WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.640 We have some clouds coming in, maybe a little storm situation, 2 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:06.960 and it's fall. Technically we're there, so the weather's going 3 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:09.519 to start to cool down a little bit. But joining 4 00:00:09.560 --> 00:00:11.599 me now live in studio for an entire hour. 5 00:00:11.800 --> 00:00:12.560 Man, my guy. 6 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:15.199 We've worked together in one way or another for like 7 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:16.079 fifteen years. 8 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:17.039 TP. 9 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:19.679 Tony Parks the voice of the Bees. What's up, buddy, 10 00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:21.760 I'm sorry, I'm on the wrong. 11 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:22.879 No, you're good. 12 00:00:23.480 --> 00:00:25.879 So you'll respect this as somebody who literally has done 13 00:00:25.879 --> 00:00:26.600 everything in radio. 14 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:29.440 You can talk about the jazz or take the trash out. 15 00:00:29.480 --> 00:00:30.640 That's what's great about you. 16 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:33.520 We've got a new board here and we've got a 17 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:35.880 new setup in studio, so we're still trying to traverse 18 00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:38.359 that space. So Porter asked to actually turn your mic on. 19 00:00:39.159 --> 00:00:41.479 This will terrify you. I cannot turn my mic on 20 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:43.759 or off. And we don't have a dump button every 21 00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:46.280 day for four hours. I'm like, don't don't don't say 22 00:00:46.280 --> 00:00:48.640 that one. Hey there pops in your head again, don't know, 23 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:49.759 can't say that one. 24 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:52.200 So I take it. Britton Johnson will not be in 25 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:55.280 studio foroff. I love that, man. 26 00:00:55.399 --> 00:00:57.600 Do you need a dump button with Britton Johnson along 27 00:00:57.640 --> 00:01:00.479 for the Ride, longtime co host on Jazz Perff post how. 28 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:02.560 You been, Manthe's good. I've been so good, man. I 29 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:04.400 love it. Man. Every day I get to wake up 30 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:06.640 and I go to a baseball game. And today we 31 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:09.400 don't have a game, but we traveled in last night, 32 00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:13.000 so my wife and our newborn daughter were there at 33 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:15.439 home here in Salt Lake, at our place here, and 34 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:17.799 got up today and had a great morning with her. 35 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:20.560 And you know, there is nothing like it. I wake 36 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:23.920 up and I have an infant who makes fun little 37 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:27.480 noises and squeals, and she just loves her puppy, and 38 00:01:27.560 --> 00:01:30.439 she loves her life and she can't wait to see 39 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:33.159 what's coming up every day. And then after that, I 40 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:35.359 go to a baseball game and I get to be 41 00:01:35.400 --> 00:01:37.719 around great people and I love the team that I 42 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:40.280 work with. I love the team that is on the 43 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:43.439 field as well, Manager Keith Johnson. Just like when you 44 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:47.439 have that every single day, man, you are really alive. 45 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:50.439 And it's the final year of the ballpark, a place 46 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:52.200 that's very near and dear to my heart for so 47 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:55.040 many reasons. And so this last week I'm just gonna 48 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:55.519 soak it up. 49 00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:55.719 Man. 50 00:01:55.959 --> 00:01:58.560 Six days. If you the fan you know, make sure 51 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:01.120 to join us. You know, I'm gonna pump for tickets 52 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:03.519 just because it's an iconic place. The weather's going to 53 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:05.599 be great, but we have all these great tributes coming up, 54 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:09.400 and I am just over the moon excited for what 55 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:12.080 should be, you know, a great week of being around 56 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:16.599 great people. This is the last week of the ballpark. Oh, 57 00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:18.960 we talked about it last week. 58 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:21.159 I just forgot that played way too much mediocre golf 59 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:21.759 over the weekend. 60 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:23.400 It's taking the bandwidth. 61 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:26.680 How you dealing with that? What's it like over there 62 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:28.919 last week of that ballpark? 63 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:29.120 Man? 64 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:32.000 I can remember, we all can remember going there forever 65 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:35.680 ago and thirsty Thursdays in college and throughout the course. 66 00:02:35.879 --> 00:02:39.479 You know, like so many great memories. Obviously you're the 67 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:42.240 guy for this. You have more memories than anyone outside 68 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:44.080 of the late great Steve Cloukey. 69 00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:45.599 So what's it like? 70 00:02:45.719 --> 00:02:47.680 What's it feel like knowing that this thing is coming 71 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:49.240 to an end in the Capital City. 72 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:52.120 I think it's very emotional for me because there's so 73 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:55.719 many different chapters to it. Childhood baseball is where we 74 00:02:55.719 --> 00:02:58.039 felt most safe. When we made the move my mom 75 00:02:58.039 --> 00:02:59.599 and I to Salt Lake City. That was kind of 76 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:01.960 our thing. It's how I grew a big Cubs fan 77 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:05.319 because we watched WGN. No matter where we were, Greg Maddocks, 78 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:07.919 I was on Dan Gil. Steve Stone was the star 79 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:10.000 of our home Mark Grace. Yeah, I mean I had 80 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:12.479 Steve Stone and my mom teaching me the game. Anybody 81 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:14.360 who knows my mom knows like that was the ultimate 82 00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:16.639 cheat code to have him and her together, Like teaching 83 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:20.199 me the game was amazing anyway, So baseball is a 84 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:22.560 big part to us. And then you know, when I 85 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:25.199 got the job as the play by play announcer, I'll 86 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:27.280 never forget it. I mean, I come back into the 87 00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:29.960 state of Utah really for the first time since Sophie 88 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:32.199 was born, and I go up to the press box. 89 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:34.840 I had a Weaver State football game, and Steve Cloukey's 90 00:03:34.840 --> 00:03:36.479 calling it for radio and I got it on TV, 91 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:38.560 and it's the first time we'd seen each other since 92 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:41.919 he retired, Like there's some there's some stuff here. And 93 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:43.759 the way he grabbed my arm and the way he 94 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:45.639 shook it around, and the way he pulled me in 95 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:46.840 and gave me a hug, and then the one thing 96 00:03:46.840 --> 00:03:49.240 he told me was, you know, I called the first 97 00:03:49.240 --> 00:03:51.599 game ever at that ballpark, and I think it's so 98 00:03:51.639 --> 00:03:53.439 beautiful that you get to call the last game ever 99 00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:55.639 at that ballpark. So here's one thing people didn't know 100 00:03:56.479 --> 00:03:59.719 all year. I had remembered him saying that, and I 101 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:03.199 put something together towards the last homestand to where I 102 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:06.039 was going to bring different people in to call a 103 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:08.759 few innings with me, just as a color commentary conversational 104 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:11.719 on the TV. Brook loved, Yeah one, I'm Frank Layden. Yeah, 105 00:04:11.719 --> 00:04:13.599 it's an obvious one. There's just just all these different 106 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:15.759 people I was going to bring in. But the last 107 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:17.839 one I was going to have was Steve Cloukey, and 108 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:20.240 I know exactly the way that he would set up 109 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:22.480 his book. I've studied it all the way down because 110 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:24.399 he has all of his books in there, and I 111 00:04:24.439 --> 00:04:26.439 was going to set up the game book exactly like that. 112 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:28.639 And when it got to the final three outs are 113 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:30.959 six depending on how the game was going, I was 114 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:35.399 going to have him call the final outs at the 115 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:38.480 ballpark because I truly felt that's the way it should 116 00:04:38.519 --> 00:04:41.279 have ended. And so as I think about that, that's 117 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:43.319 another thing that gets me emotional about this week because 118 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:46.680 I had those plans put into place, tell her that's mean. 119 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:48.920 Tell our listeners, do you ever listen to the podcast 120 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:52.800 SmartLess The Bateman Will. It's a funny like celebrity podcast. 121 00:04:52.839 --> 00:04:55.680 It's like a guilty pleasure listen and they talk often 122 00:04:55.959 --> 00:05:00.879 about their industry as actors. When they use terms they tell, 123 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:04.160 they follow up to tell the guests to talk to 124 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:06.920 one of the co host sisters who has no clue 125 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:07.560 about acting. 126 00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:09.319 Does that make sense? Care? So for our listeners that 127 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:11.879 don't know what a game book is, oh, explain what 128 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:13.959 that is. Yeah, it's just like it's the way you 129 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:15.879 have your score sheet and you have you know, the 130 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:17.879 visitor and the home team, and the way you list 131 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:20.319 out the starting lineups and all those different things. He 132 00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:23.399 and I have a very similar one. Yeah, very very similar. 133 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:25.800 We have very different ways which way we format it. 134 00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:29.120 I put numbers in unique spots and I don't label it. 135 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:31.240 I just know what that number means, and so when 136 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:33.519 I need it, my eyes go right to it. I 137 00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:35.920 got it, and I move gotcha, And it's the way 138 00:05:36.120 --> 00:05:38.439 and he was very much the same. Now we're different 139 00:05:38.839 --> 00:05:41.000 in exactly what we put where, but there's a style 140 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:43.000 in which we had so I mean down to the 141 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:45.000 tiniest details. He had a unique style. I had a 142 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:48.000 unan style. So one thing that I would do is like, 143 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:51.000 if somebody pops up the first base and it's caught, 144 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:53.120 it's three. But if it's a pop up high in 145 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:56.120 the air, it's a big fat three. That's the way. 146 00:05:55.639 --> 00:05:58.879 If it's a line drive, it's like the straight lines 147 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:01.519 gocha three. If it's a pop up and foul ground, 148 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:04.519 it's a backwards fat three, like I do. Like just 149 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:06.800 my mind automatically knows popped up in the foul ground. 150 00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:09.079 So there's a coding system that you have that your 151 00:06:09.079 --> 00:06:11.560 own style. And I knew his style inside out, So 152 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:14.040 I was gonna set it up that way throughout the game, 153 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:15.879 and that's how it was gonna end. I was gonna 154 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:17.639 surprise him with it. I'm gonna make sure his family 155 00:06:17.720 --> 00:06:20.199 knew about it. Yeah, and let it be because that's 156 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.480 the way I believe that the final three outs and 157 00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:24.360 the broadcast and all that. 158 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:28.839 I still, you know, I had a twin pin tweet 159 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:31.959 of my bob, my Steve Clokey bobblehead until like a 160 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:34.519 week ago, and every time I think it, I still 161 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:38.120 go white ones. Yeah, what how did that happen so 162 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:41.480 over there. So Oklahoma City's in town. We've got Smith's 163 00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:44.279 family and I coming up tomorrow, Thursday, Thursday. On Thursday, 164 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.639 we got to go Golden Night on Friday, fan Appreciation 165 00:06:47.800 --> 00:06:50.439 Night Saturday. Then the finale is on Sunday, the final 166 00:06:50.519 --> 00:06:53.120 game for the Bees of the ballpark here in the 167 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:53.879 Capital City. 168 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:56.040 It's Sunday. Now. 169 00:06:56.319 --> 00:07:00.519 Obviously, you and I are of the same about the 170 00:07:00.519 --> 00:07:03.000 Miller family and the goals they have. Yeah, and the 171 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:05.079 Stewards they were over a team that you and I 172 00:07:05.160 --> 00:07:07.480 both worked for and still to this day I cheer 173 00:07:07.480 --> 00:07:10.480 for in the Utah Jazz So Steve Stark's front of 174 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:11.439 the show friend. 175 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:12.040 Off air as well. 176 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:15.680 You know what they're doing to build a new ballpark, 177 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:18.160 you know probably deserve A bottom line for me is 178 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:19.720 I live in Salt Lake and it's a bummer that 179 00:07:19.720 --> 00:07:23.240 it's leaving, right, But I appreciate this endeavor that the 180 00:07:23.240 --> 00:07:26.040 Millers have taken on and hope that at some point 181 00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:28.240 it does lead to a major League baseball team here 182 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:32.160 in our capital city personally, which would be awesome. So 183 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:36.040 as you look ahead, Tony to what's next for this 184 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:38.519 little old ball club, what are some of your thoughts 185 00:07:38.519 --> 00:07:40.480 and what's kind of the redeeming feel of the organization. 186 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:42.639 I love the big steps that we're taking this year, 187 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:44.879 and some of them were not witnessed. Some of them 188 00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:47.439 you couldn't see with your eyes, but great work from 189 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:49.759 so many people who stepped into the ballpark ready to 190 00:07:49.800 --> 00:07:54.519 go with great baseball mindset and great business of baseball mindset. Right, 191 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:55.920 you can be a baseball person, you could be a 192 00:07:55.920 --> 00:07:58.800 business person, but these are people who understand the business 193 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:01.079 of baseball and it's going on long way. Derek Amacon 194 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:03.279 a huge part of that. Cam Coglan a huge part 195 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:05.600 of that. Ty Wardle. I know I'm leaving some people out, 196 00:08:05.639 --> 00:08:06.959 but I don't have all day. But the point is 197 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:09.439 a lot of people who are stepping in there with 198 00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:13.480 new roles, new responsibilities. They're doing a masterful job at 199 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:16.120 putting together great concepts that are helping build and go 200 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:18.560 bigger because a lot of what's happening is is we're 201 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:21.160 moving to major league mindset and there were major strides 202 00:08:21.160 --> 00:08:22.800 that took place there. First of all, they got a 203 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:25.399 TV deal done in record time. That was amazing. I mean, 204 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:28.240 the great work by from Cam Coglan to you know, 205 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:31.240 obviously ty Wordle and everybody in between to make sure 206 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:33.600 that that came together. We have all these games on KMYU, 207 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:36.320 and we have more games than I think any minor 208 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:38.639 league team out there on lineing or TV. I want 209 00:08:38.679 --> 00:08:40.240 to say, I'd have to double check that to be sure, 210 00:08:40.279 --> 00:08:42.879 but we have almost forty games right right then the 211 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:45.960 quality of our broadcast. Then we go into the features 212 00:08:45.960 --> 00:08:47.879 of our broadcast and they just kind of said, dude, 213 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:49.879 you run with this. You make it the best it 214 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:53.279 could be. Go and everybody's one hundred miles an hour 215 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:54.879 to be the very best that we can be. Now, 216 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:56.600 a lot of these things that were put into place 217 00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:59.240 behind the scenes you can't see. Next year, you're going 218 00:08:59.320 --> 00:09:01.120 to see things that a new ballpark that are going 219 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:03.399 to be elevated to levels no other minor league baseball 220 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:07.519 team has. They are very serious about not just being good, 221 00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:09.720 not just being the best, but they want to run 222 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:13.039 up the score. It's not about everybody else. It's truly 223 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:16.600 about us, and it's about creating a major league level 224 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:19.639 experience in a minor league ballpark. And that's the standard 225 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:22.200 that Steve Clouke had for the broadcast. That was my 226 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:24.519 number one goal coming into it as well as humanizing 227 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:27.320 the broadcast and making sure that the listener felt connected 228 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:30.639 to what's happening. They're also doing that in their game presentation. 229 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:33.399 They're going all the way when it comes to premium seating, 230 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:37.360 everything involved. So that is I think a great runway 231 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:41.799 into a wonderful campaign into giving this market the absolute 232 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:43.840 best chance possible to have a major league team someday. 233 00:09:43.879 --> 00:09:46.159 So when you talk the stuff that you'll see, that's 234 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:48.120 what you're gonna see next year. And a lot of 235 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:50.080 the things that have been under the surface this year 236 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:53.480 also great job by I mean, from Amy Jackson to 237 00:09:53.639 --> 00:09:55.519 Dustin dell In. I mean, there's just a lot of 238 00:09:55.559 --> 00:09:59.320 people that have exhausted efforts, Brian Dever, everybody who's just 239 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:02.120 gone all in on making this the best year it 240 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:04.159 can be to give next year a big punch. Did 241 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:08.879 you say, Derek Amercon, Yeah, Mark amcconwy porter, will you 242 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:11.120 hop on the micro quick and remind Tony what our 243 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:15.679 official stances on our radio show about nepotism. Please not 244 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:18.440 big on nepotism. You can't win with them, can't wait 245 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:18.840 with them. 246 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:21.799 You know, it's just now that's just this radio show, 247 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:24.559 that's just our opinion. I can't I kid marks the 248 00:10:24.919 --> 00:10:26.480 never met Derek, but Mark's a great guy. 249 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:29.799 Derek's a star. Yeah, that's awesome. Good to hear, huge star. 250 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:32.559 He's been as close to MVP as anybody could be 251 00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:32.919 this year. 252 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:35.360 So before we move off the bees, give me the 253 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:37.360 pitch man. Let's get people out this week. I I 254 00:10:37.480 --> 00:10:39.759 completely for I'm getting to a game this week, so 255 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:41.120 let's let's hear it. 256 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:43.519 Five dollars tickets on Sunday. We're going back to nineteen 257 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:46.759 ninety four. Five dollars tickets. Unbelievable, like concession items that 258 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:50.399 will be at great value pricing team store items throughout 259 00:10:50.440 --> 00:10:52.159 the week that you're going to want to take advantage 260 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:55.519 of with that wonderful tributes all week, iconic members that'll 261 00:10:55.559 --> 00:10:59.440 be there, former big name people who've played there. Won't 262 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:01.519 give out the name yet, but you're gonna want to 263 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:03.320 join us and be a part of that. Friday Night's 264 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:05.240 gold Golden Night. And I know that this is one 265 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:07.080 that's going to hit to you personally. I mean, I 266 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:10.759 know you know cancer has affected you personally. You and 267 00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:12.399 I have talked about this on the air. Off the air. 268 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:14.919 That's a big one in the fight against childhood cancer. 269 00:11:14.919 --> 00:11:17.399 We're we're really really big on that, and my family 270 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:21.000 is all in on doing what we can to support families. 271 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:23.200 And so that night you get fireworks after the game, 272 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:25.159 kids get to run the bases after the game. On Friday, 273 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:28.120 Saturday and Sunday, you know, fireworks on Friday and Saturday. 274 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:31.080 You know everything that you're going to want to have, 275 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:34.320 all the feels that made this place so special, You're 276 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:36.080 going to feel it over and over and over again. 277 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:39.600 I was putting together some different videos and just wonderful tributes, 278 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:41.679 so you know, at your last chance to get there 279 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:43.679 to catch a B's game, whether you started there with 280 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:45.799 the Buzz or the Stingers, or whether you were even 281 00:11:46.039 --> 00:11:47.840 you know, the trappers, or let's say go back to 282 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:50.159 the goals. My favorite part is talking to every person 283 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:53.320 giving me It's always a family story. My grandpa, my dad, 284 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:55.840 my mom, this that, and there was this game. They 285 00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:58.080 don't remember the score, they don't remember this, they don't know. 286 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:00.639 Maybe they remember one player in one moment, but they 287 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:03.480 never forgot the foam finger or the foul ball. There's 288 00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:06.000 always something there and I just I think that's what 289 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:08.080 makes this place so beautiful. Yeah, that's what it's about. 290 00:12:08.279 --> 00:12:11.399 I mean I was, and you referenced, you referenced, go 291 00:12:11.399 --> 00:12:13.720 Golden Knight. So the fight against childhood cancer. 292 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:16.039 And I just had my twenty one years man twenty 293 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:19.360 one year but I remember, thank you very much. I 294 00:12:19.399 --> 00:12:21.600 just remember I was twenty five when a doctor looked 295 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:21.840 at me. 296 00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:23.000 He was like, you're gonna die. 297 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:25.320 You have a brain tumor or you're dying, right, And 298 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:28.200 so I can remember during my recovery walking up and 299 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:30.440 down the hallways and it's the kids where you go. 300 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:33.879 Dude, what this five year old? Yeah, he is in 301 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:34.840 here with no hair. 302 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:39.279 And I can remember in the in the room next 303 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:41.519 to me when I was in physical therapy, literally relearning 304 00:12:41.559 --> 00:12:42.080 how to walk. 305 00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:44.879 A mom. It's hard to talk about him. 306 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:46.519 Mom would come in the room every night and pray 307 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:49.159 with her son, and he was twelve years old and 308 00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:51.159 his name was Nate. And I remember listening to her 309 00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:53.919 say a prayer with her son Nate, and then I 310 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:57.120 woke up one morning and he was gone from the 311 00:12:57.200 --> 00:13:01.600 room and he died. He passed three weeks of listening 312 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:03.360 to his mother pray with him every night. At the 313 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:05.039 age of twelve. He died of a brain tumor that 314 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:09.240 could't operate on. It's just whatever we can do societally 315 00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:12.320 to fight our generations that thing, and that's what cancer is. 316 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:15.720 I definitely applaud that. So where's the best place tell 317 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:16.679 him for people to get tickets? 318 00:13:16.759 --> 00:13:19.759 Yeah, SLBs dot com, that's where you're want to go. 319 00:13:19.960 --> 00:13:24.480 SLBs dot com. Amazing discounts, very valued pricing. Take advantage 320 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:26.799 of all of that. And I've been telling people, don't 321 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:29.320 just catch one last game, catch multiple Yea, be there 322 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:31.600 multiple times. Every Night's gonna look and sound and feel 323 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:33.679 a little bit different. You're gonna want to take a 324 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:34.080 piece of that. 325 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:37.159 So all right, good stuff. So head over to the 326 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:38.919 BS game this week. It's the final week of the 327 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:41.799 Bees playing baseball in Salt Lake. Let's move over to 328 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:43.919 the Utes. But before we get there, because you just 329 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:46.039 jarred something in my mind. It really is. It's one 330 00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:48.679 of the things that as I age and as I 331 00:13:48.720 --> 00:13:51.360 continue to be involved in the world of sports, I 332 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:53.399 try to have perspective on it's very much a zero 333 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:57.080 sum game. We're not changing the world, but the generational connections. 334 00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:59.720 I lost my grandfather about a year and a half ago, 335 00:14:00.320 --> 00:14:02.679 and you know, Big d Big Dave. He's getting a 336 00:14:02.679 --> 00:14:04.480 little older, right, So I'm watching my dad age. I 337 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:08.000 said goodbye to my grandpa, and we have this book 338 00:14:08.039 --> 00:14:12.279 that was put together for all the grandkids and all 339 00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:15.240 the pictures. It's me and my grandpa golfing, It's me 340 00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:16.360 and my grandpa to Jazz game. 341 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:18.080 It's me and my grandpa to BYU game. He was 342 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:18.919 a Cougar club guy. 343 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:22.120 And then the generational connection between my grandpa and my 344 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:24.399 father and now my son who was twenty three. You know, 345 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:27.159 he's fourth generation big sports fan. He's back east living 346 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:29.279 in New York. On a Jets games, Yankee game, nick game, 347 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:33.000 loving it. I walked through the tailgate the other day 348 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:37.759 for it was prior to the Utah SUU game, and 349 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:40.440 a gentleman called out my name. He listened to the 350 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:43.679 station and they had a tailgate set up. It was 351 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:46.720 very extensive. They did the prep, they're barbecuing that drinks 352 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:48.799 and it was packed and he said, I want to 353 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:51.320 want you to I want to introduce you to my grandfather. 354 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:53.799 He's the one that started all this. And I sat down, 355 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:55.840 I talk with him, and he talked about buying a 356 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:58.000 ticket to the old stadium for a nickel back in 357 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:01.240 nineteen forty seven, and then I'm seeing I met his son, 358 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:03.559 and then I met his grandsons, and they're all there 359 00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:06.039 at the Utah football game tailgating prior to the kick. 360 00:15:06.840 --> 00:15:07.919 And you know the deal. 361 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:10.000 When you get into the job, you know, you kind 362 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:11.799 of have to become agnostic. 363 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:13.360 You kind of have to become. 364 00:15:14.679 --> 00:15:18.480 Immune or numb to fandom or else it compromises the 365 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:21.639 craft of what you're trying to do. And sometimes it 366 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:23.919 does feel too much like a job to me, and 367 00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:26.879 so to be reminded of really what it's all about. 368 00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:28.679 You know, the stories that you get at the ballpark 369 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:32.159 of people talking about generations of baseball fans going over 370 00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:35.360 the years, walking through a tailgate of Utah football where 371 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:39.039 you meet the patriarch of the whole situation who's been 372 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:41.440 going a Utah football game since nineteen forty seven, passing 373 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:43.440 on to his kid, who's now passed it on to 374 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:46.440 his sons. Oh man, that it reminds you, like we 375 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:48.200 catch a lot of crap in the world of sports, 376 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:49.919 like you don't matter, like there's too many other things 377 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:51.480 going on in the world. It reminds you why it's 378 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:53.559 fun to exist in the toy asle that we do 379 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:54.360 covering sports. 380 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:56.799 Oh yeah, because what you really are in love with 381 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:00.919 is the emotions you feel in the connection with Michigan 382 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:03.440 winning the national title last year. The connection I have 383 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:06.480 with that with my mom because we'd watch clubs games 384 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:08.840 in the afternoon summertime, during the day, well in the fall, 385 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.879 Saturday and Sunday mornings. I would kind of take care 386 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:15.279 of myself early so she could sleep in because she 387 00:16:15.320 --> 00:16:18.039 was waitressing, bartending, she was up late, stuff like that, 388 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:19.879 and I would kind of have to take care of myself, 389 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:22.200 take care of the house. So she would get up 390 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:24.240 and we'd watch football together. And I learned the game 391 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:28.320 initially through Michigan football and her the cool song, cool helmet, 392 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:29.960 cool everything. Oh my gosh, that was our team. They 393 00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:31.720 were the first team on a lot of times. So 394 00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:33.840 there's so much wrapped into that, and then it comes 395 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:36.559 into my brother and it just expands out. It has 396 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:40.840 nothing to do with Elvis Gerbach or Desmond Howard, I mean, 397 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:44.200 but it was the memory and the excitement and all 398 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:46.600 of those moments that we lived through. Charles Woods and 399 00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:48.399 soaring through the air, picking off the pass in the 400 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:50.480 end zone, and the Rose Bowl. It's the way my 401 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:52.840