:49.880 that I've gotten to right now? Where on the opening 20 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:54.320 act for the big hitters like Scott Mitchell and Bill Riley? 21 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:56.640 How about that? Yeah? I mean we would have thunk it. 22 00:00:57.079 --> 00:00:59.439 This is the you caught the final branch, Miittie, where 23 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:02.640 your final brand. We're we're propping you up. We appreciate 24 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:04.920 your time. Man, how you been What's what's what's what's 25 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:05.560 been going on with you? 26 00:01:05.640 --> 00:01:08.920 Hey, we've been on this, uh this worldwide tour that 27 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:10.760 that my wife and I have been on all year 28 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:13.599 and and in and out of town every month. We 29 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:15.760 have something going on. And we were back east and 30 00:01:15.799 --> 00:01:19.599 got my my final two baseball parks in and uh 31 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:23.599 so I've got all thirty ballparks under my belt. We 32 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:26.200 did that and went to the US Open, and then 33 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:29.079 went down a couple of weeks ago down to Phoenix 34 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:31.519 to see Green Day and concert. 35 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:33.400 And a couple of baseball games. 36 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:36.599 And now next week because of our good friend Wesley 37 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:40.120 Ruff and thanks again to West, he he got me 38 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:43.920 in uh with Gina down at the h the PGA 39 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:46.959 tournament at Black Desert. So we're going to volunteer and 40 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:50.040 work down there next week and and have some fun 41 00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:52.280 seeing the course for the first time. I know, I 42 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:54.840 know guys like you've been down there mastering the course. 43 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:56.079 What's for VIP playing? 44 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:59.120 Yeah, I got it, I got it, man, And that's 45 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:02.000 why I'm I'll be down there working and probably emptying 46 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:04.280 the garbage cans or doing something. 47 00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:05.640 But like I said, living the dream. 48 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:09.879 It sounds like all right before we do a little jazz. 49 00:02:10.439 --> 00:02:13.000 I wanted to, you know, we said goodbye to the 50 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:15.599 Bees here in the Capital City last week and I 51 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:17.080 wasn't able to get down there last week, and I 52 00:02:17.080 --> 00:02:18.639 have been to a couple of games this year. Wanted 53 00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:20.560 to make sure I got to a couple before they moved. 54 00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:24.199 And you were there, and our guy Frank was there. 55 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:25.520 I wonder what that was like. 56 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:27.599 Frank has been such a fixture at that ballpark and 57 00:02:27.639 --> 00:02:30.680 you have two and after thirty years, they're heading down 58 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:32.879 south to Daybreak. And you know, I'm a fan of 59 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:37.319 the Miller's obviously, with what Gail Larry before Gail and 60 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:39.319 then both of them, then Gail as the lone steward 61 00:02:39.319 --> 00:02:42.599 after Larry's passing, and I believe in their plan. You know, 62 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:45.400 I've had Steve starkson studio, and if the endgame here 63 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:47.400 is major League Baseball, which we all hope it is, 64 00:02:47.479 --> 00:02:50.199 I understand it. I live in Salt Lake, so it's 65 00:02:50.199 --> 00:02:52.560 a little bit of a bummer for me, and excited 66 00:02:52.599 --> 00:02:54.800 for our friends and daybreaks to experience it. But what 67 00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:56.439 was it like to be there for the final time 68 00:02:56.439 --> 00:02:56.840 with Frank? 69 00:02:57.080 --> 00:03:01.080 Yeah, it was. It was interesting. It was very Uh, 70 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:03.879 it was very emotional just from the standpoint that went 71 00:03:03.960 --> 00:03:05.639 while you're there, and at the at the end of 72 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:08.960 the game, they let everybody come down and like run 73 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:12.199 the bases or kind of just experience being on the 74 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:15.000 field for a moment, you know. And and they usually 75 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:17.599 do that with young kids after weekend games, or run 76 00:03:17.639 --> 00:03:20.039 the bases, but they they just let everybody come down 77 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:22.680 and there were older folks down there with their with 78 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:26.120 their canes and just walking, you know, from from home 79 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:28.879 to first or whatever, just to be on the field 80 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:31.280 one last time. And it was, uh, it was quite 81 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:34.000 emotion think about it. Spencer Andy Larson did a great 82 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:36.919 piece on this prior to it, uh with the sole 83 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:39.879 A Tribune that that you know, baseball has been played 84 00:03:39.960 --> 00:03:43.159 on the corner of uh West Temple and Thirteenth South 85 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:47.280 for almost one hundred years, you know, and now it's uh, 86 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:51.159 uh it's going away. I you know, I'm in the 87 00:03:51.159 --> 00:03:55.280 same boat with you. I get it. You know, Hey, 88 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:58.680 look we're doing this with the Bees and and and 89 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.919 uh the week later, the Oakland A's at the major 90 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:04.159 league level are doing it, you know in Oakland and 91 00:04:04.199 --> 00:04:07.400 they're leaving and you know, and that's just you know 92 00:04:07.479 --> 00:04:10.280 that that's happened over the course of time and in 93 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:11.520 pro sports. 94 00:04:11.080 --> 00:04:13.360 And teams leave and and and so forth. 95 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:16.160 But you know they're not leaving the market, obviously leaving 96 00:04:16.199 --> 00:04:20.199 for a different venue. But one of the misnomers, uh, 97 00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:22.800 I want to throw out there just to correct for 98 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:25.240 people who who think that was the closing of the 99 00:04:25.240 --> 00:04:29.639 ballpark and and that and that baseball is done there. Actually, 100 00:04:29.800 --> 00:04:34.319 next spring, Utah Baseball will still be playing one more 101 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:38.720 year at Smith's Ballpark as their ballpark being built up 102 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:42.560 at the university campus uh is being finished. So there'll 103 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:46.360 actually be some baseball played their next spring as a 104 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:50.160 as a last hurrah, if you will, for for people 105 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:51.959 who want to get down there and and see it 106 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:52.720 one more time. 107 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:54.800 But but it was emotional. 108 00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:58.720 They had a great Phil Collins song playing over the 109 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:01.759 speakers at the end of the game, you know about 110 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:03.319 going home and stuff and. 111 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:06.480 And uh, uh you know it was uh it was. 112 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:09.120 It got a little tearful as you were walking out 113 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:11.040 and going this, I guess this is it. 114 00:05:11.079 --> 00:05:12.720 This is this is the end of it. 115 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:15.120 Certainly Frank can speak for himself, as we all know, 116 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:18.000 and I'll ask him this next time. I have the opportunity. 117 00:05:18.040 --> 00:05:19.399 But I wonder if you could shed some light on 118 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:22.720 what it was like for him. Uh, seventheenen stretch. You know, 119 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:24.759 that's his deal man. So what do you think it 120 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:25.360 was like for Frank? 121 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:27.959 No, And I'll tell you what. He was in great form. 122 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:31.199 He not only did the seventh inning stretch and take 123 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:33.839 me out to the ball game, but he had added 124 00:05:33.959 --> 00:05:37.120 just a little, a little ten second note at the 125 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:40.360 end of it about we're gonna miss your old ballpark 126 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:44.600 and we love you and and God bless everybody you 127 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:47.839 know that's been coming here all these years, or something 128 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:51.399 something to that effect. And was it was very heartfelt 129 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:54.079 and I know, as Frank, only Frank can do. He 130 00:05:54.360 --> 00:05:57.439 spoke from the heart and right off the top and 131 00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:00.480 and uh it was a nice conclusion to it. 132 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:05.439 Help help me remember Abbottsfield Brooklyn Dodgers, Yes, right, I 133 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:08.240 mean maybe one of, if not the most famous baseball 134 00:06:08.279 --> 00:06:09.600 teams to get. 135 00:06:09.399 --> 00:06:09.959 Out of town. 136 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:13.160 Yeah, Frank, Frank was a fan, right, and so he 137 00:06:13.240 --> 00:06:15.759 watched the Brooklyn Dodgers become the Los Angeles. 138 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:19.120 He saw them move from Brooklyn after the fifty seventh season. 139 00:06:20.199 --> 00:06:23.120 And most people forget or or you know, if you're 140 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:26.519 not a real baseball fan, maybe not aware that both 141 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:30.040 New York City and It's hey day in the forties 142 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:34.120 and fifties when all the teams were competitive, the Brooklyn Dodgers, 143 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:37.800 the New York Yankees of course in the Bronx, and 144 00:06:37.879 --> 00:06:40.519 then the New York Giants. They were over in the 145 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:44.480 Polo Grounds, which from a physical standpoint, you could walk 146 00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:47.120 from one to the other. They were only like three 147 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:53.720 miles apart, but three big time Major League teams. And 148 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:58.120 after the fifty seventh season, the Dodgers leave Brooklyn to 149 00:06:58.199 --> 00:07:01.879 go to La and the Giants leave the Polo Grounds 150 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:05.600 and go to San Francisco. And it was actually a 151 00:07:05.639 --> 00:07:12.160 time when both the owners got together, the Dodgers and 152 00:07:12.199 --> 00:07:14.519 the Giants, and said, hey, we're gonna move. Yeah, you're 153 00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:16.759 gonna move, because we're not gonna move unless you're moving. Yeah, 154 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:19.000 we'll do this together. We'll do it at the same time, 155 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:22.040 so we'll be natural rivals on the West Coast, which 156 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:24.759 you know, just transferred the rivalry from the East Coast 157 00:07:24.759 --> 00:07:26.839 to the West coast. But they actually there was a 158 00:07:26.920 --> 00:07:30.240 moment in time spence during all that where the two 159 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:32.839 owners were trying to negotiate now where do you want 160 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:35.120 to go? Yeah, well we were thinking about well, I 161 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:37.399 don't know, we kind of liked that too, but what 162 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:39.240 do you think about? And they actually just kind of 163 00:07:39.240 --> 00:07:41.439 sat in a room one night and just hashed it 164 00:07:41.480 --> 00:07:44.680 out and said, well, well we'll go to San Francisco. Okay, Yeah, 165 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:47.160 that'll be okay. Are you sure because we're gonna go 166 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:50.519 to ll Yeah okay. And so it was easy as that. 167 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:53.560 But both of them made the move with the idea 168 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:56.560 that we have to we have to make get more 169 00:07:56.639 --> 00:08:00.680 revenue from where we are now. And not only was 170 00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:03.600 it tendance, but it was also in concessions. It was 171 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:07.560 also parking because if you knew anything about Brooklyn and 172 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:11.439 the Polo Grounds, there was no parking around those venues 173 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:13.680 and so it was all you know, you know, hit 174 00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:15.959 and miss and for the fans and all that. So 175 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:19.920 they both moved west. It both built ballparks where they 176 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:24.759 owned the parking around the structure around the facility. So 177 00:08:25.399 --> 00:08:28.079 and to this day it's still the same. Obviously, in 178 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:32.720 La Chavez Ravine, you go to a Dodger game, you 179 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:36.799 have to park in the Dodgers parking lot because there's 180 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:37.720 nowhere else to go. 181 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:38.519 Now there's some. 182 00:08:38.440 --> 00:08:42.279 People who park down the street like two miles away 183 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:47.720 and they make the half hour walk or whatever. But realistically, 184 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:50.879 they built it, and they surrounded the ballpark with a 185 00:08:51.399 --> 00:08:54.519 three hundred and sixty degree parking lot, so you go 186 00:08:54.600 --> 00:08:57.120 to a Dodger game, you have to pay them to park. 187 00:08:57.480 --> 00:08:59.519 And of course they owned the concession, so they got 188 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:02.039 all this and that's how they built up there their 189 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:05.240 farm system in the sixties and seventies and became very 190 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:09.159 competitive and obviously still are today. And the Giants did 191 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:12.120 the same thing when they originally moved, you know, west 192 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:14.080 and got Candlestick Park. 193 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:17.639 Yeah, you know, the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore raven stuff. 194 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:17.759 Like. 195 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:20.600 Communities lose their teams all the time. One more thing 196 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:23.759 on this though, because I found myself a little, i 197 00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:27.399 don't know, a little I guess sympathetic to the folks 198 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:30.519 in Oakland because now they've lost the Warriors, they've lost 199 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:33.039 the Raiders, and they've lost the A's. Now, as you 200 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:36.519 just outlined the motivation behind all these moves, it's one thing. 201 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:37.159 It's one thing. 202 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:39.799 Only The golden rule is the man with the gold 203 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:43.039 makes the rules, and folks trying to you know, generate 204 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:45.720 more revenue and create more revenue streams, parking and such 205 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:47.720 in the Bay Area, I guess has provided that for 206 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:49.639 the Warriors in a way that Oakland, I guess couldn't 207 00:09:49.960 --> 00:09:51.600 couldn't hang on to the Raiders. And now they've lost 208 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:54.440 their baseball team. What do you make of when a 209 00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:57.240 community like that. I mean, it's one thing for Salt 210 00:09:57.320 --> 00:09:59.840 Lake to lose our minor league baseball team. To daybreak, 211 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:01.320 you want to go see the Bees, you just have 212 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:03.440 to drive another twenty three minutes, you know, right, right right. 213 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:05.360 It's a whole other thing when a community over the 214 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:08.720 past I don't know, six seven, eight years, has lost 215 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:12.360 a basketball team that won four titles when they were there, 216 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:15.120 a football team that won two titles while they were there, 217 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:17.679 and a baseball team who at one point was thought 218 00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:20.440 to be the Darleida Major League Baseball. They never got 219 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:22.279 over the well they won back in the day. But 220 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:24.480 like the Billy Bean moneyball stuff. You know, some great 221 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:28.440 Oakland A's memories certainly old enough to remember the Bash brothers, 222 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:34.679 can sag or McGuire so three like community changing assets gone? 223 00:10:34.919 --> 00:10:35.120 Yep? 224 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:36.039 What do you make of that? 225 00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:39.240 And for people who aren't aren't aren't really familiar with it. 226 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:42.840 In the Oakland area, those two venues are literally right 227 00:10:42.919 --> 00:10:45.039 next door to each other, as it should be, right 228 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:47.879 off the freeway the A eighty, and they share a 229 00:10:48.039 --> 00:10:52.919 huge parking lot area. And to have that whole that 230 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:56.960 whole complex now is literally just sitting there. I don't 231 00:10:57.000 --> 00:11:01.720 know what the plans are by oak or Alameda County 232 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:05.399 that runs those facilities, but it's uh, it's really a shame. 233 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:08.320 It's really now literally a ghost town. You drive by 234 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:10.399 them and there's nothing going on. 235 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:11.000 You know. 236 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:15.879 Everything is shifted, whether it was with the Warriors, you know, 237 00:11:16.120 --> 00:11:19.639 over to the San Francisco side, you know, and they're 238 00:11:19.720 --> 00:11:23.159 right down the street from where the Giants are, uh now, 239 00:11:23.240 --> 00:11:26.639 and so everything's kind of centered in San Francisco. And 240 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:30.600 and of course the Raiders moved to Vegas and now 241 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:32.879 they're supposedly the A's are going to eventually be in 242 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:33.960 Vegas at some point. 243 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:37.679 But it's but but it's tough. Look, the. 244 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:42.720 Raiders had the fan base they just wanted. They just 245 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:46.200 wanted a new setup and new revenue streams that Oakland 246 00:11:46.200 --> 00:11:51.000 couldn't provide. The A's dwindling attendance and in the last 247 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:53.960 ten fifteen years, wanted to get a new ballpark like 248 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:58.879 the Giants had, couldn't get it, and the taxpayers there 249 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:02.960 kept kept voting it down, and so and and and rightfully, 250 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:06.440 so why should they pay money for somebody else's business, 251 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:08.679 you know, Larry Miller always took that stance. You know, 252 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:11.799 why why would I ask the taxpayers for money when 253 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:12.639 it's my business? 254 00:12:12.840 --> 00:12:13.039 You know. 255 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:17.720 So the A's are now gonna, you know, go to 256 00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:21.559 Sacramento for a few years and hopefully get eventually to Vegas. 257 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:23.960 But that's gonna be another interesting thing, the whole Vegas 258 00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:27.799 A's thing if you look into it, because they're tearing 259 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:29.399 down the Tropic Cane when I was there a few 260 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:32.120 months ago. It is coming down. It's it's a big 261 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:36.360 construction site. And yet you know, there are several engineers 262 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:40.000 who have written independent people have written reports about that 263 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:43.600 footprint and Vegas on that corner across from MGM Grand 264 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:47.480 and saying you cannot put a major league ballpark on 265 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:51.039 that footprint and make it work in terms of logistics 266 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:54.399 and what you really need engineering wise, not to say 267 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:57.600 what it would impact obviously with traffic and parking and 268 00:12:57.639 --> 00:12:59.720 all the things, but that part of Vegas and the 269 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:02.720 south end of the Strip is is like that anyway. 270 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:05.159 It's it's a big mess in the zoo. 271 00:13:05.240 --> 00:13:08.399 And you know, but everybody goes anyway, right, everybody's going 272 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:12.080 to the Raiders games. People flock in to see the 273 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:16.960 w NBA, the Aces play T Mobile is always packed 274 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:20.039 whenever they have college games at T Mobile. They've figured 275 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:22.879 it out at UNLV at Thomas and Max, so they'll 276 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:25.519 figure something out. But it's it's going to be interesting, 277 00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:28.120 it's not. It's not this slam dunk deal. I think 278 00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:30.279 that a lot of people are assuming the a's are 279 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:33.120 automatically going to that site. That's that's going to be 280 00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:34.279 an interesting thing to watch. 281 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:36.080 Last thing in this space, then we'll move on. 282 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:40.399 And Commissioner Silver gave his annual you know, State of 283 00:13:40.440 --> 00:13:42.200 the Union whatever you call it, prior to the start 284 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:45.320 of training camps in the NBA, and he said, you know, 285 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:49.440 there's no imminent plans to expand, but eventually they will. 286 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:52.799 And the talents there, certainly in pro basketball when you 287 00:13:52.840 --> 00:13:55.000 look at a lot of the players that are out 288 00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:57.240 of the league that seem to be still somewhat young 289 00:13:57.320 --> 00:14:00.159 and really good, I would imagine, you know, there is 290 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:03.000 an argument at a time. You know, at one time 291 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:05.200 that expansion would dilute the talent. I don't know that 292 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:08.639 I'm there with it anymore when it does happen, because 293 00:14:08.679 --> 00:14:14.120 I'm also old enough to remember commissioners, you know, Pete Roselle, 294 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:18.080 David Stern, Bargie Imani like older commissioners that are no 295 00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:20.679 longer there talking about how they would never touch Vegas 296 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:23.879 because of the gambling, the nightlife or whatever it is. 297 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:27.799 And now everything has changed because all these sports are 298 00:14:27.799 --> 00:14:30.399 in bed with the gambling companies, and so now it 299 00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:33.960 feels like Vegas, Super Bowl, Final four, whatever it is. 300 00:14:34.279 --> 00:14:36.600 When the NBA expands, do you think it is Vegas? 301 00:14:36.600 --> 00:14:37.840 Do you think it's Seattle? What do you think that 302 00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:38.200 looks like? 303 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:41.799 Yeah, that's what I would think, Spence. The logical places 304 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:47.000 are Seattle and Las Vegas. As the current economy dictates. 305 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:50.720 You know, Saint Louis may try and get in the mixed. 306 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:55.759 Louisville may try and get in the mix. Vancouver or Montreal. 307 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:58.000 I'd be behind Vancouver. I was from that. We lost 308 00:14:58.000 --> 00:14:58.279 that sit. 309 00:14:58.440 --> 00:15:01.360 Yeah, and you know I'll all be in the mix. 310 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:03.559 All have have groups that will that will make a 311 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:07.159 pitch anyway, But it just seems like the big dogs 312 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:09.799 in the fight at the moment would be those in 313 00:15:09.879 --> 00:15:12.799 Seattle and the people who want to get it in Vegas, 314 00:15:12.840 --> 00:15:17.000 because that just seems to be where everybody is flowing. 315 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:21.320 And the NBA has a relationship with Las Vegas for 316 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:24.039 the last twenty years with the Summer League, and they 317 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:27.559 have they and and until last year, we're also holding 318 00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:31.000 their G League showcase there in December every year, and 319 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:33.600 the league would have meetings there and every team would 320 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:38.039 be there. So those seem like the logical places that 321 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:39.120 they would go to next. 322 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:41.279 So before we maybe we'll just do some jazz on 323 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:43.200 our next segment, because I did want to kick the 324 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:45.120 tires with you on some news that came down today. 325 00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:46.919 Gonzaga is going to join the PAC twelve. 326 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:50.879 And you know, Mark Fuse, a guy who I know 327 00:15:50.919 --> 00:15:53.919 that you know, and he's probably had opportunities to take 328 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:56.080 jobs and other places over the course of his career 329 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:59.440 because he's been so good up there. But from a 330 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:02.879 college basketball standpoint as far as how much it moves 331 00:16:02.919 --> 00:16:04.399 the needle, I just wanted to get your take on 332 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:07.279 what Mark is built up there. Because Gonzaga is joining 333 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:10.200 a conference because of the basketball program, right, which is 334 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:13.600 a rarity in today's day and age of college athletics. 335 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:15.440 The only other school I can think of that would 336 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:17.519 be able to do something like this is Yukon, right, 337 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:20.519 because the football program is, you know, not what the 338 00:16:20.519 --> 00:16:23.320 basketball program is. But what do you make of what 339 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:26.080 mark is built up at Gonzaga where they can actually 340 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:30.120 get a conference invite because of their basketball prowess only? 341 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:34.679 Yeah, well, it's a tremendous feather in their cap that 342 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:38.399 they've had that kind of a program for over twenty 343 00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:42.600 years now, twenty five years and counting. They don't have 344 00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:47.960 football at Gonzaga, so they rely heavily on men's basketball 345 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:53.120 for whether it's revenue streams or whether it's increased enrollment 346 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:57.120 or applications for admission and that kind of thing. 347 00:16:58.639 --> 00:16:59.600 What Mark few will do? 348 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:00.200 You know? 349 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:01.600 That would be interesting because I. 350 00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:05.039 Don't know, you know, if and this is just me, 351 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:07.880 I don't know anything about it at all. But you know, 352 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:10.559 when you're making a move like that, are you still 353 00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:14.759 going to be the big dog, you know, or or 354 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.920 as you would say, the big fish in the little 355 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:19.559 pond as they've been for so long in the West 356 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:22.880 Coast Conference, right, Saint Mary's is as as far them 357 00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:26.160 somewhat by U somewhat when they were in it, but 358 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:29.640 they were always the top dog. And now if you're not, 359 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:31.400 if you're not going to do that, and now with 360 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:34.680 N I N I L stuff and and the and 361 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:39.039 the transfer portal, how are you What is it going 362 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:41.799 to be your attraction to those players to keep them, 363 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:44.920 and what is going to be your base from a 364 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:49.640 uh financial standpoint to be able to stay where you 365 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:52.759 are in those circles that you know, uh, they've been. 366 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:55.400 They've been more than a few coaches spent just in 367 00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:58.000 the last couple of years that I've known who have said, Hey, 368 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:01.039 I can't deal it, deal with it. It's a whole 369 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:03.319 different deal. I'm out of here, you know, and have 370 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:05.599 just retired and left the game. You know, whether it 371 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:07.960 was Randy Ray up at Weaver Stay or whether it 372 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:14.200 was uh Jay at then at Villanova. You know, Mike 373 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:16.920 Krychevski of course, is a little bit older, so you know, 374 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:20.480 probably a ripe time for him to retire anyway. But 375 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:23.440 a lot of prominent guys in the last couple of 376 00:18:23.480 --> 00:18:25.240 years have said, you know, I don't think I can 377 00:18:25.720 --> 00:18:29.839 deal with this stuff, and so, uh, Gonzaga moving into 378 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:32.640 that kind of conference will be interesting to see, uh 379 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:35.799 just how Mark Few deals with that on a personal 380 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:37.359 and professional level. 381 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:38.319 Going forward. 382 00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:43.279 All Right, some some sad news the surface this week. 383 00:18:43.559 --> 00:18:45.839 And I had a chance on a few occasions to 384 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:48.880 meet to Kenby Matambaugh. He was at Patrick Ewean's retirement 385 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:53.359 of the Garden. And you know, jazz fans remember great 386 00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:56.559 battles with Mark and and Carl you know, back when 387 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.960 the Kembe was in Denver, Uh, when he was in Atlanta, 388 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:02.359 the Knicks and the Hawks had a little thing going 389 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:05.400 back and forth. And you know, we could talk about 390 00:19:05.559 --> 00:19:08.200 his game, certainly a second all time in blocks, one 391 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:11.440 of the best rebounding blockshot bigs of that era. But 392 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:13.839 it seems like most of the conversation this weeksman, he 393 00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:15.759 has been about who he was when he wasn't playing 394 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:19.640 as an ambassador. And you are uniquely qualified to talk 395 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:22.160 about this. You've done some stuff basketball without borders down 396 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:24.440 in Africa's home country, republic of Congo. 397 00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:25.599 What would you. 398 00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:28.640 Tell our listeners about your knowledge of de Kembe as 399 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:30.559 he passed away this week at the age of fifty eight. 400 00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:34.079 Yeah, what sad news to get you know, that he 401 00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:37.319