WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:04.000 All right, let's go, let's get a drivetime Thursday afternoon, 2 00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:06.679 nine minutes past the hour of two o'clock. We had 3 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:11.320 some rain and some cold temperatures this morning here in 4 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:13.560 Salt Lake City, Utah, but the sun is shining. It's 5 00:00:13.560 --> 00:00:16.000 about sixty eight degrees and it's turned into a lovely 6 00:00:16.039 --> 00:00:19.440 afternoon on this Thursday afternoon edition of the program. And 7 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:22.280 as it is every single day, it is good to 8 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:23.760 have you along for the ride. 9 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:25.000 Spent checkets behind the mic. 10 00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:28.280 That's Porter Larson producing the program, booking the program today 11 00:00:28.280 --> 00:00:28.960 behind the glass. 12 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:32.479 The NFL Draft begins in three hours, forty nine. 13 00:00:32.359 --> 00:00:35.479 Minutes and fifty seven seconds, and of course we are 14 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:38.359 your home of the NFL Draft here in the market, 15 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:41.679 so stay tuned. Right after we say good night, about 16 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:44.280 six o'clock tonight, you will hear the NFL drafts right 17 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:46.479 here on a ESPN seven hundred. 18 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:47.960 So excited to get into it. 19 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:50.479 It's a really fun day for football fans during the 20 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:54.119 off season, one of the most exciting days. We'll dig 21 00:00:54.119 --> 00:00:57.719 into all the latest rumors. Should Or Sanders potentially falling 22 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:01.840 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ward your overwhelming favorite to be 23 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:03.960 the number one pick of the NFL Draft to Tennessee 24 00:01:05.239 --> 00:01:08.879 is Jackson Dart QB two on some draft boards. Former 25 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:11.560 local high school product here in the state of Utah, 26 00:01:11.640 --> 00:01:13.760 so a lot to get to on the show. We'll 27 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:16.560 get you ready for the draft tonight and we'll talk 28 00:01:16.599 --> 00:01:17.359 about it from. 29 00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:18.519 The local perspective angle. 30 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:21.959 Jalen Royals, the wide receiver from Utah State, seems to 31 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:24.719 be the player that played his college football here with 32 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:27.079 the best chance of going either in the well not 33 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:28.879 in the first round, but maybe a second round or 34 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:29.519 of day two pick. 35 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:32.040 We'll have to see, but we'll. 36 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:36.040 Talk about the potential of Junior Tafunu, Karenne Reed, Tyler Battie, 37 00:01:36.439 --> 00:01:43.840 kayleb Btn, Jacob Robinson, Brant Keithy, Caleb Loner, Mackai Bernard. 38 00:01:43.879 --> 00:01:46.959 I think that's kind of the list, maybe seven or 39 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:52.000 eight players that played their college football here, either drafted, undrafted, 40 00:01:52.040 --> 00:01:54.040 free agent. We'll get into it on the show. Get 41 00:01:54.120 --> 00:01:57.319 you ready for tonight's draft, excited for it. The NBA 42 00:01:57.400 --> 00:02:01.359 playoffs continue to be a lot of fun one and 43 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:05.079 the officials are letting them play the lowest free throw 44 00:02:05.159 --> 00:02:07.599 rate in the playoffs that we've seen. I think I 45 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:11.879 read today in twelve years, so points of emphasis for officiating. 46 00:02:12.039 --> 00:02:15.439 Let them play, let them play through contact, let them 47 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:19.240 play through physicality. As a child of the nineties Nicks, 48 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:22.039 I like it. If you're a fan of the Golden 49 00:02:22.039 --> 00:02:24.960 State Warriors, you probably do not. I thought Houston simply 50 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:28.159 just pushed them around last night, tom and Thompson getting 51 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:29.719 a lot of flat for that play where he up 52 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:30.800 ended Jimmy Butler. 53 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:33.639 And that's the crazy thing about the playoffs, man. 54 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:36.000 The crazy thing about the NBA playoffs is in an 55 00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:40.199 absolute instant, everything changes, and if Jimmy Butler has compromised 56 00:02:40.199 --> 00:02:42.159 the rest of the way, Golden State cannot beat Houston. 57 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:45.039 I'm ready to say that. So it's a fun game. 58 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:47.639 Last night in Houston, I realized that I really hate 59 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:49.759 the Houston Rockets. I'll tell you why a little bit later, 60 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:52.719 not just this iteration. I'm not a big fan of theirs, 61 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:56.000 but not a big fan of the organization. Dovivan Mitchell 62 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:58.759 another thirty piece last night. As the Cavs held off 63 00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:01.759 the heat, they now zero lead. I do think the 64 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:04.919 physical play it act actually benefits Cleveland as well. It 65 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:08.400 definitely benefits Boston. We didn't even need Jason Tatum to 66 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:10.719 take care of Orlando last night. Kind of a sneaky 67 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:13.919 close game, though. Tonight we get a triple header tonight. 68 00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:15.800 It's a fun night to watch sports if you are 69 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:17.520 a sports fan, and if you listen to the show 70 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:19.479 you probably are. I think that's kind of a safe 71 00:03:19.479 --> 00:03:22.520 bet to make. The Knicks and the Pistons move that 72 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:26.240 series to Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, where it's 73 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:28.840 tied up a one game apiece after Kate Cunningham went 74 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:32.840 off at the Garden to tie it up that one. 75 00:03:33.319 --> 00:03:35.319 Do we care about the Grizzlies and Thunder, I don't know. 76 00:03:35.400 --> 00:03:37.960 Maybe Memphis can stay within twenty Tonight it is at 77 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:41.159 the Grindhouse, the FedEx form in Memphis, Tennessee, and the 78 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:43.639 Nuggets will try to bounce back in Inglewood at the 79 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:45.919 into A Dome as they take on the LA Clippers. 80 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:50.080 That series deadlock to one game a piece. For Jazz fans, 81 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:52.879 we are inching closer and closer to Draft lottery Day. 82 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:54.919 That is the next day of interest for Jazz fans. 83 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:57.479 As for the third straight year, no spring basketball here 84 00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:00.639 in Salt Lake City. A lot of conversations about what 85 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:05.080 the Jazz will do predicated upon where they will draft, 86 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:06.639 and so we'll get into some of that on the show. 87 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:06.879 Today. 88 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:08.560 We'll continue to get to know some of these young 89 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:13.000 prospects and fingers cross fourteen percent chance to land Cooper 90 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:14.800 flag here. 91 00:04:14.599 --> 00:04:16.600 In Salt Lake. So we'll do some jazz basketball on 92 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:16.920 the show. 93 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:20.600 The Transfer Portal giveth the Transfer Portal, take it away 94 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:25.199 BYU get to commit former Highland High linebacker who is 95 00:04:25.240 --> 00:04:26.319 a Oregon Duck. 96 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:29.120 He commits now he's headed down to play for colonies. 97 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:31.120 To take the latest on the University of Utah, the 98 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:34.600 latest on mentally ill people throwing their feces at each 99 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:38.480 other online with basless accusations, breaking news. 100 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:40.759 Everybody is quote unquote tampering. 101 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:42.879 Everybody is trying to talk to players that are in 102 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:44.639 the transfer portal, and yes some players that. 103 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:46.639 Are not because there are no rules. 104 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:48.959 And if there are no rules, your job as a 105 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:51.120 head coach or and administrators to do everything you can 106 00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:53.519 to get as much talent in your program as possible. 107 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:57.480 So we'll get the latest on the college football Transfer Portal. 108 00:04:57.480 --> 00:05:01.240 College Hoops Transfer Portal continues to stay open. Alex Jensen 109 00:05:01.319 --> 00:05:04.519 on the ground now allocating his full time and energy 110 00:05:04.600 --> 00:05:08.079 to his job here as Utah's basketball coach after Dallas 111 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:10.920 lost in the play in so time to get to 112 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:14.759 the primary transfer window in Major League Soccer is coming 113 00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:19.560 gone and RSL fans not too pleased about the additions 114 00:05:19.879 --> 00:05:23.600 that RSL made. One edition is official Willie Goles. That's 115 00:05:23.639 --> 00:05:26.439 where we nicknamed him yesterday. Now he has to score goals. 116 00:05:26.920 --> 00:05:29.439 And I am told that there is one more player. 117 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:33.000 Even though the transfer window closed yesterday, there is one 118 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:36.040 more player on the way. And as soon as I 119 00:05:36.120 --> 00:05:38.600 get the ability to bring that announcement to you, we'll 120 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:41.240 do it. So a lot to do on the program today. 121 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:43.519 Good guest list right out of the gates. One of 122 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:45.839 the best football players that has ever played at the 123 00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:49.399 University of Utah. He's entering his sixth year as an 124 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:52.360 NFL running back, this time with the Cincinnati Bengals. Zach 125 00:05:52.439 --> 00:05:55.399 Moss will stop by today. I always enjoying my conversations 126 00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:58.399 with Zach. He was at the Forever twenty two game 127 00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:00.639 last Saturday. I had a chance to catch up with him. 128 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:05.079 So we'll bringing Zach today. Dave Checkets, Yeah, I know 129 00:06:05.160 --> 00:06:08.720 pretty well, he'll stop by. Excited to have my dad, 130 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:11.680 Dave and studio. An excited an announcement. He's got a 131 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:13.920 new project with the Eccles family that we're going to 132 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:16.839 talk about and talk about what's next for him and 133 00:06:17.319 --> 00:06:20.720 what he will hope to accomplish with these great partners 134 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:23.160 of his, and we'll do a little a little bit. 135 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:24.000 Of everything he is. 136 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:26.439 He'll let you know he went to both Utah and BYU, 137 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:28.959 so he has no allegiance, even though I don't believe him. 138 00:06:29.240 --> 00:06:31.360 So we'll talk a little bit of everything with my 139 00:06:31.480 --> 00:06:33.279 dad today. It's been a long time since he's been 140 00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:35.560 in studio. Excited to catch up with him. 141 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:36.439 Andy B. 142 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:39.560 Larson from the Salt Lake Tribune. It covers the Utah 143 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:42.600 Jazz does a data column for the trip. We'll do 144 00:06:42.680 --> 00:06:45.600 some playoffs with Andy. We'll do some jazz basketball with Andy. 145 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:46.000 Andy. 146 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:49.519 We'll be co hosting this radio show tomorrow with that 147 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:52.480 young man Porter Larson. As I'll be out of town 148 00:06:52.519 --> 00:06:54.240 just for Friday. I'll be back on Monday, so we'll 149 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:56.959 bring it Andy Today. Excited to catch up with Mike 150 00:06:57.160 --> 00:07:00.000 m NFL Draft covers with bykem from the NFL Network. 151 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:03.560 The head coach over Al Saal Lake, Pablo Mascuetti penny 152 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:06.759 for Pablo's thoughts today. I'm gonna do my best to 153 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:09.040 balance the whole, like, hey, let's be positive about your 154 00:07:09.079 --> 00:07:10.800 group and like, hey, how do you feel about not 155 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:13.720 having like a good striker on your roster? Conversation today, 156 00:07:14.199 --> 00:07:15.800 and then we'll do a little sports court with our 157 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:17.839 friends from Handy and Handy as we are wont to 158 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:21.199 do every Thursday on the radio show. So Zach Moss, 159 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:24.439 Dave Check, It's Andy Larson, Mike Yam, Pablo Mascuoretti, Me 160 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:27.639 Spence checkets all of you, the great listeners, and that guy. 161 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:30.800 The only thing you're missing from the wardrobe today are 162 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:33.319 the is the cigarette pack rolled up in your T shirt? 163 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:33.720 Me? 164 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:36.040 You got the long hair, you got the Levi's T 165 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:37.399 shirt that's fits. 166 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:40.480 This medium looking good. You look like an old school like. 167 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:44.319 You look like your distant relative Jesse James. That's not 168 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:47.079 Butch Cassidy. There you go at this point. It's your stick. 169 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:48.439 But how's how's your Thursday? 170 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:53.199 Thursday's gone well, Thursday's gone well. Unintentional, it's a large 171 00:07:53.319 --> 00:07:55.560 I'm just like almost two hundred pounds at the. 172 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:57.759 Moment, are you really yeah? Which is a development? 173 00:07:57.800 --> 00:07:57.959 Is it? 174 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:00.560 Poking season, more of like the two years of breakfast 175 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:04.199 burritos and whatnot. It was kind of intentional though, I 176 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:06.839 was running and not you know, putting on any weights. OK, 177 00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:10.560 so it's all good. But yeah, Thursday's gone well. Looking 178 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:13.720 forward to hosting the show with Andy tomorrow. Looking forward 179 00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:16.800 to seeing Big Dave here in studio today. I'm sure 180 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:20.639 plenty to discuss with him, plenty to catch up on 181 00:08:20.920 --> 00:08:23.560 with the developments here in the market, and with the 182 00:08:23.560 --> 00:08:26.160 soccer club and NBA playoffs. 183 00:08:26.199 --> 00:08:28.639 Of course, just a side note today. 184 00:08:29.160 --> 00:08:29.439 I know. 185 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:31.680 But it's been fun. Last night was fun. Tonight it's 186 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:33.039 going to be fun. I'm excited to see what the 187 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:35.039 Knicks can do in Detroit. But we've got a lot 188 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:36.679 to do on the show, so let's get to it. 189 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:39.840 Our first guest will be the great Zach Moss. But 190 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:42.639 before we get the Zach, courtesy of our good friends, 191 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:45.600 you're good friends too at Prize Picks, it is time 192 00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:46.600 now for your opening tip. 193 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:49.519 Welcome to the Drive with Spence check its on Utah's 194 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:52.919 number one sports talk now into the studios of ESPN 195 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:55.559 seven hundred to set the scene for the show. The 196 00:08:55.639 --> 00:08:57.679 opening tip of the Drive is brought to you by 197 00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:01.600 Prize Picks. Use the code es P seven hundred and 198 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:03.840 run your game with Prize Picks. 199 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:07.320 Cash in on the Basketball playoffs with Prize Picks. 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I'm going less on Jalen Brunson 218 00:09:54.200 --> 00:09:57.559 twenty eight point five points. I'm going more on mckel 219 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:01.399 bridges fifteen point five points, and I'm going less on 220 00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:03.879 James Harden twenty two point five points. 221 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:04.720 So there you go. 222 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:07.279 Entertainment purposes only, but check them out. It's a fun 223 00:10:07.320 --> 00:10:08.879 way to kind of get in on the action if 224 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:11.200 you've ever been interested in throwing a couple of ducats 225 00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:15.399 on any games. All Right, NFL draft is tonight. When 226 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:17.639 we say good night at six o'clock, it will be 227 00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:19.519 time for the NFL Draft. You can hear it on 228 00:10:19.960 --> 00:10:22.960 our radio station. So kind of attack this from a 229 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:25.919 couple of different angles. The overwhelming favorite in Vegas to 230 00:10:25.960 --> 00:10:28.720 be off the board number one is cam Ward. Of course, 231 00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:31.679 the Tennessee Titans, with a number one overall pick Will 232 00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:34.759 Levis has never really fully lived up to the potential 233 00:10:34.759 --> 00:10:37.360 they thought that he had. It's interesting listening to a 234 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:40.840 lot of draft experts break this stuff down. What were 235 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:43.080 there five or six quarterbacks picked last year in the 236 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:45.840 top like twelve or thirteen, And according to what most 237 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:49.320 people believe, cam would not have even been among the 238 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.960 top five or six. So like five or six prospects 239 00:10:52.039 --> 00:10:55.720 last year Jayden Daniels, Bo Nicks, JJ McCarthy, etc. All 240 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:58.240 with better grades than cam Ward and was making me 241 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:00.879 think about the Utah Jazz this year because the Tennessee 242 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:03.960 Titans simply have bad luck. It's not the right year 243 00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:06.320 to have the number one overall pick, and you know, 244 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:08.480 it is kind of part of the game. Of course, 245 00:11:08.519 --> 00:11:10.480 you would always want the number one overall pick, but 246 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:14.279 also part of having success in that area is having 247 00:11:14.279 --> 00:11:17.679 the number one pick during the right draft cycle, like 248 00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:20.879 the Spurs did years ago with David Robinson and Tim Duncan, 249 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:23.279 and of course more serendipitous luck for them as they 250 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:25.720 have Victor women Yama. And if the Jazz are able 251 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:28.120 to grab number one overall this year, it is the 252 00:11:28.200 --> 00:11:28.840 right year. 253 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:29.120 To have it. 254 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:32.320 As most people believe, Cooper Flag is a franchise changing piece, 255 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:35.960 so not a lot of intrigue at one, and I 256 00:11:36.039 --> 00:11:38.240 don't think there's a lot of intrigue at too, although 257 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:39.440 certain people disagree. 258 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:43.200 It feels like Cleveland is going to go Travis Hunter now. 259 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:47.399 Adam Schefter has reported earlier today Cleveland is also interested 260 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:50.279 in trading back in to the first round. Laid in 261 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:52.559 the first round to try to grab shud Or Sanders 262 00:11:52.600 --> 00:11:55.679 to pair him with Travis Hunter. Of course, those two 263 00:11:55.799 --> 00:11:58.799 playing together in college for a number of years. But 264 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:01.679 the shud Or Sanders compversation continues to be really, really 265 00:12:01.720 --> 00:12:05.360 interesting because the Vegas ods right now have him sliding 266 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:08.879 all the way to the Steelers at number twenty one, 267 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:11.159 where Pittsburgh is clearly going to have to find a 268 00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:14.720 quarterback after they decided to dance with you. The dude 269 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:17.720 that is more interested in sitting in a cave in silence, 270 00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:21.120 taking ayahuaskin talking to butterflies than he is playing quarterback. 271 00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:23.799 Sir Aaron Rodgers continues to kind of string them along. 272 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:26.399 It feels like they have to take a quarterback, and 273 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:29.720 it's interesting to consider the way NFL teams have approached 274 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:32.759 taking quarterbacks over the past ten years. Not a lot 275 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:35.320 of teams go quarterback in the second round because if 276 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:37.159 you've identified your guy, you want to take him as 277 00:12:37.159 --> 00:12:40.039 soon as possible. Side note, by the way, there are 278 00:12:40.279 --> 00:12:44.399 rumors that Jackson Dart has emerged as QB two on 279 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:47.080 a lot of teams draft boards behind cam Ward and 280 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:51.200 not Shudor Sanders. So if Shador slides past Pittsburgh, the 281 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:53.039 rumors are the Browns are going to try to trade 282 00:12:53.080 --> 00:12:56.720 back into the first round. What Field Yates is talking 283 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:59.720 about is the Commanders at twenty nine, where maybe the 284 00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:02.039 steae Des trade back in at twenty nine and grab 285 00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:04.360 shaud Or Sanders to pair him next to Travis Hunter. 286 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:07.720 But only six quarterbacks have been taken in the second 287 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:10.440 round in the past ten years. Thirty five quarterbacks have 288 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:12.879 been taken in the first round. So if you know 289 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:15.440 that you have your guy, you use the pick in 290 00:13:15.480 --> 00:13:17.840 the first round on him. I don't really know why 291 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:20.519 Shudor has sliden. I mean, if you remember, I would 292 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:23.720 say halfway through the college football season, chad Or was 293 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:26.639 being talked about as one of the Heisman Trophy favorites, 294 00:13:26.679 --> 00:13:29.759 and now, of course that went to his teammate Travis Hunter, 295 00:13:30.440 --> 00:13:32.320 and he was talked about by a lot of very 296 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:35.120 smart football people as a guy that could go number 297 00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:38.320 one overall. And now we're sitting here on draft Day 298 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:41.559 and we might have the story of the draft, which 299 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:43.960 is shoud Or Sanders sliding all the way down to 300 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:46.720 the late first round. I can't really pinpoint why. I'm 301 00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:49.080 not really sure, but we'll kind of see how that goes. 302 00:13:49.159 --> 00:13:52.399 So again, no intrigue at the top. The overwhelming favorite 303 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:55.240 in Vegas to be taken by Tennessee as cam Ward 304 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:57.480 Travis Hunter appears to be the pick at two. 305 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:59.279 What did the Giants do at three? 306 00:14:00.039 --> 00:14:03.320 Even some conversations on NFL Live earlier today, the Giants 307 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:06.639 really like Jackson Dart. Now, I can't imagine Jackson Dart 308 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:08.320 going off the board of three. But here's the thing. 309 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:11.200 If you have found your quarterback, it doesn't matter where 310 00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:12.759 you grab him. You just got to go get him. 311 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:17.200 And the Giants have placeholders right now in that spot 312 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:19.960 with Jameis Winston, of course Russell Wilson. So if they 313 00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:23.080 think Jackson Dart is the guy, I don't have a 314 00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:25.399 problem with them taking him at three, because this is 315 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:27.000 a league where if you don't have a quarterback, you 316 00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:29.720 might as well not even kick off. The other interesting 317 00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:32.480 storyline going on right now is Ashton Genty. Of course, 318 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:36.240 Utah State knows Ashton Genty well out of the Mountain 319 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:39.279 West Conference, who a lot of people believe is one 320 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:42.080 of the best running back prospects to come along in years, 321 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:45.320 and the Raiders apparently are high on him. Now, remember 322 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:47.639 the Raiders hired Pete Carroll. He's their head coach now 323 00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:51.600 and Pete Carroll's teams always usc Seattle in the NFL. 324 00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:54.320 They've always had a great running back and the Raiders 325 00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:56.639 do not have one. They let Josh Jacobs go to 326 00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:58.440 Green Bay and he had a really good year for 327 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:02.159 them last year. But what does Jacksonville do at five? 328 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:05.799 Does Jacksonville grab Ashton Genty? Do the Raiders want him 329 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:08.080 enough to trade up and grab him? Kind of an 330 00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:12.000 interesting side story. Now from a local standpoint, at least 331 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:15.120 everything I've read, Jalen Royal is the speedy wide receiver 332 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:18.399 from Utah State, has the highest grade of any local prospect, 333 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:20.200 maybe a Day two guy. 334 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:22.000 I don't think we're going to hear his name tonight. 335 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:26.480 But on the BYU side, Tyler Baddie a great defensive 336 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:29.200 end and a pass rusher. They probably will be drafted 337 00:15:29.240 --> 00:15:33.039 mid round. There's the Caleb atn kid, the offensive lineman. 338 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:35.320 A lot of mock drafts have him four, five, six 339 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:38.399 as far as mid round pick. And then Jacob Robinson 340 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:41.279 from the secondary who was a real ballhawk for j Hill. 341 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:45.480 On the Utah side, Junior Tafuna mid round guy Karene 342 00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:49.159 Reid who continues to try to get healthy. Those are 343 00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:51.960 probably if any youth players are going to be drafted 344 00:15:51.960 --> 00:15:54.799 as probably those two. Mackai Bernard is out there. I 345 00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:57.879 know Caleb Lohner has been intriguing to a lot of 346 00:15:57.879 --> 00:16:01.279 teams as well. Four touch down passes. All four of 347 00:16:01.320 --> 00:16:04.519 his receptions last year for the Utes were touchdowns. Of course, 348 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:08.240 really made a name for himself as a dynamic basketball prospect, 349 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:12.159 played at Utah BYU Baylor, then came back to Utah 350 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:13.480 and tried his hand at football. 351 00:16:13.480 --> 00:16:14.799 And then of course there's bran Keithy. 352 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:18.000 Once upon a time, bran Keithy was the better tight 353 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:21.720 end draft prospect before before Dalkon King Kid kind of 354 00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:23.480 burst on the scene and took the thunder from him. 355 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:25.320 And of course brand needs to get healthy as well. 356 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:28.360 It's not a year where a lot of local players 357 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:31.159 are expecting to be drafted very high at all, but hopefully, 358 00:16:31.440 --> 00:16:34.840 whether it's undrafted where they can pick their spot or 359 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:37.960 drafted late, hopefully some of our local players will see. 360 00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:39.200 And hear their names called. 361 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:42.200 Our next guest knows what this day is like for 362 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.840 these young men waiting to hear their name called one 363 00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:46.559 of the best players that we've ever had in state 364 00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:50.279 from the University of Utah, entering his sixth season in 365 00:16:50.320 --> 00:16:53.159 the NFL with Cincinnati. Friend of the show Zach Moss 366 00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:55.840 on a draft day Thursday, Zach, Happy, Thursday, Man, how 367 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:57.480 you doing good? 368 00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:57.960 Good man? 369 00:16:58.679 --> 00:16:59.799 Well, I appreciate your time. 370 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:01.960 I want you to take us back to your draft 371 00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:04.599 day and tell us what that was like. What did 372 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:06.960 you do, who were you with, and how did you 373 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:09.559 handle the emotions of a day that change your life? 374 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:09.839 Zach? 375 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:12.400 Yeah, it was a. 376 00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:15.680 Great day, man. Honestly, you know, my year was different 377 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:20.720 during COVID, so didn't get an opportunity to do, you know, 378 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:23.079 a bigger thing and stuff like that, but still was 379 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:27.160 surrounded by loved ones and things of that nature. But 380 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:29.519 you know, in the day, no matter what, you know, 381 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:32.319 just hearing your name called flash across TV and things 382 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:35.440 of that nature something you definitely never forget for sure. 383 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:38.960 When did you know that it was going to be Buffalo? 384 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:40.960 When were you told that the Bills were taking you 385 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:41.960 in the third round. 386 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:49.039 Of literally probably two three minutes before you know, came 387 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:51.000 up on a TV and things like that. They called 388 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:52.839 me and let me know that they were going to 389 00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:55.920 select me there in the third round. With their pick 390 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:58.559 and stuff like that. It was crazy because I didn't 391 00:17:58.599 --> 00:18:00.759 know where I was going to go. I didn't even 392 00:18:00.839 --> 00:18:04.720 really have Buffalo on my radar. Like I said, it 393 00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:07.559 was COVID, so you know, all the top thirty visits 394 00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:09.319 and all these different things that you have to go 395 00:18:09.400 --> 00:18:12.200 do as traftees. I didn't get a chance of doing 396 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:14.240 any of that. So it was literally just up in 397 00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:17.079 the air and seeing who was wanted to select meet 398 00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:18.559 whenever they did. 399 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:21.400 Wow, just a couple of minutes before. 400 00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:23.680 So now I've got to know what the emotions were 401 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:27.039 like when you heard your name. Like we you know, 402 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:29.880 all of us at some point, if you're in the 403 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:32.039 business or if you're listening to sports talk radio, there's 404 00:18:32.039 --> 00:18:34.880 a chance that most everybody dreamed of doing what you 405 00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:38.160 still do to this day and having a moment like 406 00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:40.960 hearing your name called during the NFL Draft. 407 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:43.039 What was that moment like for you, Zach? 408 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:49.160 You know, it was definitely surreal to some degree. You know, 409 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:52.480 I think I've always worked, you know, pretty hard to 410 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:55.920 put myself in it to give myself an opportunity to 411 00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:59.160 be able to hear my name called. So you know, 412 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:01.559 when I did hear it called, it was. It was 413 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:05.000 definitely surreal, but you know, it felt like a good 414 00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:07.720 moment of validation of all the work I've done and 415 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:11.359 you know, the things I had to overcome and all 416 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:13.640 those different type of things. So just hearing my name 417 00:19:13.799 --> 00:19:16.960 was like a validation in that moment, Like I didn't 418 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:19.279 get really emotional and things like that because I moved, 419 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:23.079 was still a lot of work to do. Six years later, 420 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:26.319 I'm still trying to do that work to you know, 421 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:29.279 do the things I really want to do in life. 422 00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:30.960 And you continue to do it. 423 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:32.960 And there was some news that broke a couple of 424 00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:35.839 days ago that you and the Bengals agreed to terms 425 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:38.720 where you've restructured your deal a little bit. So tell 426 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:42.240 us what that process has been like. And also, most importantly, Zach, 427 00:19:42.279 --> 00:19:44.119 I probably buried the lead. You're not supposed to do 428 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:46.240 that in this business. How are you doing. How is 429 00:19:46.279 --> 00:19:46.759 your health? 430 00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:51.960 I'm doing good, man, Just you know, taking the day 431 00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:55.359 by day and you know, just doing the best I 432 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:59.359 can do to be ready for another year in the 433 00:19:59.440 --> 00:19:59.799 league and. 434 00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:03.319 Things like that. But yeah, research the deil to come 435 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:06.079 back to Cincinnati. You know, got a lot of good 436 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:08.440 people there, and we got a really good team, so 437 00:20:08.920 --> 00:20:12.119 decided to be a part of that process again with 438 00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:13.039 those type of people. 439 00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:15.559 What do you guys, Let's talk about the Bengals for 440 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:18.200 a moment, because last year was it was just strange. 441 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:22.079 You know, you ended the season on a wild run 442 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:25.799 because there and you know this, there is so much 443 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:30.359 talent in your locker room and so ultimately when you 444 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:33.319 start out the season, you're not winning football games. And 445 00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:36.039 you know a lot of this it is another defensive 446 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:38.119 side of the ball because you obviously have Burrow, you 447 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:40.720 get those two wide receivers back, and you've got a 448 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:43.519 great running back room. You know, obviously you among the 449 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:46.519 three backs that will be running and blocking for the 450 00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:49.880 Bengals coming up this year. But how would you articulate 451 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:51.839 how last year went and what are you guys hoping 452 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:52.880 to accomplish this year? 453 00:20:54.359 --> 00:20:57.319 Yeah, last year it was tough, man, I think us 454 00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:59.079 being so young on the deeper side of the bar, 455 00:20:59.240 --> 00:21:01.559 it was just one of those years where it felt 456 00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:04.319 like no matter what you kind of did right, uh, 457 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:08.079 something always kind of went wrong. And playing in that 458 00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:10.359 division AFC north Man, you've got to be ready to 459 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:12.720 go each and every week. It's a it's a real 460 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:16.880 tough physical division. I mean you factor in the weather 461 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:19.079 into those cities and stuff like that as well, and 462 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:21.279 you know, it was it was just a hard year. 463 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:22.920 We got a lot of good quarterbacks in that division 464 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:25.440 as well. But I think it's a good learning curve. 465 00:21:25.640 --> 00:21:28.200 I mean, you saw a lot of guys have you know, 466 00:21:28.920 --> 00:21:33.359 great individual years, which was nice and crazy to see. 467 00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:35.440 I mean you got to see I got to see 468 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:37.480 Borough play at a high level, chase at the high level, 469 00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:40.759 and things of that nature. So I think, you know, 470 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:45.680 everyone coming back, uh, you know and getting another year 471 00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:49.440 on our belt. Uh, with those guys, you know, there's 472 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:53.079 gonna be a lot of interesting things that's gonna be 473 00:21:53.079 --> 00:21:55.440 able to happen for us this season. That just didn't 474 00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:57.200 go out way last year. You know, sometimes you don't 475 00:21:57.240 --> 00:21:59.759 get the ball to spend your way, and you know 476 00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:01.519 we we dealt with that a lot last year. But 477 00:22:01.559 --> 00:22:05.559 I think the way we competed throughout that year, you know, 478 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:07.559 there was never gains where we just laid it down, 479 00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:12.440 always competitive as a team. So that's that's huge, right 480 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:14.640 when you're thinking about it, when you look back at 481 00:22:14.680 --> 00:22:17.720 that year and finish it out, finish it out strong. 482 00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:22.039 So definitely looking forward to getting that cohesiveness together this 483 00:22:22.119 --> 00:22:24.319 season and you know, give him our best shot again. 484 00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:26.279 I'm gonna ask you kind of a little bit of 485 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:28.839 a fanboy question, which I never do, but I you know, 486 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:30.960 you hear a lot of people talk about the best 487 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:33.079 wide receivers in the NFL, and there's a lot of 488 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:36.759 Justin Jefferson. There's a lot of Tyreek when he's healthy. 489 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:39.240 There's a lot of aj Brown I. I I think 490 00:22:39.240 --> 00:22:41.440 it's I think it's Jamar I think it's Jamar j. 491 00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:44.759 I've got to know what it's like. And look, you're 492 00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:47.079 a top man athlete yourself, so I'm sure you never 493 00:22:47.240 --> 00:22:48.880 in awe of any of your peers. 494 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:53.119 But he seems to be a unicorns unicorn. He seems 495 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:53.839 to be one of one. 496 00:22:53.960 --> 00:22:56.440 What's it what's it like to watch him day to 497 00:22:56.519 --> 00:22:57.599 day do what he does? 498 00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:02.799 Yeah, he's different, man, Honestly, I think you know I was. 499 00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:07.160 I was telling people like, he didn't even play during 500 00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:10.079 the preseason, and he didn't do anything in training camp, 501 00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:12.640 and he didn't do anything in the offseason program. 502 00:23:13.160 --> 00:23:13.359 Right. 503 00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:17.960 Uh. Usually, you know, when you see guys go out 504 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:19.920 there and perform at the level they do, they've done 505 00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:23.000 a training camp which gets them in tune and with 506 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:26.079 the playbook, you know, his quarterback and all those different 507 00:23:26.119 --> 00:23:28.599 type of things. I mean, the guy didn't even have 508 00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:31.079 to do any of that to go out there and 509 00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:33.599 have the type of season he did. When he thought 510 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:37.559 about the triple Crown, it was it was crazy to see. 511 00:23:37.960 --> 00:23:40.240 I played with a lot of really good receivers and 512 00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:43.960 you know, a guy like Diggs our first year in Buffalo, 513 00:23:44.359 --> 00:23:47.799 him having a career year and stuff like that, and 514 00:23:48.759 --> 00:23:51.279 to see what Jamar does. You know, the way he 515 00:23:51.319 --> 00:23:53.839 does it is so nonchalant, it's not like it's not 516 00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:57.160 even really trying. And to see him straight up so 517 00:23:57.240 --> 00:24:00.440 many defenses, and like I said, planning that division, you 518 00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:03.920 kind of almost respect it even more just because you're 519 00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:07.200 going against top defenses. We can and weak out, and 520 00:24:07.240 --> 00:24:09.079 we had to really good schedule this season when it 521 00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:11.440 comes to the terms of who we played and the 522 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:13.000 guys that he had to mind up in front of 523 00:24:13.079 --> 00:24:16.240 and things like that. So I mean, like you said, 524 00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:18.759 he's a unicorns in the corn when you think about 525 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:21.200 just the fact that demand didn't even do training camp 526 00:24:21.240 --> 00:24:24.039 and just went out there and just ball, which is 527 00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:24.960 crazy to see. 528 00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:29.119 Additionally, a lot of debates about who the best quarterback 529 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:31.920 is in pro football, and of course fifteen in Kansas 530 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:34.920 City probably continues to hold that Moniker, But I don't 531 00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:37.640 know where you put Joe. But there aren't a lot 532 00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:42.480 of quarterbacks i'd want ahead of Joe Burrow. And look, Zach, 533 00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:44.559 as you know, in this game at any level, but 534 00:24:44.680 --> 00:24:46.640 especially in pro football, if you don't have one of 535 00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:48.759 the elite dudes under center, you might as well not 536 00:24:48.759 --> 00:24:51.920 even kick off. But having Joe Burrow under center, that's 537 00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:55.039 got to give you the belief in that organization that 538 00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:58.880 you have a shot to do anything possible as special 539 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:01.200 as any other team in this year this year with 540 00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:01.960 him under center? 541 00:25:02.039 --> 00:25:03.440 Is that is that accurate to say? 542 00:25:04.359 --> 00:25:07.119 Yeah? Absolutely. I mean you're talking about one of the 543 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:10.000 best receivers in the league, I mean quarterbacks in the league. 544 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:14.319 Sidney stepped in and this season coming off of a 545 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:18.079 risk injury and leading the league and yards and touchdowns, 546 00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:22.319 which which is just crazy. You know, it's throwing risk 547 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:24.039 at that and to be able to come back from 548 00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:27.759 that and look as seemless as he did, that was 549 00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:30.480 really special to see that from him. But uh, you know, 550 00:25:30.519 --> 00:25:33.240 I think you have a guy like that, like you said, 551 00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:34.920 if you don't have one of those top guys in 552 00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:38.000 this league, which he is, it's gonna be really really 553 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:40.960 hard to win a lot of games. And fortunately I've 554 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:43.440 been able to play with, you know, two guys that 555 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:47.720 are really really good at what they do. So that's 556 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:49.920 that's been just a blessing, just being able to play 557 00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:51.960 with guys who play the game at a high level 558 00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:53.440 of future Hall of famers. 559 00:25:54.039 --> 00:25:56.119 So you were at the Forever twenty two game. 560 00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:58.160 It was fun to see you hanging out with Devin 561 00:25:58.240 --> 00:26:00.759 and Mackay and a bunch and Britain Covey in town 562 00:26:00.839 --> 00:26:04.240 as well. How connected do you stay to the program, 563 00:26:04.359 --> 00:26:05.839 Zach and what was it like to be up there 564 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:07.160 for the spring game last Saturday. 565 00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:10.799 Yeah, I'm always around, man. I think I try to, 566 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:13.559 you know, be in tune with those guys as much 567 00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:17.319 as I can be, and you know, find being back 568 00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:19.359 because I was only being able to be back last 569 00:26:19.400 --> 00:26:21.680 year one time for a home game, which I hadn't 570 00:26:21.799 --> 00:26:24.880 been too long since I left, you know, so that 571 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:28.039 was really cool. Then being out there this past weekend, 572 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:30.640 that was also cool just to see, you know, the 573 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:33.079 football and being in the stadium again and stuff like 574 00:26:33.079 --> 00:26:35.000 that and seeing the coaches do what they do best. 575 00:26:36.119 --> 00:26:38.640 But I try to say interlock with the school as 576 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:40.799 much as I can. And I live here now, so 577 00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:44.240 you know, I think anytime I'm able just to be 578 00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:47.160 around the game for one and then be around you know, 579 00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:49.960 people with familiar faces that I know in the program 580 00:26:50.039 --> 00:26:52.400 that has helped me tremendously. I think it's always a 581 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:53.240 good thing for sure. 582 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:56.720 Last year was a year that nobody was expecting, certainly 583 00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:59.200 nobody in the media and I know nobody in the 584 00:26:59.240 --> 00:27:02.279 locker room know. The standards up there are very, very 585 00:27:02.359 --> 00:27:04.839 high and have been for quite some time. What would 586 00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:07.920 you say to youth fans tuning in today your belief 587 00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:09.839 that a bounce back year two in the Big twelve 588 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:10.480 as possible. 589 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:13.880 Yeah, I mean they've They've done it right within the 590 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:16.519 sense of you know, I think the quarterbacks are going 591 00:27:16.559 --> 00:27:19.079 to be really, really good. When you add a dual 592 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:22.359 threat quarterback like that, it's gonna make it real hard 593 00:27:22.519 --> 00:27:26.640 and it helps to the running game tremendously, which is 594 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:29.880 gonna beautiful for the new running back also that they have, 595 00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:34.680 so that's nice. And the solid defense that that we 596 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:37.400 play over there at Utah, you know, with coach Scalley 597 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:39.799 and coach Wade leading the way over that side, when 598 00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:42.759 you add a dual threat quarterback, a really good running 599 00:27:42.759 --> 00:27:45.240 back as well that's come in as well, you're gonna 600 00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:47.000 be able to control the ball and play the style 601 00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:49.759 that they want to. And I think, you know, like 602 00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:51.839 I said, I think the quarterback is gonna be really 603 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:55.279 just I've seen what he was able to do. I 604 00:27:55.319 --> 00:27:59.480 think it's at New Mexico State, so excited to see 605 00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:02.440 what he can do with these guys and the coach staff, 606 00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:05.799 and I think obviously bringing on it's always a coordinator 607 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:08.599 from his last school as well, and keeps that similiarity there, 608 00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:13.640 it should be a pretty seamless transition for him. Hopefully, 609 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:17.599 you know, these guys can put it together and you 610 00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:20.960 know injus a part of the game. Hopefully that you know, 611 00:28:20.960 --> 00:28:22.920 they don't get hit with that buzz again for sure. 612 00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:25.599 So you've gone on to have a really good pro 613 00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:28.000 football career, and of course we all cheer for you 614 00:28:28.039 --> 00:28:31.359 to play as long as you possibly can, and so 615 00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:33.359 somebody like you when you look when you look at 616 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:36.599 nil and transfer portal, it probably doesn't sting as much 617 00:28:36.680 --> 00:28:39.200 because you've achieved success. I mean, I'm sure you would 618 00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:41.200 have liked to make money when you're in college, as 619 00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:43.680 all of us would have liked. I'm not alluding to 620 00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:47.119 anything other than that. But as somebody who was an athlete, 621 00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:51.119 very good athlete, good football player prior to NIL and 622 00:28:51.160 --> 00:28:54.960 the transfer portal and follows the sport and follows the program, 623 00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:57.920 how do you think those two those two things have 624 00:28:58.039 --> 00:29:01.839 changed the sport the most of. 625 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:03.960 It, man, I think that's the biggest thing. It's like, 626 00:29:04.119 --> 00:29:07.400 you know, you used to not saying that it's not there, 627 00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:10.559 but it's definitely saying a way a bit in the 628 00:29:10.599 --> 00:29:13.920 sense of, you know, you used to want to care about, 629 00:29:14.279 --> 00:29:17.359 you know, the logo on the side of your helmet, 630 00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:19.920 you know, and putting on for your school and things 631 00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:22.200 of that nature. Wanting to be all the you know, 632 00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:24.880 being alumni at school and things like that when you graduate. 633 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:28.519 I think, now, if you can't fault the kids to 634 00:29:28.599 --> 00:29:31.359 some degree, you know, when you talk about the money 635 00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:33.839 and setting yourself up for the future, you know, because 636 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:36.519 there's only so many guys that can go to the 637 00:29:36.599 --> 00:29:40.240 NFL for one coming out of college. You know, if 638 00:29:40.279 --> 00:29:43.079 I broke down the numbers on that, it's just Obviously 639 00:29:43.079 --> 00:29:45.680 a lot of people know it's crazy on how many 640 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:49.559 people play college football, college sports period and aren't able 641 00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:51.680 to make it to that pro level. Even if you 642 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:53.039 are able to make it to that pro level, the 643 00:29:53.119 --> 00:29:57.400 chances of you, you know, having a full career and 644 00:29:57.480 --> 00:30:01.319 things of that nature, it's already hard when you think 645 00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:05.039 about that type of stuff. So you know, obviously them 646 00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:07.519 taking advantage of the n I L it is a 647 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:11.240 good thing. I think hopefully, you know, we can they 648 00:30:11.240 --> 00:30:13.839 can just get a cap on it and you know, 649 00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:17.240 really control it the best that they can, so they think, 650 00:30:17.640 --> 00:30:19.640 you know that the schools don't lose as much, and 651 00:30:19.799 --> 00:30:23.079 you know, the people with the biggest pocketbooks don't just 652 00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:25.400 throw money at these kids, and you know, they just 653 00:30:25.480 --> 00:30:28.119 jump school to school and don't really build that brotherhood 654 00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:32.279 that they are going to you know, really love and 655 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:35.960 depend on it at some point. So I think that's 656 00:30:35.960 --> 00:30:36.599 the biggest thing. 657 00:30:37.079 --> 00:30:39.000 Do you pay attention at all to any of the 658 00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:41.759 back and forth between Utah and b y U fans 659 00:30:41.799 --> 00:30:44.279 complaining about the other teams poaching their players? 660 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:45.759 Do you pay attention at at all that? 661 00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:50.000 I don't pay attention to it. It does pop up 662 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:52.759 on my social media here and there, just like because 663 00:30:52.759 --> 00:30:55.119 I'm just so into you know, with the school and 664 00:30:55.559 --> 00:31:00.680 different accounts and things like that. But it's crazy, for sure, 665 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:04.079 but it is you know, a big part of it, 666 00:31:04.440 --> 00:31:08.480 which you can't really, like I said, be upset at 667 00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:11.519 the kids for wanting to take advantage of that. But 668 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:14.240 it does destroy the loyalty part of it where you 669 00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:17.400 can just jump schools and go different places and do 670 00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:21.279 different things and it's not much to think about behind it. 671 00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:25.240 Yeah, and like you said, you can't blame the players 672 00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:27.839 and look, Zach, the bottom line here, love it or 673 00:31:27.880 --> 00:31:31.480 hate it, college football has become very transactional, right and 674 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:34.000 so the only way to handle these ebbs and flows 675 00:31:34.039 --> 00:31:36.640 is to remove your emotion. But as you know, it's 676 00:31:36.680 --> 00:31:39.480 hard to ask fans to remove their emotions. 677 00:31:39.000 --> 00:31:43.279 You know. Yeah, yeah, I mean it's the human element 678 00:31:43.799 --> 00:31:47.039 to all of it. So yeah, it's gonna be hard. Absolutely, 679 00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:50.880 Like I said, hopefully you know, it's double. They can 680 00:31:50.920 --> 00:31:53.880 figure out a way to make it more, you know, 681 00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:57.920 even around all the schools. That way, you know, it 682 00:31:57.960 --> 00:32:00.519 doesn't love you don't lose the integrity of the college 683 00:32:00.519 --> 00:32:03.359 support game, which I think is you know, has been 684 00:32:03.400 --> 00:32:07.279 so great for so long for a reason, and it's 685 00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:09.680 definitely time for the athletes to get paid, but there's 686 00:32:09.720 --> 00:32:11.599 always better ways to do a lot of different things 687 00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:12.000 in life. 688 00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:15.880 Yeah, well said one more thing in this space, and then, 689 00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:18.119 ironically enough, I get to ask you about a former 690 00:32:18.200 --> 00:32:21.160 teammate of yours at Utah who's going through the draft process. 691 00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:23.759 So we'll get there in a moment. Like I said, 692 00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:26.480 you've gone onto the NFL. You know, you've had a 693 00:32:26.519 --> 00:32:29.880 really good career and you'll continue to. But I wonder 694 00:32:30.039 --> 00:32:33.519 through conversations that you have with with ex teammates at 695 00:32:33.640 --> 00:32:36.559 Utah who didn't have an opportunity to go make money 696 00:32:36.599 --> 00:32:40.200 playing pro football, do you feel like there's resentment? 697 00:32:40.279 --> 00:32:41.599 Do you feel like there's bitterness? 698 00:32:41.640 --> 00:32:43.880 Do you feel like there's anger that they were not 699 00:32:44.599 --> 00:32:47.119 able to play and benefit off of their name, image 700 00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:51.640 and likeness while they were playing at college college football Utah? 701 00:32:51.319 --> 00:32:51.440 Uh? 702 00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:56.519 You know, I think you definitely are going to have 703 00:32:56.680 --> 00:32:59.200 those emotions to some degree, And I think that's fair 704 00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:01.960 when thinking about putting your body on the line the 705 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:04.480 way you do, and you know, and all that type 706 00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:08.279 of stuff. So I think that's fair to have those emotions, 707 00:33:08.279 --> 00:33:11.000 and I'm sure some guys do I know I've had them, 708 00:33:11.079 --> 00:33:13.000 even though I've been able to go in the NFL 709 00:33:13.039 --> 00:33:15.880 and do some things in that in that realm and 710 00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:18.720 things like that as well. But you know, I think 711 00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:22.359 long lasting wise, I don't think so. But you know, 712 00:33:22.440 --> 00:33:24.640 it's like I said, it's fair to have that because 713 00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:28.480 it is something that would have been great to a 714 00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:31.319 lot of guys. Because it's just like I said, it 715 00:33:31.400 --> 00:33:33.640 sets you up at at a certain age twenty one, 716 00:33:33.720 --> 00:33:37.480 twenty two years old with X amount of dollars, right, 717 00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:39.880 you do it correctly and things like that. It's a 718 00:33:39.880 --> 00:33:45.119 big blessing financially to take care of yourself and even 719 00:33:45.160 --> 00:33:47.839 people you love, depending on you know, however much you 720 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:51.839 made or whatever. But it is what it is. You know, 721 00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:57.119 it just wasn't the timing didn't didn't work out, and 722 00:33:57.160 --> 00:34:00.799 that's you know, obviously that's fair in the sense of, 723 00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:02.920 you know, you just were born a little too early 724 00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:04.759 and that's when he decided to do it. 725 00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:08.960 But yeah, no, it's a good perspective, all right. 726 00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:13.880 The twenty nineteen Utah football team, in my estimation, is 727 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:17.039 as talented, was as talented, is as talented as any 728 00:34:17.079 --> 00:34:20.159 team that we've ever had in the state. I believe that, 729 00:34:20.199 --> 00:34:22.079 and I think that includes two thousand and four. In 730 00:34:22.119 --> 00:34:26.000 two thousand and eight, the undefeated teams and you played 731 00:34:26.000 --> 00:34:29.440 with Brandt Keithy and Bran Keithy. Of course, prior to 732 00:34:29.519 --> 00:34:32.320 Dalton King, Kid was thought to be the better NFL 733 00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:35.960 tight end prospect because back before brand had his injury issues, 734 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:39.519 he was really dynamic. Uh, he's going through the process 735 00:34:39.639 --> 00:34:42.199 and I don't know that he'll be drafted and hopefully 736 00:34:42.239 --> 00:34:44.159 he can just get healthy and somebody gives him a look. 737 00:34:44.159 --> 00:34:45.920 But what sort of NFL player do you think bran 738 00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:46.719 Keithy could make. 739 00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:51.960 You know, like you said, he's very dynamic when he 740 00:34:52.079 --> 00:34:55.760 was healthy. I think that's the main thing, is getting 741 00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:59.119 into the NFL for one and being able to stay healthy. 742 00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:00.800 He's guy who can do it a lot of different things. 743 00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:04.679 And you know, in NFL is about you know, sticking around. 744 00:35:04.920 --> 00:35:07.039 You know, it's really hard to stick around that league. 745 00:35:07.880 --> 00:35:09.920 So you know, him being the athlete that he is 746 00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:14.000 at especially at that position, I think, you know, you 747 00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:16.679 don't always just have to catch passes. It's the more 748 00:35:16.719 --> 00:35:19.679 you can do in NFL. It's what allows you to 749 00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:22.719 have a really good career and have the longevities you 750 00:35:22.840 --> 00:35:25.519 might want. So, you know, I think going in with 751 00:35:25.559 --> 00:35:29.199 an open mind, maybe it's not fifty catches you know, 752 00:35:29.280 --> 00:35:31.400 a year or anymore or something like that. Maybe it's 753 00:35:31.800 --> 00:35:34.679 special teams and different things of that nature, especially when 754 00:35:34.679 --> 00:35:37.119 you've been able to be a player who's had the 755 00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:39.679 type of career he's had in a sense of production 756 00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:43.880 in college. So I think that's the biggest thing for him. 757 00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:47.840 It's just you know, hey, it's you know, not drafted 758 00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:50.840 or or drafted. You know, it doesn't matter when you 759 00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:53.840 get in. It's just getting in and staying. And that's 760 00:35:53.840 --> 00:35:55.400 the biggest thing because it's a lot of guys that 761 00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:58.920 go early rounds that don't play for a long time, 762 00:35:58.960 --> 00:36:03.119 and there's guys that do played for a long time 763 00:36:03.159 --> 00:36:06.079 that didn't go draft, that went undrafted. So I think 764 00:36:06.280 --> 00:36:08.679 once you get past that, and then just being healthy 765 00:36:08.719 --> 00:36:12.480 and you know, being available, and then you know, having 766 00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:16.360 that flexibility which he has athletic wise for sure, and 767 00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:19.239 then just going out there and taking advantage of each 768 00:36:19.239 --> 00:36:19.760 and every day. 769 00:36:20.679 --> 00:36:24.760 Before I said, you lose Bengals are at seventeen and 770 00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:27.760 throughout the course of the draft, what are you hoping 771 00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:30.639 that your current team adds, So you guys can take 772 00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:31.280 another step. 773 00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:35.599 Man, I think you know you need that to those 774 00:36:35.639 --> 00:36:38.559 guys for sure. I always do ever really think about it. 775 00:36:40.079 --> 00:36:42.480 But you know they know best in the sense of 776 00:36:42.519 --> 00:36:44.559 what the team needs in that moment in time right 777 00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:47.400 for us to go out and compete at a high level. 778 00:36:47.519 --> 00:36:50.679 So you know, whatever whoever they choose, man, we're going 779 00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:53.679 to open our doors and you know, invite them in 780 00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:56.639 and make sure he's comfortable and you know, ready to 781 00:36:56.679 --> 00:36:58.679 work and get this thing back on track and put 782 00:36:58.800 --> 00:37:01.760 Bangals back on top where we were just a few 783 00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:02.239 years ago. 784 00:37:02.920 --> 00:37:07.360 All right, man, besides working out, besides rehabbing and getting healthy. 785 00:37:07.559 --> 00:37:10.320 What's the Zach Moss offseason? You're gonna get some trips in. 786 00:37:10.400 --> 00:37:12.320 You swing a golf club. What do you like to 787 00:37:12.360 --> 00:37:13.599 do in your downtown. 788 00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:17.519 Well, I got another little kid on the way girl. Yeah, 789 00:37:17.559 --> 00:37:21.800 So I'm chilling, man, getting ready for that, and you know, 790 00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:26.239 get excited for that. And that's the main thing right now. 791 00:37:26.280 --> 00:37:27.159 That's what I'm up to. 792 00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:28.559 All right man. 793 00:37:28.559 --> 00:37:31.199 Well that's the good stuff. Congratulations on that. You know 794 00:37:31.239 --> 00:37:33.519 that you always have a home here, so stay healthy 795 00:37:33.559 --> 00:37:34.000 and be well. 796 00:37:34.039 --> 00:37:37.039 Okay, absolutely, my man, appreciate you having me on all. 797 00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:39.360 Right, Zach Moss truly one of the best football players 798 00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:41.480 we've ever ever had in State. I talked about that 799 00:37:41.519 --> 00:37:45.760 twenty nineteen team all the time. Unfortunately it didn't end 800 00:37:45.920 --> 00:37:47.599 the way that we all thought it could. But when 801 00:37:47.639 --> 00:37:50.840 you look at that roster top to bottom, and I 802 00:37:50.840 --> 00:37:52.559 think Zach was the best player on the team. I 803 00:37:52.559 --> 00:37:54.559 know he's running back and a bunch of other good 804 00:37:54.599 --> 00:37:57.480 players on both sides of the ball. Pack twelve Offensive 805 00:37:57.480 --> 00:37:59.960 Player of the Year that year, First Team All Packed, twelve, 806 00:38:00.559 --> 00:38:03.559 third round draft pick from Buffalo entering in his sixth 807 00:38:03.679 --> 00:38:07.480 season in the NFL. That's wild to think about that, 808 00:38:07.480 --> 00:38:10.800 our guy Zach has been doing this five years and 809 00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:12.719 he's entering his sixth year. It seems like he was 810 00:38:12.760 --> 00:38:13.760 just here like yesterday. 811 00:38:13.920 --> 00:38:16.400 It is crazy. Time certainly flies. As he mentioned, he 812 00:38:16.599 --> 00:38:23.400 was part of the COVID year draft class. Everything since then, 813 00:38:23.559 --> 00:38:28.440 timing wise, feels a little blurry, so maybe that's part 814 00:38:28.440 --> 00:38:31.800 of it. But yeah, man, one of the best players 815 00:38:31.800 --> 00:38:35.800 in the program's history. You mentioned it, the state's history 816 00:38:36.239 --> 00:38:39.440 as far as what they did at at the college level, 817 00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:43.000 and to go in and now keep doing it at 818 00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:47.400 the NFL level. Proud of Zach can love seeing it 819 00:38:47.400 --> 00:38:50.320 as it continues to grow. Got to get healthy, Yes, 820 00:38:50.440 --> 00:38:52.880 you're sure in Cincinnati, that's that's the story this year. 821 00:38:52.960 --> 00:38:54.280 Yeah, Zach had a neck injury. 822 00:38:54.280 --> 00:38:57.159 It limited him to I think eight games, yeah, eight 823 00:38:57.199 --> 00:38:59.519 games last year. But he's in that running back room. 824 00:39:00.239 --> 00:39:03.360 Chase Brown, they brought in Sumiji Perin right. I think 825 00:39:03.360 --> 00:39:05.840 it's those three at the moment. Yeah, in the running 826 00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:08.119 back room. So only wishing good things for our guys. 827 00:39:08.159 --> 00:39:10.679 Zach appreciate his time today. We'll get back to some 828 00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:13.440 draft stuff. He'll forget after we say good night. Right 829 00:39:13.480 --> 00:39:16.679 about six o'clock, we'll launch into our NFL Draft coverage. 830 00:39:16.679 --> 00:39:19.199 We are your home for the NFL Draft here in 831 00:39:19.199 --> 00:39:21.199 this market, so no reason for you to go anywhere. 832 00:39:21.639 --> 00:39:23.960 Zach stops Spot today courtesy of our friends at IFA 833 00:39:24.039 --> 00:39:26.639 Country Stores. Any drive to the basket begins with the 834 00:39:26.679 --> 00:39:29.320 first step on the court. That's the ultimate power move 835 00:39:29.360 --> 00:39:33.039 IFA Step one crabgrass Preventer and their lawn food that's 836 00:39:33.079 --> 00:39:35.039 the first choice to give your yard the healthy green 837 00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:35.760 look you admire. 838 00:39:35.840 --> 00:39:37.519 The neighbors will be green with envy. 839 00:39:37.880 --> 00:39:40.519 Shop IFA online at IFA dot co op er stop 840 00:39:40.519 --> 00:39:43.199 by one of their neighborhood stores today. You know, if 841 00:39:43.239 --> 00:39:45.400 I can't even convince my father to roll in a 842 00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:48.480 studio on time, then I might need to find another 843 00:39:48.559 --> 00:39:51.760 line of work. So that's where we're at. We're in 844 00:39:51.800 --> 00:39:54.480 a bit of a holding pattern. Usually these are for 845 00:39:54.599 --> 00:39:56.639 guests that you know, you book and you're not sure 846 00:39:56.639 --> 00:39:58.920 what the deal is. So we're gonna bring in my 847 00:39:59.000 --> 00:40:01.400 dad coming up in a little bit, Dave check. It's 848 00:40:01.719 --> 00:40:06.440 a a new project for him, a new partnership with 849 00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:08.519 the Eccles family that we're going to talk about. Really 850 00:40:08.559 --> 00:40:10.800 exciting things, happy for him. They've been working on this 851 00:40:10.840 --> 00:40:13.440 for quite some time. We do have Andy Larson from 852 00:40:13.440 --> 00:40:16.760 the Solid Tribune coming up a little bit. Mike am 853 00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:19.679 from the NFL Network will stop by. Pablo MASTERONENI the 854 00:40:19.719 --> 00:40:23.039 head coach of RSL. So we just had Zach Moss 855 00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:26.000 on and Porter. We've talked about this before, but every 856 00:40:26.000 --> 00:40:28.960 time I pull up the roster for the Utah football 857 00:40:28.960 --> 00:40:33.320 team from twenty nineteen, you just shake your head and 858 00:40:33.559 --> 00:40:36.400 you know, again, it didn't end the way that we 859 00:40:36.440 --> 00:40:38.000 all thought it could. It's kind of wild that I 860 00:40:38.000 --> 00:40:41.440 can ask Zach Moss about Brand Keithy that they played together, 861 00:40:41.880 --> 00:40:44.039 right of course Brand had the medical year. 862 00:40:44.159 --> 00:40:46.320 The COVID year allowed some more eligibility. 863 00:40:46.719 --> 00:40:48.719 But I mean, we could just we could talk about 864 00:40:48.760 --> 00:40:51.480 so many of these players, of course, Zach and Julian Blackman, 865 00:40:51.559 --> 00:40:56.440 Tyler Huntley, the aforementioned Brand, Keithy Bradley, and I I'm 866 00:40:56.440 --> 00:40:59.679 sure I'm forgetting a bunch that every time we have 867 00:40:59.800 --> 00:41:02.119 this topic, whether it's Zach hopping on the show, we 868 00:41:02.159 --> 00:41:04.280 talk about some of the best football teams we've ever 869 00:41:04.280 --> 00:41:07.880 had in the state. I know that they didn't finish undefeated, 870 00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:10.119 let go four or eight, and I know they never 871 00:41:10.159 --> 00:41:13.320 won a conference championship because of the injuries at the end. 872 00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:16.760 But man for man, on paper, it's hard to find 873 00:41:16.800 --> 00:41:19.760 a roster for either Utah or BYU that matches up 874 00:41:19.760 --> 00:41:20.440 with twenty nineteen. 875 00:41:20.519 --> 00:41:23.159 Yeah, I mean, you look on the defensive side of 876 00:41:23.159 --> 00:41:27.960 the ball spent specifically Devin Lloyd, Francis Bernard, Terrell Burgess, 877 00:41:28.280 --> 00:41:32.639 Julian Blackman, Javelin Gidry, Mika Defu, Bradley, and I John Pennasini, 878 00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:39.280 Jalen Johnson, Lecky FO two. Josh Nurse was on that team. 879 00:41:39.360 --> 00:41:43.440 Huatiputu Tao. There were twelve or thirteen guys that ended 880 00:41:43.519 --> 00:41:46.400 up not on an NFL roster but getting mini camp 881 00:41:46.440 --> 00:41:49.480 invites or at least spending some time on an NFL roster. 882 00:41:49.719 --> 00:41:54.400 Oh and also Tyler Huntley, Zach Moss, Britton Covey, Matt Gay, 883 00:41:55.119 --> 00:41:56.079 bran Keathy. 884 00:41:55.760 --> 00:41:57.079 As you mentioned, McKay Bernard. 885 00:41:58.000 --> 00:42:00.559 It's a twenty nineteen team that, by the end of 886 00:42:00.599 --> 00:42:04.440 their careers could have eighteen guys that spent time in 887 00:42:04.480 --> 00:42:05.039 the NFL. 888 00:42:05.679 --> 00:42:06.440 Pretty remarkable. 889 00:42:06.480 --> 00:42:09.800 It's wild so that lost to Oregon Pac twelve Championship game, 890 00:42:09.840 --> 00:42:13.159 then of course Texas Alamo the Alamo Bowl. But I 891 00:42:13.159 --> 00:42:16.159 appreciate Zach Moss hopping on today our NFL draft coverage. 892 00:42:16.159 --> 00:42:17.360 We'll be in at six o'clock. 893 00:42:17.400 --> 00:42:20.320 We are your home with the NFL in this market, 894 00:42:20.400 --> 00:42:21.480 so stay tuned for that. 895 00:42:22.119 --> 00:42:25.239 All right, we did it, You did, miss Neil Young, 896 00:42:25.800 --> 00:42:26.320 old man? 897 00:42:26.400 --> 00:42:29.280 Oh no, no, really, you know what, Porter's Let's fire 898 00:42:29.360 --> 00:42:31.159 that back up because I know that would put him 899 00:42:31.559 --> 00:42:34.599 in the right frame of mind. I was debating which 900 00:42:34.599 --> 00:42:37.360 songs to play for you today, and I landed on 901 00:42:37.639 --> 00:42:39.519 Neil Young, which I figured you'd appreciate. 902 00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:41.960 Hi Dad, what is hi? 903 00:42:42.119 --> 00:42:42.360 Son? 904 00:42:42.480 --> 00:42:46.000 But what is the right frame of mind to go on? 905 00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:48.320 Your son's radio show. 906 00:42:48.360 --> 00:42:48.679 Exactly. 907 00:42:48.719 --> 00:42:50.920 It's an excellent question. You should do this for a living. 908 00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:52.599 That's a good question. I mean, just put you in 909 00:42:52.599 --> 00:42:54.760 a good mood because you are a Neil Young fan. 910 00:42:55.119 --> 00:42:58.320 I am. I love that song too, great song. How 911 00:42:58.400 --> 00:43:00.000 you doing, I'm doing great. 912 00:43:00.280 --> 00:43:05.119 I just came last night from three days in Nashville 913 00:43:05.199 --> 00:43:08.639 at the World Congress of Sport, and it was just 914 00:43:09.519 --> 00:43:12.480 amazing to see so many people haven't seen in a 915 00:43:12.519 --> 00:43:18.960 long time, owners and presidents and and people that have 916 00:43:19.199 --> 00:43:24.039 the commissioners that have been around sport and uh and 917 00:43:24.039 --> 00:43:25.039 and I I was. 918 00:43:26.119 --> 00:43:26.440 I was. 919 00:43:27.039 --> 00:43:30.360 I was privileged enough to be to be given an 920 00:43:30.400 --> 00:43:34.599 honor there. I was honored as a I think they 921 00:43:34.679 --> 00:43:39.280 call it these sports champions, pioneers and innovators. 922 00:43:39.320 --> 00:43:40.960 Pioneers and innovators. 923 00:43:41.000 --> 00:43:43.360 And you were rightly honored for that, Okay, it was. 924 00:43:43.639 --> 00:43:46.079 It was a it was a just reward that you've 925 00:43:46.119 --> 00:43:47.639 earn't It was a great, great honor. 926 00:43:47.760 --> 00:43:50.119 Well, thank you for that. I it was. It was 927 00:43:50.280 --> 00:43:51.239 very nicely done. 928 00:43:51.360 --> 00:43:51.760 I have a. 929 00:43:52.519 --> 00:43:58.199 Beautiful statue at to go in my to go in 930 00:43:58.280 --> 00:44:03.440 my study. And then, as you you know, your youngest 931 00:44:03.480 --> 00:44:08.519 sibling was also given a chance there by her agents 932 00:44:08.760 --> 00:44:13.320 CIA was doing, was sponsoring the whole thing, so they 933 00:44:13.440 --> 00:44:17.679 arranged for her to speak after Adam Silver spoke. I mean, 934 00:44:18.280 --> 00:44:23.119 here's Lily check its Shimbashi going up on the stage 935 00:44:23.159 --> 00:44:26.760 to talk about her business and about especially about engaging 936 00:44:26.800 --> 00:44:30.599 women as fans of your team and what a positive 937 00:44:30.639 --> 00:44:34.639 thing that is. And then they asked me to introduce her. 938 00:44:34.760 --> 00:44:38.119 So the whole thing was fun. It was really fun. 939 00:44:38.159 --> 00:44:41.639 Tremendously impressed with Lil's former friend of the program. When 940 00:44:41.639 --> 00:44:43.920 she first started sports at sports Ish, we had her 941 00:44:43.920 --> 00:44:45.679 on almost on a weekly basis. 942 00:44:45.360 --> 00:44:46.800 Right, So does she even want to anymore? 943 00:44:46.840 --> 00:44:47.440 Now she's too. 944 00:44:47.400 --> 00:44:49.400 Big for us, she doesn't even return our calls, but 945 00:44:50.199 --> 00:44:52.000 really really proud of her and what she's built. And 946 00:44:52.039 --> 00:44:55.440 you know what's funny, I've had multiple people over the 947 00:44:55.480 --> 00:44:59.679 past few months somehow find out that we're related Lily 948 00:44:59.679 --> 00:45:02.920 and I because her last their maiden, her married name 949 00:45:02.960 --> 00:45:05.000 is Shimbashi, and you know, so if you just see 950 00:45:05.039 --> 00:45:09.320 Lily Shimbashi, and I've had direct messages from women that 951 00:45:09.320 --> 00:45:12.000 I went to school with like, wait, Lily is your sister. 952 00:45:12.199 --> 00:45:14.199 We love we love what she's doing. 953 00:45:14.760 --> 00:45:16.920 So people haven't even really made the connection, and it's 954 00:45:17.000 --> 00:45:18.559 it's got to make you a proud dad to see 955 00:45:18.559 --> 00:45:21.039 what she's built because she's worked real hard at it. 956 00:45:21.039 --> 00:45:24.159 It does, and I'm not sure it's for better for worse. 957 00:45:24.280 --> 00:45:32.920 But her agents represented and Wreck and they basically were 958 00:45:33.039 --> 00:45:35.480 sold on the fact that she had to start going 959 00:45:35.480 --> 00:45:39.760 by Lily check its shimbashi. And I said to her husband, 960 00:45:39.840 --> 00:45:41.639 I said, look, this was not me. I did not 961 00:45:42.400 --> 00:45:44.639 I did not say this needed to be a hyphenated 962 00:45:44.719 --> 00:45:48.960 name or anything else. But I have noticed that that's 963 00:45:48.960 --> 00:45:51.639 what Sports Business Journal calls her now and. 964 00:45:53.119 --> 00:45:54.519 And to the extent if. 965 00:45:54.360 --> 00:45:56.840 It helps her at all in this industry of ours, 966 00:45:57.480 --> 00:45:58.119 I'm all for it. 967 00:45:58.199 --> 00:46:00.599 Yeah, no, for sure, and I'm so proud of her, 968 00:46:00.679 --> 00:46:03.880 you know, watching those videos of her on stage just 969 00:46:03.960 --> 00:46:05.719 owned it. You know, she stepped up and did a 970 00:46:05.719 --> 00:46:09.480 really good job. So exciting news broke last week. And 971 00:46:09.519 --> 00:46:11.639 you've been working on this for a while now with 972 00:46:12.400 --> 00:46:15.880 the Eccles family, who of course sports business royalty in 973 00:46:15.920 --> 00:46:19.280 our state, and often say Spence Ecles does not receive 974 00:46:19.320 --> 00:46:22.000 the credit he deserves for a myriad of things. I mean, 975 00:46:22.039 --> 00:46:23.760 his name is on building, his name is on a 976 00:46:23.760 --> 00:46:26.679 bunch of buildings at the U. But take us through 977 00:46:26.920 --> 00:46:29.960 this process, your new partnership with the Eccles family, and 978 00:46:30.000 --> 00:46:32.519 what should the community know about what's coming up next. 979 00:46:32.760 --> 00:46:39.280 Okay, So it was twenty twenty one when your mom 980 00:46:39.320 --> 00:46:43.719 and I returned from England after three years serving as 981 00:46:43.719 --> 00:46:47.119 mission leaders there, and it was just one of the 982 00:46:47.119 --> 00:46:52.239 great experiences of my life. Seven hundred volunteers, fifty four countries, 983 00:46:52.840 --> 00:46:53.639 COVID language. 984 00:46:53.719 --> 00:46:55.280 You were COVID mission presidents. 985 00:46:55.360 --> 00:46:58.440 Yes, so we had twenty months without COVID and sixteen 986 00:46:58.480 --> 00:47:03.239 months with. But I came home exhausted because there wasn't 987 00:47:03.280 --> 00:47:08.360 a single week that it wasn't like working ninety hour weeks. 988 00:47:08.440 --> 00:47:12.360 Just that's what's necessary to do that job. And so 989 00:47:12.400 --> 00:47:16.280 I'm glad that they're calling younger and younger guys and 990 00:47:16.400 --> 00:47:19.239 women to do that. But anyway, when I came home, 991 00:47:19.519 --> 00:47:21.360 I knew a couple of things. One, I wanted to 992 00:47:21.400 --> 00:47:25.039 work with my sons. Two, I wanted to work with 993 00:47:25.039 --> 00:47:29.079 my daughters. I wanted to I didn't want to jump 994 00:47:29.119 --> 00:47:32.480 into the industry right away. It's now been three and 995 00:47:32.480 --> 00:47:35.400 a half years since we've been home, and earlier this 996 00:47:35.559 --> 00:47:38.920 year I started to think that I'd like the last 997 00:47:39.039 --> 00:47:43.440 chapter of my career the last ten years, because I 998 00:47:43.480 --> 00:47:46.599 think I'll work another ten years, but I'd like the 999 00:47:46.679 --> 00:47:50.760 last ten years to be in a situation where I 1000 00:47:50.800 --> 00:47:55.280 have a significant sports fund and ken invested in the 1001 00:47:55.320 --> 00:48:01.239 many opportunities that I just uncover literally weekly that are good, 1002 00:48:01.400 --> 00:48:05.920 good places to invest our industry. Even during COVID when 1003 00:48:05.960 --> 00:48:10.480 the rest of the world was in financial crisis, sports 1004 00:48:10.519 --> 00:48:15.000 sports continued to grow seven percent a year during COVID. 1005 00:48:15.079 --> 00:48:18.719 During COVID when the you know, the financial crisis of 1006 00:48:18.840 --> 00:48:22.719 COVID and everything that stopped, but sports continued to grow. 1007 00:48:24.199 --> 00:48:26.519 And so this is an industry I've been in for 1008 00:48:26.559 --> 00:48:30.840 a long time. And so it became about identifying who 1009 00:48:31.199 --> 00:48:34.559 would I like to do this with, because I felt 1010 00:48:34.599 --> 00:48:38.320 like the firm that I founded in New York has 1011 00:48:38.360 --> 00:48:41.599 a lot of really good people, but it's lacking the 1012 00:48:42.280 --> 00:48:46.320 kind of investment expertise that it would take to both 1013 00:48:46.480 --> 00:48:48.960 raise a large fund and to invest a large fund. 1014 00:48:49.760 --> 00:48:53.159 And I was out here actually in Deer Valley, and 1015 00:48:54.079 --> 00:48:56.679 it was a it was a conference put on by 1016 00:48:56.679 --> 00:49:02.119 a private equity fund, and you came up and interviewed me. 1017 00:49:03.880 --> 00:49:06.800 When we talked about sports and collegiate sports and where 1018 00:49:06.840 --> 00:49:07.920 to invest in sports. 1019 00:49:08.039 --> 00:49:09.719 Got Rick new heisl on the panels right. 1020 00:49:10.480 --> 00:49:11.039 That was fun. 1021 00:49:11.079 --> 00:49:14.079 And then the next night Mitt Romney came up and spoke, 1022 00:49:14.559 --> 00:49:17.280 and I've you know, I've known Mit since my days 1023 00:49:17.519 --> 00:49:21.800 in Boston and Bane a million years ago, but I've 1024 00:49:21.840 --> 00:49:24.599 never seen him so relaxed as he was that night 1025 00:49:24.880 --> 00:49:29.880 he came up and spoke. He you know, he has 1026 00:49:29.920 --> 00:49:32.119 a lot of concerns about our country, but we'll leave 1027 00:49:32.119 --> 00:49:35.159 that alone. Could We could go for hours on that, 1028 00:49:35.320 --> 00:49:38.840 because I'm right with him on his views. But anyway, 1029 00:49:39.880 --> 00:49:42.880 at the end of it, a lot of people ask 1030 00:49:43.000 --> 00:49:48.320 him questions, and one question was where will you invest now? 1031 00:49:48.360 --> 00:49:50.519 What are you going to do? He said he was 1032 00:49:50.559 --> 00:49:54.079 moving to Florida. He wanted Anne to ride horses. I'm 1033 00:49:54.119 --> 00:49:55.920 not going to share anything that I don't think he 1034 00:49:55.960 --> 00:49:59.039 would want shared. But he when he talked about how 1035 00:49:59.079 --> 00:50:02.079 he was going to invent, he said, I'm no longer 1036 00:50:02.159 --> 00:50:06.719 looking at internal rates of return. I'm not looking for 1037 00:50:06.840 --> 00:50:11.639 track records. I'm looking for people that I trust. I 1038 00:50:11.719 --> 00:50:15.000 want to do things with people that I trust. And 1039 00:50:15.400 --> 00:50:18.960 you have to understand when I came to Salt Lake 1040 00:50:19.400 --> 00:50:22.360 in nineteen eighty three to try to save the Utah 1041 00:50:22.480 --> 00:50:27.360 Jazz and turn it around, My one friend in town 1042 00:50:28.039 --> 00:50:32.960 consistently was the president Heir Security Bank and the chairman, 1043 00:50:33.480 --> 00:50:37.960 Spencer Eccles, who's now ninety years old. He's still skis. 1044 00:50:37.400 --> 00:50:41.519 I see him up at the Ute Games. I see 1045 00:50:41.559 --> 00:50:45.000 him at the Jazz Games, and every time I see him, 1046 00:50:45.239 --> 00:50:49.039 we go back to the old days and we talk about, Hey, Suspence, 1047 00:50:49.480 --> 00:50:53.280 if you hadn't done that eight million dollar loan when 1048 00:50:53.360 --> 00:50:57.000 no one else would help us, and we weren't making 1049 00:50:57.039 --> 00:51:00.719 payroll and we were losing a fortune. We were drawing 1050 00:51:00.760 --> 00:51:04.039 six thousand people a night, and no one told me, 1051 00:51:04.159 --> 00:51:06.599 not even David Stern, that this club was on the 1052 00:51:06.679 --> 00:51:11.199 verge of bankruptcy. But it was Spencer Eccles who understood 1053 00:51:11.239 --> 00:51:13.960 that if Salt Lake lost the Jazz, we would we 1054 00:51:14.000 --> 00:51:16.960 would go a long time before we ever got another 1055 00:51:17.079 --> 00:51:21.639 NBA team. And I think he pushed his board into 1056 00:51:21.639 --> 00:51:24.480 making a loan that no one else would because Larry 1057 00:51:24.519 --> 00:51:29.400 Miller was the borrower. Larry Miller owned exactly two dealerships. 1058 00:51:30.079 --> 00:51:32.960 Larry Miller didn't have the net worth to borrow that money. 1059 00:51:33.000 --> 00:51:38.199 But but, but Spencer was so impressed with the things 1060 00:51:38.199 --> 00:51:40.639 we were starting to do with the team and with 1061 00:51:40.840 --> 00:51:44.039 Larry's earnest desire to keep it here. He found a 1062 00:51:44.119 --> 00:51:48.000 kindred soul. He made the loan, we paid off the debt. 1063 00:51:48.119 --> 00:51:50.800 We put two million dollars into the bank. I remember 1064 00:51:50.840 --> 00:51:54.360 that day thinking, oh my gosh, the heavens have opened up. 1065 00:51:54.440 --> 00:51:57.159 And today that's pennies. But back then he needed it. 1066 00:51:57.280 --> 00:52:02.599 Yeah, yeah, And that's on the heels of in eighty 1067 00:52:02.639 --> 00:52:07.280 four drafting Stockton and eighty five drafting Malone. Everybody thought 1068 00:52:07.320 --> 00:52:10.639 we had a future suddenly, and all we needed was 1069 00:52:10.679 --> 00:52:13.920 the right capital. And it was Spencer Eccles that made 1070 00:52:13.920 --> 00:52:17.480 it all happen. So with that in mind, and thinking 1071 00:52:17.480 --> 00:52:19.320 about what Mit said that it was going to be 1072 00:52:19.360 --> 00:52:23.480 totally about who your partners are, I went to Spence 1073 00:52:24.360 --> 00:52:28.639 Spencer P. Eckles, his son, who I'm really good friends with. 1074 00:52:29.400 --> 00:52:34.360 I met Randall Corels, who is the chairman and former 1075 00:52:34.880 --> 00:52:40.880 vice chair of the Federal Reserve, enormously qualified Davis Polk, 1076 00:52:42.400 --> 00:52:45.840 one of the America's premier law firms, thirty year lawyer. 1077 00:52:46.840 --> 00:52:50.960 These two gentlemen sat down with me, listened to my 1078 00:52:51.119 --> 00:52:55.840 dream about finishing by investing a billion dollars or more 1079 00:52:55.960 --> 00:53:00.360 in sports, and the conversations went really very quick, quickly 1080 00:53:01.519 --> 00:53:05.800 and already we have places we can invest. There's a 1081 00:53:05.880 --> 00:53:08.159 lot of work to do to finish up all of 1082 00:53:08.159 --> 00:53:12.320 the administrative side of a fund. But the one thing 1083 00:53:12.960 --> 00:53:15.480 when I go to sleep at night now is I 1084 00:53:15.559 --> 00:53:19.559 know I've got the best partners I could ever ask for. Yeah, 1085 00:53:19.679 --> 00:53:23.239 these they run a great firm. They're very successful in 1086 00:53:23.280 --> 00:53:25.880 their own right. They didn't need to do this, but 1087 00:53:25.960 --> 00:53:28.800 they're excited about it because you know what the Ecchos 1088 00:53:28.840 --> 00:53:34.599 family has meant to the University of Utah, to Southern Utah, STA, 1089 00:53:35.280 --> 00:53:38.400 they're all over the place. That's why I said my 1090 00:53:38.559 --> 00:53:41.440 quote and the press release is you know they brought 1091 00:53:41.480 --> 00:53:44.559 the way. They were instrumental and getting the Winter Olympics 1092 00:53:44.559 --> 00:53:48.800 here and financing so much of that. They were key 1093 00:53:48.880 --> 00:53:52.639 in keeping the jazz here, and they've built great collegiate 1094 00:53:52.679 --> 00:53:59.239 programs across the state. So now to pursue this fund 1095 00:53:59.280 --> 00:54:03.280 with them, I couldn't be happier. I couldn't be more 1096 00:54:03.320 --> 00:54:06.599 optimistic about the things we're going to do. And I'm 1097 00:54:06.599 --> 00:54:10.119 all And since the press release, my phone has just 1098 00:54:10.239 --> 00:54:13.960 blown up from people all over the world that I've 1099 00:54:14.000 --> 00:54:17.280 done business with in the past, in Japan and in 1100 00:54:17.880 --> 00:54:22.199 certainly in London, in Germany and France, and I'm going 1101 00:54:22.280 --> 00:54:25.800 to be over there next week and start the process 1102 00:54:25.920 --> 00:54:30.480 of creating a real flow of deals coming to us. 1103 00:54:30.559 --> 00:54:32.880 So certainly, and I had a chance to see Spence 1104 00:54:32.960 --> 00:54:35.079 up at the Utah spring football game. He sat with 1105 00:54:35.159 --> 00:54:37.760 Ron McBride and shook his hand. He's still skis as 1106 00:54:37.760 --> 00:54:41.039 your reference, just turned nine years old. And certainly with 1107 00:54:41.480 --> 00:54:44.559 a fund as large as this and the goals you 1108 00:54:44.639 --> 00:54:47.639 have that are as big as they are, only time 1109 00:54:47.679 --> 00:54:50.360 will tell what the execution looks like and what you 1110 00:54:50.440 --> 00:54:54.280 invest in. And if it's teams here in state, if 1111 00:54:54.320 --> 00:54:57.679 it's teams across the landscape of the country, or maybe 1112 00:54:57.679 --> 00:55:02.559 you do some international deals a those things will manifest 1113 00:55:02.559 --> 00:55:04.519 themselves when they do. It's not going to happen tomorrow, 1114 00:55:05.000 --> 00:55:07.960 but I'm sure people are curious if you have any 1115 00:55:08.159 --> 00:55:11.039 tangible plans with one point two billion, which is the 1116 00:55:11.079 --> 00:55:11.880 goal we do. 1117 00:55:13.239 --> 00:55:17.559 So we love teams, but we will probably not be 1118 00:55:17.679 --> 00:55:23.239 buying any majority piece of a teams where we determine 1119 00:55:24.039 --> 00:55:26.960 how to run things. But I do think we'll get 1120 00:55:26.960 --> 00:55:31.400 involved because that's what I've done. Sure, so we'll get 1121 00:55:31.440 --> 00:55:35.760 involved with teams where they're in good markets, they have 1122 00:55:35.840 --> 00:55:40.960 excellent operators and they work hard. This is the this 1123 00:55:41.039 --> 00:55:43.559 is the eCos value that is going to run through 1124 00:55:43.760 --> 00:55:47.599 our organization. How are they doing in the community, and 1125 00:55:47.760 --> 00:55:50.519 are they caring about the community, and are they making 1126 00:55:50.559 --> 00:55:53.800 a difference in the community. So that will be on 1127 00:55:53.840 --> 00:55:57.840 the team side. We'll look for media assets during this 1128 00:55:58.039 --> 00:56:04.599 transition from cord cutting and cable and satellite into streaming 1129 00:56:04.800 --> 00:56:08.719 and what happens and direct to the consumer, which ESPN 1130 00:56:08.840 --> 00:56:12.440 is now doing. As all of this happens, there's going 1131 00:56:12.480 --> 00:56:16.840 to be a tremendous capitalization of media assets. We want 1132 00:56:16.840 --> 00:56:19.119 to be in the middle of that. I've spent my 1133 00:56:19.239 --> 00:56:24.679 life running MSG network, buying companies like Gravity Media, so 1134 00:56:26.239 --> 00:56:30.039 I'm very, very keen to do some things in sports media. 1135 00:56:30.760 --> 00:56:33.960 There are startup leagues that I think are interesting. The 1136 00:56:34.000 --> 00:56:39.599 three on three unrivaled thing I think is very interesting. 1137 00:56:39.639 --> 00:56:41.039 There's startup volleyball. 1138 00:56:41.119 --> 00:56:45.760 There's so many places to invest, and I don't think 1139 00:56:45.800 --> 00:56:49.960 we'll have one hundred by any stretch investments. It's more 1140 00:56:50.159 --> 00:56:55.960 likely that will take significant positions in sports assets that 1141 00:56:56.079 --> 00:56:59.920 have value and will continue to accrue value. 1142 00:57:00.159 --> 00:57:01.679 We can make a difference. 1143 00:57:01.440 --> 00:57:02.960 So over the course of your career. 1144 00:57:03.039 --> 00:57:05.639 One of the things that I've always found interesting is 1145 00:57:06.000 --> 00:57:09.239 excuse me. When you were here, you work with Larry Right, 1146 00:57:09.239 --> 00:57:12.199 and then you go to New York and after a 1147 00:57:12.239 --> 00:57:14.400 stint with David starting in the League office, you land 1148 00:57:14.480 --> 00:57:17.360 with the Knicks in Madison Square Garden where you work 1149 00:57:17.400 --> 00:57:20.480 with a lot of different owners or four different owners. 1150 00:57:20.519 --> 00:57:23.639 And the first three I think you really enjoyed working for, 1151 00:57:23.800 --> 00:57:26.719 and the last one was probably a little a little 1152 00:57:26.719 --> 00:57:29.760 sticky from time to time. And Jim Dolan still owns 1153 00:57:29.800 --> 00:57:33.199 the New York Knicks and also the New York Rangers 1154 00:57:33.199 --> 00:57:35.440 and Moonlights playing the kazoo for his band. 1155 00:57:35.519 --> 00:57:36.199 That's a true thing. 1156 00:57:36.880 --> 00:57:39.920 You also spent some time working with Jerry Jones, So 1157 00:57:40.079 --> 00:57:44.199 you've had a bunch of interesting relationships and synergies with 1158 00:57:44.320 --> 00:57:47.000 a lot of different owners with a lot of different styles. 1159 00:57:47.039 --> 00:57:50.119 My question to you is what makes a great owner? 1160 00:57:51.920 --> 00:57:57.639 Well, that's a great So that's a wonderful question. I 1161 00:57:57.679 --> 00:58:02.599 think the great owner are people who create a culture 1162 00:58:03.480 --> 00:58:07.679 not of winning, but of championships, and that means they 1163 00:58:07.760 --> 00:58:11.840 create a culture of high levels of trust and high 1164 00:58:11.920 --> 00:58:16.199 levels of expectations. If you if you watched the Whole 1165 00:58:16.320 --> 00:58:18.320 family and the way that they have owned the San 1166 00:58:18.320 --> 00:58:23.280 Antonio Spurs. They've got the same general manager. And sadly, 1167 00:58:23.639 --> 00:58:26.800 you know, Greg Popovich looks like he may not be 1168 00:58:26.840 --> 00:58:30.480 able to push on much longer. He's not in good health. 1169 00:58:30.559 --> 00:58:33.639 And I just feel so bad. But but look at 1170 00:58:33.679 --> 00:58:39.840 the years they've had for championships, the teams, and and 1171 00:58:39.960 --> 00:58:42.199 they have done it right. And it's by the way, 1172 00:58:42.840 --> 00:58:45.760 both Larry and I knew this when we came in. 1173 00:58:46.440 --> 00:58:49.400 When when when I brought Larry in, we started to 1174 00:58:49.440 --> 00:58:52.239 talk about the teams that had really done well, and 1175 00:58:52.280 --> 00:58:55.480 we could see that they had very little turnover in 1176 00:58:55.639 --> 00:58:59.320 coaches and general managers, very little turnover at all, very 1177 00:58:59.320 --> 00:59:04.360 little turnover in owners. That's why Larry, when frank Leyden 1178 00:59:04.400 --> 00:59:06.599 stepped aside and we put Jerry Sloan, you know, I 1179 00:59:06.639 --> 00:59:10.039 mean Jerry Sloan coached here for twenty three years, yes so, 1180 00:59:10.360 --> 00:59:13.760 and had a great, amazing history, you know, making the 1181 00:59:13.760 --> 00:59:16.400 playoffs pretty much all the time. It was just a 1182 00:59:16.440 --> 00:59:22.239 regular thing. So good owners take a back seat, They 1183 00:59:22.960 --> 00:59:27.039 step back. They hire really great people, they show them 1184 00:59:27.519 --> 00:59:31.239 a tremendous amount of respect and trust, but they also 1185 00:59:31.559 --> 00:59:35.320 want them to know that, you know, there are expectations 1186 00:59:35.320 --> 00:59:37.320 here to win, not a free ride. We're here to win, 1187 00:59:38.159 --> 00:59:40.280 and we're here to win all the time, and we're 1188 00:59:40.760 --> 00:59:44.480 you know, this is not the place to debate whether 1189 00:59:44.679 --> 00:59:48.079 losing to try to get you know, the first pick 1190 00:59:48.119 --> 00:59:51.480 in the draft is a good strategy for me. I 1191 00:59:51.519 --> 00:59:56.519 could never live that strategy. And I'm very much like 1192 00:59:57.320 --> 01:00:01.119 building the pat Riley you know, my he just keeps 1193 01:00:01.199 --> 01:00:05.920 somehow squirting in and getting in the playoffs and competing. 1194 01:00:06.519 --> 01:00:09.840 Even even after the Jimmy Butler trade here they are 1195 01:00:09.880 --> 01:00:13.000 still in the playoffs. And that's the kind of culture 1196 01:00:13.519 --> 01:00:17.880 that I respect. Mickey Harrison and I have had our differences, 1197 01:00:17.920 --> 01:00:21.239 certainly when he stole a pat from us, yep, But 1198 01:00:21.960 --> 01:00:23.800 I give him a lot of credit. Pat's been down 1199 01:00:23.800 --> 01:00:26.679 there twenty years. He's had you know, the same people 1200 01:00:26.719 --> 01:00:30.880 around and and they're very that's a very successful franchise. 1201 01:00:30.960 --> 01:00:33.360 So what's a great owner? I think an owner is 1202 01:00:33.840 --> 01:00:37.920 someone who hires really smart, really good people, shows them 1203 01:00:38.199 --> 01:00:40.840 a high level of respect and trust, does not try 1204 01:00:40.840 --> 01:00:45.280 to do the job for them or get involved, and 1205 01:00:45.039 --> 01:00:49.239 and it steps back and establishes that kind of culture 1206 01:00:49.239 --> 01:00:51.360 and rewards the people that win for him. 1207 01:00:51.480 --> 01:00:55.239 Yeah, I always I often think of the pat Riley line. 1208 01:00:55.280 --> 01:00:57.239 I think a lot of a lot of pat Riley lines. 1209 01:00:57.280 --> 01:00:59.960 But in the NBA, there are two things. There's winning 1210 01:01:00.000 --> 01:01:04.239 and there's misery, right right and so and look, unfortunately, 1211 01:01:04.360 --> 01:01:09.599 the incentive structure and pro basketball mostly rewards winners, but 1212 01:01:09.679 --> 01:01:12.119 if you're not in that small group, it also rewards 1213 01:01:12.159 --> 01:01:15.440 if you lose. And that's a complicated thing because it's 1214 01:01:15.440 --> 01:01:19.719 hard to find that cornerstone, transcendent piece when you're building 1215 01:01:19.760 --> 01:01:21.920 a team in Salt Lake City. If you don't get 1216 01:01:21.960 --> 01:01:23.639 it through the draft and so you know, if you 1217 01:01:23.639 --> 01:01:25.960 can get number one in Cooper Flag, the pain's worth it. 1218 01:01:26.000 --> 01:01:27.760 But if you can't, you're spinning your wheels for a while. 1219 01:01:27.760 --> 01:01:30.920 But we have an interesting dynamic in our market because 1220 01:01:30.920 --> 01:01:33.039 there's new ownership with the Jazz with Ryan Smith and 1221 01:01:33.199 --> 01:01:36.440 SEG Group. But there's also new ownership out in Sandy 1222 01:01:36.519 --> 01:01:39.159 at the Soccer Club now the soccer club that you founded. 1223 01:01:39.199 --> 01:01:42.199 And it's wild to think that we're twenty plus years 1224 01:01:42.280 --> 01:01:45.880 later and now this is the fourth ownership group of RSL. 1225 01:01:46.280 --> 01:01:49.599 So Jason christ is back with the club. John Kimball, 1226 01:01:49.880 --> 01:01:51.960 after spending some time with the Jazz, has been running 1227 01:01:51.960 --> 01:01:55.159 the club now for I think five years. Matty Raider's back. 1228 01:01:56.000 --> 01:01:58.079 Shout out Trey, we need to say, and Trey's back. 1229 01:01:58.119 --> 01:01:59.880 A lot of the old guard is back at RSL 1230 01:02:00.440 --> 01:02:03.639 and people that you know very well. The Millers and 1231 01:02:03.639 --> 01:02:06.920 Miller Sports Entertainment has taken over the controlling ownership stake 1232 01:02:06.960 --> 01:02:07.440 of the club. 1233 01:02:07.519 --> 01:02:08.440 The Blitzer group. 1234 01:02:08.320 --> 01:02:11.320 Maintains their portion, and Ryan and Ashley Smith and the 1235 01:02:11.400 --> 01:02:13.800 SEG Group will focus on their project downtown. 1236 01:02:14.599 --> 01:02:16.360 I know you, doctor Steve quite a bit. 1237 01:02:16.440 --> 01:02:19.119 You also are helping them bring Major League Baseball here, 1238 01:02:19.159 --> 01:02:21.880 which fingers crossed. I hope that happens. But how have 1239 01:02:21.960 --> 01:02:24.360 you digested this whole story? And what would you say 1240 01:02:24.400 --> 01:02:26.360 to RSL fans about how do you think the Millers 1241 01:02:26.360 --> 01:02:27.440 are going to handle this well? 1242 01:02:27.480 --> 01:02:31.159 Steve was nice enough to invite me out for that announcement. 1243 01:02:31.199 --> 01:02:32.960 I just couldn't make it. There was no way it 1244 01:02:32.960 --> 01:02:39.119 could be here. But look, Salt Lake owes a giant 1245 01:02:39.400 --> 01:02:43.159 debt of gratitude to David Blitzer. Yes, because he came 1246 01:02:43.239 --> 01:02:48.239 in stabilized the whole situation there, put John Kimball in 1247 01:02:48.320 --> 01:02:53.119 permanently as president, and John's you know, RSL runs deeply 1248 01:02:53.159 --> 01:02:56.480 in John's Bloody was first employee, maybe other than you 1249 01:02:56.559 --> 01:02:58.840 I don't. I think it was right around the same 1250 01:02:58.920 --> 01:03:00.920 time that both of you. I think we give it 1251 01:03:00.960 --> 01:03:03.079 to John, Okay, I think we'll get that, that's right. 1252 01:03:03.239 --> 01:03:07.960 So so John is an extraordinary guy. And now, and 1253 01:03:08.119 --> 01:03:13.320 you know, Dave Blitzer also let run within the organization 1254 01:03:13.519 --> 01:03:16.480 a lot of people who understand what it was like 1255 01:03:16.519 --> 01:03:19.679 in the early days to fight through and create a 1256 01:03:19.840 --> 01:03:23.639 championship team in two thousand and nine in a brand 1257 01:03:23.679 --> 01:03:26.679 new venue and all that it took to get there. 1258 01:03:27.199 --> 01:03:31.760 So Tony Beltran, for instance, is in the organization, Hamas 1259 01:03:31.760 --> 01:03:35.719 and Nolove, these these guys that played for us, and 1260 01:03:35.760 --> 01:03:39.239 then to bring Jason back was just a brilliant move. 1261 01:03:39.360 --> 01:03:43.760 So so I'm I'm very optimistic about what's happening there. 1262 01:03:43.920 --> 01:03:46.480 I want to be helpful to them if I can. 1263 01:03:47.199 --> 01:03:50.239 Time will tell whether that works for them. But but 1264 01:03:50.320 --> 01:03:54.719 the Miller family were tremendous stewarts for the Utah Jazz 1265 01:03:54.760 --> 01:03:57.760 for many years. I said that my speech at the 1266 01:03:57.880 --> 01:03:59.320 Utah Sports Hall of Fame. 1267 01:03:59.360 --> 01:04:01.400 I said to g she was sitting right there. 1268 01:04:01.400 --> 01:04:04.880 I said, Gail, you guys have been the best stewards 1269 01:04:04.960 --> 01:04:09.039 the Jazz could ever have. Have lent permanence, have built 1270 01:04:09.039 --> 01:04:11.719 a building and then redone it and made it beautiful. 1271 01:04:12.280 --> 01:04:15.239 Now Ryan's going to do even more with it with hockey. 1272 01:04:15.760 --> 01:04:18.960 So and not only that, but Utah has become like 1273 01:04:19.039 --> 01:04:23.199 one of the most desirable sports markets in the world 1274 01:04:23.280 --> 01:04:26.920 with the success of the college teams and the Big 1275 01:04:27.000 --> 01:04:30.599 Twelve and even the success of weaber stayed in Utah 1276 01:04:30.679 --> 01:04:33.880 State and and you know, there's a there's a level 1277 01:04:33.880 --> 01:04:38.360 of excellence here in athletics. I hope the Jazz can 1278 01:04:38.639 --> 01:04:41.639 can get the guys they need to get back back 1279 01:04:41.679 --> 01:04:43.760 at it over a long period of time. I know 1280 01:04:43.840 --> 01:04:45.559 that's what they want. And I love you know how 1281 01:04:45.599 --> 01:04:48.679 I feel about Danny Ainge and one of my dearest friends. 1282 01:04:48.760 --> 01:04:51.840 So so look, there's a lot of great things happening 1283 01:04:51.880 --> 01:04:55.679 here with this fund. Will we have an opportunity to 1284 01:04:55.800 --> 01:04:58.239 invest here? I think we may if we get a 1285 01:04:58.239 --> 01:05:03.800 baseball team, for sure, But even more than that, you 1286 01:05:03.840 --> 01:05:07.920 know what's next and where are their opportunities. And I've 1287 01:05:07.920 --> 01:05:13.239 built stadiums of you know, I've bought television properties. This 1288 01:05:13.400 --> 01:05:17.719 gives me a chance literally around the world, but in 1289 01:05:17.840 --> 01:05:22.480 Salt Lake, if it so happens to really get back 1290 01:05:22.960 --> 01:05:23.920 back in the game. 1291 01:05:23.960 --> 01:05:27.440 Yeah, I think it's tremendously exciting and like you, my 1292 01:05:27.559 --> 01:05:30.480 phone has also blown up from a lot of people 1293 01:05:30.519 --> 01:05:33.039 wondering what this looks like and very excited for the 1294 01:05:33.079 --> 01:05:36.840 possibilities of I will not call the final chapter of 1295 01:05:36.840 --> 01:05:39.920 your career. From as your oldest son, I view you 1296 01:05:39.960 --> 01:05:42.199 working for another thirty years. Okay, so I'm not going 1297 01:05:42.280 --> 01:05:44.440 to do the ten year timeline, but I know you've 1298 01:05:44.440 --> 01:05:46.079 got to go. I'm gonna ask you one more question. 1299 01:05:46.519 --> 01:05:48.639 I'm good to buy time time wise. 1300 01:05:48.400 --> 01:05:50.199 Okay, Okay, yeah, yeah. 1301 01:05:50.639 --> 01:05:53.239 B YU needs a new athletic director, Tom Homo after 1302 01:05:53.280 --> 01:05:55.599 twenty years of stepping aside, and he has done a 1303 01:05:55.639 --> 01:05:59.800 tremendous job. Yes, traversing through independence, I mean that. When 1304 01:05:59.840 --> 01:06:02.280 I found out that that was going to be their path, 1305 01:06:02.320 --> 01:06:04.079 I went, okay, let's see how this goes. 1306 01:06:04.199 --> 01:06:06.679 Utah gets the PAC twelve invite BYU. 1307 01:06:06.760 --> 01:06:09.360 I think, out of necessity, did what they had to do, 1308 01:06:09.440 --> 01:06:11.320 and they found their landing spot in the Big twelve. 1309 01:06:11.320 --> 01:06:13.119 And it feels like everything down there is in a 1310 01:06:13.199 --> 01:06:16.559 really good spot. Nil has changed the game. Kevin Young, 1311 01:06:17.239 --> 01:06:20.920 former NBA assistant, had a really good first year Sweet 1312 01:06:20.960 --> 01:06:24.559 sixteen team. They've got Gary Parrish put him as his 1313 01:06:24.679 --> 01:06:27.480 number five team in the country. Next year, Kladney had 1314 01:06:27.480 --> 01:06:29.440 a really good year two in the Big twelve, and 1315 01:06:29.480 --> 01:06:32.079 they appear to have a good team coming back. As 1316 01:06:32.119 --> 01:06:34.159 you like to remind me, you went to both schools, 1317 01:06:34.280 --> 01:06:36.440 so I know you don't have any allegiance one way 1318 01:06:36.519 --> 01:06:39.039 or the other. But people are wondering whether or not 1319 01:06:39.119 --> 01:06:43.199 you have been contacted to potentially be the athletic director BYU. 1320 01:06:43.320 --> 01:06:44.440 Any insight there. 1321 01:06:45.559 --> 01:06:49.480 The insight is absolutely not. I no contact about that 1322 01:06:49.599 --> 01:06:53.920 at all, and I'm not surprised, actually, I think they're 1323 01:06:53.960 --> 01:06:57.920 probably I don't know what they're thinking. I am on 1324 01:06:57.960 --> 01:07:01.679 the President's Leadership Council down at BYU and have been 1325 01:07:01.760 --> 01:07:06.440 for a long time and have great respect for Shane 1326 01:07:06.719 --> 01:07:11.519 and for Keith Shane Reese, the president, Keith Workink, who 1327 01:07:11.639 --> 01:07:16.679 is over the athletic department, among other things, great great people. 1328 01:07:16.840 --> 01:07:18.559 I love Tom Homo. 1329 01:07:19.000 --> 01:07:24.639 And and Chad Lewis and Brian Santiago. Those guys down 1330 01:07:24.639 --> 01:07:25.639 there are great. 1331 01:07:25.679 --> 01:07:27.719 And that is I did. 1332 01:07:27.559 --> 01:07:30.039 Wear that uniform, so he did, so I kind of 1333 01:07:30.559 --> 01:07:35.320 have always cheered for them. But what Taylor Randall has 1334 01:07:35.400 --> 01:07:41.880 done and and the Utah Athletic Department and coaches and 1335 01:07:41.960 --> 01:07:46.280 everything else and their plans, which I know something about, 1336 01:07:46.880 --> 01:07:51.199 are are just off the charts. They are progressive, they 1337 01:07:51.239 --> 01:07:55.599 are smart, they are they are engaging the community in 1338 01:07:55.639 --> 01:07:58.599 a way that I don't think has happened before. And 1339 01:07:59.320 --> 01:08:03.000 you know, I don't, I don't know. It's their football 1340 01:08:03.000 --> 01:08:06.760 team had the first tough year, and it seems like forever. 1341 01:08:06.599 --> 01:08:09.639 Yeah, that Kyle spoiled everybody. The standards are sky high. 1342 01:08:09.719 --> 01:08:11.679 When I was in school, there are five six wins 1343 01:08:12.480 --> 01:08:12.960 Bowl Game. 1344 01:08:13.159 --> 01:08:15.239 Love it. You know, it's different now, it's different now. 1345 01:08:15.360 --> 01:08:17.239 I know for him to be coming to the end 1346 01:08:17.359 --> 01:08:20.039 is actually that's going to be a hard thing because 1347 01:08:20.079 --> 01:08:24.319 he has been a tremendous influence in the state. So 1348 01:08:24.520 --> 01:08:28.199 but but Spencer, when I step back and look at 1349 01:08:28.199 --> 01:08:31.600 how the state is as opposed to the mid eighties 1350 01:08:31.640 --> 01:08:35.039 when I was here trying to save the jazz, it 1351 01:08:35.119 --> 01:08:38.159 is vibrant. The economy is number one in the country, 1352 01:08:38.239 --> 01:08:43.560 the population is young and energetic, and there's there's really 1353 01:08:43.600 --> 01:08:50.199 nothing to derail it other than you know, petty jealousies 1354 01:08:50.439 --> 01:08:53.560 or you know, I mean, there's nothing better than a 1355 01:08:53.560 --> 01:08:57.359 good rivalry. But let it be a good rivalry and 1356 01:08:57.520 --> 01:09:00.520 be glad that we have all this excellent. I mean 1357 01:09:00.560 --> 01:09:04.880 the by U basketball team and they I mean when 1358 01:09:05.359 --> 01:09:09.239 when when their coach, when when Mark Pope left and 1359 01:09:09.279 --> 01:09:13.199 went to Kentucky. That was a really pivotal time. They 1360 01:09:13.239 --> 01:09:17.880 reacted quickly and got Kevin. Then Utah went and got 1361 01:09:18.079 --> 01:09:21.359 you know, really a great young coach who played there. 1362 01:09:21.760 --> 01:09:24.520 I mean, these are all the right things, all the 1363 01:09:24.600 --> 01:09:27.920 right steps. They're they're doing great things, and it is 1364 01:09:28.000 --> 01:09:30.640 a it's a terrific time to be in the state. 1365 01:09:30.720 --> 01:09:33.279 And and one of the one of the blessings of 1366 01:09:33.359 --> 01:09:36.960 this partnership with the Eccles is I think I'm I'm 1367 01:09:36.960 --> 01:09:38.680 going to be here more. I think Mom and I 1368 01:09:38.720 --> 01:09:41.920 will be more in Utah than we have been. I 1369 01:09:41.920 --> 01:09:44.760 don't think we'll move from Connecticut, but but we'll be 1370 01:09:44.880 --> 01:09:47.359 here more, and we'll be bothering you more, you know, 1371 01:09:47.640 --> 01:09:49.760 asking you if there's an empty bedroom upstairs. 1372 01:09:49.800 --> 01:09:52.560 There is there always is, uh but no, it's it's 1373 01:09:52.600 --> 01:09:56.199 all exciting and I think you should feel really uh 1374 01:09:56.479 --> 01:10:01.159 juiced about the potential with this partnership. So we'll set 1375 01:10:01.199 --> 01:10:04.479 you loose, though I appreciate you stopping by, and yeah, 1376 01:10:04.520 --> 01:10:07.520 all the insight, I wanted to give you the space 1377 01:10:07.600 --> 01:10:10.239 to express other because everyone's asking me what, so, what's 1378 01:10:10.279 --> 01:10:11.760 the deal? And so I figured i'd give you the 1379 01:10:11.760 --> 01:10:15.039 space to kind of unpack it. So, but I know 1380 01:10:15.079 --> 01:10:16.760 you're busy and I'll see you soon, Okay. 1381 01:10:16.800 --> 01:10:18.319 Can I say one last thing? 1382 01:10:18.359 --> 01:10:19.960 You can say as many things as you'd like. 1383 01:10:20.279 --> 01:10:23.199 Can I say, I'm really proud of you and how 1384 01:10:23.239 --> 01:10:25.840 long they've done this show and how important you are 1385 01:10:26.439 --> 01:10:29.079 to people in this community. They tell me this all 1386 01:10:29.119 --> 01:10:31.720 the time. Everybody wants to know what you're thinking about 1387 01:10:31.760 --> 01:10:35.640 every item, and I'm really proud of the way you've 1388 01:10:35.680 --> 01:10:36.760 handled everything. 1389 01:10:36.960 --> 01:10:38.600 No, I appreciate it, and I think it depends on 1390 01:10:38.640 --> 01:10:40.119 who you ask, whether or not they're a fan. But 1391 01:10:40.159 --> 01:10:43.720 that's okay. It's a phenomenal coup. It's a great way 1392 01:10:43.760 --> 01:10:45.720 to make a living, but it's it's kept me around 1393 01:10:45.720 --> 01:10:46.800 the things that I've always loved. 1394 01:10:46.800 --> 01:10:50.319 You know that, No, listen, you're not going to make 1395 01:10:50.359 --> 01:10:53.359 everybody happy. And if you were making everybody happy, you 1396 01:10:53.359 --> 01:10:57.600 wouldn't have this job, because even if they disagree with 1397 01:10:57.640 --> 01:11:00.279 you all the time, they still want to know what 1398 01:11:00.479 --> 01:11:01.079 is he you think? 1399 01:11:01.640 --> 01:11:03.600 Part of Gold just doesn't feel like the right song 1400 01:11:03.640 --> 01:11:04.760 for our next guest. 1401 01:11:05.640 --> 01:11:07.720 I'm not gonna laugh Andy's got a heart of gold. 1402 01:11:07.680 --> 01:11:09.079 Do you think Andy has a heart of gold? 1403 01:11:09.880 --> 01:11:10.279 Yeah? 1404 01:11:10.840 --> 01:11:15.119 Andy Larson, Salt Lake Tribune, Andy accurate statement, heart of gold? 1405 01:11:15.159 --> 01:11:17.439 Would you concur I come. 1406 01:11:17.279 --> 01:11:20.760 On the show every week the kind out of the 1407 01:11:20.840 --> 01:11:24.520 kindness of my heart, even helping you out tomorrow, and 1408 01:11:24.640 --> 01:11:25.520 I get. 1409 01:11:25.359 --> 01:11:25.880 This from you. 1410 01:11:26.279 --> 01:11:30.000 That's fair, Now, that's fair, Irish sin Andy, you have 1411 01:11:30.039 --> 01:11:30.680 a heart of gold. 1412 01:11:31.880 --> 01:11:34.560 The guilt trip worked, my friend. Happy Thursday? How you doing? 1413 01:11:36.119 --> 01:11:38.239 I was good before then, I'm but yeah, I'm good. 1414 01:11:38.279 --> 01:11:38.720 How about you? 1415 01:11:38.800 --> 01:11:38.920 Oh? 1416 01:11:38.960 --> 01:11:39.319 Come on? 1417 01:11:39.439 --> 01:11:41.600 You know that I'm teasing you. It's a little good 1418 01:11:41.640 --> 01:11:44.119 fun banter back and forth. Uh do you want to 1419 01:11:44.159 --> 01:11:46.560 start with your anger at the lack of additions made 1420 01:11:46.600 --> 01:11:48.199 by our local soccer club? 1421 01:11:49.600 --> 01:11:50.359 And you know what's sure? 1422 01:11:50.399 --> 01:11:50.720 Why not? 1423 01:11:52.399 --> 01:11:59.079 Look you can't. It's just a It's terrible what you've 1424 01:11:59.079 --> 01:12:03.000 done to the Sam, to Diego, Luna, to Mecca and Nelly, 1425 01:12:03.119 --> 01:12:05.359 to the other good players on this roster to only 1426 01:12:05.399 --> 01:12:08.159 have one designated player on it. I mean, you learned 1427 01:12:08.159 --> 01:12:14.840 about Chico Arongo's misdiscretions ten months ago. Now you sold 1428 01:12:15.239 --> 01:12:19.239 Gomez for eleven million dollars eight months ago. Now to 1429 01:12:20.239 --> 01:12:23.119 only sign Willie Gotta who I like as an addition actually, 1430 01:12:23.199 --> 01:12:25.960 but for five hundred thousand dollars not a designated player. 1431 01:12:26.279 --> 01:12:29.079 Oh and by the way, you're actually only designated player 1432 01:12:29.079 --> 01:12:31.239 on the roster. Isn't actually even very good at the 1433 01:12:31.319 --> 01:12:36.319 MLS level in the year that you've made the Concacash 1434 01:12:36.399 --> 01:12:39.000 Champions League for the first time in a decade. Is 1435 01:12:39.800 --> 01:12:43.279 dis horrible, I mean, it's it's horrible. I think David 1436 01:12:43.279 --> 01:12:48.119 Blitter should be a villain in local fans' mind. I'm 1437 01:12:48.159 --> 01:12:50.399 disappointed in the Miller group for getting nothing done. I'm 1438 01:12:50.439 --> 01:12:53.920 disappointed in the Miller group for not trying to get 1439 01:12:53.960 --> 01:12:57.680 more done over the last month and months plus since 1440 01:12:57.720 --> 01:12:59.640 it's been clear that they're going to buy the team. 1441 01:13:00.640 --> 01:13:03.920 And yeah, just you know, I just feel really bad 1442 01:13:04.000 --> 01:13:07.079 for the Diego Lunas and the Mecanelli's and the other players, 1443 01:13:07.159 --> 01:13:10.760 you know, even Pablo masroonies of the world, because they 1444 01:13:10.840 --> 01:13:13.399 have not been supported with adequate talent on this rostra 1445 01:13:13.560 --> 01:13:14.199 to really compete. 1446 01:13:14.840 --> 01:13:19.199 Williegata known around here as Willy Goals. He's the addition. 1447 01:13:19.800 --> 01:13:21.720 Don't know much about him, but what does that do 1448 01:13:21.840 --> 01:13:22.079 for you? 1449 01:13:23.199 --> 01:13:26.479 Honestly, Like, you know, for a cheap signing, I think 1450 01:13:26.520 --> 01:13:30.000 it is a really good chief signing. I guess, you know, 1451 01:13:30.239 --> 01:13:33.319 a trade, but whatever, you know, five hundred thousand dollars 1452 01:13:33.319 --> 01:13:35.439 a game plus maybe three hundred and fifty thousand next year. 1453 01:13:35.439 --> 01:13:39.039 If he sticks around and has always had really good 1454 01:13:39.079 --> 01:13:42.760 like kind of underlying numbers right where, gets himself in 1455 01:13:42.840 --> 01:13:46.880 really good positions and as a result, has a lot 1456 01:13:46.920 --> 01:13:49.680 of straws and chances on goal, has been kind of 1457 01:13:49.800 --> 01:13:52.640 up and down at finishing them, and you know, which 1458 01:13:52.680 --> 01:13:55.720 is what ends up having answer if you look at 1459 01:13:55.800 --> 01:13:57.720 kind of socker analytics over the long term, is that 1460 01:13:57.800 --> 01:14:00.159 those kind of even out. So it's a player is 1461 01:14:00.520 --> 01:14:02.600 kind of bad at finishing earlier on his career. You 1462 01:14:02.680 --> 01:14:05.479 may see that as a sign of potential because they 1463 01:14:05.680 --> 01:14:08.439 usually do figure that out and start to finish at 1464 01:14:08.560 --> 01:14:11.119 kind of the league average or above rate, or you know, 1465 01:14:11.199 --> 01:14:13.600 kind of try to find some consistency. And so, you know, 1466 01:14:13.640 --> 01:14:17.479 I think given that, I think Williagotta is a significant 1467 01:14:17.520 --> 01:14:20.079 upgrade over every striker at RSL has right now and 1468 01:14:20.199 --> 01:14:23.239 be a nice addition for the team that you know 1469 01:14:23.319 --> 01:14:26.800 will make them better. It's just not you know, he's 1470 01:14:26.800 --> 01:14:29.359 not one of the fifteen best strikers in MS right now. 1471 01:14:29.439 --> 01:14:33.119 So as a result, you know, you just don't have 1472 01:14:33.880 --> 01:14:37.039 the kind of attacking talent that the actual teams at 1473 01:14:37.039 --> 01:14:40.640 the top two, including some small market franchises by the way, 1474 01:14:40.720 --> 01:14:44.279 like Columbus and Cincinnati and Nashville, and you know, teams 1475 01:14:44.279 --> 01:14:46.600 that are the same size as Salt Lake as a market, 1476 01:14:47.000 --> 01:14:49.520 are going after significantly better players than RSL. 1477 01:14:49.319 --> 01:14:49.760 Is right now. 1478 01:14:49.840 --> 01:14:52.359 They're able to get Johnny Russell across the line. What 1479 01:14:52.399 --> 01:14:53.199 does that do for you? 1480 01:14:54.039 --> 01:14:57.159 Yeah, he's thirty five and was kind of washed for 1481 01:14:57.479 --> 01:15:01.319 a really bad Kansas City team. He might be better 1482 01:15:01.319 --> 01:15:03.800 than Tyler Wolfs though, So hey, you know, I you know, 1483 01:15:03.840 --> 01:15:06.159 I don't hate it. It gives you another depth option. 1484 01:15:06.399 --> 01:15:09.239 But and this team really does lack depth right now. 1485 01:15:09.880 --> 01:15:12.800 But it's it doesn't change the upside of the team 1486 01:15:12.800 --> 01:15:13.079 at all. 1487 01:15:13.239 --> 01:15:15.079 Does it feel like one more thing here, because I 1488 01:15:15.119 --> 01:15:17.880 talked to a ck about this yesterday, does it feel 1489 01:15:17.920 --> 01:15:21.439 like this is now potentially a lost season for RSL? 1490 01:15:22.880 --> 01:15:23.079 Yeah? 1491 01:15:23.119 --> 01:15:26.439 I mean, look, the summer transfer window is with eight 1492 01:15:26.520 --> 01:15:29.800 games left in the season, so you can miss the 1493 01:15:29.840 --> 01:15:32.000 playoffs based on what happens over the next you know, 1494 01:15:32.079 --> 01:15:35.600 the first twenty five games of the year. So yeah, 1495 01:15:35.680 --> 01:15:38.720 I mean there's absolutely that potential. And you look at 1496 01:15:38.760 --> 01:15:41.800 what's happened in the last few games, and you know 1497 01:15:42.000 --> 01:15:45.880 what happened last week in losing that game. You know, 1498 01:15:45.920 --> 01:15:48.039 I know it's it was a bad red card and 1499 01:15:48.439 --> 01:15:50.920 you know, I am very angry at the referee. But 1500 01:15:51.119 --> 01:15:55.800 like in the end, just rfl lack of attacking quality 1501 01:15:55.920 --> 01:15:59.119 showed again and as it has time and time again 1502 01:15:59.159 --> 01:16:00.840 early on in the season, and it's just that's a 1503 01:16:00.840 --> 01:16:04.359 waste of opportunity for this team to be cheaped out 1504 01:16:04.399 --> 01:16:05.800 on as much as they have. But over the last 1505 01:16:05.800 --> 01:16:06.840 ten months. 1506 01:16:06.720 --> 01:16:08.680 Is it I actually wanted to ask you one thing. 1507 01:16:10.000 --> 01:16:14.000 Is there any sort of space to allow a little 1508 01:16:14.039 --> 01:16:16.479 bit of I guess I'll say grace. It sounds really 1509 01:16:16.560 --> 01:16:19.520 cheesy as a result to what happened with the Bosanique deal, 1510 01:16:19.560 --> 01:16:23.560 because apparently Robert Bosaniqu from Boa Vista was done and 1511 01:16:23.600 --> 01:16:25.840 then I didn't know any of this, but Boavista sounds 1512 01:16:25.840 --> 01:16:29.800 like doing business with your second cousin. It probably is 1513 01:16:29.840 --> 01:16:33.000 not up to business acumen as far as the way 1514 01:16:33.039 --> 01:16:35.760 that they operate. I don't know much about this, but 1515 01:16:36.600 --> 01:16:38.600 he was set to be the second DP and then 1516 01:16:38.640 --> 01:16:41.600 apparently this Portuguese club caused issues. 1517 01:16:41.800 --> 01:16:42.680 What's your take on that. 1518 01:16:43.960 --> 01:16:46.880 Yeah, first of all, I mean I did not love 1519 01:16:46.920 --> 01:16:48.880 that as a DP Sanning just because his record in 1520 01:16:48.920 --> 01:16:50.920 Portsbowl this year has not been very good, right Like, 1521 01:16:50.960 --> 01:16:53.039 he scored four goals in twenty nine games. 1522 01:16:53.640 --> 01:16:54.680 That's not great. 1523 01:16:55.439 --> 01:16:57.920 It certainly did have a better season the season prior though, 1524 01:16:57.960 --> 01:17:01.039 and of course aren't no perfect players. Look the it 1525 01:17:01.039 --> 01:17:03.840 sounds like the reason that it didn't go to you know, 1526 01:17:04.079 --> 01:17:06.560 because Boavis to ask for more and kept kind of 1527 01:17:06.680 --> 01:17:09.880 changing the terms of the negotiation. And I totally get that. 1528 01:17:10.000 --> 01:17:13.880 So a, you know, do something before the season so 1529 01:17:13.960 --> 01:17:16.319 that you don't have to wait ten games into the year. 1530 01:17:16.720 --> 01:17:19.000 The second, most importantly, it was still going to be 1531 01:17:19.039 --> 01:17:21.479 a relatively cheap DP, right Like, this was going to 1532 01:17:21.520 --> 01:17:24.399 be a designated player that RSL could buy down with 1533 01:17:24.600 --> 01:17:26.720 TAM and open up a DP slot for somebody else 1534 01:17:26.800 --> 01:17:28.880 later on down the road. Well, I think that's like 1535 01:17:29.039 --> 01:17:31.640 the right thing to do. It ultimately, is not the 1536 01:17:31.680 --> 01:17:35.079 designated player of the of the quality of a Chiito 1537 01:17:35.159 --> 01:17:39.560 Aroango or Carlos sandrascomes kind of a like for like replacement. 1538 01:17:39.600 --> 01:17:43.239 You're talking about a tammable DP that you know, again 1539 01:17:43.279 --> 01:17:45.279 you can buy down it's just not the same level 1540 01:17:45.319 --> 01:17:48.239 of player that RSL sold in the last ten months. 1541 01:17:48.279 --> 01:17:51.640 So yes, that would have been you know, look, I understand, 1542 01:17:51.720 --> 01:17:54.920 and you're were negotiating with a weird club it doesn't 1543 01:17:54.920 --> 01:17:58.239 pay money, and was desperate and was uh yeah, you 1544 01:17:58.279 --> 01:18:04.560 know it was problematic. They're just even in ambition. It 1545 01:18:04.720 --> 01:18:08.680 just wasn't up to par with what you lost earlier 1546 01:18:08.680 --> 01:18:09.199 on in the year. 1547 01:18:09.920 --> 01:18:13.199 All of that is fair, and I share in your disappointments. 1548 01:18:13.239 --> 01:18:15.319 And now I guess we'll see what Pablo can do 1549 01:18:15.359 --> 01:18:17.159 with the cast of characters that he has. 1550 01:18:17.199 --> 01:18:19.159 It is disposal. But let's move on now and do 1551 01:18:19.199 --> 01:18:20.520 a little NBA. 1552 01:18:20.800 --> 01:18:24.119 So Andy, after it was pretty clear that Oklahoma City 1553 01:18:24.279 --> 01:18:26.239 was the class of the West, I would ask you 1554 01:18:26.319 --> 01:18:28.800 and my other NBA guests, who are the other teams 1555 01:18:28.920 --> 01:18:31.600 that we should be paying attention to? Who keeps Smart 1556 01:18:31.680 --> 01:18:35.439 Dagnal up at night? Is does anybody have a chance? 1557 01:18:35.520 --> 01:18:37.960 I mean, did we overthink this is Oklahoma City just 1558 01:18:38.079 --> 01:18:38.560 that good? 1559 01:18:40.199 --> 01:18:43.520 I think some people did overthink that, Like I certainly 1560 01:18:43.600 --> 01:18:46.439 saw them as the Western Conference favorites. And when you 1561 01:18:46.520 --> 01:18:49.680 win a conference by that many games and show, you know, 1562 01:18:49.840 --> 01:18:52.079 have the best point differential of any team in the 1563 01:18:52.159 --> 01:18:55.840 last few years, Like, yeah, I think you have to 1564 01:18:55.840 --> 01:18:58.039 be considered the favorites, and I think they are considered 1565 01:18:58.039 --> 01:18:59.960 the favorites and have shown it's certainly in the first 1566 01:19:00.039 --> 01:19:02.520 two games that they're just you know, capable of blowing 1567 01:19:02.560 --> 01:19:06.079 out teams. I don't think like if they done deal yet, 1568 01:19:06.159 --> 01:19:09.479 you know, I think that it's totally possible that like 1569 01:19:09.600 --> 01:19:13.680 a Lakers give them problems Denver even Minnesota, like, but 1570 01:19:14.000 --> 01:19:18.960 I do think that ultimately, like this is you know, 1571 01:19:19.000 --> 01:19:21.520 the thunder should be considered the favorites, and rightfully so 1572 01:19:21.960 --> 01:19:25.680 it's kind of funny, like I understand why the NBA 1573 01:19:25.760 --> 01:19:29.119 is putting them on national TV tonight and putting the 1574 01:19:29.199 --> 01:19:32.880 Nuggets and Clippers on NBA TV. You know, you want 1575 01:19:32.880 --> 01:19:34.359 to market the team that's going to be in the 1576 01:19:34.359 --> 01:19:36.640 finals down the road so you get great finals ratings. 1577 01:19:36.680 --> 01:19:40.039 But I totally expect them to beat the Grizzlies by 1578 01:19:40.279 --> 01:19:42.319 you know, double digits tonight and it should be a 1579 01:19:42.319 --> 01:19:45.000 really really great game. I'll getting the Clippers one. Why, 1580 01:19:45.159 --> 01:19:47.680 I you know, probably rather watch instead. 1581 01:19:47.760 --> 01:19:52.000 Weird jazz related question to this, I mean, and look, 1582 01:19:52.039 --> 01:19:54.479 Sam Pressy might be the best of what he does 1583 01:19:54.640 --> 01:19:56.720 in the world and maybe he's been the best of 1584 01:19:56.800 --> 01:19:59.159 what he does for quite some time. But you know, 1585 01:19:59.279 --> 01:20:02.640 oftentimes you'll hear jazz fans, as you know, talk about, oh, well, 1586 01:20:02.680 --> 01:20:04.600 the Lakers got Luca, they're gonna be great again, the 1587 01:20:04.600 --> 01:20:07.840 Celtics or this the heat or that or whatever. Is 1588 01:20:07.880 --> 01:20:11.359 there any sort of positive spin that we can put 1589 01:20:11.359 --> 01:20:13.720 on the fact that Sam Presty has built the Juggernaut 1590 01:20:13.720 --> 01:20:16.359 in a city like Oklahoma City juxtaposed to what the 1591 01:20:16.399 --> 01:20:18.439 Jazz are trying to do in a city like Salt Lake. 1592 01:20:19.319 --> 01:20:19.600 Yeah. 1593 01:20:19.640 --> 01:20:22.680 Look, I mean I think it's clear that the draft 1594 01:20:22.760 --> 01:20:26.039 is a really incredibly viable way to build teams, right Like, 1595 01:20:26.760 --> 01:20:28.720 I don't think you need a free agent superstar. I 1596 01:20:28.720 --> 01:20:32.119 don't think you need to like win. I obviously they 1597 01:20:32.159 --> 01:20:34.680 got say in a trade, but I think you've got 1598 01:20:34.760 --> 01:20:36.960 him earlier enough in his career that it was just 1599 01:20:37.039 --> 01:20:40.159 kind of a flyer on a on a rookie with potential. 1600 01:20:40.319 --> 01:20:43.720 So yeah, look, I think it's totally possible. And you 1601 01:20:43.800 --> 01:20:45.800 look at Denver winning the title and kind of look 1602 01:20:45.800 --> 01:20:47.960 at it in the same way and what Cleveland's done 1603 01:20:48.039 --> 01:20:51.920 up there. Right, Like, small markets to a reasonable degree, 1604 01:20:51.960 --> 01:20:54.279 are are the best teams in the NBA this season, 1605 01:20:54.439 --> 01:20:58.079 and so yeah, I think you can have total optimism that, 1606 01:20:58.239 --> 01:21:01.359 like you know that the Jazz past could work. I 1607 01:21:01.399 --> 01:21:03.560 don't think that there is a ceiling on the Jazz's 1608 01:21:03.560 --> 01:21:05.319 path at all. 1609 01:21:05.479 --> 01:21:09.960 Outline a blueprint for the Jazz to follow over the 1610 01:21:10.000 --> 01:21:13.560 next whatever timeframe you want to before you believe that 1611 01:21:13.800 --> 01:21:16.640 they can be competing. Because here's the thing, man, Like 1612 01:21:16.800 --> 01:21:19.840 I'm watching these games, and obviously, for what you and 1613 01:21:19.840 --> 01:21:21.399 I do for a living, I always try to bring 1614 01:21:21.439 --> 01:21:24.119 it back to some sort of local prism. And the 1615 01:21:24.159 --> 01:21:26.159 fact of the matter is, this is not breaking news 1616 01:21:26.159 --> 01:21:27.720 when it comes to any of these top teams in 1617 01:21:27.760 --> 01:21:31.159 the West. The Jazz are a marathon away, a marathon away, 1618 01:21:31.199 --> 01:21:32.800 and they're not one Cooper flag away. 1619 01:21:32.840 --> 01:21:34.279 They're not one or two pieces away. 1620 01:21:34.720 --> 01:21:38.439 What does the path back to legitimate consistent competitiveness in 1621 01:21:38.479 --> 01:21:41.520 the West look like from the Andy Larson viewpoint for 1622 01:21:41.560 --> 01:21:42.279 the Utah. 1623 01:21:42.039 --> 01:21:45.159 Jazz, Yeah, I mean they are eight out of ten 1624 01:21:45.239 --> 01:21:47.359 players away. They are you know, four out of five 1625 01:21:47.399 --> 01:21:49.520 of a starting lineup away. They are as far away 1626 01:21:49.520 --> 01:21:52.960 as it can be. Obviously, they are the worst team 1627 01:21:53.039 --> 01:21:56.960 in the NBA. I think ultimately you look at the 1628 01:21:57.000 --> 01:21:59.279 path and it's you know, you hope for good luck 1629 01:21:59.279 --> 01:22:02.000 and get a star in this year's lottery, and I 1630 01:22:02.000 --> 01:22:04.880 think the best chances of that are are Cooper Flag 1631 01:22:04.920 --> 01:22:08.840 and Dylan Harper. And then if if that does work out, 1632 01:22:08.840 --> 01:22:11.359 then you probably still need even a second star and 1633 01:22:11.520 --> 01:22:13.720 next year's draft, and that's an A J. De bonsa 1634 01:22:13.880 --> 01:22:16.479 Darren Peterson, a Cam Boozer or someone like that. I mean, 1635 01:22:17.159 --> 01:22:20.399 you're looking at you need multiple all stars to be 1636 01:22:21.159 --> 01:22:23.560 the best team in the league, right, like to actually 1637 01:22:23.600 --> 01:22:26.199 win an NBA title, And and you know, certainly the 1638 01:22:26.279 --> 01:22:28.680 Jazz had that five years ago. We're the number one team, 1639 01:22:28.800 --> 01:22:31.319 didn't make it through the playoffs due to various weaknesses 1640 01:22:31.359 --> 01:22:35.439 and injuries and blah blah blah. But nevertheless, like you 1641 01:22:35.600 --> 01:22:38.439 just need that top level talent and then you need 1642 01:22:38.479 --> 01:22:40.560 the role players around them. And I you know, while 1643 01:22:41.239 --> 01:22:44.760 I think it's possible to be optimistic on the Jazz 1644 01:22:44.840 --> 01:22:47.920 is youth turning out to be good roles, I think 1645 01:22:47.960 --> 01:22:50.319 it's very hard to believe that they become kind of 1646 01:22:50.319 --> 01:22:52.880 the star level players that actually drive the drive the 1647 01:22:53.359 --> 01:22:57.159 boat a little bit. So yeah, I mean you're you're 1648 01:22:57.159 --> 01:22:59.920 talking multiple drafts and then you're also talking time for 1649 01:23:00.079 --> 01:23:03.159 those guys to develop kind of recognizing that, like, hey, 1650 01:23:03.279 --> 01:23:06.439 you know, say Gildeth Alexander wasn't an MVP level candidate 1651 01:23:06.479 --> 01:23:09.199 on day one, you know, and neither it's Cooper Blaguna be. 1652 01:23:09.239 --> 01:23:12.399 It took him three, four or five years. It's going 1653 01:23:12.479 --> 01:23:14.359 to sick Cooper that amount of time. It's probably gonna 1654 01:23:14.359 --> 01:23:16.479 take aj De Bouncer or whoever that amount of time. 1655 01:23:16.560 --> 01:23:21.840 So really you're looking at a window you hope three four, five, 1656 01:23:21.960 --> 01:23:23.039 six years down the road. 1657 01:23:23.880 --> 01:23:25.039 All right, let's hone in on. 1658 01:23:25.560 --> 01:23:28.159 Well, we'll just stick with the top two and let's 1659 01:23:28.199 --> 01:23:30.920 just be hopeful and optimistic and positive that the Jazz 1660 01:23:30.960 --> 01:23:34.079 don't fall further than two. Now, the Pistons, who are 1661 01:23:34.119 --> 01:23:37.039 back in the postseason and an interesting case study, but 1662 01:23:37.039 --> 01:23:40.279 they have Kate, and Kate is really really special. They 1663 01:23:40.279 --> 01:23:41.880 were the worst team in the league last year. They 1664 01:23:41.880 --> 01:23:43.479 had the best chance in the number one pick and 1665 01:23:43.520 --> 01:23:45.640 they fell to five. Now that's the Jazz floor. They 1666 01:23:45.680 --> 01:23:48.079 can't fall past five. Here's what I'll ask you for 1667 01:23:48.159 --> 01:23:51.680 Jazz fans that are really curious, is there one comp 1668 01:23:51.760 --> 01:23:53.920 for Cooper that you like more than the rest? Like, 1669 01:23:53.960 --> 01:23:56.199 if it is Cooper Flag, what sort of players should 1670 01:23:56.239 --> 01:23:57.159 Jazz fans expect. 1671 01:23:58.640 --> 01:24:01.439 I don't hate the core. I kind of a like 1672 01:24:01.600 --> 01:24:04.880 poor Man's peak Kawhi if you will, where like I 1673 01:24:04.880 --> 01:24:08.319 don't expect him to be that difference making on offense 1674 01:24:08.439 --> 01:24:10.359 or defense, but I kind of expect him to be 1675 01:24:11.159 --> 01:24:14.239 such a good all around player that you know, he's 1676 01:24:14.319 --> 01:24:17.560 a no doubt or star, no doubt or all star 1677 01:24:17.640 --> 01:24:19.520 every year. You know, kind of maybe in like the 1678 01:24:19.560 --> 01:24:24.279 Paul George realm of impact. You know, just can do 1679 01:24:24.439 --> 01:24:28.840 everything right. Like he's at six to eight. He's does 1680 01:24:29.439 --> 01:24:34.119 defend really well. He's both on ball and help. He 1681 01:24:34.119 --> 01:24:37.199 can shoot, he can He's kind of developed a pretty 1682 01:24:37.199 --> 01:24:40.600 impressive mid range game, got better getting all the way 1683 01:24:40.640 --> 01:24:43.079 to the rim this year, got better getting fal this year, 1684 01:24:43.920 --> 01:24:46.279 and then was one of the youngest players in college 1685 01:24:46.279 --> 01:24:48.560 basketball this year as well, and may have been its 1686 01:24:48.600 --> 01:24:52.199 best player at eighteen years of age. So look, I 1687 01:24:52.640 --> 01:24:55.560 think he is absolutely the real deal. I think you 1688 01:24:55.600 --> 01:24:58.359 can maybe question, like, hey, you know, does he have 1689 01:24:59.399 --> 01:25:01.880 number one, uber two, best player in the in the 1690 01:25:02.039 --> 01:25:04.760 NBA kind of potential, But heck, I wouldn't have thought 1691 01:25:04.760 --> 01:25:07.760 that about Shay gild As, Alexander or Nikola Yokis. Certainly 1692 01:25:07.800 --> 01:25:10.399 when they were drafted either. And I do think you 1693 01:25:10.520 --> 01:25:14.159 have to look at Cooper's rate of development in his 1694 01:25:14.279 --> 01:25:16.840 career and kind of his work ethic and what everyone 1695 01:25:16.920 --> 01:25:19.680 says about him as real plus is like this kid 1696 01:25:19.760 --> 01:25:23.399 could be really, really great. I think kind of no 1697 01:25:23.520 --> 01:25:28.279 doubter is as a franchise piece, a franchise superstar, you know, 1698 01:25:28.399 --> 01:25:31.760 kind of moving forward could absolutely make all the difference. 1699 01:25:32.119 --> 01:25:34.600 All right, let's move over to Dylan Dylan Harper, who 1700 01:25:34.840 --> 01:25:37.039 at the start of the year it was kind of 1701 01:25:37.279 --> 01:25:40.439 a conversation, well, it was a conversation about whether or 1702 01:25:40.479 --> 01:25:42.640 not this draft was the Cooper flag draft, and it 1703 01:25:42.680 --> 01:25:45.640 clearly is. And now it feels like Dylan has moved 1704 01:25:45.640 --> 01:25:48.520 into the consensus number two. Just kind of same question 1705 01:25:48.600 --> 01:25:50.960 for jazz fans aren't familiar. Is there a comp out there? 1706 01:25:50.960 --> 01:25:51.239 You like? 1707 01:25:51.279 --> 01:25:52.279 What sort of player is he? 1708 01:25:53.520 --> 01:25:58.800 Yeah, I kind of a James Harden isn't the right comp. 1709 01:25:59.680 --> 01:26:01.399 You know, he may want to even go further back 1710 01:26:01.439 --> 01:26:03.600 in the nineties and two thousands for a comp for him, 1711 01:26:03.640 --> 01:26:07.880 but you're you're looking at like a six five, really 1712 01:26:07.920 --> 01:26:10.920 talented scoring guard who also makes all the right decisions 1713 01:26:10.960 --> 01:26:14.359 on offense. Kind of the most eye popping part of 1714 01:26:14.359 --> 01:26:17.680 his statistical profile is how he finishes at the rim, 1715 01:26:18.119 --> 01:26:21.119 where he I believe he was seventy seventy two percent 1716 01:26:21.279 --> 01:26:23.399 last year on and on shot that the rim, like 1717 01:26:23.479 --> 01:26:28.039 layups like that is incredibly elite for college competition, would 1718 01:26:28.079 --> 01:26:31.199 be incredibly elite in the NBA. Just finishes so well 1719 01:26:31.239 --> 01:26:34.680 around the around the basket, but has the other parts 1720 01:26:34.680 --> 01:26:36.840 of his game too, you know, can shoot at from 1721 01:26:36.840 --> 01:26:42.039 the outside again, can pass, can defend well, is is 1722 01:26:42.079 --> 01:26:44.960 you know, there aren't a lot of weaknesses. You know, 1723 01:26:45.000 --> 01:26:47.319 maybe isn't the best athlete in the world, and so 1724 01:26:47.479 --> 01:26:51.319 that's why you know he's He's not you know, Michael Jordan, 1725 01:26:51.399 --> 01:26:53.960 Anthony Edwards, so on and so forth, but he's he's 1726 01:26:54.079 --> 01:26:58.760 a really good, smart player who I think, yeah, probably 1727 01:26:58.840 --> 01:27:01.199 has kind of again that's kind of level of All 1728 01:27:01.239 --> 01:27:06.239 star upside with maybe less of a higher stealing than 1729 01:27:06.319 --> 01:27:10.600 Cooper Flag does, just with the size limitations and you know, 1730 01:27:10.760 --> 01:27:13.439 kind of output production that he showed in his freshman 1731 01:27:13.520 --> 01:27:16.960 year wasn't where Cooper was at an older age too, 1732 01:27:17.439 --> 01:27:20.159 But just looks like a really good player and even 1733 01:27:20.199 --> 01:27:23.159 his floor, you know, is kind of a no doubt 1734 01:27:23.199 --> 01:27:24.000 starter in the league. 1735 01:27:24.000 --> 01:27:26.680 I think Andy you truly have a heart of gold 1736 01:27:27.039 --> 01:27:29.520 for our listeners that will be tuned in tomorrow for 1737 01:27:29.600 --> 01:27:30.840 four hours in the afternoon. 1738 01:27:30.840 --> 01:27:32.159 Do you care to give us a little tease. 1739 01:27:33.319 --> 01:27:37.000 Yeah, We've got fellow Beat writer Sarah Todd joining us, 1740 01:27:37.119 --> 01:27:39.520 so we'll talk some jazz and NBA too. That's always fun. 1741 01:27:40.439 --> 01:27:43.199 Sarah and I always after we finished writing at the 1742 01:27:43.279 --> 01:27:45.760 end of jazz games end up talking for like half 1743 01:27:45.760 --> 01:27:48.039 hour to an hour just in the Jazzes media room 1744 01:27:48.079 --> 01:27:49.880 about what's going on. So we may do a little 1745 01:27:49.880 --> 01:27:51.680 bit of that on on the air tomorrow. 1746 01:27:52.399 --> 01:27:53.199 We've got Zach. 1747 01:27:53.079 --> 01:27:55.199 Harper as well. Used to host a radio show with 1748 01:27:55.279 --> 01:27:57.600 him here in Salt Lake on this very radio station, 1749 01:27:57.760 --> 01:28:01.560 so that'll be a cool reunions. We've got Paul Pugmyer 1750 01:28:01.640 --> 01:28:04.119 golf wise, and I believe we've got one other special 1751 01:28:04.159 --> 01:28:07.279 extra guest that I'm not announcing yet because I don't 1752 01:28:07.279 --> 01:28:11.279 think we've booked him yet. But well, we'll have a 1753 01:28:11.319 --> 01:28:14.479 lot of fun tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it. 1754 01:28:14.520 --> 01:28:16.920 Well, thank you, my friend, not just for filling in tomorrow, 1755 01:28:17.000 --> 01:28:19.439 but for stopping by and dealing with a little banter 1756 01:28:19.720 --> 01:28:21.479 back and forth. So I have a great show tomorrow. 1757 01:28:21.520 --> 01:28:23.439 We got to get out and swing your golf club soon. Okay, 1758 01:28:24.600 --> 01:28:26.239 thanks many Larson will. 1759 01:28:26.159 --> 01:28:27.960 Be on the program with that guy. 1760 01:28:29.159 --> 01:28:31.760 Order Larson, Is he leaving a guest out that you'd 1761 01:28:31.800 --> 01:28:32.680 like to throw out there today? 1762 01:28:32.760 --> 01:28:33.880 Kyle van Noy? What? 1763 01:28:35.159 --> 01:28:35.479 Oh? 1764 01:28:35.479 --> 01:28:36.399 Here we go again? 1765 01:28:37.119 --> 01:28:39.880 This was Fence is out of town? Is Eric Weddell 1766 01:28:41.760 --> 01:28:45.239 written Covey stopping by tomorrow? Here we go again. 1767 01:28:45.359 --> 01:28:48.239 You just spoke for twenty minutes to the number one 1768 01:28:48.640 --> 01:28:50.560 running back in program history. 1769 01:28:50.640 --> 01:28:53.039 You know what, I realized you booked Zach today to 1770 01:28:53.319 --> 01:28:56.000 ease the news that you're bringing Van Noy on tomorrow 1771 01:28:56.039 --> 01:28:56.720 when I'm out of town. 1772 01:28:56.800 --> 01:28:59.920 I actually, just to be clear, didn't even book Kyle, 1773 01:29:00.039 --> 01:29:04.520 and our sales guy, Austin Rich did for a sales tournament. 1774 01:29:04.560 --> 01:29:07.119 So you know what, I will be okay, because I'm 1775 01:29:07.119 --> 01:29:09.560 going to Black Desert to play in Kyle's golf tournament. 1776 01:29:09.720 --> 01:29:11.760 Here you can interview Kyle. I'm gonna play in his 1777 01:29:11.800 --> 01:29:12.319 golf turn. 1778 01:29:12.239 --> 01:29:14.520 And we're gonna set you up with Patrick Manning to 1779 01:29:14.199 --> 01:29:16.079 get your tea times. 1780 01:29:16.119 --> 01:29:16.279 Yeah. 1781 01:29:16.319 --> 01:29:20.439 Otherwise, yeah, we please send me a cell phone number whenever. Okay, 1782 01:29:20.439 --> 01:29:20.720 thank you. 1783 01:29:20.880 --> 01:29:24.479 I can connect you so tomorrow Porter Larson and Andy Larson, 1784 01:29:24.560 --> 01:29:25.319 Larson and Larson. 1785 01:29:26.119 --> 01:29:28.119 Why didn't that dawn on me until just now? That's 1786 01:29:28.199 --> 01:29:28.640 really weird. 1787 01:29:28.760 --> 01:29:32.520 Funny thing is we have very old like Mormon ancestry 1788 01:29:32.560 --> 01:29:34.039 back to Central Utah. 1789 01:29:34.880 --> 01:29:37.119 Not related, very interesting. 1790 01:29:37.279 --> 01:29:39.640 I think if you have LDS lineage, you just keep 1791 01:29:39.680 --> 01:29:41.119 going back. At some point you're related. 1792 01:29:41.199 --> 01:29:45.239 Which coincidentally I asked John Kimball about that yesterday. He 1793 01:29:45.279 --> 01:29:47.560 and I are not like distant cousins at all. We're 1794 01:29:47.560 --> 01:29:48.760 actually fairly closely related. 1795 01:29:48.840 --> 01:29:50.520 Oh yeah, that sounds about right. 1796 01:29:50.560 --> 01:29:54.880 So Porter and Andy tomorrow NFL Draft one hour, fifty 1797 01:29:55.000 --> 01:29:59.039 five minutes and fifty six seconds away. Special thanks to 1798 01:29:59.159 --> 01:30:02.479 Zach Moss. You tah great for hopping on. Let's do 1799 01:30:02.520 --> 01:30:04.720 more draft now. He is a busy man, but he 1800 01:30:04.840 --> 01:30:07.720 is a good guy. So Michael yam is carving out 1801 01:30:07.760 --> 01:30:08.920 some time on a Thursday. 1802 01:30:09.000 --> 01:30:09.800 Mike, how you doing, man? 1803 01:30:10.760 --> 01:30:13.520 Doing awesome? Man. Always appreciate the invite and glad we 1804 01:30:13.560 --> 01:30:14.279 could make this work. 1805 01:30:14.359 --> 01:30:16.319 No, I appreciate it, so I know. I know you're busy, 1806 01:30:16.399 --> 01:30:19.039 So let's just jump right to it. Is there any intrigue, 1807 01:30:19.079 --> 01:30:20.079 got one, any at all? 1808 01:30:21.439 --> 01:30:23.079 None at all, none at all? And I think, by 1809 01:30:23.119 --> 01:30:25.119 the way, any of the intrigue that would have been 1810 01:30:25.119 --> 01:30:28.359 there from a Tennessee perspective got completely squashed after the 1811 01:30:28.520 --> 01:30:32.680 Colorado pro day when that thing was done and it 1812 01:30:32.720 --> 01:30:35.359 became abundantly clear that they weren't even going to bring 1813 01:30:35.399 --> 01:30:37.520 in Sanders for a private workout and they canceled that. 1814 01:30:37.680 --> 01:30:42.319 All eyes clearly on cam Ward. Yeah, no, no, no, no 1815 01:30:42.439 --> 01:30:44.640 intrigue there, And I think barely any intrigue, to be 1816 01:30:44.680 --> 01:30:47.680 honest with you at two because not that I'm like 1817 01:30:47.800 --> 01:30:49.720 jumping ahead on the questions that I think you might 1818 01:30:49.720 --> 01:30:52.159 be asking, but I think Cleveland is probably wrong with 1819 01:30:52.479 --> 01:30:53.079 Travis Hunter. 1820 01:30:53.279 --> 01:30:55.159 Yeah, it feels that's the case that a lot of 1821 01:30:55.199 --> 01:30:58.720 people are pontificated on the possibility of Cleveland wanting to 1822 01:30:58.760 --> 01:31:01.399 add should or next to track a Hunter. But before 1823 01:31:01.439 --> 01:31:04.039 we get to that possibility, why do you think it 1824 01:31:04.399 --> 01:31:07.640 feels like Shador is falling at one point? 1825 01:31:07.720 --> 01:31:07.880 Mike? 1826 01:31:08.159 --> 01:31:11.720 Like, like mid season in college football, Shadar was talked 1827 01:31:11.760 --> 01:31:14.159 about as a Heisman potential and a guy that could 1828 01:31:14.159 --> 01:31:15.399 be drafted number one overall. 1829 01:31:15.399 --> 01:31:17.079 Why do you think he's falling down draft boards? 1830 01:31:17.640 --> 01:31:19.560 I couldn't agree with you more in terms of the perception, 1831 01:31:19.640 --> 01:31:22.319 couldn't agree more on what we saw during the college 1832 01:31:22.359 --> 01:31:25.479 football season. I remember on a Monday night, I was 1833 01:31:25.520 --> 01:31:27.840 working with Maurice Jones Drew. We were doing a postgame 1834 01:31:27.880 --> 01:31:30.520 show after Monday Night football, and I turned to him 1835 01:31:30.760 --> 01:31:31.960 and I don't even know how we got on the 1836 01:31:31.960 --> 01:31:34.399 subject of quarterbacks, but you know how it goes. Sometimes 1837 01:31:34.399 --> 01:31:36.119 in the middle of the season, you start peeking ahead 1838 01:31:36.159 --> 01:31:38.159 and in a lot of ways. You know, the Super 1839 01:31:38.159 --> 01:31:40.000 Bowl is the Super Bowl, but the NFL Draft, let's 1840 01:31:40.000 --> 01:31:43.159 be real here, man, three days of complete fun and 1841 01:31:43.399 --> 01:31:46.159 everyone in the entire country who's a football fan is 1842 01:31:46.159 --> 01:31:48.720 invested for three straight days. So of course in the 1843 01:31:48.720 --> 01:31:51.319 middle of the season you start thinking about those top guys. 1844 01:31:51.319 --> 01:31:52.800 And I turned to MJD and I was like, Hey, 1845 01:31:52.840 --> 01:31:54.960 what do you think about Shador Is he going to 1846 01:31:54.960 --> 01:31:56.880 be that first quarterback taking off the board? And it 1847 01:31:56.960 --> 01:31:59.439 felt like it was a two man race between cam 1848 01:31:59.520 --> 01:32:01.920 Ore and Sanders And he said, yeah, there's no question 1849 01:32:02.039 --> 01:32:03.960 he can be in that mix. And I said, well, 1850 01:32:03.960 --> 01:32:04.399 what do you. 1851 01:32:04.359 --> 01:32:04.880 Like about him? 1852 01:32:04.920 --> 01:32:07.079 And he said, I like the fact that he knows 1853 01:32:07.079 --> 01:32:09.199 how to make plays while running for his life, because 1854 01:32:09.239 --> 01:32:12.880 the reality is whoever drafts him towards the top might 1855 01:32:12.880 --> 01:32:14.880 not have a great offensive line. It might not have 1856 01:32:14.920 --> 01:32:17.479 a ton of weapons, but he's clearly a winner. You 1857 01:32:17.560 --> 01:32:20.760 see the turnaround that see you as made with primes 1858 01:32:20.720 --> 01:32:23.119 since he took over, and which the door under centered. 1859 01:32:23.159 --> 01:32:26.479 Now there's playmakers like Travis Hunter that were there. Why 1860 01:32:26.560 --> 01:32:31.279 he's fallen, I don't entirely know. I think part of 1861 01:32:31.279 --> 01:32:33.279 this could be. And this is just speculation, Spence, and 1862 01:32:33.279 --> 01:32:36.000 you've been around sports your entire life, and you get this. 1863 01:32:36.760 --> 01:32:40.880 I don't. I think people sometimes say stuff through agents, 1864 01:32:40.960 --> 01:32:46.319 through media insiders, so that their prerogative is the one 1865 01:32:46.359 --> 01:32:48.359 that's discussed. And maybe it's a little bit of a 1866 01:32:48.359 --> 01:32:50.520 smoke screen. But if you said to me, and I've 1867 01:32:50.560 --> 01:32:53.199 seen some mocks where it's Shador, you know going you 1868 01:32:53.279 --> 01:32:55.800 know in the twenties, maybe it's you know, Pittsburgh, Maybe 1869 01:32:55.800 --> 01:32:58.239 it's another team that's that's in the mix there, I 1870 01:32:58.600 --> 01:33:01.880 don't see that happen. I think there's such a premium 1871 01:33:01.920 --> 01:33:04.159 at that spot that I don't think he should or 1872 01:33:04.199 --> 01:33:06.479 Sanders falls outside of the top ten. I just I 1873 01:33:06.479 --> 01:33:08.439 don't see that. And I think you're going to see 1874 01:33:08.439 --> 01:33:11.199 a team potentially you can move up. Carolina at eight 1875 01:33:11.239 --> 01:33:14.199 to me is a really intriguing spot because we know 1876 01:33:14.279 --> 01:33:17.119 that New Orleans might be looking for a quarterback at nine. 1877 01:33:17.479 --> 01:33:21.239 I think the Panthers and that position in particular could 1878 01:33:21.279 --> 01:33:24.000 be where you see a trade go down for a 1879 01:33:24.039 --> 01:33:26.399 team that's looking for a quarterback and maybe it's Sanders. 1880 01:33:26.600 --> 01:33:28.600 Outside of the fact that it's just the Jets and 1881 01:33:28.640 --> 01:33:30.960 they don't do anything correct, why wouldn't the Jets take 1882 01:33:30.960 --> 01:33:31.640 a look at him? 1883 01:33:33.199 --> 01:33:36.239 It's a great call. I think they feel like, if 1884 01:33:36.279 --> 01:33:39.039 I'm Aaron Glenn and I just take over this team, 1885 01:33:39.359 --> 01:33:41.399 you got your quarterback in Justin Fields, who, by the way, 1886 01:33:41.439 --> 01:33:44.920 showed that he can be a really talented starting quarterback 1887 01:33:45.439 --> 01:33:48.520 any flash now. I know Devil's advocate would say, well, Mike, 1888 01:33:48.560 --> 01:33:52.000 he lost his starting jobs. Russell Wilson, kudos to Mike 1889 01:33:52.039 --> 01:33:54.560 Tomlin for being able to pull the stringings on that one, 1890 01:33:54.760 --> 01:33:57.640 because I think it's a colonus. If I'm being honest, 1891 01:33:57.680 --> 01:34:00.960 like the Steelers are playing some good football, I think 1892 01:34:01.079 --> 01:34:03.640 that the Jets go, you know what, we got QB 1893 01:34:03.720 --> 01:34:06.119 one and we are deficient in some other needs, Like 1894 01:34:06.159 --> 01:34:09.239 I still think offensive line is a place that we 1895 01:34:09.319 --> 01:34:12.119 go and just knowing that it's a defensive minded coach 1896 01:34:12.159 --> 01:34:14.399 like I wouldn't be shocked to like, you know, guy 1897 01:34:14.439 --> 01:34:17.399 like Jaylen Walker is available. Just knowing the personality of 1898 01:34:17.399 --> 01:34:19.159 an Aaron Glenn, I wouldn't be surprised that they went 1899 01:34:19.239 --> 01:34:21.560 in that direction. I just think there's too many needs 1900 01:34:21.640 --> 01:34:24.279 right now for Gangreine to think about a quarterback. And 1901 01:34:24.319 --> 01:34:28.479 to be fair, I don't know if this group is 1902 01:34:28.720 --> 01:34:31.720 what we saw last year. You know, I don't think 1903 01:34:31.720 --> 01:34:34.239 you see six quarterbacks taking A lot of mock drafts 1904 01:34:34.279 --> 01:34:36.800 on NFL dot Com will show you three, with Jackson 1905 01:34:37.239 --> 01:34:40.279 Dart being that third guy. I'm under the belief and Spence, 1906 01:34:40.279 --> 01:34:41.840 I don't know if you feel this way. I think 1907 01:34:41.920 --> 01:34:44.279 you see four quarterbacks taken. I'm a huge fan of 1908 01:34:44.359 --> 01:34:46.800 Jalen Milroe. I think a team trades up to grab 1909 01:34:46.840 --> 01:34:48.000 him at the end of the first round. 1910 01:34:48.319 --> 01:34:51.439 Interesting with Jackson Dart, who played his high school football 1911 01:34:51.479 --> 01:34:54.479 about twenty miles south of here, I've heard some people 1912 01:34:54.680 --> 01:34:57.640 surmise that he could be QB two behind cam Ward. 1913 01:34:57.760 --> 01:34:59.680 Are you understanding potentially the same thing. 1914 01:35:00.520 --> 01:35:02.840 I absolutely think there's a world that exists where that 1915 01:35:02.960 --> 01:35:03.479 is the case. 1916 01:35:03.520 --> 01:35:03.680 Now. 1917 01:35:03.720 --> 01:35:06.439 I saw a fair amount of Jackson Dart number one 1918 01:35:06.439 --> 01:35:08.960 when he was that sc and more specifically a time 1919 01:35:09.079 --> 01:35:11.560 at all this, which is really where all the hype 1920 01:35:11.640 --> 01:35:14.800 as centered. Now he's thrown video game numbers up there. 1921 01:35:14.920 --> 01:35:17.920 He's got an absolute cannon for an arm I remember 1922 01:35:17.920 --> 01:35:20.000 when I was working for the CW, you know, ole 1923 01:35:20.079 --> 01:35:22.640 this point matched up against some some ACC squads, so 1924 01:35:22.760 --> 01:35:24.560 I got a first hand, you know, account to really 1925 01:35:24.600 --> 01:35:28.119 pay closer attention to a couple of those games. He's 1926 01:35:28.159 --> 01:35:31.880 got moxie. There's a little bit of that. I wouldn't 1927 01:35:31.960 --> 01:35:34.840 use a foul word, but a little you in him, 1928 01:35:34.880 --> 01:35:38.359 you know, like he doesn't he's not He's gonna. He's 1929 01:35:38.399 --> 01:35:40.600 gonna make sure that his presence is felt, and I 1930 01:35:40.920 --> 01:35:44.159 like that in a QB one. I think my hesitation 1931 01:35:44.359 --> 01:35:46.920 is I've seen quarterbacks put up video game type numbers 1932 01:35:46.960 --> 01:35:49.439 when Lane Kippin is their offensive coordinator, so I think 1933 01:35:49.479 --> 01:35:51.920 sometimes those numbers are a little skewed. Now I think 1934 01:35:51.960 --> 01:35:53.960 Jackson Dart could go in the first round. I think 1935 01:35:53.960 --> 01:35:56.479 it could be the second quarterback taken off the board. 1936 01:35:57.119 --> 01:36:00.439 I candidly would be surprised if that is the case, 1937 01:36:00.479 --> 01:36:03.319 though I still think it's in my order of cam 1938 01:36:03.319 --> 01:36:07.319 wardsha Door Sanders, then Jackson Dart, and maybe I'm on 1939 01:36:07.399 --> 01:36:10.000 the outside of this and the minority. But you know, 1940 01:36:10.039 --> 01:36:12.239 people have talked about Tyler shuck. I think some of 1941 01:36:12.239 --> 01:36:14.520 the injury concerns are a real thing. I think the 1942 01:36:14.600 --> 01:36:17.600 fact that I think he's like twenty five, maybe even 1943 01:36:17.600 --> 01:36:20.760 twenty six, the guys like in football college terms, like 1944 01:36:20.800 --> 01:36:22.960 he's basically like ready to clock social security. Has been 1945 01:36:22.960 --> 01:36:25.399 playing for so long because of some of these injuries. 1946 01:36:25.439 --> 01:36:27.439 But he did ball out at the Senior Bowl. I 1947 01:36:27.439 --> 01:36:29.399 know there's a ton of buzz about him. I just 1948 01:36:29.439 --> 01:36:32.920 look at the intangibles and those traits from Jell and Milroe, 1949 01:36:33.039 --> 01:36:35.960 and I just see so much potential there that it 1950 01:36:35.960 --> 01:36:38.159 would be I would be hard pressed to pass on 1951 01:36:38.239 --> 01:36:40.720 him if I needed a quarterback and thought I could 1952 01:36:40.720 --> 01:36:42.119 take him at the end around number one. 1953 01:36:42.199 --> 01:36:44.239 Let me go back to the Browns at two because 1954 01:36:44.279 --> 01:36:47.399 I find it interesting. And Andrew Berry there GM said 1955 01:36:47.800 --> 01:36:51.239 we viewed Travis Hunter primarily as a wide receiver and everything. 1956 01:36:51.359 --> 01:36:54.279 Every time Travis has a chance to talk, he says 1957 01:36:54.279 --> 01:36:56.039 he wants to play on both sides of the ball. 1958 01:36:56.760 --> 01:36:58.720 It's one thing to do in college, it's another thing 1959 01:36:58.760 --> 01:37:00.720 to do in the NFL. But it feels if anybody 1960 01:37:00.720 --> 01:37:02.800 can it might be this dude. Because he's very unique. 1961 01:37:03.079 --> 01:37:05.119 How do you think the Browns use him totally? 1962 01:37:05.399 --> 01:37:05.720 Totally? 1963 01:37:05.800 --> 01:37:07.720 I do think it's on the offensive side, and I 1964 01:37:07.720 --> 01:37:10.920 won't say it's exclusively. I think most teams would look 1965 01:37:10.920 --> 01:37:14.079 at him as more of a wide receiver than the 1966 01:37:14.199 --> 01:37:17.840 dB look in terms of the paychecks and the direction 1967 01:37:17.880 --> 01:37:20.119 that goes. If I'm Travis Hunter, I'd rather be paid 1968 01:37:20.159 --> 01:37:23.239 as a wide receiver. But I think you hit the 1969 01:37:23.279 --> 01:37:25.319 nail on the head like that is a big ass. Now, 1970 01:37:25.319 --> 01:37:27.600 it was a big ass from prime. The amount of 1971 01:37:27.600 --> 01:37:29.600 refs that he saw and see you on both sides 1972 01:37:29.720 --> 01:37:32.279 is truly remarkable. It's my first year Spence to get 1973 01:37:32.279 --> 01:37:35.760 a Heisman vote. Had it not been for as you, yeah, 1974 01:37:35.760 --> 01:37:38.520 it was pretty cool man for it. Had it not 1975 01:37:38.560 --> 01:37:40.600 been for as unique as season as it was for 1976 01:37:40.720 --> 01:37:43.640 Travis Hunter, I thought GENTI you know, I really thought 1977 01:37:43.680 --> 01:37:45.600 long and hard. It was way tougher than I thought. 1978 01:37:46.039 --> 01:37:48.760 But Travis did things like we just don't really see 1979 01:37:48.880 --> 01:37:52.640 in college football. Do I think he's got the potential? Yeah, absolutely, 1980 01:37:52.680 --> 01:37:54.680 you play on both sides. I do get worried about 1981 01:37:54.680 --> 01:37:58.039 the frame though, and the physical punishment with all those 1982 01:37:58.119 --> 01:38:00.800 reps that that might become in his way. I still 1983 01:38:00.840 --> 01:38:03.760 think if the Browns take them, they're in more of 1984 01:38:03.800 --> 01:38:08.319 a need of a playmaker and an offensive weapon. That's 1985 01:38:08.319 --> 01:38:10.920 why I think you see him mostly on the offensive side. 1986 01:38:11.359 --> 01:38:13.159 Over to Shador one more time. 1987 01:38:13.319 --> 01:38:14.840 You know, I was thinking about this through through the 1988 01:38:14.960 --> 01:38:18.960 perspective of well, for Shador, I mean, he's Dion's son, 1989 01:38:19.920 --> 01:38:23.680 so the nil, you know, the monetary factor of nil 1990 01:38:23.760 --> 01:38:27.600 doesn't necessarily play into whether or not shoudor needs to 1991 01:38:27.600 --> 01:38:30.760 get a paycheck right away. But there's just there's so 1992 01:38:31.199 --> 01:38:34.399 much data and so many examples of really talented players 1993 01:38:34.520 --> 01:38:37.399 landing with the wrong organizations like my Jets. 1994 01:38:37.760 --> 01:38:40.239 So if you're Shadoor, I don't know that. 1995 01:38:40.439 --> 01:38:42.760 I mean, maybe your ego wants to be a top 1996 01:38:42.800 --> 01:38:46.479 ten pick, but wouldn't you rather fall later on in 1997 01:38:46.520 --> 01:38:48.760 the first round just to get to the right organization 1998 01:38:48.840 --> 01:38:50.880 as opposed to wanting to be drafted highly by a 1999 01:38:50.920 --> 01:38:53.000 team that might not be a good good spot for you. 2000 01:38:53.840 --> 01:38:56.000 I couldn't agree with you more. I think the more 2001 01:38:56.039 --> 01:38:59.399 you talk to guys who played in the league, they 2002 01:38:59.439 --> 01:39:03.319 will tell you that where you end up matters in 2003 01:39:03.399 --> 01:39:07.560 some instances more than anything else. Who's your offensive coordinator, 2004 01:39:07.560 --> 01:39:09.439 who is your head coach? Are they more on the 2005 01:39:09.439 --> 01:39:12.520 offensive side, defensive side? All of these factors, who's your 2006 01:39:12.520 --> 01:39:16.560 play caller situationally? That could make or break an entire career. 2007 01:39:17.039 --> 01:39:19.600 And to me, it's that's what it's about. It's there's 2008 01:39:19.640 --> 01:39:21.760 the ego that's involved with being a high draft pick. 2009 01:39:21.840 --> 01:39:24.840 I get that, but the fit is the most meaningful 2010 01:39:24.880 --> 01:39:27.600 thing when it comes to these players. I you know, 2011 01:39:27.800 --> 01:39:30.159 and this is like a different category spense, but I 2012 01:39:30.279 --> 01:39:32.199 just you know. I was down in New Orleans back 2013 01:39:32.199 --> 01:39:35.840 in February for the HBCU Legacy Bowl, and I met 2014 01:39:35.840 --> 01:39:38.560 a kid who I thought had like this remarkable story. 2015 01:39:38.600 --> 01:39:41.479 Actually wrote the piece on him and it's on HBCU 2016 01:39:41.560 --> 01:39:43.399 game day And sorry to like take that plug, but 2017 01:39:43.479 --> 01:39:46.079 I only bring this up because the two of us 2018 01:39:46.119 --> 01:39:48.600 had this conversation. He's a wide receiver who's six four, 2019 01:39:48.640 --> 01:39:51.760 two twenty and looks like he has the physical tools 2020 01:39:51.800 --> 01:39:53.760 to play in the NFL. Do I think he gets 2021 01:39:53.840 --> 01:39:56.279 drafted over the next three days, Like, I don't know 2022 01:39:56.279 --> 01:39:58.279 if that's the case. And I said that to him, 2023 01:39:58.279 --> 01:40:00.760 I go, I don't know if you want to be drafted, 2024 01:40:00.920 --> 01:40:02.800 because you're not gonna He's not a guy that's going 2025 01:40:02.840 --> 01:40:04.000 to be you know, a Day one or a Day 2026 01:40:04.000 --> 01:40:06.520 two player. So if you're a Day three guy, like 2027 01:40:06.560 --> 01:40:09.520 a sixth round pick, you might be kind of screwed. 2028 01:40:09.560 --> 01:40:11.640 Man Like, then you're locked in on a team who 2029 01:40:11.720 --> 01:40:13.880 just saw your trades, maybe don't have a ton about 2030 01:40:13.920 --> 01:40:16.560 you and and you must might not be a fit 2031 01:40:16.640 --> 01:40:18.840 for what that team wants to do. You might be 2032 01:40:18.880 --> 01:40:22.600 in a much better situation as an undrafted free agent 2033 01:40:22.720 --> 01:40:24.640 to go and find the coach who sees what you 2034 01:40:24.680 --> 01:40:26.600 can do. Hell, and I'll take it back to like 2035 01:40:27.039 --> 01:40:29.159 Veron McKinley, you had a great career at Oregon, who 2036 01:40:29.319 --> 01:40:31.000 I just talked to you the other week, who's hoping 2037 01:40:31.039 --> 01:40:34.199 to get an opportunity and invite into a camp. And 2038 01:40:34.520 --> 01:40:36.279 Verron when he was about to get drafted, like, he 2039 01:40:36.319 --> 01:40:38.000 said the same thing to me. He's like, hey, man, like, 2040 01:40:38.399 --> 01:40:40.720 I might be better off just getting you know, not 2041 01:40:40.800 --> 01:40:43.119 being drafted, not hearing my name call, and then finding 2042 01:40:43.279 --> 01:40:45.520 you know, a defensive fit. That that really makes a 2043 01:40:45.520 --> 01:40:47.199 whole lot of sense for me. And that worked out 2044 01:40:47.199 --> 01:40:49.039 well for him. He's had some good stops and I 2045 01:40:49.039 --> 01:40:50.960 think he wants another one. But I think from a 2046 01:40:51.000 --> 01:40:53.520 shad or standers standpoint, I agree with your assessment one 2047 01:40:53.560 --> 01:40:54.359 hundred percent. 2048 01:40:54.199 --> 01:40:55.640 Before I saw you lose, because I know you got 2049 01:40:55.680 --> 01:40:57.359 to get to a just quick question. There have been 2050 01:40:57.479 --> 01:41:01.399 zero trades made, you know, involved first round picks, and 2051 01:41:01.439 --> 01:41:04.359 the draft is right around the corner. Quiet night ahead, 2052 01:41:04.520 --> 01:41:05.359 busy night ahead. 2053 01:41:05.399 --> 01:41:08.439 What do you think I still look, I think there's 2054 01:41:08.479 --> 01:41:11.439 going to be trades. Do I think it's chaoff? Absolutely not. 2055 01:41:12.319 --> 01:41:15.439 I wouldn't be surprised. And you know, I'm a Giants fan. 2056 01:41:16.000 --> 01:41:19.199 There's something in my mind that says they're either going 2057 01:41:19.239 --> 01:41:21.840 to trade down, which tells you about the comfort a 2058 01:41:21.880 --> 01:41:25.439 guy like Joe Shane, their general manager, has. The directive 2059 01:41:25.479 --> 01:41:27.720 is win right now, which is why I'm not totally 2060 01:41:27.720 --> 01:41:30.199 convinced they'll trade out of that third overall pick. I 2061 01:41:30.239 --> 01:41:32.720 feel like they take Abjuel Carter and he's a monster, 2062 01:41:32.880 --> 01:41:36.920 and it puts them in a position to keep their jobs. 2063 01:41:36.920 --> 01:41:38.840 And I think that's why it gets dicey with front 2064 01:41:38.880 --> 01:41:42.119 office guys and head coaches who are involved in some 2065 01:41:42.159 --> 01:41:44.640 of these decisions when there's a directive and you feel 2066 01:41:44.720 --> 01:41:46.840 like you're kind of on a hot seat, like you're 2067 01:41:47.159 --> 01:41:50.079 looking for duce who can help you right now, maybe 2068 01:41:50.119 --> 01:41:52.399 not a project or you know, a guy that might 2069 01:41:52.439 --> 01:41:55.079 be two years away from really reaching that ceiling. So 2070 01:41:55.399 --> 01:41:57.199 if that's one of those spots that I'm looking at, 2071 01:41:57.239 --> 01:41:59.520 and as I made reference to, I think at eight 2072 01:41:59.600 --> 01:42:02.560 the Panther, I think they could be in a potential 2073 01:42:02.600 --> 01:42:03.800 spot to move out. 2074 01:42:04.239 --> 01:42:06.000 Mike, you are the man. I appreciate the time. We'll 2075 01:42:06.039 --> 01:42:08.439 set you loose and enjoy. Enjoy what's a really fun 2076 01:42:08.680 --> 01:42:09.479 few day process. 2077 01:42:09.479 --> 01:42:11.520 Okay, yeah, yeah, always appreciate it. 2078 01:42:11.560 --> 01:42:11.720 Man. 2079 01:42:11.800 --> 01:42:12.880 Enjoy tonight. 2080 01:42:12.880 --> 01:42:15.159 The great Mike Eam formerly the PAC twelve network. 2081 01:42:15.199 --> 01:42:17.239 That's how we got to know Mike and now he's 2082 01:42:17.279 --> 01:42:19.479 with our friends at the NFL Network. He is on 2083 01:42:19.520 --> 01:42:22.279 Twitter at Mike Underscore Yam is where you find him 2084 01:42:22.279 --> 01:42:25.039 stop spot to day courtesy of our good friends at 2085 01:42:25.079 --> 01:42:27.439 Burt Brothers. With over thirty years of experience and nearly 2086 01:42:27.479 --> 01:42:31.239 thirty locations, Burt Brothers, as certified technicians, bring expertise and 2087 01:42:31.319 --> 01:42:34.760 professionalism to every interaction to one stop shop for reliable 2088 01:42:34.760 --> 01:42:37.479 repairs and maintenance from tires and alignments to fluids and breaks. 2089 01:42:37.520 --> 01:42:40.880 Tax Day Saving sale is in full swing where you 2090 01:42:40.920 --> 01:42:44.119 buy three tires and you get one free on select Goodyear, 2091 01:42:44.199 --> 01:42:47.199 Fulcon and Firestone tires, plus get an extra fifty dollars 2092 01:42:47.199 --> 01:42:49.960 off on purchases over five hundred dollars using the Burt 2093 01:42:50.000 --> 01:42:53.520 Brothers Card. Tax Day Saving sale also includes saving forty 2094 01:42:53.560 --> 01:42:57.560 dollars on your valveling, synthetic oil change stop buyer Burt 2095 01:42:57.560 --> 01:43:00.399 Brothers or Tirebusters' locations or schedule in a point today 2096 01:43:00.439 --> 01:43:02.920 to experience the trusted service that has made Burt Brothers 2097 01:43:02.920 --> 01:43:06.600 a Utah favorite for over three decades. Burt Brothers doing 2098 01:43:06.640 --> 01:43:09.039 it better since day one. We'll take a break from 2099 01:43:09.039 --> 01:43:12.000 the football and the basketball to do a little soccer. 2100 01:43:12.680 --> 01:43:15.039 As the head coach over Al saw Lake, Pablo Master 2101 01:43:15.119 --> 01:43:16.319 joinning a Thursday afternoon. 2102 01:43:16.359 --> 01:43:18.359 Pablo, Happy Thursday, Buddy, how are we doing? 2103 01:43:18.880 --> 01:43:20.960 Happy Thursday? Bud yourself. 2104 01:43:21.079 --> 01:43:25.079 I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. Let's see here, buddy. 2105 01:43:25.920 --> 01:43:28.479 All right, So you and I have talked over the 2106 01:43:28.479 --> 01:43:32.000 past few months, prior to the close of the transfer 2107 01:43:32.039 --> 01:43:35.920 window yesterday about the potential additions that you guys would 2108 01:43:35.960 --> 01:43:40.119 make to bolster what I think needs to be bolstered. 2109 01:43:40.159 --> 01:43:42.359 As far as what you guys are doing in the attack, 2110 01:43:42.399 --> 01:43:44.520 it's not a secret. You've been very honest about it. 2111 01:43:45.520 --> 01:43:48.560 So what are your thoughts on what you've been able 2112 01:43:48.600 --> 01:43:51.119 to do and also maybe more poignantly what you were 2113 01:43:51.239 --> 01:43:54.000 unable to do now that the transfer window is coming gone. 2114 01:43:55.000 --> 01:43:57.840 Yeah, I think the first and foremost is obviously getting 2115 01:43:57.880 --> 01:44:02.760 someone in with a group that has a track record 2116 01:44:02.800 --> 01:44:04.520 of scoring goals, you know, And I think we're able 2117 01:44:04.520 --> 01:44:07.640 to achieve that with Willy. I think he's a player 2118 01:44:07.680 --> 01:44:12.239 that you know, that has scored uh quite a few 2119 01:44:12.279 --> 01:44:15.039 goals in limited playing time, So this will be a 2120 01:44:15.079 --> 01:44:17.399 new kind of position for him where he's actually be 2121 01:44:17.640 --> 01:44:20.199 leading the front line, you know. I think in Kansas 2122 01:44:20.199 --> 01:44:22.319 City he was more of a guy that would come 2123 01:44:22.359 --> 01:44:25.439 in when needed. So this is a great opportunity for him. 2124 01:44:25.439 --> 01:44:27.119 But it's great for us as well, because he's a 2125 01:44:27.119 --> 01:44:28.800 guy that's, you know, last year hit the back of 2126 01:44:28.800 --> 01:44:32.319 the net ten times, you know, with more playing time 2127 01:44:32.439 --> 01:44:34.880 with with the team that is creating a lot of 2128 01:44:34.960 --> 01:44:37.760 chances in front of goal, but hasn't been finishing. You know. 2129 01:44:37.840 --> 01:44:40.640 I think it's it's it's a it's a great situation 2130 01:44:40.920 --> 01:44:43.560 for both us and and for Willy to to thrive. 2131 01:44:43.720 --> 01:44:47.640 And you know, I expect that we'll sign one more 2132 01:44:47.800 --> 01:44:51.359 free agent that has uh, you know, yet to be confirmed, 2133 01:44:52.600 --> 01:44:54.840 and and then you know, and and I feel like 2134 01:44:55.279 --> 01:44:59.520 these two players, again one is a potential, but bring 2135 01:44:59.520 --> 01:45:01.880 bring a level of experience to the group and experience 2136 01:45:01.960 --> 01:45:05.880 doing what we need given that we're relatively young team. 2137 01:45:06.039 --> 01:45:09.079 I think the most important thing for for for players 2138 01:45:09.119 --> 01:45:11.039 is having an experience so that they can learn on 2139 01:45:11.119 --> 01:45:14.560 the fly, and and and also bolster our communication and 2140 01:45:14.880 --> 01:45:17.920 the decisions made in those final third areas, which are 2141 01:45:18.039 --> 01:45:22.079 very tight spaces, and often it takes years to really 2142 01:45:22.119 --> 01:45:24.840 refine those skills. So I think, you know, we did 2143 01:45:24.840 --> 01:45:27.199 a good job and and and now we've got to 2144 01:45:27.239 --> 01:45:29.159 get them up to speed with our group and and 2145 01:45:29.800 --> 01:45:30.640 keep moving forward. 2146 01:45:31.079 --> 01:45:33.600 If I say the name of the player who is 2147 01:45:33.680 --> 01:45:36.640 potentially on his way into this microphone, are you even 2148 01:45:36.680 --> 01:45:37.800 allowed to comment on it? 2149 01:45:38.760 --> 01:45:40.640 That's a great question. You know, I didn't get with 2150 01:45:40.800 --> 01:45:48.439 Trey before we talk, but yeah, you know what, the 2151 01:45:48.479 --> 01:45:50.880 documents might be signed, it might be over the line, 2152 01:45:51.279 --> 01:45:53.640 but I still think it's a bit premature, just in case. 2153 01:45:53.720 --> 01:45:55.960 I hate I hate to do that to everyone. 2154 01:45:56.119 --> 01:45:59.079 Spence, Okay, fair enough, But after I get. 2155 01:45:58.920 --> 01:46:01.760 Off, just just mentioned after I get off, how. 2156 01:46:01.720 --> 01:46:04.119 About I just ask you, how about I just ask 2157 01:46:04.199 --> 01:46:06.680 you this whether or not he's playing for you or 2158 01:46:06.960 --> 01:46:08.199 you know what, I'm not gonna do that. 2159 01:46:08.239 --> 01:46:09.800 I'm not going to put you in a bad spot. 2160 01:46:09.880 --> 01:46:11.640 After you get off, I will say the name of 2161 01:46:11.680 --> 01:46:13.680 the microphone so people know who it is. But you're 2162 01:46:13.720 --> 01:46:14.920 my guy, so I'm not going to put you in 2163 01:46:14.960 --> 01:46:17.199 a bad spot. But i will ask you this. 2164 01:46:17.399 --> 01:46:17.720 Okay. 2165 01:46:17.760 --> 01:46:21.199 So Robert Bosanique, striker who was playing for a Portuguese club. 2166 01:46:22.119 --> 01:46:25.720 Everybody who I talked to, both with the club and 2167 01:46:26.039 --> 01:46:28.720 outside of the club, believed that it was sign sealed 2168 01:46:28.720 --> 01:46:33.119 and delivered, that it was essentially done. And look, as 2169 01:46:33.279 --> 01:46:36.159 I discussed often and then you and I have discussed this. 2170 01:46:36.239 --> 01:46:37.760 I've talked to Kurt about this as well. 2171 01:46:38.479 --> 01:46:40.960 Soccer when it comes to dealing with some of these 2172 01:46:41.000 --> 01:46:44.239 clubs internationally, it is wild the stories you hear about 2173 01:46:44.279 --> 01:46:46.840 things that actually go down. So can you shed some 2174 01:46:47.000 --> 01:46:50.079 light on what happened with Bosanique and his club Boa 2175 01:46:50.119 --> 01:46:53.159 Vista and why this deal did not get across the line? 2176 01:46:54.279 --> 01:46:57.760 Yeah? And you know, we've been talking for probably you know, 2177 01:46:58.560 --> 01:47:00.439 the last month about you know, bringing in player, and 2178 01:47:00.479 --> 01:47:02.600 I said, there's so many things that have to align 2179 01:47:02.720 --> 01:47:04.960 in order to get these things over the line, and 2180 01:47:05.039 --> 01:47:07.399 this is one of those situations. And this is this 2181 01:47:07.560 --> 01:47:13.760 was over the top where you know, I think you know, 2182 01:47:14.640 --> 01:47:19.800 the deal was essentially agreed to and in the eleventh 2183 01:47:19.840 --> 01:47:25.520 hour literally uh, the players here on the ground great 2184 01:47:25.560 --> 01:47:29.960 to meet him like an unbelievable young man, and then 2185 01:47:30.239 --> 01:47:33.760 the stipulations changed from the club that he was coming from. 2186 01:47:35.079 --> 01:47:37.840 So like there's there's just nothing that you can do. 2187 01:47:37.920 --> 01:47:39.479 I mean, you just got to sit there and just 2188 01:47:39.479 --> 01:47:41.760 just laugh at how crazy the world is and go 2189 01:47:41.960 --> 01:47:44.520 all right, well, it's not meant to be right. And 2190 01:47:44.600 --> 01:47:47.359 so I always talk about the universe and things happened 2191 01:47:47.359 --> 01:47:49.920 as they should, because if they didn't happen, then then 2192 01:47:50.399 --> 01:47:52.359 then it you know, if it wasn't meant to happen, 2193 01:47:52.399 --> 01:47:54.560 I guess it wouldn't happen right, things would change. But 2194 01:47:55.039 --> 01:47:56.840 we did everything on our end to make sure that 2195 01:47:56.880 --> 01:47:59.359 we got this thing across and and it didn't. But 2196 01:48:00.359 --> 01:48:02.319 you know, I think it's a good opportunity as well 2197 01:48:02.359 --> 01:48:05.560 to you know, be grateful that, you know, Kurt front 2198 01:48:05.600 --> 01:48:08.800 office ownership was real nimble and we were able to 2199 01:48:08.840 --> 01:48:14.560 pivot quick and get another great striker and Willie got up. 2200 01:48:14.680 --> 01:48:17.199 So that's that's the extent of it. It was the 2201 01:48:17.239 --> 01:48:21.920 eleventh hour, you know, and this is more common than 2202 01:48:21.960 --> 01:48:27.359 it should be in soccer, especially when dealing with foreign clubs. 2203 01:48:27.600 --> 01:48:31.359 But I think in the end we got a great player, 2204 01:48:31.439 --> 01:48:36.319 a great goalscorer, and also a great person as well. 2205 01:48:37.199 --> 01:48:39.439 All right, Pablo, good news here. 2206 01:48:39.560 --> 01:48:42.199 I just received a text message from somebody who's tuned 2207 01:48:42.239 --> 01:48:45.640 into our interview and he has given me full permission 2208 01:48:45.680 --> 01:48:48.079 to ask you about your second edition. 2209 01:48:48.680 --> 01:48:51.720 That is all but done. And his name is Johnny Russell. 2210 01:48:52.840 --> 01:48:55.800 Johnny was a good player for Sporting KC for quite 2211 01:48:55.840 --> 01:48:57.800 some time. He has not been with any club for 2212 01:48:57.840 --> 01:49:00.000 a few months. I believe he's thirty five years old. 2213 01:49:00.880 --> 01:49:02.920 So now that we are in the clear, free and clear, 2214 01:49:03.000 --> 01:49:06.319 let's talk about the second edition. We already discussed Willie 2215 01:49:06.359 --> 01:49:07.680 and I do want to get back to Willy in 2216 01:49:07.720 --> 01:49:11.439 a moment, but Johnny Russell across the line now, and 2217 01:49:11.479 --> 01:49:13.119 he's going to be in addition to what what does 2218 01:49:13.159 --> 01:49:13.960 he do for your club? 2219 01:49:14.920 --> 01:49:17.680 Well one, you know, I think he's been a guy 2220 01:49:18.039 --> 01:49:20.359 that has been a thorn in our side as far 2221 01:49:20.399 --> 01:49:23.279 as you know, playing against he's the left of the 2222 01:49:23.279 --> 01:49:27.000 player that plays off to the right side, and when 2223 01:49:27.039 --> 01:49:29.840 you have an opposite winger, when you have a left 2224 01:49:29.840 --> 01:49:32.279 pot and winger on the right side. They can literally 2225 01:49:32.319 --> 01:49:36.560 go both directions and that makes it very difficult for 2226 01:49:36.560 --> 01:49:38.600 for an outside back or a defender that's marking him 2227 01:49:38.600 --> 01:49:40.159 because he can go inside on his left or he 2228 01:49:40.159 --> 01:49:41.640 can kind of cross his body and go down the 2229 01:49:41.640 --> 01:49:43.319 line with his right. And so you always want to 2230 01:49:43.319 --> 01:49:46.399 overplay the left because you've left footed. Last second he 2231 01:49:46.439 --> 01:49:49.199 chops you. He's driving to the goal without any kind 2232 01:49:49.239 --> 01:49:51.800 of pressure right. And so I think the biggest area 2233 01:49:51.840 --> 01:49:54.479 where we've struggled right there. You know, if you divide 2234 01:49:54.479 --> 01:49:57.199 the field and three third in thirds, you have to 2235 01:49:57.199 --> 01:50:00.359 build third, the middle third and the attacking third. Attacking 2236 01:50:00.359 --> 01:50:02.640 third is very difficult to break down. And it's where 2237 01:50:02.640 --> 01:50:05.319 we've had our Biggert struggles to score goals because you 2238 01:50:05.439 --> 01:50:07.840 have to have you have to have this X factor 2239 01:50:07.840 --> 01:50:09.800 about you, right, you have to have, you know, the 2240 01:50:10.039 --> 01:50:13.960 the Andres Gomez factor, which one v onees are critical 2241 01:50:14.000 --> 01:50:15.640 in matt phase because if you can beat if you 2242 01:50:15.680 --> 01:50:17.439 can get past your defender in one v one, that 2243 01:50:17.479 --> 01:50:19.520 means someone else is going to be open because the 2244 01:50:19.520 --> 01:50:22.239 defense comes over to the ball. So this is what 2245 01:50:22.319 --> 01:50:25.800 Johnny Russell brings. He brings an incredible one vwuntability, he 2246 01:50:25.880 --> 01:50:28.800 scores goals, and the other part too, is he brings 2247 01:50:28.840 --> 01:50:32.119 a wealth of experience and experience in the locker rooms 2248 01:50:32.520 --> 01:50:35.479 as a mentor, and not necessarily that he's got to 2249 01:50:35.479 --> 01:50:37.680 take the guys up to dinner every night. But you 2250 01:50:37.680 --> 01:50:39.800 don't play till your thirty four thirty five at a 2251 01:50:39.800 --> 01:50:42.319 good level if you haven't done all the little things right, 2252 01:50:42.600 --> 01:50:47.279 So that that's really exciting. And again he's been a captain, 2253 01:50:47.520 --> 01:50:49.640 you know, he's a captain at s CAC for many years. 2254 01:50:49.960 --> 01:50:52.880 And I just feel like we need more voices in 2255 01:50:52.920 --> 01:50:55.399 our locker room, right. I think, like I said, we're 2256 01:50:55.479 --> 01:50:59.039 a really young group and the voice that I consistently 2257 01:50:59.079 --> 01:51:01.800 hear is rop right, but he's in the goal. So 2258 01:51:01.840 --> 01:51:04.640 who's you know, who's going to be that voice of experience, 2259 01:51:04.680 --> 01:51:08.159 having been there, having done that bring belief to the group. 2260 01:51:08.239 --> 01:51:10.439 And I think Johnny Russell is a guy that can 2261 01:51:10.479 --> 01:51:14.159 bring tremendous value to our attacking group, but really to 2262 01:51:14.199 --> 01:51:15.399 the whole team in the locker room. 2263 01:51:16.000 --> 01:51:18.560 Forty goals for Johnny according to what I'm seeing over 2264 01:51:18.600 --> 01:51:20.920 one hundred and thirteen games for Sporting Case. 2265 01:51:21.640 --> 01:51:23.199 So we've got Johnny Russell. 2266 01:51:23.319 --> 01:51:27.319 We have williagatta, what is the plan to implement them? 2267 01:51:27.600 --> 01:51:29.920 What and when can we expect to see them either 2268 01:51:30.079 --> 01:51:32.279 in the eleven or the eighteen And how does that 2269 01:51:32.359 --> 01:51:34.119 look with the rest of the group that you already 2270 01:51:34.119 --> 01:51:34.600 have in place. 2271 01:51:35.439 --> 01:51:39.159 Yeah, great question. With Willy again, he's got about ninety 2272 01:51:39.159 --> 01:51:42.960 plus minutes in these nine games so far, right, so 2273 01:51:43.000 --> 01:51:46.479 it's it's not a whole lot of minutes. You know, 2274 01:51:46.520 --> 01:51:49.199 he came, he came in this morning, was able to 2275 01:51:49.239 --> 01:51:52.000 train with us, you know. And it's pretty bizarre too. 2276 01:51:52.079 --> 01:51:53.760 You know, yesterday at nin o'clock I get on a 2277 01:51:53.800 --> 01:51:55.479 zoom call with him and he had no idea. 2278 01:51:55.199 --> 01:51:55.880 What was going on. 2279 01:51:56.359 --> 01:51:59.199 So he literally finds out yesterday at nine am, nine 2280 01:51:59.239 --> 01:52:01.359 am this morning training with a whole new team. And 2281 01:52:01.399 --> 01:52:04.560 I'm like, this is just it's this Azarro world, right, 2282 01:52:04.640 --> 01:52:08.079 how things happen so quickly. But I think with really 2283 01:52:08.079 --> 01:52:10.079 it's really just kind of getting him on the field. 2284 01:52:10.119 --> 01:52:12.840 So the expectation is that, you know, he'll be in 2285 01:52:12.920 --> 01:52:16.840 the twenty for for for the weekend, and then we'll 2286 01:52:17.039 --> 01:52:20.600 at some point see the field and then just we're 2287 01:52:20.640 --> 01:52:23.199 just still getting to know, you know, how much he's done. 2288 01:52:23.239 --> 01:52:26.000 He had an injury in preseason that he battled through. 2289 01:52:26.920 --> 01:52:30.199 So he's again he's not ninety minutes fit. But I 2290 01:52:30.239 --> 01:52:32.920 want to make sure that I, you know, integrate him 2291 01:52:32.920 --> 01:52:34.800 into the group as quickly as possible, and if it 2292 01:52:34.880 --> 01:52:37.680 means starting him the uh you know, the following week 2293 01:52:37.920 --> 01:52:40.800 and he plays sixty just to get those minutes up. 2294 01:52:40.920 --> 01:52:42.640 You know, this is a guy that we're going to 2295 01:52:42.720 --> 01:52:45.760 have to really lean on to take the lion's share 2296 01:52:45.840 --> 01:52:49.640 of minutes up front. And then Johnny has been you know, 2297 01:52:49.760 --> 01:52:52.359 after last season, he had a he had a surgery, 2298 01:52:54.399 --> 01:52:57.680 uh and hasn't and has been recovering. He's been doing 2299 01:52:57.680 --> 01:52:59.920 a lot of work on his own, so hasn't had 2300 01:53:00.039 --> 01:53:03.760 any kind of team training, and you know, just going 2301 01:53:03.840 --> 01:53:07.279 off experience with training on my own, it's one thing 2302 01:53:07.279 --> 01:53:09.079 when you're just running to run. It's another thing when 2303 01:53:09.119 --> 01:53:10.880 you're running and you have someone chasing you and you 2304 01:53:10.880 --> 01:53:12.159 have to get the balld and you have to do 2305 01:53:12.239 --> 01:53:16.039 three or four repetitive sprint actions. So I think with him, 2306 01:53:16.079 --> 01:53:18.520 if we can finalize the paperwork, I want to bring 2307 01:53:18.600 --> 01:53:21.159 them with the group of San Diego, probably not in 2308 01:53:21.199 --> 01:53:25.039 the twenty for this weekend, but but again we'll have 2309 01:53:25.119 --> 01:53:26.880 to sit down with our with our fitness coach and 2310 01:53:26.880 --> 01:53:29.279 make sure that we bring them bring them both in 2311 01:53:29.319 --> 01:53:31.760 a way that we're not so excited about it that 2312 01:53:31.840 --> 01:53:36.880 we put put them in situations that has long term 2313 01:53:36.920 --> 01:53:39.880 ratifications as far as getting another injury because we're so 2314 01:53:39.880 --> 01:53:42.840 so it's I think it's exciting, it's it's a wonderful 2315 01:53:42.840 --> 01:53:44.479 thing to have both these guys in with the group. 2316 01:53:45.279 --> 01:53:46.760 But I think each one of them will have their 2317 01:53:46.760 --> 01:53:50.680 own individualized plan as to how we integrate them into 2318 01:53:50.720 --> 01:53:51.039 the group. 2319 01:53:51.359 --> 01:53:53.640 Have you spoken with Johnny yet? 2320 01:53:53.840 --> 01:53:56.119 Have you given them an idea of how you foresee 2321 01:53:56.199 --> 01:53:56.880 him fitting in? 2322 01:53:57.600 --> 01:54:01.159 Yeah, he came into town last week sometime. I don't 2323 01:54:01.159 --> 01:54:04.600 even remember what date is anymore, but uh, we had 2324 01:54:04.600 --> 01:54:07.960 a nice dinner, talked a little bit about expectations, you know, 2325 01:54:08.039 --> 01:54:10.119 coming into our group, told them a little bit about 2326 01:54:10.119 --> 01:54:13.119 what our group needs. But again, just really said to 2327 01:54:13.199 --> 01:54:14.760 him is like when you walk into the locker room, 2328 01:54:14.800 --> 01:54:16.640 you're with your experience, You're going to get a feel 2329 01:54:17.079 --> 01:54:19.600 of of of you know, how your voice could be 2330 01:54:20.520 --> 01:54:23.760 utilized to make our team better. And again just a 2331 01:54:23.840 --> 01:54:26.439 real humble down to earth. You know he's got some 2332 01:54:26.479 --> 01:54:30.000 casts with Scotland. You know he's scored a goal every 2333 01:54:30.039 --> 01:54:34.039 three games in our league. So like a guy that 2334 01:54:34.199 --> 01:54:36.640 has everything and and and you know, I think it 2335 01:54:36.640 --> 01:54:38.760 will take some time to get to a new club. 2336 01:54:38.800 --> 01:54:40.840 You know, he's been in Casey for quite some time 2337 01:54:41.239 --> 01:54:43.600 and that transition might be a little bit strange for him. 2338 01:54:44.560 --> 01:54:48.279 But but again, just just a top notch character, a 2339 01:54:48.319 --> 01:54:52.640 real humble person, and and just a real quality player. 2340 01:54:52.680 --> 01:54:55.039 So I'm really excited to get to know both of 2341 01:54:55.079 --> 01:54:57.640 these guys and to see how they can, you know, 2342 01:54:57.720 --> 01:55:00.159 how quickly they can integrate into the group, because I think, 2343 01:55:00.760 --> 01:55:01.720 you know, now is the time. 2344 01:55:03.279 --> 01:55:07.279 Okay, all right, last question here, and you handle this however, 2345 01:55:07.399 --> 01:55:09.920 You on Pops, and I know that you are a 2346 01:55:10.079 --> 01:55:12.479 the universe brings you exactly what you need in the moment, 2347 01:55:12.560 --> 01:55:13.680 and I like that approach. 2348 01:55:13.760 --> 01:55:14.880 It's a good way to live life. 2349 01:55:15.640 --> 01:55:18.239 But I think from what I read, you're the only 2350 01:55:18.319 --> 01:55:20.720 team in MLS with one designated player. 2351 01:55:21.279 --> 01:55:23.800 And I know best laid plans. Like I said, I 2352 01:55:23.840 --> 01:55:24.159 get it. 2353 01:55:24.199 --> 01:55:27.439 The way I do this job is having experience in 2354 01:55:27.479 --> 01:55:31.279 front offices. I know the complications, so I understand it. 2355 01:55:31.319 --> 01:55:34.079 I try to bring that perspective to the show. But 2356 01:55:34.159 --> 01:55:36.159 I don't feel like they gave you enough. That's just 2357 01:55:36.279 --> 01:55:38.720 my opinion. Do you feel like your front office did 2358 01:55:38.840 --> 01:55:40.920 enough to give you the tools you need to have 2359 01:55:41.039 --> 01:55:43.720 a good year even with a start that hasn't been 2360 01:55:43.840 --> 01:55:44.680 what we were all hoping. 2361 01:55:45.439 --> 01:55:49.359 Yeah, well against Bence. You know, I think every year 2362 01:55:49.439 --> 01:55:51.840 is going to be different. And you know, there's there's 2363 01:55:52.119 --> 01:55:55.800 teams that spend a ton of money on players that 2364 01:55:55.800 --> 01:55:58.159 that are kind of in the same situation that we are. 2365 01:55:58.239 --> 01:56:03.199 So no two teams operate the same, No two situations 2366 01:56:03.279 --> 01:56:04.880 are the same. You can get to the same place 2367 01:56:04.960 --> 01:56:07.119 do with different things. So the way I like to 2368 01:56:07.159 --> 01:56:12.039 look at it is really assessing the last couple of games, 2369 01:56:12.159 --> 01:56:16.199 right Nashville and Toronto in particular, and I think we've 2370 01:56:16.239 --> 01:56:18.640 made some really good strides. You know, early in the season, 2371 01:56:18.640 --> 01:56:20.880 we gave up a lot of goals. In these last 2372 01:56:20.880 --> 01:56:23.399 two games, you know, there's been a few goals, a 2373 01:56:23.439 --> 01:56:27.439 couple of goals, and you know, from a tactical perspective 2374 01:56:27.479 --> 01:56:31.119 and a positional play perspective, I think the guys did 2375 01:56:31.119 --> 01:56:34.319 a really really good job and we were really nabbed 2376 01:56:34.680 --> 01:56:36.920 by two decisions and you know, one in the ninety 2377 01:56:36.920 --> 01:56:40.039 minute against Nashville and then one early on against Toronto. 2378 01:56:40.159 --> 01:56:41.680 And so when I look at the way we want 2379 01:56:41.680 --> 01:56:43.920 to play, and I look at like, you know, how 2380 01:56:43.960 --> 01:56:45.840 we build from the back, how we control the game 2381 01:56:45.840 --> 01:56:48.479 with our possession, how many shots we take a game, 2382 01:56:48.880 --> 01:56:51.760 then I'm saying, okay, those three check off right. One 2383 01:56:51.800 --> 01:56:53.960 was an away game, one was a home game, and 2384 01:56:53.960 --> 01:56:55.880 I'm going those three were doing a really good job. 2385 01:56:56.279 --> 01:56:59.119 And the truth is, like, where we're struggling the most 2386 01:56:59.239 --> 01:57:02.000 over the course of these in eight goals in nine games, 2387 01:57:02.119 --> 01:57:05.039 is really that that final product and that final piece. 2388 01:57:05.479 --> 01:57:06.960 And I feel like when you bring in a striker 2389 01:57:07.000 --> 01:57:10.640 of Willie's capabilities and you have a guy like Johnny 2390 01:57:10.680 --> 01:57:15.439 Russell coming in, I think that helps the issue that 2391 01:57:15.479 --> 01:57:18.479 we have. Now, you know another you know, obviously we 2392 01:57:18.479 --> 01:57:20.159 wanted a little bit more experience in the back in 2393 01:57:20.199 --> 01:57:24.000 this window and it just didn't manifest. But I believe 2394 01:57:24.079 --> 01:57:29.119 that with the you know, the the decisions that we're 2395 01:57:29.119 --> 01:57:31.079 making in the back that are costing us goals, and 2396 01:57:31.119 --> 01:57:33.960 some of them by younger players, you've got to learn 2397 01:57:33.960 --> 01:57:36.119 from those decisions. And there's got to be this emphasis 2398 01:57:36.680 --> 01:57:39.399 and this urgency to get over that. And so again 2399 01:57:39.439 --> 01:57:41.199 we're not I'm not going to change the philosophy of 2400 01:57:41.239 --> 01:57:44.199 the club. You know, we have to develop our players, 2401 01:57:44.600 --> 01:57:46.920 and so by adding some experience to our team in 2402 01:57:46.920 --> 01:57:50.000 the front, how does that affect the experience in the back, 2403 01:57:50.039 --> 01:57:51.760 And does that bring a bit more belief to the 2404 01:57:51.760 --> 01:57:53.960 guys in the back knowing that, hey, we have guys 2405 01:57:54.000 --> 01:57:55.359 that can put the ball in the back of the net, 2406 01:57:55.399 --> 01:57:56.920 so we can be a little bit play a little 2407 01:57:56.920 --> 01:57:59.359 bit more free. So, you know, we'll see how it 2408 01:57:59.359 --> 01:58:00.800 all shakes out. But I think the moves that we 2409 01:58:00.840 --> 01:58:05.479 made in this window were exactly the pieces that or 2410 01:58:05.520 --> 01:58:08.560 the you know, the the tactical pieces that we needed 2411 01:58:08.560 --> 01:58:11.560 to confront and deal with, and you know, and I 2412 01:58:11.640 --> 01:58:13.960 think we did that. So, like I said, the integration 2413 01:58:14.000 --> 01:58:16.880 will be important, and getting these guys on the field 2414 01:58:16.920 --> 01:58:20.000 and doing their thing, well, we'll hopefully change the whole 2415 01:58:20.039 --> 01:58:20.960 dynamic of our group. 2416 01:58:21.239 --> 01:58:22.680 Okay, so let's move over here. 2417 01:58:23.319 --> 01:58:26.920 I honestly in so, I'm watching the match last week 2418 01:58:26.960 --> 01:58:30.439 on television, and when the play happened in real time, 2419 01:58:30.680 --> 01:58:32.439 I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, like 2420 01:58:32.479 --> 01:58:36.640 Diego is standing over that dude. Did he make contact 2421 01:58:36.640 --> 01:58:39.079 with him? Is he rubbing it in? Is this something 2422 01:58:39.079 --> 01:58:42.199 that's really egregious? And then the ref pulls read and 2423 01:58:42.239 --> 01:58:43.439 then I watched the replant. 2424 01:58:43.439 --> 01:58:45.880 Go, you have got to be kidding me, like it 2425 01:58:46.039 --> 01:58:46.840 was that bad. 2426 01:58:48.159 --> 01:58:50.560 And so when Trey and John told me that you 2427 01:58:50.600 --> 01:58:54.399 guys were appealing the red card, my initial reaction was, well, 2428 01:58:54.479 --> 01:58:58.640 best of luck, because typically Pablo, in any sport, the 2429 01:58:58.680 --> 01:59:01.760 governing body wants to detect its officials and they go 2430 01:59:01.920 --> 01:59:04.760 out on a limb and they take it all the 2431 01:59:04.760 --> 01:59:06.920 way to the point where even something as obvious is 2432 01:59:07.000 --> 01:59:11.039 rarely overturned. So give me your thought when that went down, 2433 01:59:11.079 --> 01:59:14.319 when Diego was shown red and then the process that 2434 01:59:14.439 --> 01:59:16.880 led to it actually being rescinded and he'll be able 2435 01:59:16.920 --> 01:59:18.520 to play coming up on Saturday. 2436 01:59:20.159 --> 01:59:22.920 Yeah, it was. It was crazy because again we have 2437 01:59:23.039 --> 01:59:25.560 the camera view on our fence as well, so we 2438 01:59:25.640 --> 01:59:29.399 can go through it and watch and some backgrounds to it. 2439 01:59:29.439 --> 01:59:31.800 You know, Diego was trying to get the referee to 2440 01:59:32.760 --> 01:59:34.880 speed up the game. You know, they were taking a 2441 01:59:34.920 --> 01:59:37.119 ton of time on these goalkicks, and so I don't 2442 01:59:37.159 --> 01:59:39.359 know if that was an influence on whether or not 2443 01:59:39.439 --> 01:59:41.520 he looked over and just saw Diego pulling his speed 2444 01:59:41.560 --> 01:59:43.680 out of the guy's legs, but he must have thought 2445 01:59:43.680 --> 01:59:45.279 it was egregious, right, and so he gives them the 2446 01:59:45.279 --> 01:59:48.239 red card, and then I think there's an ego play 2447 01:59:48.279 --> 01:59:51.199 as well. So referees are like every other human being. 2448 01:59:51.479 --> 01:59:51.640 You know. 2449 01:59:51.720 --> 01:59:54.199 It's when you're standing in front of twenty thousand home 2450 01:59:54.239 --> 01:59:57.039 fans and everyone's booing you because the decision was wrong, 2451 01:59:57.880 --> 02:00:02.239 it's hard to go back to the monitor and admit 2452 02:00:02.359 --> 02:00:04.359 that you were wrong. And so I think that's the 2453 02:00:04.359 --> 02:00:06.880 first thing, right. I think the most important thing is 2454 02:00:06.960 --> 02:00:09.520 the same to be of the game and doing what's 2455 02:00:09.560 --> 02:00:12.359 best of the game, and the and the same same 2456 02:00:12.399 --> 02:00:14.520 thing happened in Nashville where there was a red card 2457 02:00:14.720 --> 02:00:18.359 and uh, there was a red card v a R 2458 02:00:19.039 --> 02:00:21.560 and the referee didn't call it in real in real time, 2459 02:00:21.640 --> 02:00:23.399 so when he was summoned to the v R, he 2460 02:00:23.479 --> 02:00:25.520 looked at it and said, no, it's not a red card. 2461 02:00:25.600 --> 02:00:29.279 And then afterwards we get a we get a comment 2462 02:00:29.279 --> 02:00:31.560 from the league saying that moving forward, the league would 2463 02:00:31.600 --> 02:00:35.039 like to like to see a red card on that play. 2464 02:00:35.199 --> 02:00:37.039 So along with what I've been saying about the last 2465 02:00:37.039 --> 02:00:40.520 two games, there's been two huge moments in games that 2466 02:00:40.560 --> 02:00:43.199 have completely affected our agility to get the results. And 2467 02:00:43.239 --> 02:00:45.319 that's why always talk about good performances, because at the 2468 02:00:45.399 --> 02:00:47.680 end of the day of these these these margins are 2469 02:00:47.680 --> 02:00:50.800 so thin, and when the impact is the referee not 2470 02:00:51.399 --> 02:00:55.800 doing what is by law, the right decision, it's gonna 2471 02:00:55.840 --> 02:00:59.920 it's it's it's you're you're fighting uphill battle. So you know, 2472 02:01:00.439 --> 02:01:03.640 hopefully's a learning experience for the referee, But for us, 2473 02:01:03.680 --> 02:01:06.079 what I saw was a group of guys that, even 2474 02:01:06.119 --> 02:01:09.239 with a man down, continued to fight and had some 2475 02:01:09.279 --> 02:01:11.680 opportunities to maybe nick a you know, nick a goal 2476 02:01:11.720 --> 02:01:14.039 here or there. So you know, credit to the guys, 2477 02:01:14.039 --> 02:01:17.319 but you know, too often in the last few games 2478 02:01:17.319 --> 02:01:20.279 that we've been let down by some officiating, and. 2479 02:01:20.239 --> 02:01:21.600 That's where I wanted to go next. 2480 02:01:21.640 --> 02:01:23.680 And I'll set you loose in a bit, but look, 2481 02:01:23.760 --> 02:01:26.720 I've been around this stuff my entire life. You've been 2482 02:01:26.760 --> 02:01:29.159 around it forever too, and I'm I'm of the belief 2483 02:01:29.319 --> 02:01:31.199 and maybe this is just me having to believe this 2484 02:01:31.279 --> 02:01:34.319 way that at some point the calls do even out. 2485 02:01:34.399 --> 02:01:36.840 And so I'm not one that blames the rest for 2486 02:01:36.920 --> 02:01:40.319 this this or blames the rest for that. But I 2487 02:01:40.399 --> 02:01:43.399 thought Alex Catronas after the match out, you know, he 2488 02:01:43.680 --> 02:01:46.760 he he, He did a pretty good job of articulating 2489 02:01:47.159 --> 02:01:50.560 what I perceived to be a string of games where calls, 2490 02:01:50.600 --> 02:01:55.000 Pablo have directly cost you points, like directly penalty kicks, Okay, 2491 02:01:55.199 --> 02:01:58.159 Nashville Dallas red card, you know, the red card at 2492 02:01:58.199 --> 02:02:00.840 home against pe Ol Dallas like, and I could keep going. 2493 02:02:00.880 --> 02:02:02.720 I feel like there have been five or six really 2494 02:02:02.760 --> 02:02:05.800 punitive calls that have cost you points. And when I 2495 02:02:05.880 --> 02:02:08.920 get issues with officials is when they make calls that 2496 02:02:09.000 --> 02:02:11.800 directly affect the outcome of games, because then you're affecting 2497 02:02:11.880 --> 02:02:13.960 livelihoods and there are real things at stake. 2498 02:02:14.640 --> 02:02:15.960 So what is fair to. 2499 02:02:15.840 --> 02:02:18.479 Say about how hard done you guys have seen to 2500 02:02:18.520 --> 02:02:19.880 have been as of late with the. 2501 02:02:19.840 --> 02:02:24.560 Officials against I'm sorry I cut out, so. 2502 02:02:25.039 --> 02:02:28.119 I'll ask a much shorter version of that long, blabbering question. 2503 02:02:28.239 --> 02:02:31.520 What's fair to say about this string of games over 2504 02:02:31.520 --> 02:02:33.439 the past five or six where you guys have been 2505 02:02:33.479 --> 02:02:35.680 on the wrong side of some really egregious calls. 2506 02:02:36.640 --> 02:02:39.399 Yeah, no, again, I think it's a part of sport. 2507 02:02:39.479 --> 02:02:41.760 And like you said, I think you would like to 2508 02:02:41.760 --> 02:02:46.119 believe that in the longer run, that the calls are 2509 02:02:46.119 --> 02:02:48.760 going to go our way and and not are calls 2510 02:02:48.800 --> 02:02:52.000 like favoritism are calls like the calls should be what 2511 02:02:52.039 --> 02:02:55.720 they what they are, right, and and and again, I 2512 02:02:55.760 --> 02:02:58.960 think it's really easy for you know, for myself, and 2513 02:02:59.079 --> 02:03:01.439 and and this is situation where where it's been tough 2514 02:03:01.479 --> 02:03:03.680 getting results to really throw it on the referees. And 2515 02:03:04.159 --> 02:03:05.800 I feel like if I start doing that, then the 2516 02:03:05.800 --> 02:03:08.720 players start stop doing what they have done well in 2517 02:03:08.720 --> 02:03:11.760 the last two games, which is played extremely well and 2518 02:03:12.199 --> 02:03:15.199 just come up short at the end because of because 2519 02:03:15.199 --> 02:03:17.680 of the decisions made by others. But but our focus 2520 02:03:17.880 --> 02:03:20.159 is going to be and again we have another wonderful 2521 02:03:20.159 --> 02:03:23.159 opportunity this weekend to continue playing in a great way, 2522 02:03:23.720 --> 02:03:29.479 creating goal scoring opportunities, denying quality chances you know, against us, 2523 02:03:29.840 --> 02:03:31.840 but come away with victorious if the game is even 2524 02:03:31.840 --> 02:03:35.239 steven as far as officiating is concerned. So I'm optimistic. 2525 02:03:35.479 --> 02:03:37.880 I feel like, you know, you know, you can only 2526 02:03:38.119 --> 02:03:40.399 have so many bad calls before the league starts saying, hey, guys, 2527 02:03:40.439 --> 02:03:42.159 do we got to clean this up right? This has 2528 02:03:42.199 --> 02:03:45.359 got to be a fair playing field. And then keep 2529 02:03:45.359 --> 02:03:47.039 playing the way we are and then adding you know, 2530 02:03:47.119 --> 02:03:49.760 two key players to our attack. Uh, you know, I 2531 02:03:49.800 --> 02:03:51.600 think we're we're we're in a good way. 2532 02:03:52.000 --> 02:03:52.880 All right, last thing. 2533 02:03:53.560 --> 02:03:53.880 Diego. 2534 02:03:54.079 --> 02:03:56.520 San Diego is an expansion side, but they're playing some 2535 02:03:56.560 --> 02:03:59.479 really really good soccer and you should know, Pobs, I'm 2536 02:03:59.479 --> 02:04:01.880 going to be there, all right, So little extra added pressure, 2537 02:04:01.960 --> 02:04:03.279 little extra added pressure. 2538 02:04:03.319 --> 02:04:04.560 Your guys going to be in the stand. 2539 02:04:04.640 --> 02:04:07.279 So tell me about the challenge on Saturday, and what 2540 02:04:07.319 --> 02:04:08.560 do you guys need to do to come away as 2541 02:04:08.560 --> 02:04:09.000 a result. 2542 02:04:09.760 --> 02:04:11.880 Yeah, you know, I think you know, one of the 2543 02:04:11.920 --> 02:04:14.520 things that we experienced when we first played them is 2544 02:04:14.560 --> 02:04:16.680 we were we were a little bit open defensively trying 2545 02:04:16.680 --> 02:04:21.039 to get after the ball. They're a very technical team. Again, 2546 02:04:21.119 --> 02:04:23.760 they they they've got a good deal of experience and 2547 02:04:24.119 --> 02:04:26.600 real savviness about them when they play and they're looking 2548 02:04:26.640 --> 02:04:30.399 for a little they're they're looking for defense defenses to 2549 02:04:30.520 --> 02:04:33.199 jump to, then penetrate centrally and then really go to 2550 02:04:33.239 --> 02:04:34.640 the house. And they did a really good job of 2551 02:04:34.680 --> 02:04:37.319 that against us. So in these last couple of games, 2552 02:04:37.399 --> 02:04:40.279 we've been really fine tuning our defense. I feel like 2553 02:04:40.319 --> 02:04:42.960 we have a good setup against them going into the weekend, 2554 02:04:44.119 --> 02:04:46.439 and and in front of goal we've been sharper as 2555 02:04:46.560 --> 02:04:48.960 as the week's pass. So, you know, I feel like 2556 02:04:49.119 --> 02:04:52.399 these guys are these guys are really good. And but 2557 02:04:52.560 --> 02:04:54.600 like I've been telling the guys last two games, I'd 2558 02:04:54.600 --> 02:04:56.319 put us up with anyone in the league. And I 2559 02:04:56.359 --> 02:04:58.800 know that's a crazy thing to say, but that's the 2560 02:04:58.880 --> 02:05:01.600 kind of belief I have in this group. Belief I 2561 02:05:01.680 --> 02:05:05.039 havn't our coaches and the way we've prepared and and 2562 02:05:05.119 --> 02:05:07.479 I think you're you're you're coming to a great game, Spence, 2563 02:05:07.479 --> 02:05:09.560 because I think this is a game where, you know, 2564 02:05:09.600 --> 02:05:13.039 hopefully we break this night and put together a fantastic performance, 2565 02:05:13.640 --> 02:05:17.520 hopefully without any kind of referee uh uh decision that 2566 02:05:17.600 --> 02:05:20.439 affects it. You know, we come away with the three points. 2567 02:05:20.640 --> 02:05:23.119 If it is tied or you are down at halftime, 2568 02:05:23.159 --> 02:05:24.880 do I have your permission to break into the locker 2569 02:05:24.960 --> 02:05:26.520 room and give a rousing speech. 2570 02:05:26.520 --> 02:05:29.079 Let's go, Spa, let's get let's get tray on that 2571 02:05:29.279 --> 02:05:31.439 to get the uh. Make sure you have all the 2572 02:05:31.479 --> 02:05:34.840 necessary accreditations to get in the locker room. I would 2573 02:05:34.920 --> 02:05:37.239 love that the players would love to hear your voice there. 2574 02:05:37.399 --> 02:05:38.239 I'm sure they would not. 2575 02:05:38.359 --> 02:05:40.479 Okay, brother, thanks for the time, travel safe and I'll 2576 02:05:40.520 --> 02:05:41.239 see you this weekend. 2577 02:05:41.640 --> 02:05:42.600 Thanks Bud, appreciate it. 2578 02:05:42.840 --> 02:05:46.199 Ablom mash Jouni Ras RSL head coach Rsel makes two 2579 02:05:46.840 --> 02:05:49.680 additions we can actually say it out loud, Willia Gatta 2580 02:05:50.399 --> 02:05:53.960 from Sporting k C and Johnny Russell formally from Sporting KC. 2581 02:05:54.119 --> 02:05:57.000 He'll be on his way and hopefully we'll see him soon. 2582 02:05:57.720 --> 02:05:59.880 It is time the NFL Draft come joy coming up. 2583 02:05:59.880 --> 02:06:02.600 On the other side, it is the ESPN coverage does 2584 02:06:02.640 --> 02:06:04.600 not appear to be any intrigue at the top. 2585 02:06:04.760 --> 02:06:07.720 Or cam Ward is expected to go number one. 2586 02:06:07.840 --> 02:06:10.199 Most people believe Travis Hunter will be off the board 2587 02:06:10.199 --> 02:06:13.880 to two. And then what do the New York Giants do. 2588 02:06:13.960 --> 02:06:16.119 There's a lot of intel and odds and Vegas. The 2589 02:06:16.199 --> 02:06:18.880 Jackson dart Our local product here who played his college 2590 02:06:18.920 --> 02:06:21.800 excuse me, his high school ball about twenty miles south 2591 02:06:21.800 --> 02:06:24.199 has moved up to QB two for a lot of people, 2592 02:06:24.199 --> 02:06:28.039 and should or Sanders is slipping, but only Tom will tell. 2593 02:06:28.199 --> 02:06:30.199 So let's get out of here. Let's make some space 2594 02:06:30.239 --> 02:06:32.079 now for the NFL Draft. It's a big night for 2595 02:06:32.119 --> 02:06:33.840 you football fans, and we got you covered. 2596 02:06:34.520 --> 02:06:36.159 Porter, I'm out. 2597 02:06:36.239 --> 02:06:39.439 That's it, it's over. I'm done again. Yeah, I'm done. 2598 02:06:39.479 --> 02:06:43.439 I'm done at least for tomorrow. So tomorrow, please give 2599 02:06:43.479 --> 02:06:46.720 Porter and Andy Larson your attention. So before we say 2600 02:06:46.720 --> 02:06:48.520 good night, Porter in time for the NFL Draft, to 2601 02:06:48.560 --> 02:06:51.319 what comes our listener's way out of Friday edition of 2602 02:06:51.359 --> 02:06:51.920 the program. 2603 02:06:52.000 --> 02:06:54.279 Yeah, as you mentioned, Andy Larson and I will be 2604 02:06:54.359 --> 02:06:58.840 out at Tim Dally Dealership out of one oh seventh South. 2605 02:06:58.880 --> 02:07:01.479 So wait way Outie House and Sandy come say hi 2606 02:07:01.560 --> 02:07:04.000 and say what's up. Zach Harper, we'll stop by to 2607 02:07:04.000 --> 02:07:06.720 talk some NBA. Sarah Todd will stop by to talk 2608 02:07:06.760 --> 02:07:11.159 some Utah jazz, Paul Pugmeyer with our PGA Tour leaderboard update, 2609 02:07:11.560 --> 02:07:14.880 Kyle van Noy to talk some NFL drafts. So really, 2610 02:07:14.920 --> 02:07:18.720 between the NBA playoffs, Jazz offseason, and the NFL Draft, 2611 02:07:18.760 --> 02:07:21.479 we're gonna be pretty full on a Friday, but we'll 2612 02:07:21.479 --> 02:07:24.039 save some space to talk some golf, talk a little soccer, 2613 02:07:24.439 --> 02:07:27.399 and uh some offseason college hoops and whatnot from there 2614 02:07:27.399 --> 02:07:27.720 as well. 2615 02:07:27.760 --> 02:07:29.760 There we go, fun time a year, Porter and Andy 2616 02:07:29.800 --> 02:07:32.039 have you covered tomorrow. I'll be back on Monday for 2617 02:07:32.079 --> 02:07:34.880 a Monday edition of the show. Special thank you today 2618 02:07:34.920 --> 02:07:37.399 to Zach Moss, to Dave check Its, Dandy Larson, Mike 2619 02:07:37.439 --> 02:07:39.279 Ham and Pablo Master joining for any of the sound 2620 02:07:39.319 --> 02:07:41.640 you may have missed from the program today. Check out 2621 02:07:41.680 --> 02:07:44.279 the website. It's ESPN seven hundred sports dot com. Make 2622 02:07:44.279 --> 02:07:46.079 sure to download our mobile app and take us on 2623 02:07:46.119 --> 02:07:48.079 the go. Then check out our podcast page, which is 2624 02:07:48.119 --> 02:07:50.920 called The Drive with Spence. Check its available wherever you 2625 02:07:50.920 --> 02:07:53.640 get your show. Subscribe, rate reviews, Sanda sings in the comments. 2626 02:07:53.640 --> 02:07:55.880 Give us all the stars for Porter. I'm Spence saying tonight, 2627 02:07:56.279 --> 02:07:58.520 get Porter and Andy your attention tomorrow and I'll talk 2628 02:07:58.560 --> 02:07:59.640 to you guys on Monday. 2629 02:07:59.640 --> 02:08:01.039 Be yourself to get to each other. 2630 02:08:01.199 --> 02:08:03.920 Catch all the action right here on ESPN seven hundred 2631 02:08:03.920 --> 02:08:05.399 and ninety two NFM. We are proud to be part 2632 02:08:05.439 --> 02:08:07.399 of Utah's ESPN Radio network.