WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:04.200 All right, let's get at dry times. Thursday afternoon, fourteen 2 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:06.879 minutes past the hour of two o'clock, we are looking 3 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:12.439 at a spectacular Utah April day. Outside, we're tracking towards 4 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:15.720 seventy seventy two degrees. It is clear and sunny here 5 00:00:15.720 --> 00:00:19.000 in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. Happy Thursday to you, 6 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:22.199 and as it is every single day, it's going to 7 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:24.480 have you along for the riots fence check. It's beyond 8 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:27.120 the Mike Porter Larsen, beyond the glass, producing and booking 9 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:30.559 the program today, jam packed guest list, a lot of 10 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:32.920 different topics. It's not just a beautiful day in Salt 11 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:36.439 Lake City, Utah. It is a beautiful day in Augusta, Georgia, 12 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:38.799 where Justin Rose is having himself a day. 13 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:40.439 He leads the Masters right now. 14 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:44.439 He's six under par through thirteen holes in the clubhouse. 15 00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:48.240 Scottie Scheffler part of is sixty eight for four under par. 16 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:51.520 A lot of our really fun storylines already. 17 00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:54.079 The Canadian Corey Connors is also in the clubhouse with 18 00:00:54.200 --> 00:00:57.759 a sixty eight four under par Terrell Hatton. He's through 19 00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:02.520 eighteen as well, sixty nine to three under par Rory McElroy's. 20 00:01:01.880 --> 00:01:03.119 Three under through ten. 21 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:04.760 A lot of people believe this is going to be 22 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:07.000 the Scotty and the Rory show, and both those two 23 00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:10.120 golfers number one and number two in the world are 24 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:11.200 living up to the billing. 25 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:12.640 As of now. 26 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:16.079 Freddy Kupples, at the age of sixty one, hold out 27 00:01:16.200 --> 00:01:20.359 for an eagle and he is tied for fourteenth. 28 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:20.599 At one under par. 29 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:26.640 Keeping an eye on, of course, our local golfer Tony Fenow. 30 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:30.000 Unfortunately I'm scrolling down I don't see Tony's name yet. 31 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:33.959 Tony three over seventy five today. 32 00:01:34.840 --> 00:01:35.239 Wow. 33 00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:37.079 I hate to say it, but that's gonna be tough 34 00:01:37.079 --> 00:01:38.799 to come back from. 35 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:40.959 Certainly be able. 36 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:42.480 To make the cut, but will he have anything to 37 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:44.760 say about this come Sunday. 38 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:45.239 That's tough. 39 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:49.799 Mike Weir, who's from Canada, not Draper, also three over 40 00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:52.159 today and he's in the club basket with a seventy five. 41 00:01:52.200 --> 00:01:55.519 Phil Nicholson with a seventy five as well. And we'll 42 00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:58.879 keep you up to date on the scoreboard as the 43 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:02.799 eighty ninth playing of the Master Tournament Augusta, Georgia Augusta 44 00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:07.239 National Golf Club is underway. After the par three yesterday 45 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:10.199 really fun day. So do a little golf on the show. 46 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:12.719 I'll keep you up to date on the leader board. 47 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:16.680 Utah Jazz gotta win last night. I don't know why. 48 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:21.800 Uh no point, but ultimately a couple of big shots 49 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:24.479 and overtime from Keante George allowed the Jazz to beat 50 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:27.879 the Blazers one thirty three to one twenty six. They 51 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:31.159 honored the longtime PA voice of the Jazz, Dan Roberts, who, 52 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:35.159 after forty six years and over twenty one hundred games, 53 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:39.759 is Colina quits. His final game will be on Friday, 54 00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:42.520 as Oklahoma City is in town and the Jazz limping 55 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:45.599 towards the finish line. Uh, you know, the lost last 56 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:47.680 night or the win last night doesn't do a ton 57 00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:50.080 to the lottery odds. We'll walk you through those coming 58 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:53.800 up in just a little bit. And I'm sure for 59 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:55.520 a team that is. I think they were one and 60 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:58.080 twenty in their prior twenty one games, with only three 61 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:02.439 or four wins since the All Star break. Simply remembering 62 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:05.599 what it's like to win a basketball game may have 63 00:03:05.639 --> 00:03:09.560 been good for these young players. Kyle Philipowski with thirty points, 64 00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:13.360 eighteen boards, five assists, three steals. That's a ridiculous stat line. 65 00:03:13.400 --> 00:03:16.159 He was thirteen or seventeen from the floor. So we'll 66 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:19.080 do some jazz basketball, we'll do some NBA basketball in 67 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:24.159 the program today. Interesting scenes in Dallas last night as 68 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:28.840 Luka Doncic was in tears during the introductions as the 69 00:03:28.919 --> 00:03:30.879 Lakers were in Dallas to take on the MAVs. 70 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:32.560 And then he had a cool. 71 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:35.479 Forty five eight and six forty five points, eight board, 72 00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:38.919 six assists as the Lakers beat the Mavericks one twelve 73 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:42.639 to ninety seven. So we'll get to some NBA storylines 74 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:45.120 on the program today. The Nuggets won their first game 75 00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:48.280 with Dave Adelman on the sidelines and not Michael Malone, 76 00:03:48.280 --> 00:03:50.960 won twenty four to one sixteen. And we are high 77 00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:53.759 speed ahead of the playoffs. Playoff basketball, and the NBA 78 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:56.840 is still great. The regular season can be certainly a 79 00:03:56.879 --> 00:03:59.479 little rough, and we've got some big games tonight on 80 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:03.120 the Pro Basketball Slate. The Knicks are in Detroit to 81 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:06.080 take on the Pistons, the Cavs will take on the Pacers, 82 00:04:06.599 --> 00:04:08.879 and a big one out West as the Timberwolves and 83 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:09.919 the Grizzlies will do. 84 00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:11.159 Battle at the Grindhouse. 85 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:14.719 The FedEx form in Memphis Tennessee because there are still 86 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:17.000 several questions about what the seeding is going to look like, 87 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:19.959 teams trying to avoid the play in and honestly, teams 88 00:04:19.959 --> 00:04:22.439 trying to avoid the eight spot because Oklahoma City is 89 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:26.120 just that good. So some NBA basketball on the program today. 90 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:31.279 Utah football about halfway through springball, a couple of practices 91 00:04:31.399 --> 00:04:35.000 this week. I think they've got four practices next week, 92 00:04:35.480 --> 00:04:37.600 and then it is the Forever twenty two game coming 93 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:41.839 up on Saturday, April nineteenth. Utah Utes dot com is 94 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:44.399 where you go for tickets. They new hire was made 95 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:46.879 by Alex Jensen and the Utah coaching staff. We'll let 96 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:49.360 you know who that is and talk about it on 97 00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:51.920 the show. And of course the latest with BYU throwing 98 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:55.600 money all over the place to attract talent to play 99 00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:59.600 for their basketball team. Matt Gan fortunately was cut today 100 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:03.439 Napolis Colts after a very successful stint with the Rams. 101 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:05.560 He was given the richest contract. 102 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:07.920 In the history of kickers via free agency, and after 103 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:09.879 two years, with two years left on his deal, the 104 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:13.519 Colts cut former mat Gator Day. So we are also 105 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:16.879 high speed ahead of the NFL Draft and about a 106 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:19.120 couple of weeks away from that, Raal salt Lake is 107 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:22.439 on the road taking on Nashville on Saturday. It's six 108 00:05:22.519 --> 00:05:24.600 thirty Mountain time. We'll do a little RS on the 109 00:05:24.600 --> 00:05:29.279 program after Tommy Boger reported yesterday that RSL is in 110 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:33.879 talks with a striker, European striker. So we'll do some 111 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:36.720 RS on the program as well today. All right, Lock 112 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:40.079 going on, Lock going on. So our first guest right 113 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:41.360 out of the gates will be a good friend of 114 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:43.079 the show who we haven't caught up with in quite 115 00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:47.160 some time, Amy Donaldson. Amy Donaldson, our friend from KSL. 116 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:50.199 Then it's Dave mcminnamon, who claims he's not a celebrity reporter. 117 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:51.000 You can fool me. 118 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:53.360 After all the TV time Dave got last night for 119 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:57.439 the Lakers MAVs game. The head coach of RSL, Pablo 120 00:05:57.480 --> 00:05:59.519 Mastro and he stops buying the four o'clock hour, and 121 00:05:59.560 --> 00:06:03.000 then the eventsive coordinator and head coach and waiting for 122 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:05.720 the Utah Youth Football program, Morgan Scalley, will join us 123 00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:07.759 right off the top of the hour at five o'clock. 124 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:10.319 Today, we're going to squeeze a little sports court with. 125 00:06:10.199 --> 00:06:13.560 Our friends over at Handy and Handy so a jam 126 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:17.000 pack program on this Thursday afternoon as we inch closer 127 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:19.959 and closer to the weekend, but this springtime weather certainly 128 00:06:19.959 --> 00:06:21.160 putting wind in my sales. 129 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:22.560 Hopefully it's doing the same for you. 130 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:26.199 Amy Donaldson, Dave McManaman, Pablo Master, Johnnie Morgan, Scalley and 131 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:28.399 me Spence Check. It's all of you, the great listeners 132 00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:32.240 on this beautiful Thursday, and that young man Porter Larson 133 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:36.959 producing the program on this Thursday afternoon. I don't know 134 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:38.800 that I've ever kicked the tires with you on your 135 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:42.199 pro golf consumption? Are you a major golf guy? Do 136 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:44.360 you just tune in when it's close on Sundays? How 137 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:45.720 much pro golf do you consume? 138 00:06:45.959 --> 00:06:50.800 Yeah, definitely a major guy. I watched the Majors intently. 139 00:06:50.920 --> 00:06:53.959 If it's Masters, I was up early this morning watching 140 00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:59.319 guys golf. I would say historically, my pro golf coverage 141 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:04.560 is like most, It's maybe not most, but it's it's 142 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:09.519 lean towards specific players like Tiger Woods. I watched a 143 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:12.279 lot of Senior Tour because my guy Marko Mira was 144 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:15.040 on that one for a long time, so it kind 145 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:18.839 of depends he's retired. Now there's no, Tiger. I haven't 146 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:21.639 found myself watching golf from a week to week basis 147 00:07:21.800 --> 00:07:27.000 with those guys not playing but not missing majors. That's 148 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:31.240 a guarantee. Not watching like the simulator golf, not watching live, 149 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:34.319 not watching the rest of it. But you're if you're 150 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:35.920 playing with the top players in the world and they're 151 00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:40.199 all playing together at the same place, I'm tuned in. 152 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:41.319 All right, there you go. 153 00:07:41.399 --> 00:07:43.879 So we'll keep you up to date on the Master 154 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:46.639 of the eighty ninth Plane of the Master's Tournament, Augusta, Georgia, 155 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:50.319 where the conditions are just spectacular and should be all weekend. 156 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:53.519 Long Tony feen out rough round one, we'll see if 157 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:55.240 he can bounce back and at least make the cut 158 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:58.040 to play the weekend. Amy Donaldson will join us livin 159 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:00.839 studio today, but on a Thursday. Before we catch up 160 00:08:00.839 --> 00:08:03.920 with our friend Amy, courtesy of our friends at Prize Picks, 161 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:05.759 it is time now for your opening tip. 162 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:08.800 Welcome to the Drive with Spence check its on Utah's 163 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:12.240 number one sports talk now into the studios of ESPN 164 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:14.839 seven hundred to set the scene for the show. The 165 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:16.959 opening tip of the Drive is brought to you by 166 00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:21.279 Prize Picks. Use the code ESPN seven hundred and run 167 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:23.120 your game with Prize Picks. 168 00:08:23.319 --> 00:08:26.839 Springtime is here in baseball season is officially underway. Don't 169 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:28.879 miss your chance to add your favorite players from the 170 00:08:28.920 --> 00:08:32.039 Diamond into your Prize Picks lineup. 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It is curtesy 183 00:09:00.039 --> 00:09:02.000 of our friends at Prize Picks. So download the Prize 184 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:04.639 Picks app today. Use that promo code ESPN seven hundred. 185 00:09:04.919 --> 00:09:07.000 You get fifty dollars instantly after you play your first 186 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:08.440 five dollars line up Prize Picks. 187 00:09:08.519 --> 00:09:10.399 Run your game all season long. 188 00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:13.120 I started posting some of my prize picks lineups on 189 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:14.399 my social media accounts. 190 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:15.320 Follow me if you want. 191 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:18.519 I don't give a rip because ultimately it's an exercise 192 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:21.399 in futility. But I will tell you I played a 193 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:27.120 six player parlay last night, and if Nikola Jokic would 194 00:09:27.159 --> 00:09:29.279 have scored two more points, I would have won twelve 195 00:09:29.559 --> 00:09:30.320 hundred dollars. 196 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:33.600 Those are the fun ones, man, the parlays. 197 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:35.120 Even though they're dangerous, it's a lot more fun when 198 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:37.720 you win. But I hit five of my six projections, 199 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:39.759 and if Jokic got four more points, I would have 200 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:40.879 won like twelve hundred bucks. 201 00:09:40.919 --> 00:09:42.919 Yeah, but as it is, I lost one hundred. It's 202 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:43.200 the game. 203 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:44.000 It's the game we play. 204 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:45.399 That's the deal, prize picks. 205 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:47.759 It's fun and you know, if you go about your 206 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:49.840 business the right way, maybe you can win some cash. 207 00:09:49.960 --> 00:09:50.360 All right. 208 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:54.840 We continue to await word on trying to understand exactly 209 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:57.639 what Alex Jensen's Utah basketball team is going to look like, 210 00:09:57.720 --> 00:10:00.080 because you know, we need to understand who the player 211 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:03.480 will be breaking news. You cannot analyze the basketball team 212 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:04.360 if you don't know who. 213 00:10:04.200 --> 00:10:06.159 The players are. There you go a little peak beyond 214 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:06.519 the curtain. 215 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:09.399 How we do our business here, so we know only 216 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:10.960 of a couple of players that are going to be 217 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:13.240 on the roster, but we did find out about another 218 00:10:13.320 --> 00:10:17.039 hire today as Alex Jensen has hired Eric Daniels as 219 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:19.799 an assistant coach for the Utah basketball program, which is 220 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:23.720 Alex's third staff member. Raphael Chilius, his lead assistant, was 221 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:26.559 the first hire, Wes Wilcox the GM also in place, 222 00:10:27.159 --> 00:10:29.720 and now Eric Daniels to the University of Utah. Eric 223 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:32.559 has been an assistant coach in the state for ten years. 224 00:10:33.399 --> 00:10:36.600 He served under Jared Calhoun a Utah State last year. 225 00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:40.159 And a lot of people that I know Eric's dad, 226 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:42.480 I know Donnie. I don't know Eric, but a lot 227 00:10:42.519 --> 00:10:44.600 of people that know Eric believe this is a good 228 00:10:44.600 --> 00:10:49.360 addition based off of his understanding and ties to players 229 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.279 here in the state and maybe some players that are 230 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:53.759 in the transfer portal from Utah State or web State. 231 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:57.559 So Eric Salt Lake City native. As I reference his dad, 232 00:10:57.600 --> 00:11:00.639 Donnie Daniels, was a longtime assistant coach here and elsewhere. 233 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:05.200 Sixteen years of experience to the program and a lot 234 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:08.600 of work on the recruiting and the player development side, 235 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:11.080 which seems to be a theme so far for Alex's staff, 236 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:14.399 which you understand. Prior to his stint at Utah State, 237 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:17.720 Eric spent five years as an assistant at Weber where 238 00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:21.679 he started under the legend himself, Randy Ray, and then 239 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:24.759 he was the top assistant under Eric Duff. Prior to that, 240 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:27.960 he worked with Mark Pope at Utah Valley and that 241 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:30.720 was a very successful run for Mark. Of course partlaid 242 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:33.200 that into the BYU job, and now he's in Lexington 243 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:36.120 with one of the best jobs in college basketball coaching Kentucky. 244 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:37.600 So there you go. 245 00:11:37.720 --> 00:11:40.279 In twenty fourteen, Eric spent a year with the Orlando 246 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:44.279 Magic basketball ops staff. Began his coaching career at Southern 247 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:48.399 Utah five seasons at Regis University, so he has been around. 248 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:48.799 For a little bit. 249 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:52.799 And of course his dad, Donnie Daniels, a legend around here. 250 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:55.960 So Eric Daniels officially out of d Alex Jensen's staff. 251 00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:58.759 So we have Raphael Chillis, we have Wes Wilcox, we 252 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:02.279 have Eric Daniels, we have Ko Dawes, we have Terrence Brown, 253 00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:05.480 and we're waiting to hear news about other players outed 254 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:07.840 to the fold. So a lot of rumors going on 255 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:11.039 right now about both Utah and BYU trying to add players. 256 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:14.759 According to the reports that are out there, BYU is 257 00:12:14.840 --> 00:12:19.480 preparing another big time nil offer for a transfer portal 258 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:20.480 guard out of Baylor. 259 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:21.720 We'll talk more about that. 260 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:25.039 The reports are that AJ the Bans is getting seven 261 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:28.559 million bucks for five seven million dollars for five months 262 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:31.600 of basketball, and you know they're trying to bring Richie 263 00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:32.440 Saunders back on a. 264 00:12:32.440 --> 00:12:33.559 Seven figure deal as well. 265 00:12:33.639 --> 00:12:36.639 BYU, no matter what they want to say or no 266 00:12:36.679 --> 00:12:39.559 matter what they're sending out on social media, is throwing 267 00:12:39.720 --> 00:12:43.039 money all over the place and out bidding the other 268 00:12:43.159 --> 00:12:45.480 highest bidders for some of the best talent in the country. 269 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:47.399 The spin they're going to put on it is people 270 00:12:47.480 --> 00:12:50.759 just want the BYU experience. So do I for seven million, 271 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:53.360 pay me seven mill all move to provo for five months. 272 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:56.320 This is about money, regardless of the spin that you're 273 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:59.039 hearing from folks that work for BYU. We'll get back 274 00:12:59.080 --> 00:13:01.240 to this up in a bit and we'll give you 275 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:04.039 a master's update as well. But coming up on the 276 00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:06.320 other side, one of our friends who joins the show 277 00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:08.399 from time to time, maybe Donaldson will join us live 278 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:08.960 in studio. 279 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:11.159 Move over to Dave McManaman who was. 280 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:13.759 On site last night as Luka Doncis was back in 281 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:17.320 Dallas playing for the Los Angeles Lakers Pablo mash Jo 282 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:20.919 II RSL head coach in preparation for the Nashville Nashville 283 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:25.480 match coming up on Saturday. Amy Donaldson is live in studio, 284 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:29.879 which hasn't happened for quite some time on this beautiful 285 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:30.799 Thursday afternoon. 286 00:13:30.840 --> 00:13:32.320 So we have a lot to get to with our 287 00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:34.639 friend Amy. Amy. Happy Thursday. How are you? 288 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:36.840 Thank you? I'm good. It's been so long. I don't 289 00:13:36.840 --> 00:13:38.080 know how to work at pair of headphones. 290 00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:40.360 Those headphones aren't I mean, we got other options. I'm 291 00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:41.879 not a big fan of those, but they were just 292 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:42.279 plugged in. 293 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:45.399 Hey with a child size head too. It doesn't help. So, yeah, boy, 294 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:47.000 I can never wear hats. I have to wear a 295 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:48.600 hat that has like a bel crew. I can't wear 296 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:49.200 a trucker hat. 297 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:51.120 Oh one of those. Okay, well you got to figure 298 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:51.399 it out. 299 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:52.879 Are you doing. 300 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:53.919 I've been good, been good. 301 00:13:54.200 --> 00:13:57.679 Yeah, Yeah, I've just been traveling a bunch stuff about 302 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:00.600 writing and podcasting and very nice back from cargo. Went 303 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:04.559 to podcast evolutions and yeah, trying to figure out this. 304 00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:07.039 How do you make money in media business, you know, 305 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:10.080 which is crazy because when I started in the nineties, 306 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:14.840 the only business it was more profitable than being in 307 00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:20.200 media was pharmaceuticals, really, and that changed by the end 308 00:14:20.279 --> 00:14:23.200 of the nineties. Yes, it did drastically thanks to the Internet. 309 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:23.879 Yes it did. 310 00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:26.080 And so what I watched in print journalism I'm now 311 00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:30.360 seeing in broadcast media. As you know, beloved radio loses 312 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:35.679 terrestrial radio loses listeners every year they age. But yeah, 313 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:38.120 it's been, so it's been. I've never worried about, like, 314 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:39.960 how do you make money at this. I've just I'll 315 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:43.200 go somewhere do good work and they'll hire me, right right. Yeah, 316 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:44.240 it's not enough anymore. 317 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:46.679 Well it's not enough in the NBA either, because good 318 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:49.639 coaches are suddenly losing jobs. Altogether. It's it's pretty wild. 319 00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:52.200 But what what we won't do a lot of Michael 320 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:55.440 Malone content today? Amy, What what has your attention as 321 00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:58.519 of late outside, Like are there any projects you're consuming 322 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:00.919 right now or working on right now or or are 323 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:03.399 you just kind of still learning the space and then 324 00:15:03.399 --> 00:15:04.399 deciding your next step. 325 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:06.320 Oh no, I have I have a long list of 326 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:09.360 I never, I never don't have a pride, So right 327 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:12.720 now I'm working on a project about international students. I 328 00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:14.639 think we've talked about my reporting and I'm working on 329 00:15:14.759 --> 00:15:17.639 some stories and then eventually it will be a podcast 330 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:20.480 about international students that come here to play mostly at 331 00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:23.080 private schools, and sort of what their experience is like 332 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:27.159 and how that affects you know, local schools and local athletes, 333 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:29.799 and also what it means to you know, college and 334 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:32.399 the pro game. So you know, the number two pick 335 00:15:32.440 --> 00:15:35.919 in the w NBA draft was an international student who 336 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:39.240 went to a small Christian school I believe in Tennessee. 337 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:43.440 You know, it was down south somewhere, and yeah, it's 338 00:15:43.559 --> 00:15:46.360 really more and more. Now we have some issues like 339 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:49.200 I don't know if you saw the freshman from Duke 340 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:55.519 who who is here from South Sudan. He has a 341 00:15:55.559 --> 00:15:58.840 South Sudan passport, he has a family actually lived most 342 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:02.519 of his life in Ghana, and now he's maybe gonna 343 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:04.080 have to leave the country and they have to figure 344 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:08.440 out that visa situation for him, because all South Sudanese 345 00:16:09.480 --> 00:16:12.440 people here on a visa, anyone, any visa holder or 346 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:17.519 i'm sorry, passport holder from South Africa South Sudan has 347 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:20.320 been told they have to leave self deport So. 348 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:22.960 He's in a situation because he's going to be like 349 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:23.840 a top eight pick. 350 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:28.480 Yeah, so that was that was that was that was 351 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:31.639 you know, I'm sure that they'll work it out. But 352 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:33.360 I remember when I was doing the research on the 353 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:36.720 RSL podcast, making up a moment, one of the things 354 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:41.519 that I talked to like uh Kurt Schmid and and 355 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:45.320 you know some of the others about it's so much 356 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:49.159 of it is visa management. Who's who needs a visa, 357 00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:51.480 who has a pastor you know, where do they live 358 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:54.080 And a lot of times when a family and we 359 00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:59.519 you know, look at Yannish, his family fled from his 360 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:05.039 home kind of tree, Nigeria to Greece and he had 361 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:06.960 a Greece path you know, passport from Greek. He's a 362 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:11.680 Greek citizen, right. But there just there are these complications 363 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:15.599 now that all these games are international games, and then 364 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:17.480 you have world politics that impact it. I mean I 365 00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:21.200 saw it during the Olympics when Russia invaded Crimea in 366 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:24.720 twenty fourteen. You had athletes who their home was in 367 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:29.680 Crimea and it was really difficult to when those political 368 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:34.480 you know, the happenings then impact whether or not players 369 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:38.079 or athletes can do what they that's I think it 370 00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:42.400 was twenty eighteen when they began a refugee team. That 371 00:17:42.440 --> 00:17:44.400 was the first time they had a refugee team. Or 372 00:17:44.440 --> 00:17:47.160 actually I take that back, it was in Reo. Yeah, 373 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:48.079 that they had a refugee team. 374 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:50.640 Actually showed pretty well. They played okay if I remember correctly. 375 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:53.519 So the thing that was fascinating about that was, you know, 376 00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:55.519 one of the they let us interview a bunch of them. 377 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:57.519 I'd never seen anything like it, right, and there was 378 00:17:57.920 --> 00:17:59.599 I mean, I would say I would argue the last 379 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:03.480 ten years we've had a massive refugee crisis in the world, right, 380 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:08.559 huge millions and millions of people shifting to other places 381 00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:12.319 because of war, because of famine, because of really corrupt leadership, right. 382 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:16.960 And so you had the IOC had these athletes who 383 00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:21.640 their countries either couldn't or wouldn't participate in the games, 384 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:24.920 and so they created this refugee team. And it was 385 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:28.359 really interesting because the politics were really anti refugee. But 386 00:18:28.440 --> 00:18:30.400 the IOC, which is not really what I would say 387 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:33.440 is a leader, a thought leader, as my College of 388 00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:36.200 the Desert and News would say, they weren't really out 389 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:37.880 in front of things. So they but they had these 390 00:18:38.200 --> 00:18:40.759 athletes and one of the women was a swimmer, and 391 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:45.599 she had Carrie, like she pulled the little raft her 392 00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:48.759 family and a bunch of other people that they knew from, 393 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:51.519 you know, their community, their town or whatever. But she 394 00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:54.759 had pulled them the last couple of her sister swam 395 00:18:54.839 --> 00:18:58.839 and pulled them the last bit into into Greece and 396 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:03.079 it was Yeah, it was incredible and really just what 397 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:05.519 they had been through, it was really hard to focus 398 00:19:05.559 --> 00:19:07.920 on sports. Yeah, Like you're like, oh, you're a swimmer, 399 00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:10.240 Like what's your best time, what's your favorite you know, stroke, 400 00:19:10.359 --> 00:19:12.920 whatever you or how do you psych yourself up for 401 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:15.559 a race? Like all the normal things you might look 402 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:19.400 at were they just seemed so dumb. You know. It 403 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:25.240 was like the difference between you know, knowing someone's you know, 404 00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:28.279 real life story and knowing what their favorite food is. Yeah, 405 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:30.400 that's how I feel. Sports is when we really figure 406 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:32.640 out how much we how little we know about these 407 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:35.359 athletes that we love or cover whatever. 408 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:37.880 Yeah, and it puts a lot of things in a 409 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:41.079 perspective as well. You know, when you realize what a 410 00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:44.759 lot of these athletes go through just to be able 411 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:46.720 to compete and just to be you know, be able 412 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:48.599 to be a part of it, you know. And I 413 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:51.240 think the American attitude is what's the metal count? Right, 414 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:52.559 Like how many golds have we won? 415 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:52.960 Yeah? 416 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:54.519 Why are you showing me the story about this person? 417 00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:54.759 Right? 418 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:55.480 The country? 419 00:19:55.559 --> 00:19:55.720 Right? 420 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:57.640 But you know the thing that was really interesting was 421 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:02.559 how much it meant to these communities. I mean when 422 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:04.839 you I mean think about the times we've had moments 423 00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:08.079 here right after nine to eleven or never forget that 424 00:20:08.119 --> 00:20:11.440 World Series after nine eleven was like not a thing 425 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:13.359 you sit through every single game or whatever, but it 426 00:20:13.400 --> 00:20:17.799 was so galvanizing, right, And so I think that that 427 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:20.079 was what I saw was you know, just this little 428 00:20:20.920 --> 00:20:26.279 you know, twenty year old swimmer or you know, there 429 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:28.880 was a weightlifter. They're just they just did different sports, right. 430 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:33.319 There was judo, and they were just giving people hope 431 00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:36.680 who really were just trying to get through another day. 432 00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:38.359 They didn't have food, they didn't have medicine, they didn't 433 00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:42.039 you know. It was it was especially the refugees from Syria. 434 00:20:42.279 --> 00:20:45.839 It was heartbreaking. I mean I really like went back 435 00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:47.839 to my room and was like, I think I need 436 00:20:47.880 --> 00:20:52.240 to revaluate my entire life predecision I've ever made, I 437 00:20:52.279 --> 00:20:55.839 don't know, you know, it's hard. Yeah, but then I 438 00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:57.440 just tried to focus on the fact that they were 439 00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:59.920 giving them this opportunity and I believe they still do that, 440 00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:04.279 and then it was just fun to be part of 441 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:08.960 telling that story. And I would say I'm pretty critical 442 00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:12.319 of the IOC and most managing bodies, but that was 443 00:21:12.359 --> 00:21:14.920 one where I thought, Okay, this was this was a 444 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:16.559 really beautiful thing that they did. 445 00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:16.880 Yeah. 446 00:21:16.920 --> 00:21:19.480 I mean, the amount of corruption is impossible to ignore, 447 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:23.160 and it's every year, every cycle, whether it's winter or summer, 448 00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:26.480 and it happened here in two thousand and two. You know, 449 00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:28.799 there's really no exception. It just seems like every time 450 00:21:28.839 --> 00:21:31.880 there is some international event, and the World Cup's the 451 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:32.920 same way. 452 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:35.359 But it's everything that a few months after. 453 00:21:35.319 --> 00:21:38.759 The fact you find out all of these really nefarious 454 00:21:38.759 --> 00:21:41.039 things that have gone on in the name of logging 455 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:42.160 in about the games. 456 00:21:42.279 --> 00:21:45.799 You know, the wa to the drug testing, like you know, 457 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:50.119 don't don't go after these people or don't do you 458 00:21:50.119 --> 00:21:51.599 know what I mean? Like that, it just seems like 459 00:21:51.640 --> 00:21:56.160 there's always some some scandal or some somebody's buying their 460 00:21:56.160 --> 00:22:00.319 way out or into something, and you're just there king 461 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:03.319 like this is amazing the world's coming together. The athletes 462 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:05.160 have you know, worked their whole life to get on 463 00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:07.680 this stage. And then you realize this stage is sort 464 00:22:07.720 --> 00:22:13.400 of made up of you know, bought stolen and corruption 465 00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:15.839 and stuff like that. But you think still like there's 466 00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:17.920 an there's a thread of it, there's an essen, it 467 00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:23.480 has an essence of something beautiful. There are so many greats. 468 00:22:23.559 --> 00:22:26.440 Like the first woman to win a judo medal was 469 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:30.119 from the favelas in Rio, and I went to the 470 00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:34.359 favelas and spend some time. Yeah, my so, my cousin 471 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:37.000 is married to a woman from Rio. Her mom does 472 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:38.759 a bunch of works. So she said, you know, do 473 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:40.880 you want to go? So one of my case all 474 00:22:40.920 --> 00:22:43.279 colleagues and I went, and then I went again with 475 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:46.000 her on a service project. But you know, they don't 476 00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:48.400 have running wat. I mean, the conditions they live in 477 00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:51.160 are probably not as good as some of the dogs 478 00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:53.440 that i've I've adopted out. 479 00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:55.400 Well, you do take care of your dogs very well. 480 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:57.640 Not me. I mean some of these like my nephew 481 00:22:57.640 --> 00:23:00.319 and his wife, their dogs have their own bad room, 482 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:00.720 they have. 483 00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:02.000 Their own own bedroom. 484 00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:05.960 Yeah, I don't even it's beautiful. It's really Wow, most 485 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:09.440 children would like this room. It's decorated. Yeah, and then 486 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:11.839 I go to this little house where it's really like 487 00:23:11.880 --> 00:23:14.200 a closet size of no running water, and they're they're 488 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:18.160 offering me coffee. You know, they just they're just they 489 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.960 were just it was just and I just thought, you know, really, 490 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:23.680 I think the thing that I take away from all 491 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:27.799 these experiences, you know, happiness is a choice. You know, 492 00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:29.400 you're always going to be waiting on something. 493 00:23:29.480 --> 00:23:34.400 Yep, happiness, And that's you know, it's it's ironic for 494 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:37.839 a lot of reasons. You bring that up because currently 495 00:23:38.039 --> 00:23:41.319 you know, that's a dynamic. Like I talked to my 496 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:44.839 son about who's twenty three going on twenty four, and 497 00:23:44.839 --> 00:23:48.119 he's in the real world, and it's funny, this weird dynamic. 498 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:50.599 When you're young, all you can do is think about 499 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:52.359 how excited you are to finish school get in the 500 00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:54.240 real world. Then you get in the real world, you 501 00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:56.799 start working, you realize what bills are and I just 502 00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:58.319 had to walk them through how to do you how 503 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:00.279 to do his taxes and he's like, Dad, this this 504 00:24:00.359 --> 00:24:02.720 adulting stuff isn't all it's cracked up to me. So 505 00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:06.519 day in and day out, just remembering and the stories 506 00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:09.000 you're sharing about you know, folks that certainly are less 507 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:11.240 fortune than most of us give you perspective where every 508 00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:13.680 day you can't choose what you focus on. 509 00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:13.960 Well. 510 00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:16.240 And I also think that, like it's the way you 511 00:24:16.279 --> 00:24:19.200 look at fortune too, right, Like, so less fortunate is 512 00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:20.839 definitely the way I would have seen it. But like 513 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:22.920 when you interview them and you talk to them about 514 00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:24.519 what they're doing and why they're doing it and what 515 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:27.119 they're bringing to their communities, you go, gosh, maybe they're 516 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:29.319 more fortunate than me, just you know what I mean, 517 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:33.160 the purpose the police they have now in their country, 518 00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:35.880 in their community. And I would say, like I read 519 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:39.079 an article about Cooper Flag because my nephew is a 520 00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:41.880 jazz fan and he's obsessed. All my nephews are. He's 521 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:45.240 obsessed with the draft and this is all we can 522 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:47.920 discuss now, right right, we just sit through this season. 523 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:50.799 We had a little mini pack because he just got 524 00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:53.119 station at Hill Air Force, bass in the Air Force 525 00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:57.119 and he's just been a jat dieheard my brother in 526 00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:59.079 law bought one of the old chairs from the old 527 00:24:59.119 --> 00:24:59.640 Delta Center. 528 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:00.000 Oh wow. 529 00:25:00.400 --> 00:25:02.720 He lives in Alaska. He's a a police officer in Alaska. 530 00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:05.559 But yeah, so bit I read this article and I 531 00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:08.240 was texting. We were texting back and forth, and did 532 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:11.920 you see the post game where where Cooper was just devastating? 533 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:12.160 Yeah? 534 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:14.079 Yeah, And so I mean we're used to that, Like 535 00:25:14.119 --> 00:25:14.559 we've seen that. 536 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:17.319 I've seen that was a tough way to lose too, 537 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:18.599 by Yeah, oh. 538 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:20.839 My gosh, So I've seen you know what, You've just 539 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:24.440 seen people's heartbreak in a million different ways, right, Like 540 00:25:25.319 --> 00:25:27.319 watching Nicole pikes pace the first time I saw her 541 00:25:27.319 --> 00:25:30.000 in twenty ten when she lost out on a medal 542 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:32.640 after she came back from a horrific accident where the 543 00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:35.359 bob slid hit her and busted her leg, like she 544 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:38.240 probably shouldn't have even been doing sports again. But she 545 00:25:38.279 --> 00:25:41.240 came back from that, gets to the Olympics in twenty ten, 546 00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:43.599 and she'd already qualified when she got hit by the 547 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:46.440 bob slied. That's wild and best in the world, and 548 00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:48.480 you know, you don't know is your window closing? Right 549 00:25:48.519 --> 00:25:51.119 in athletics, it's always about as much about timing as 550 00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:53.480 it is your talent. But then she comes back and 551 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:55.480 she loses out like by a tenth of a second. 552 00:25:56.039 --> 00:25:58.359 It's like literally a blink of it, not yeah and so, 553 00:25:58.759 --> 00:26:00.680 and you just like, how do you not replay that 554 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:02.160 in your mind for the rest of your life? Like 555 00:26:02.200 --> 00:26:04.319 am I that unlucky? Or was I lucky that I 556 00:26:04.359 --> 00:26:06.359 came back and I got to compete and I was fourth? 557 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:06.799 Yeah? 558 00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:09.799 Right, So it's all this perspective thing. But I read 559 00:26:09.799 --> 00:26:13.720 this article about Cooper flat somebody was it was a 560 00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:16.039 column and opinion piece, but I liked it because it 561 00:26:16.119 --> 00:26:21.119 was about I hope there's somebody. We're so fixated on 562 00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:25.319 the next big thing, and now it's children. These are 563 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:29.119 the next big Look at AJ debands, debands, who's going 564 00:26:29.160 --> 00:26:33.039 to BYU? It's there's always this, and now it's children. 565 00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:38.119 So it was nineteen and twenty year olds, now with 566 00:26:38.200 --> 00:26:41.920 one and done it is it is always it's a kid, 567 00:26:42.519 --> 00:26:47.480 and so there's no time for them. I mean, none 568 00:26:47.519 --> 00:26:50.799 of us do well through puberty. Okay, we all have 569 00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:53.039 a rough time. It is. It is really rough. 570 00:26:53.160 --> 00:26:55.240 It's it's rough when you're going through it, and then 571 00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:57.359 it's rough when you watch your children go through it 572 00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.480 because you know how they're feeling. 573 00:26:58.599 --> 00:27:01.160 Yeah, and it's rough when you like you just see 574 00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:05.599 that everyone doesn't have the grace that they probably deserve. 575 00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:09.319 And then you have this the spotlight. Like I always thought, oh, 576 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:12.119 thank god I didn't grow up during you know, Instagram 577 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:15.359 and all this stuff, right, But now I see these 578 00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:18.799 young men and women who are in high school millions 579 00:27:18.839 --> 00:27:23.599 of dollars at stake and they're being asked to make 580 00:27:23.640 --> 00:27:28.160 millions of dollars for other people, and fans are just 581 00:27:28.759 --> 00:27:31.759 out of control and they have access to the you know, 582 00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:35.599 the immediate access to everything. And this article is basically saying, 583 00:27:35.640 --> 00:27:39.480 I hope somebody in his life lets him be a kid, 584 00:27:39.640 --> 00:27:42.599 takes him back and says, you know, this is not 585 00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:45.359 the pinnacle of your life. It is not the thing 586 00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:48.480 that you should define yourself with. But you know, learn 587 00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:50.519 from it, grow from it like like our parents would. 588 00:27:50.839 --> 00:27:53.279 But it's just on such a massive stage. There's so 589 00:27:53.400 --> 00:27:58.960 much at stake that it you couple normal teenage there 590 00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:03.200 are no mo Hills with actually millions of dollars mistake. Yeah, 591 00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:06.559 and you have like it's a perfect storm for absolute 592 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:08.200 horrific mental health problems. 593 00:28:08.279 --> 00:28:09.240 Yeah. Yeah. 594 00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:13.480 And I remind people, like if you watch Cooper flag play, 595 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:18.200 like what a mature adult because of the way he 596 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:21.200 approaches the game. Cooper reclassified and should be a senior 597 00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:24.079 in high school. He turned eighteen like four months ago, 598 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:27.160 you know, and he is already being anointed as the 599 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:29.920 next whatever it is, whether it's Utah or Charlotte or 600 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:33.319 Washington or half a third of the NBA is losing 601 00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:34.960 on purpose to try to get this kid. 602 00:28:35.400 --> 00:28:37.480 And not just that, but they're debating whether or not 603 00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:39.559 he will be the greatest one and done or not 604 00:28:39.799 --> 00:28:41.599 right because he didn't win. And you know, how do 605 00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:43.799 you like this debate about you? And you're just out 606 00:28:43.799 --> 00:28:44.960 here trying to live your life. 607 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:47.119 Well and at that age too, Amy, because really, in 608 00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:51.759 the history of pro basketball eighteen year olds coming into 609 00:28:51.799 --> 00:28:54.400 the league and looking like they belong, that list is 610 00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:55.759 one and it's Lebron. 611 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:57.319 I was going to say, the only one that I 612 00:28:57.400 --> 00:28:59.880 thought that that's a man is Lebron. 613 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:03.480 So like Garnett came into the league at eighteen and 614 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:04.799 looked okay early on. 615 00:29:04.920 --> 00:29:06.480 I can remember Garnett's rookie year. 616 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:11.839 The All Star weekend was in San Antonio and Patrick 617 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:14.680 Ewingion made it. So we went and I can remember 618 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:18.400 the elevator opening because everybody was excited about Garnet a 619 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:22.559 big ticket. You know, this high school kid, Fairchild Academy, 620 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:23.319 you know, manchild. 621 00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:25.519 He walked out of the elevator. I remember thinking, like, 622 00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:29.279 he is a baby. I mean, yes, he was six ten, 623 00:29:29.359 --> 00:29:30.519 but he was really skinny. 624 00:29:31.119 --> 00:29:33.359 I just remember, like that's what I remember. I thought. 625 00:29:33.640 --> 00:29:35.440 I thought the same thing, like, oh, he's so mature 626 00:29:35.640 --> 00:29:38.119 physically mature, right, because you watch him play and then 627 00:29:38.119 --> 00:29:40.559 you see him next to an NBA Yeah, veterany baby, 628 00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:42.799 Holy crap. I hope he doesn't get hit. 629 00:29:42.920 --> 00:29:46.119 So the expectation for Cooper to roll into Utah or 630 00:29:46.279 --> 00:29:49.559 Charlotte or Washington and suddenly change everything is something I 631 00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:51.920 pushed back on. It's not because I don't think he's awesome. 632 00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:52.200 I do. 633 00:29:52.279 --> 00:29:54.680 It's because I've watched eighteen year olds come into the league. 634 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:57.720 It's not just can you translate the skill set to 635 00:29:57.759 --> 00:30:00.400 playing in the pros. It's everything else you have to 636 00:30:00.440 --> 00:30:04.000 deal with as a person, where suddenly an entire city 637 00:30:04.160 --> 00:30:07.440 is like you're we are relying on you. 638 00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:09.480 You're the answer to our prayers. And that's a lot 639 00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:10.599 to put on an eighteen year. 640 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:13.440 Old one hundred percent. And it's not like it's like 641 00:30:13.759 --> 00:30:17.000 there's economics involved, right, you know, these people's they're living, 642 00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:19.839 you know you're And I remember a football coach telling 643 00:30:19.880 --> 00:30:21.799 me with, uh, there was a freshman and he was 644 00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:25.480 a super mature kid and but and a really good player. 645 00:30:25.559 --> 00:30:28.960 And uh. I remember saying to him, like, he's fourteen, 646 00:30:29.559 --> 00:30:31.839 Like these girls were like hanging out the football practice 647 00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:33.519 trying to like, oh, you think he wants to go 648 00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:35.759 to dance with me? Like normal stuff, right, but I 649 00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:37.799 would consider to be normal. And he's like, yeah, you 650 00:30:37.799 --> 00:30:39.680 want to doing that. This is a job. You're going 651 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:41.680 to focus And I was like, at the age of fourteen, 652 00:30:41.880 --> 00:30:44.200 but you also have to be a kid and so 653 00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:47.960 and look, it's worse than soccer. Look at I mean 654 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:51.039 I talked to Justin Glad. His life has been his job, 655 00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:53.839 right right, and I think he loves it. I don't 656 00:30:53.880 --> 00:30:55.839 think he would change a single thing about it. Sure, 657 00:30:55.960 --> 00:30:59.440 But like that existence is I don't even know how 658 00:30:59.559 --> 00:31:03.079 you really to that if you've had this other experience 659 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:07.400 where you you know, played fifteen sports or you know, 660 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:10.559 you just didn't know how to find yourself good at 661 00:31:10.599 --> 00:31:12.359 you know what I mean? Like, I look at the 662 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:16.839 focus and the commitment, the level of discipline that that 663 00:31:16.920 --> 00:31:21.440 is required of athletes in sports now, I mean I 664 00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:24.960 just read an article about women's basketball. Women's basketball has 665 00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:27.440 never been more popular than right now, even though the 666 00:31:27.519 --> 00:31:30.480 viewership is down from last year in the final four 667 00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:36.160 or from the championship game, I would say, top to bottom, 668 00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:40.000 you know, every league is getting more media attention, they're 669 00:31:40.039 --> 00:31:43.559 getting more financial investment. Everything's just better across the board. 670 00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:46.559 Right But I read an article from a youth basketball 671 00:31:46.680 --> 00:31:49.440 website that I or a newsletter that I subscribe to. 672 00:31:49.880 --> 00:31:54.319 They said the participation of the best athletes in women's 673 00:31:54.319 --> 00:31:59.319 basketball is declining, and the reason is club sports. If 674 00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:02.119 you're playing, you can play club soccer at like six, 675 00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:06.160 You can start club volleyball at like eight, you know, 676 00:32:06.319 --> 00:32:09.240 and so basketball which used to be like you used 677 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:11.759 to do it, volleyball in the fall, basketball in the winter, 678 00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:14.480 maybe track and fill or softball in the spring. Right 679 00:32:15.240 --> 00:32:18.039 now they I remember when they started having the tryouts 680 00:32:18.039 --> 00:32:23.240 for club volleyball the day after the state tournament in Utah, 681 00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:25.279 and I remember thinking, this is this is a mistake. 682 00:32:25.559 --> 00:32:27.839 This is going to mess it up because now those 683 00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:30.079 girls are going to choose volleyball over basketball. They're gonna 684 00:32:30.079 --> 00:32:31.480 have to make a choice. Oh no, no, we're going 685 00:32:31.559 --> 00:32:33.759 to do this because the coaches who were coaching at 686 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:36.960 the time had played multiple sports. But now you have 687 00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:39.480 coaches who had not played multiple sports, who don't care 688 00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:42.799 about multiple sports, who think you have to commit. And 689 00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:45.079 I still hear people saying this, play a lot of sports, 690 00:32:45.079 --> 00:32:47.119 you know. I heard Peyton Manning say play two or 691 00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:50.440 three sports, and everybody's advocating for that. You don't know 692 00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:53.440 what the world is like in youth sports right now. 693 00:32:54.200 --> 00:32:56.400 If your kid is not and if I pay four 694 00:32:56.480 --> 00:32:59.599 or five thousand dollars for my kid to play club soccer, 695 00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:02.359 club volleyball, there's no way I want risking let her 696 00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:05.039 play for the local high school basketball team where she 697 00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:06.759 may or may not play where she may it hurt. 698 00:33:07.319 --> 00:33:10.200 I mean, the sport with the highest amount of concussions 699 00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:12.640 in high school. It's not football. It's girls soccer. 700 00:33:13.160 --> 00:33:14.960 Really, yes, I. 701 00:33:14.920 --> 00:33:18.000 Know, cheerleading is number two, my friend, which makes sense? 702 00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:18.799 Yeah, yeah it does. 703 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:21.839 And actually soccer and I didn't know this until we 704 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:25.720 brought the club here. The tremendous amount of concussions, you know, 705 00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:27.680 that's why you see some players wearing the head gear. 706 00:33:27.759 --> 00:33:30.079 That's why you see some players leaving early. 707 00:33:30.759 --> 00:33:33.920 Don't remember when Tuccho on the header, you know, I 708 00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:35.599 mean that was a vicious issues. 709 00:33:35.599 --> 00:33:37.079 And last week, I don't know if you saw this. 710 00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:40.240 I think it was Walker Zimmerman, who is a defenseman 711 00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:42.279 for the US men's national team. I want to say 712 00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:43.559 he plays for Nashville. 713 00:33:44.680 --> 00:33:44.799 Uh. 714 00:33:45.359 --> 00:33:48.000 He went in with his head to try to clear 715 00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:51.359 a ball that was crossed in via cornerkick, and the 716 00:33:51.400 --> 00:33:55.519 striker saw the opportunity to take a bicycle kick and 717 00:33:55.599 --> 00:33:58.279 he kicked Walker square in the face. And I was 718 00:33:58.319 --> 00:34:00.880 watching him like he's dead. Somebody check on him, like 719 00:34:00.920 --> 00:34:05.000 it was gnarly. So, yeah, the concussion thing in soccer 720 00:34:05.079 --> 00:34:07.319 is real. But it's interesting you bring up like Justin 721 00:34:07.319 --> 00:34:11.400 Glad in the soccer dynamic, because Justin Glad is a 722 00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:15.719 success story where the path between five and six years 723 00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:20.039 old to a pro life is riddled with bodies along 724 00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:23.320 the highway of kids that were forced into things by 725 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:26.039 their parents. And I was looking this up because Malcolm 726 00:34:26.119 --> 00:34:29.920 Gladwell wrote Outliers in two thousand and eight and had 727 00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:32.880 a tremendous amount of compelling data about ten thousand hours 728 00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:37.840 and how he used the Canadian hockey ecosystem as his blueprint, 729 00:34:37.880 --> 00:34:39.559 and I remember reading it thinking like I need to 730 00:34:39.559 --> 00:34:41.440 get my son into something now so he can get 731 00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:43.159 ten thousand hours by the time he's a junior in 732 00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:45.239 high school so he can play high school basketball or 733 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:48.239 whatever it is. So I listened to a podcast last 734 00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:53.239 year and it really was compelling. It was Andras Erickson 735 00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:56.960 and David Burkis. It was on the ESPN platform where 736 00:34:57.320 --> 00:35:01.400 this ten thousand hour rule has been completely deep because 737 00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:05.000 of the factor that most people miss out on, and 738 00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:07.280 that is, yes, you need reps, and yes, if you 739 00:35:07.320 --> 00:35:09.800 get to ten thousand hours, and if you do something consistently, 740 00:35:09.800 --> 00:35:11.400 you're going to be good at it. But you're not 741 00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:13.599 going to get to ten thousand hours unless you enjoy 742 00:35:13.639 --> 00:35:17.079 the endeavor, unless you enjoy the work. So what Malcolm 743 00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:20.920 Gladwell left out and parents I think don't fully maybe understand, 744 00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:24.880 is yes, it's fine to push your children to succeed, 745 00:35:24.920 --> 00:35:27.039 but you need to give them opportunities to find out 746 00:35:27.079 --> 00:35:29.119 what they love to do, and then when they land 747 00:35:29.159 --> 00:35:31.280 on something, then yes, encourage them. If you have the 748 00:35:31.320 --> 00:35:34.440 financial means pay for club soccer, if they want to 749 00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:37.079 play golf, it's expensive, but you know, if they love it, 750 00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:39.639 and if you want to see them succeed at it, 751 00:35:39.679 --> 00:35:41.679 they need to spend hours doing it. But if they 752 00:35:41.719 --> 00:35:43.840 don't love what they're doing, they're going to burn out 753 00:35:43.880 --> 00:35:46.719 before they're fifteen or sixteen years old. And parents push 754 00:35:46.800 --> 00:35:49.920 these kids with this ten thousand hour mark in mind, like, Okay, 755 00:35:49.920 --> 00:35:51.960 if I can get little Johnny to ten thousand hours, 756 00:35:51.960 --> 00:35:54.280 maybe get a college scholarship or play it, you know, 757 00:35:54.800 --> 00:35:58.280 make some money via nil. But unless your child loves 758 00:35:58.280 --> 00:36:00.239 what they're doing, you're going to burn them out. 759 00:36:00.360 --> 00:36:03.320 But I would say you should not be pushing them anyway. 760 00:36:03.480 --> 00:36:06.519 Number one, how many people picked their career at age eight? 761 00:36:07.480 --> 00:36:07.719 You know? 762 00:36:07.960 --> 00:36:08.440 Very few? 763 00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:10.559 No. I remember my kid wanted to be a spy. 764 00:36:11.159 --> 00:36:12.800 You know she's a therapist. 765 00:36:12.800 --> 00:36:14.480 Now ten thousand hours is a spy. 766 00:36:14.760 --> 00:36:17.719 Yeah, my youngest daughter wanted to be a singer. You know, 767 00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:20.039 they don't know what they want to be. You. I mean, 768 00:36:20.079 --> 00:36:21.639 I wanted to be an astronaut, and then I wanted 769 00:36:21.639 --> 00:36:23.039 to be president, and then I wanted to be the 770 00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:25.079 president of the Mormon Church. Do you that can work out? 771 00:36:25.159 --> 00:36:27.800 Do you still want to be president? Is that not 772 00:36:27.880 --> 00:36:28.159 at all? 773 00:36:28.280 --> 00:36:29.639 Not at all? But so that as I'm saying, like, 774 00:36:29.679 --> 00:36:31.199 you don't know, you just pick things. 775 00:36:31.400 --> 00:36:33.719 Steven A. Smith is apparently looking for a running mate. 776 00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:34.000 Amy. 777 00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:35.079 I think he could be great at that. 778 00:36:35.400 --> 00:36:37.400 I don't think I could run with Stephen A. Smith. 779 00:36:37.400 --> 00:36:40.440 We would be fighting more than a married couple. There's 780 00:36:40.440 --> 00:36:42.159 no way. 781 00:36:42.599 --> 00:36:45.519 But I so you wanted your career arc was astronaut. 782 00:36:47.280 --> 00:36:48.800 Then my dad said, you don't have to do math 783 00:36:48.840 --> 00:36:49.920 if you want to be an astronaut. 784 00:36:49.920 --> 00:36:51.480 So then you decide you want to be president. And 785 00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:53.119 then you wanted to be the prophet of the church. 786 00:36:53.320 --> 00:36:55.320 Yeah, and they were like, yeah, there's problem with that. 787 00:36:56.639 --> 00:37:00.000 But but the president thing was kind of the polotics 788 00:37:00.280 --> 00:37:03.039 thing didn't really die till college. But but I think 789 00:37:03.159 --> 00:37:06.280 you know, my point is, I would say, if I 790 00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:08.119 had something to do over again, there's two things I 791 00:37:08.159 --> 00:37:10.440 would do differently. One of I was never rescue my 792 00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:14.239 kids from painful situations. I didn't do it a lot, 793 00:37:14.280 --> 00:37:16.960 but I did it enough that they keep looking. It's 794 00:37:17.280 --> 00:37:19.400 I do dog training, as you know. And one of 795 00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:20.800 the things that I found is if you do a 796 00:37:20.800 --> 00:37:23.079 lot of obedience, the dog doesn't how to make a 797 00:37:23.119 --> 00:37:25.480 decision unless you tell them what to do. Interesting, and 798 00:37:25.559 --> 00:37:28.119 I find this is very true in life. If you 799 00:37:28.280 --> 00:37:31.320 give people, if you say this is the way, everything 800 00:37:31.360 --> 00:37:34.239 has to be and you give everyone directions, and there's 801 00:37:34.280 --> 00:37:37.280 so much structure that nobody knows how to make a choice. 802 00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:41.280 A they don't have confidence in their own decision making ability, 803 00:37:41.360 --> 00:37:45.039 and B they don't have resilience. What gives you resilience? 804 00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:48.519 What gave me resilience? A lot of failure. I didn't 805 00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:50.559 make a lot of things I tried out for. Do 806 00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:52.519 you know how terrified I was for my kids to 807 00:37:52.559 --> 00:37:55.079 try out for things, how much I didn't either want 808 00:37:55.079 --> 00:37:57.639 them to try out or I wanted to make sure 809 00:37:57.639 --> 00:37:59.199 they would try out for something that I knew they 810 00:37:59.239 --> 00:38:02.519 could make for sure. And so I think that as 811 00:38:02.559 --> 00:38:05.719 a parent, I really really regret that the number of 812 00:38:05.719 --> 00:38:08.800 times I either push them in a direction where I 813 00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:13.199 knew they would succeed or I discourage Let's not do 814 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:15.599 club soccer. That's a lot of money. It will impact 815 00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:18.760 our vacations. We like to travel. And I wish I 816 00:38:18.840 --> 00:38:22.480 had pushed them to I had encouraged them to fail 817 00:38:22.599 --> 00:38:25.559 to try things that they might or probably would fail. 818 00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:28.760 One of my favorite athletes is Jared Campbell, who ran 819 00:38:28.840 --> 00:38:32.199 the Barklay's an ultrarunner, and he says he doesn't do 820 00:38:32.280 --> 00:38:37.719 anything professionally unless he's pretty sure he's going to fail. Interesting, 821 00:38:37.719 --> 00:38:39.679 And to me, that's the opposite mindset that I have 822 00:38:39.760 --> 00:38:42.239 always had. I didn't want to do anything and unless 823 00:38:42.239 --> 00:38:45.400 I was pretty sure I was going to succeed. And 824 00:38:45.880 --> 00:38:47.960 just interviewing him, just seeing what he's done and seeing 825 00:38:47.960 --> 00:38:50.199 what he's able to accomplish. He's done something nobody else 826 00:38:50.440 --> 00:38:54.239 has and in finishing the Barkleys Marathon four times. But 827 00:38:54.320 --> 00:38:58.360 he's also like just an incredible human being. Right, Because 828 00:38:58.440 --> 00:39:02.920 what failure does is it teaches you about limits and 829 00:39:03.000 --> 00:39:06.360 about your own Like you think you know what rock 830 00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:09.039 bottom is, you don't know until you suffer. You don't 831 00:39:09.079 --> 00:39:11.519 know until you fail. You don't know until you have pain, right, 832 00:39:11.960 --> 00:39:14.599 and if you are insulated from all of that. I mean, 833 00:39:14.639 --> 00:39:16.440 it's just you know, I'm working. I'm in a little 834 00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:20.800 story group, working on a couple of projects. And the 835 00:39:21.079 --> 00:39:23.519 most boring stories are the people who don't have anything, 836 00:39:23.920 --> 00:39:26.000 like everything is good, I'm great. The people who come 837 00:39:26.039 --> 00:39:28.480 in and like I just got out of prison for 838 00:39:28.599 --> 00:39:31.119 selling drugs and now I'm clean ten years or whatever. 839 00:39:31.519 --> 00:39:34.880 They're interesting that you know, how did that happen? How 840 00:39:34.880 --> 00:39:38.239 did you pull yourself out of that? Right's the That's 841 00:39:38.280 --> 00:39:40.880 the thing I would say if I was to do 842 00:39:41.039 --> 00:39:43.840 sports over again with my kids, I didn't push enough 843 00:39:44.079 --> 00:39:45.440 because I didn't want them to fail. 844 00:39:45.559 --> 00:39:45.760 Yeah. 845 00:39:46.079 --> 00:39:48.119 I think that's very natural, to be honest with you. 846 00:39:48.280 --> 00:39:51.239 I think it resonates with me. It resonates with me 847 00:39:51.280 --> 00:39:52.960 as far as how I was when I was younger. 848 00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:54.800 I'd never wanted to do anything unless I was good 849 00:39:54.840 --> 00:39:56.480 at it, you know, because you don't want to be 850 00:39:56.519 --> 00:39:57.800 embarrassed or vulnerable or whatever. 851 00:39:57.840 --> 00:39:58.760 But we will catch a break. 852 00:39:58.800 --> 00:40:01.639 Amy Donaldson is Live and studio raut to you today 853 00:40:01.639 --> 00:40:04.599 by friends at IFA Country Stores. It is warm, spring 854 00:40:04.679 --> 00:40:07.320 is here. If you've not thought about your lawn yet, 855 00:40:07.320 --> 00:40:09.559 well it's time to think about it now. So IFA 856 00:40:09.559 --> 00:40:12.440 Country Stores has everything you need to care for your lawn, 857 00:40:12.440 --> 00:40:14.559 no matter its size or shape. Their four plus law 858 00:40:14.679 --> 00:40:17.039 care program can promote a healthy, green lawn for you 859 00:40:17.119 --> 00:40:19.679 this summer. They're the same products used at many local 860 00:40:19.679 --> 00:40:22.960 sports fields, golf courses and city parks. You can consult 861 00:40:23.000 --> 00:40:25.440 the IFA's team of experts for your yard this season. 862 00:40:25.559 --> 00:40:28.079 Visit them online at IFA dot co op er stop 863 00:40:28.119 --> 00:40:31.440 by one of the eighteen Utah stores today. IFA Country 864 00:40:31.440 --> 00:40:34.280 Stores helping to grow the things that you love more 865 00:40:34.280 --> 00:40:36.840 with Amy Donaldson live in studio coming up on the 866 00:40:36.840 --> 00:40:39.920 other side right here on ESPN seven hundred ninety two NFM. 867 00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:42.880 We are proud to be part of Utah's ESPN Radio network. 868 00:40:45.199 --> 00:40:48.320 You're tuned to the Drive with Spence Checkets. This is 869 00:40:48.400 --> 00:40:51.880 ka L North Salt Lake k x R k HD 870 00:40:52.079 --> 00:40:56.199 three ESPN seven hundred and ninety two to one FM. 871 00:40:56.599 --> 00:41:00.800 Have a day justin Rose, goodness, gracious, eight par through 872 00:41:01.000 --> 00:41:05.920 sixteen holes. He has four shots clear of Scottie Scheffler 873 00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:08.400 and Corey Conners who are in the clubhouse. 874 00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:08.639 At sixty eight. 875 00:41:09.239 --> 00:41:11.559 Rory McElroy off to a good start three hundred par 876 00:41:11.800 --> 00:41:16.840 through twelve Unfortunately, Tony feenou Cards is seventy five today 877 00:41:17.440 --> 00:41:19.719 and that is good for three over par, which is 878 00:41:19.760 --> 00:41:21.800 tied for sixty fifth. Tony is going to have to 879 00:41:22.079 --> 00:41:24.440 have a dynamite second round just to play in the 880 00:41:24.480 --> 00:41:28.920 weekend because Augusta National is a very unforgiving golf course. 881 00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:31.880 Sammy Donaldson is live in studio. We were just talking 882 00:41:31.920 --> 00:41:37.000 about the h the magic of owning a dog, the 883 00:41:37.000 --> 00:41:39.440 magic of owning a K nine, and we'll get back 884 00:41:39.440 --> 00:41:41.159 to the sports stuff for a moment, but our station, 885 00:41:41.320 --> 00:41:44.480 mascot Duke is in studio and he's been attached to 886 00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:46.239 my hip now for quite some time. 887 00:41:46.880 --> 00:41:48.400 For listeners out there. 888 00:41:48.360 --> 00:41:51.360 That have never experienced what it's like to own a dog, 889 00:41:51.559 --> 00:41:54.159 and not just any dog, but like the dog, the 890 00:41:54.159 --> 00:41:55.360 one that gets you. 891 00:41:55.480 --> 00:41:56.920 So they call him the sole dog. 892 00:41:56.840 --> 00:41:58.920 The soul dog. Okay, and that's who I have here. 893 00:41:58.920 --> 00:42:01.440 What what's it like for you, you know, as somebody 894 00:42:01.480 --> 00:42:04.599 who has raised dogs continues to foster dogs, when you 895 00:42:04.639 --> 00:42:07.079 find that that sole dog, what sort of benefits does 896 00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:07.480 that bring me? 897 00:42:07.599 --> 00:42:09.599 I mean, I think all of the dogs. I've had 898 00:42:09.639 --> 00:42:12.320 a lot of dogs in my life, and I have, 899 00:42:13.320 --> 00:42:16.559 you know, dogs for me have just they've allowed me 900 00:42:16.599 --> 00:42:19.079 a freedom that as a girl, when I was young 901 00:42:19.159 --> 00:42:22.039 and as a woman, I don't always have. You can 902 00:42:22.079 --> 00:42:24.159 go for a dog at night and probably feel fine 903 00:42:24.159 --> 00:42:26.519 about it. I can't do that. I have to have 904 00:42:26.519 --> 00:42:30.840 a dog. And so I remember and the first dog 905 00:42:30.880 --> 00:42:34.360 I had as an adult on my own, my dad 906 00:42:34.400 --> 00:42:37.599 had saved a dog from euthanasia in Bethel, Alaska, and 907 00:42:37.599 --> 00:42:39.599 I went up to visit him lived in this little 908 00:42:39.599 --> 00:42:42.679 apartment and the dog he lived in this two bedroom place. 909 00:42:42.800 --> 00:42:45.199 And you know, I said, can I have this dog, 910 00:42:45.840 --> 00:42:48.280 and I was living by myself in an apartment and 911 00:42:48.639 --> 00:42:50.840 it's the dog a lot. I could go running any 912 00:42:50.880 --> 00:42:55.000 time I wanted. And Shelby was a retriever. She was 913 00:42:55.039 --> 00:42:58.320 not going to protect me. Probably licked somebody, sure, But 914 00:42:58.320 --> 00:43:01.159 when you have a big dog who is a police 915 00:43:01.159 --> 00:43:03.360 officer and runs, you know, said, oh, I run with you. 916 00:43:03.920 --> 00:43:06.039 She If you run with a big dog, you don't 917 00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:08.079 have to worry about anybody comeing near you. So they 918 00:43:08.079 --> 00:43:10.559 don't know if your dog is friendly or whatever. Right, 919 00:43:11.000 --> 00:43:13.159 But yeah, it's just allowed me to get out. But yeah, 920 00:43:13.400 --> 00:43:16.719 when you find for me, the dogs are the thing 921 00:43:16.719 --> 00:43:21.760 I love about them is they're They're incredibly indulgent of 922 00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:26.800 the bad stuff. They forgive, they get over stuff. They 923 00:43:26.840 --> 00:43:30.760 have a sense of emotional They have an emotional intelligence 924 00:43:30.800 --> 00:43:35.960 that some animals don't have. That they don't that you 925 00:43:36.000 --> 00:43:38.519 don't have to explain things to them, you know. I 926 00:43:38.559 --> 00:43:41.880 remember my daughters. We hit a brought Wiler Retriever mix 927 00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:45.239 named Wolf, who's I just last last May. He's the best. 928 00:43:45.440 --> 00:43:48.159 He's the best like emotional support dog I've ever had. 929 00:43:48.360 --> 00:43:48.880 Soul dog. 930 00:43:49.760 --> 00:43:52.039 Yeah, I mean Lucy got me in the mountains, my healer, 931 00:43:52.079 --> 00:43:55.119 she was my running buddy. But Wolf is all the fosters. 932 00:43:55.320 --> 00:43:57.000 I didn't know I was going to foster after him 933 00:43:57.199 --> 00:44:00.280 because he just makes everyone feel at ease. And you 934 00:44:00.280 --> 00:44:03.159 know there are people like that. We just I remember 935 00:44:03.480 --> 00:44:06.440 my first real job in college, and I thought I 936 00:44:06.519 --> 00:44:09.639 was very uncomfortable. I felt very isolated. Was by far, 937 00:44:09.679 --> 00:44:11.639 I think it was by ten years the youngest person 938 00:44:11.679 --> 00:44:15.559 in the building. And I just remember meeting a guy 939 00:44:15.599 --> 00:44:17.320 from out in the back. I was working at a 940 00:44:17.320 --> 00:44:20.239 glass company and he just was such a nice, warm 941 00:44:20.320 --> 00:44:24.320 human being that you felt an energy of love right 942 00:44:24.840 --> 00:44:28.559 and he married a woman who was very similar. And 943 00:44:29.320 --> 00:44:31.639 so there's these people who just put other people at ease. 944 00:44:31.960 --> 00:44:34.239 You know, They're just people who just in your in 945 00:44:34.280 --> 00:44:37.519 their presence, you just feel calmer and just like, Okay, 946 00:44:37.559 --> 00:44:39.440 this is going to be I'm fine, I don't have 947 00:44:39.480 --> 00:44:41.559 to impress this person. That's the way a dog is. 948 00:44:42.199 --> 00:44:46.360 And yeah, I joke around all the time about my dog, Sula. 949 00:44:46.519 --> 00:44:49.599 She's my Rottweiller I rescued from South Severe shelter a 950 00:44:49.639 --> 00:44:52.800 couple of years ago. When she looks at me man 951 00:44:53.559 --> 00:44:56.320 talking about true love, I feel like, you know in 952 00:44:56.440 --> 00:45:00.000 the Princess Bride that that romance in the Princess Bride 953 00:45:00.079 --> 00:45:04.760 a movie. That is how I feel. Yeah, whatever you want, ma'am. 954 00:45:04.880 --> 00:45:08.840 It's great. Where would you send people to adopt the 955 00:45:08.920 --> 00:45:10.079 Humane Society or. 956 00:45:10.559 --> 00:45:13.039 Yeah, I'd say you can go to any shelter all 957 00:45:13.519 --> 00:45:17.239 like right now in shelter and Rescue is ridiculously terrible 958 00:45:17.320 --> 00:45:20.199 situation there. In fact, I just saw there's a shelter 959 00:45:20.360 --> 00:45:22.079 I think I think it's in Las Vegas. It might 960 00:45:22.079 --> 00:45:25.599 be just over the border in Nevada. They are looking 961 00:45:25.599 --> 00:45:27.760 for people to help them. They're trying to remodel a 962 00:45:27.760 --> 00:45:31.039 building that doesn't meet code and they need like I don't. 963 00:45:31.079 --> 00:45:32.639 I think it was like twenty four animals to go 964 00:45:32.679 --> 00:45:35.639 to foster or be adopted, and there's just nowhere for 965 00:45:35.960 --> 00:45:37.920 I have two fosters at my house. One i've had 966 00:45:37.920 --> 00:45:40.480 since July, when I've had since August, two black labs. 967 00:45:40.480 --> 00:45:42.880 They're amazing. I can't figure out why they haven't been adopted. 968 00:45:43.360 --> 00:45:45.320 We had a couple of dogs from a hoarding situation 969 00:45:45.400 --> 00:45:48.840 that did get adopted in the last month, but cause 970 00:45:49.159 --> 00:45:52.519 caws dot Org. But you can go on petfinder dot 971 00:45:52.559 --> 00:45:55.440 Com and just put in I want a small dog, 972 00:45:55.480 --> 00:45:56.920 I want a big dog. I want a girl dog. 973 00:45:56.960 --> 00:45:59.559 I want to you know, whatever you want. We're having 974 00:45:59.599 --> 00:46:03.559 an event on Saturday. I'm trying to remember where it's at. 975 00:46:03.599 --> 00:46:07.239 It's a different one. We did one tonight. They're at 976 00:46:07.320 --> 00:46:11.440 the front climbing gym, cause at the front you can 977 00:46:11.440 --> 00:46:12.079 get information. 978 00:46:12.159 --> 00:46:13.960 There is that up on thirty third. Is that a 979 00:46:14.039 --> 00:46:15.079 climbing gyp there's. 980 00:46:14.880 --> 00:46:18.960 One on thirty third. No, that's not that's a that's 981 00:46:19.000 --> 00:46:23.400 a different one. It's on thirteenth and like third West, 982 00:46:23.679 --> 00:46:26.400 Like it's right, Yeah, I was going to see where 983 00:46:26.400 --> 00:46:28.480 our event is this weekend. 984 00:46:28.559 --> 00:46:29.360 Yeah, Duke has this. 985 00:46:29.519 --> 00:46:32.840 My dog has this tendency where whenever he jumps in 986 00:46:32.840 --> 00:46:37.039 the car he puts his paw on my arm and 987 00:46:37.079 --> 00:46:40.480 then cuddles his head onto my shoulder, And it's like, 988 00:46:40.519 --> 00:46:43.000 I could be having the worst day those like, you know, 989 00:46:43.119 --> 00:46:45.320 five to ten minutes as I'm driving from my house 990 00:46:45.840 --> 00:46:47.599 to the studio, when he just wants to cut it. 991 00:46:47.639 --> 00:46:50.280 I like, it's I'm telling you. It is a game changer. 992 00:46:50.320 --> 00:46:52.519 So if you're had a tough time and you're looking 993 00:46:52.559 --> 00:46:55.159 for potentially a solution that could help, I would encourage 994 00:46:55.159 --> 00:46:57.119 you to adopt or go find a dog that can 995 00:46:57.559 --> 00:46:59.280 make a difference in your life. 996 00:46:59.320 --> 00:47:00.800 All right, you have from STARSL. 997 00:47:01.639 --> 00:47:04.239 We find ourselves in a very interesting place with this 998 00:47:04.280 --> 00:47:09.239 little soccer club, and you know we will hear an announcement. 999 00:47:09.280 --> 00:47:10.800 I think in the next couple of weeks that the 1000 00:47:10.840 --> 00:47:15.719 Miller family has purchased a controlling stake. I'm not sure 1001 00:47:15.719 --> 00:47:18.079 where the percentage are going to look like. Ryan Smith 1002 00:47:18.119 --> 00:47:21.039 will be out and then the Blitzer group will maintain 1003 00:47:21.079 --> 00:47:23.480 their portion of control, which I think is good because 1004 00:47:23.480 --> 00:47:26.599 you want to maintain the relationship. I'm a big Dave 1005 00:47:26.639 --> 00:47:29.719 Blitzer guy, and I think the Blitzer group, with their 1006 00:47:29.760 --> 00:47:32.039 ties to all of the clubs they own across the 1007 00:47:32.119 --> 00:47:34.679 landscape of soccer throughout the world, is a good thing 1008 00:47:34.719 --> 00:47:37.039 for ourself to be a part of. I worked for 1009 00:47:37.039 --> 00:47:40.119 the Millers for seven years, had a really, really great experience. 1010 00:47:40.119 --> 00:47:42.079 I'm a big fan of Steve Starks, and you're not 1011 00:47:42.119 --> 00:47:45.239 going to find anybody better than Gail. I don't think 1012 00:47:45.320 --> 00:47:47.800 Ryan ever really cared to be involved, and I think 1013 00:47:47.800 --> 00:47:51.840 the hockey thing, combined with basketball and now whatever else 1014 00:47:51.880 --> 00:47:54.039 he has going on, probably is more of a priority 1015 00:47:54.239 --> 00:47:57.239 priority for him, and that's fine. I just don't think 1016 00:47:57.360 --> 00:48:00.760 the promises that were made initially wherever you know, cashed in, 1017 00:48:01.280 --> 00:48:03.559 wherever executed. I guess whatever you want to say. What 1018 00:48:04.079 --> 00:48:06.199 are your thoughts on where we find ourselves? Yet again 1019 00:48:06.280 --> 00:48:09.000 another ownership transition structure for Rails all the. 1020 00:48:09.679 --> 00:48:11.519 Yeah, I mean I actually thought it was a great 1021 00:48:12.480 --> 00:48:15.320 I mean, I've had nothing but good experiences with the Millers. 1022 00:48:15.440 --> 00:48:17.880 So let me just tell you a Larry Miller story. Okay, 1023 00:48:18.440 --> 00:48:22.320 when I was covering the Bees, Joe Busus owned them, 1024 00:48:22.880 --> 00:48:27.559 and the locker room was brutal. I would go after games, 1025 00:48:27.719 --> 00:48:29.679 I had to get permission. They would yell fire in 1026 00:48:29.679 --> 00:48:31.199 the hole. Then I would be allowed to walk in 1027 00:48:31.199 --> 00:48:33.880 the back door and people would drop their towels. And 1028 00:48:34.920 --> 00:48:39.880 I was at the time thirty two, thirty one or 1029 00:48:39.920 --> 00:48:43.000 thirty two year old, you know, woman with a couple 1030 00:48:43.039 --> 00:48:45.880 of kids, a couple of step kids. So it wasn't 1031 00:48:46.039 --> 00:48:50.920 that I cared about the nakedness, expected to see that 1032 00:48:50.920 --> 00:48:54.039 in locker room, not a problem. It was the deliberate 1033 00:48:54.199 --> 00:48:59.320 attempts to harass me, to undermine me, to just let 1034 00:48:59.320 --> 00:49:02.760 me know it wasn't welcome there. Yeah, and I talked 1035 00:49:02.760 --> 00:49:06.480 with a few people about it. Completely separate from that, 1036 00:49:06.559 --> 00:49:10.519 I always really hated I had different experiences at hockey. 1037 00:49:10.880 --> 00:49:12.800 When I was covering the Grizzlies, I had to rely 1038 00:49:12.840 --> 00:49:14.880 on Brett Prettyman from the Like Tribune to go get 1039 00:49:14.920 --> 00:49:18.280 me people to interview and bring them into the hallway 1040 00:49:18.280 --> 00:49:19.960 because I was not allowed in the locker room, okay, 1041 00:49:20.280 --> 00:49:23.079 And nobody would fight that back like I would fight. 1042 00:49:23.119 --> 00:49:25.440 I would argue. They were like, yeah, you can't go in. No, 1043 00:49:25.880 --> 00:49:28.880 and so you know, it's it's disrespectful to our players. 1044 00:49:28.920 --> 00:49:31.039 We don't want to do it. Whatever. When they did 1045 00:49:31.159 --> 00:49:32.920 let me in one time to do a feature story, 1046 00:49:32.960 --> 00:49:35.079 they kind of played a joke on me and the player. 1047 00:49:35.400 --> 00:49:37.039 They told me to go in this room and it 1048 00:49:37.079 --> 00:49:39.119 was a bathroom and he was using the bathroom, going 1049 00:49:39.239 --> 00:49:41.880 number two. And it was like pretty humiliating for both 1050 00:49:41.920 --> 00:49:45.639 of us. So when I started, it was two thousand, 1051 00:49:46.159 --> 00:49:48.559 two thousands, so it would have been early two thousands 1052 00:49:49.159 --> 00:49:54.239 and yeah, and so you know, but Bratt was great. 1053 00:49:54.320 --> 00:49:57.159 But I mean, I kept saying, like, I'm relying on 1054 00:49:57.199 --> 00:50:00.119 my competition to bring me people to interview this. This 1055 00:50:00.159 --> 00:50:03.119 is not an ideal situation. And then in the case 1056 00:50:03.199 --> 00:50:06.880 of baseball, the Tribune reporter could go in and hang 1057 00:50:06.920 --> 00:50:09.400 out and he would be describing scenes when they would 1058 00:50:09.400 --> 00:50:12.199 get a new player, he would have you know, dinners 1059 00:50:12.239 --> 00:50:15.760 sometimes beers with the guys, like bonding with them, hear things, 1060 00:50:15.840 --> 00:50:18.960 know things. Just had a different level of intimacy with 1061 00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:21.440 the players that I just didn't how am I going 1062 00:50:21.480 --> 00:50:24.559 to do that? And I remember when I started in journalism, 1063 00:50:24.599 --> 00:50:28.119 I asked my mentor, Mike Carter, who was, you know, 1064 00:50:28.159 --> 00:50:30.280 the best crime reporter? Everybody said he's the best ever 1065 00:50:30.440 --> 00:50:32.159 was learn from him. He was an AP. I got 1066 00:50:32.199 --> 00:50:34.760 hired by EP and his advice to me was, Okay, 1067 00:50:34.760 --> 00:50:37.599 so after the shift, be where, he said, be where 1068 00:50:37.599 --> 00:50:39.679 they are, go over to the cop shop, hang out whatever. 1069 00:50:39.920 --> 00:50:42.440 But when their ship's end, you know, invite him over 1070 00:50:42.519 --> 00:50:44.280 to the bar and get them and buy them a 1071 00:50:44.280 --> 00:50:46.519 beer and get them talking and just get to know them. 1072 00:50:46.519 --> 00:50:49.519 And I was like, I'm twenty two years old. Yeah, 1073 00:50:49.599 --> 00:50:53.199 if I invite someone to get a beer after work, 1074 00:50:53.239 --> 00:50:54.519 what do you think they think? Lost? 1075 00:50:55.360 --> 00:50:55.920 Yeah? Sure? 1076 00:50:55.960 --> 00:50:58.280 And you know that's where when you're working like male 1077 00:50:58.360 --> 00:51:00.079 dominate things like people don't even think about it. And 1078 00:51:00.119 --> 00:51:02.239 I remember being in a jazz game once and I 1079 00:51:02.320 --> 00:51:04.719 think it actually Cameronnie may have been there for this, 1080 00:51:05.039 --> 00:51:07.559 but we were I was just filling in for Jody, 1081 00:51:07.599 --> 00:51:10.599 and everybody was like talking about where they were going 1082 00:51:10.639 --> 00:51:12.519 to go afterwards. We're going to go get a drink. 1083 00:51:12.519 --> 00:51:13.840 Do you want to go with or whatever? And I 1084 00:51:13.840 --> 00:51:16.519 didn't want to go, but like, I think somebody noticed 1085 00:51:16.519 --> 00:51:18.639 that they had invited pretty much everybody in the room 1086 00:51:18.639 --> 00:51:21.960 but me, and I remember some one of them, and 1087 00:51:22.000 --> 00:51:25.199 it would have been Fulk or Cameroni would have said something, 1088 00:51:25.199 --> 00:51:26.639 and I was like, I don't want to go anyway, 1089 00:51:26.679 --> 00:51:29.280 It's okay, but like it's it's just you're at a 1090 00:51:29.320 --> 00:51:32.880 competitive disadvantage, right, So I asked. So I was interviewing 1091 00:51:32.960 --> 00:51:36.360 Larry about this softball tournament that he was bringing to Utah, 1092 00:51:36.559 --> 00:51:39.559 like World Championship Fast Pitch Softball Tournament. I was out 1093 00:51:39.559 --> 00:51:43.400 at his office in Sandy and then we did the interview, 1094 00:51:43.440 --> 00:51:46.119 which every time I had, like when he had the WNBA, 1095 00:51:46.239 --> 00:51:48.679 I went over chatted with them for a minute. He 1096 00:51:48.719 --> 00:51:50.840 invited me to sit with them every time I talked 1097 00:51:50.840 --> 00:51:53.239 to him. Couldn't have been more accommodating, gave me way 1098 00:51:53.280 --> 00:51:57.400 more than I ever asked for, right, And so after 1099 00:51:57.400 --> 00:51:59.840 we finished the interview, I said, Hey, can I talk 1100 00:51:59.880 --> 00:52:01.880 to you about something that's bothering me as a reporter 1101 00:52:02.159 --> 00:52:04.239 covering the baseball because he had they had purchased the 1102 00:52:04.239 --> 00:52:08.480 baseball team. And I explained it to him, and I said, personally, 1103 00:52:08.559 --> 00:52:11.519 I think it's disrespectful to players and to journalists that 1104 00:52:11.559 --> 00:52:13.679 we have to do this in a locker room. We're 1105 00:52:13.719 --> 00:52:16.880 not getting good interviews. Nobody's talking to us because they're 1106 00:52:16.960 --> 00:52:19.039 trying to get dressed and get out of there. Isn't 1107 00:52:19.039 --> 00:52:21.559 there a way we could do this differently? There's no 1108 00:52:21.639 --> 00:52:23.400 other business that asked you to talk to people who 1109 00:52:23.480 --> 00:52:25.880 are not dressed, right, it just doesn't make sense. 1110 00:52:26.199 --> 00:52:28.639 Well, ye, yes, there's no other business. We need to 1111 00:52:28.639 --> 00:52:29.239 discuss on it. 1112 00:52:29.320 --> 00:52:31.400 Yeah, exactly, Well no business I would like to work in. 1113 00:52:31.679 --> 00:52:31.920 Sure. 1114 00:52:32.400 --> 00:52:36.800 But so he was like and he immediately solved that 1115 00:52:36.840 --> 00:52:39.599 problem by doingreat. And I remember at first with like 1116 00:52:39.639 --> 00:52:43.000 this room that they had, it was kind of austere 1117 00:52:43.159 --> 00:52:44.880 and I don't know what it was originally supposed to 1118 00:52:44.920 --> 00:52:46.840 be used for, but like didn't have good lighting. They 1119 00:52:46.880 --> 00:52:48.920 just put a table with a table throw or it. 1120 00:52:49.679 --> 00:52:52.800 But they figured it out right, But they decided to 1121 00:52:52.840 --> 00:52:55.639 do this and take action and basically said, we don't 1122 00:52:55.639 --> 00:52:58.480 want journalists in the locker room that's the team's space, 1123 00:52:59.039 --> 00:53:01.519 and we will make them available. You tell us who 1124 00:53:01.519 --> 00:53:03.760 you want, you know, you tell us when you need them. 1125 00:53:04.119 --> 00:53:05.920 They gave us a little bit before time, a little 1126 00:53:05.920 --> 00:53:08.800 bit after time, and you know, I think there were 1127 00:53:08.800 --> 00:53:11.079 people who were a little bit upset about it at first, 1128 00:53:11.480 --> 00:53:14.880 But for me, it was not just about leveling the 1129 00:53:14.880 --> 00:53:17.679 playing field for journalists. It's really about like what are 1130 00:53:17.719 --> 00:53:21.480 you there for? I mean, are you there to overhear conversation, 1131 00:53:21.760 --> 00:53:24.960 to be involved in gossip to you know, like, how 1132 00:53:25.000 --> 00:53:27.440 much does it matter that you can describe a scene 1133 00:53:27.480 --> 00:53:31.440 at a locker where someone's getting dressed versus being able 1134 00:53:31.440 --> 00:53:33.400 to have an actual conversation where they can think about 1135 00:53:33.400 --> 00:53:36.000 what you're asking them and you can have a much 1136 00:53:36.039 --> 00:53:38.719 more meaningful exchange. Yeah, you know, I mean, I know, 1137 00:53:38.760 --> 00:53:41.159 if I'm half dressed, I'm not gonna be thinking about 1138 00:53:41.199 --> 00:53:43.599 what I'm talking to San. I'm be thinking about am 1139 00:53:43.639 --> 00:53:46.119 I covered? Is there a TV camera around? How long 1140 00:53:46.159 --> 00:53:49.079 is this going to last? What am I obligated to do? 1141 00:53:49.840 --> 00:53:53.039 There was just a controversy about this in golf with 1142 00:53:53.159 --> 00:53:56.039 the after interviews trying to remember who it was, but 1143 00:53:56.719 --> 00:53:59.440 I think it was McElroy who defended the other golfer 1144 00:54:00.360 --> 00:54:02.599 saying that we don't have to talk to you. 1145 00:54:02.760 --> 00:54:03.719 Oh callin MORICWI. 1146 00:54:03.880 --> 00:54:04.079 Yeah. 1147 00:54:04.119 --> 00:54:07.920 Yeah, so, And there was this whole idea, and I've 1148 00:54:08.000 --> 00:54:11.440 never felt like I know there are requirements for athletes 1149 00:54:11.440 --> 00:54:12.840 to come and talk to media. I know there are 1150 00:54:12.840 --> 00:54:16.400 like media, and without them, some athletes would never talk 1151 00:54:16.440 --> 00:54:19.199 to us. But I think I feel I don't want 1152 00:54:19.239 --> 00:54:20.760 to interview somebody who doesn't want to talk to me. 1153 00:54:21.400 --> 00:54:24.320 And I know that there except other people feel differently. 1154 00:54:25.880 --> 00:54:29.920 They're not politicians, they're athletes. They play games for money, 1155 00:54:30.559 --> 00:54:33.920 and do I think that they should want to talk 1156 00:54:33.960 --> 00:54:36.719 to us, Yes, But I also feel like this is 1157 00:54:36.760 --> 00:54:39.880 more the situation where you work with someone you're comfortable with. 1158 00:54:39.960 --> 00:54:42.000 Most people I talk to, I say, find a journalist 1159 00:54:42.039 --> 00:54:45.079 you trust, find people you are comfortable working with, and really, 1160 00:54:46.119 --> 00:54:49.440 you know, work on a good understanding. You help them, 1161 00:54:49.599 --> 00:54:52.599 they can help you. I don't always. I see sometimes 1162 00:54:52.960 --> 00:54:56.239 journalism as much more transactional. You give me what I want, 1163 00:54:56.280 --> 00:54:57.960 and I'm going to go and do what I want 1164 00:54:58.000 --> 00:55:00.960 with it, and I don't really care about you, like 1165 00:55:01.039 --> 00:55:03.760 I feel like you owe me this. Anytime there's entitlement 1166 00:55:03.920 --> 00:55:06.679 or like this feeling of being owed something I don't 1167 00:55:06.719 --> 00:55:09.880 think it's a good energy for the exchange. But so 1168 00:55:10.039 --> 00:55:15.119 while I do think that in principle McElroy the golfers 1169 00:55:15.119 --> 00:55:18.639 were right, I think the journalists that are there need 1170 00:55:18.679 --> 00:55:21.360 to rethink, like, how are we interacting with them that 1171 00:55:21.400 --> 00:55:25.159 makes them feel like if they are not obligated to 1172 00:55:25.239 --> 00:55:27.679 do it, Because dealing with the media, it doesn't just 1173 00:55:27.719 --> 00:55:31.280 help you. It helps your league, it grows your sport, 1174 00:55:31.840 --> 00:55:34.960 it helps it's there are things that are happening. You know, 1175 00:55:35.360 --> 00:55:37.760 Tony Fanow you've mentioned him, had an exchange with a 1176 00:55:37.800 --> 00:55:40.320 young woman, a who is a cancer survivor as a child. 1177 00:55:40.440 --> 00:55:43.880 He's a golfer now, and you know, I can't I 1178 00:55:43.880 --> 00:55:46.280 think it was one of my friends when a journalists 1179 00:55:46.280 --> 00:55:49.760 who shared the video. But there's super uplifting, right, and 1180 00:55:49.800 --> 00:55:52.320 that doesn't do much for Tony. I mean, maybe it 1181 00:55:52.360 --> 00:55:55.320 makes Tony look good, but it also makes the game 1182 00:55:55.360 --> 00:55:58.199 of golf look good. It also makes the tour look good. 1183 00:55:58.199 --> 00:56:01.119 It also encourages people into the sport. There's a lot 1184 00:56:01.159 --> 00:56:04.440 of reasons that you want good, positive interactions with media. 1185 00:56:05.079 --> 00:56:06.920 I just think they're difficult to find. But that's a 1186 00:56:06.920 --> 00:56:11.360 long and way got way wider than I expected. No, 1187 00:56:11.400 --> 00:56:12.519 it's fine, Larry Miller. 1188 00:56:12.679 --> 00:56:16.400 It's great to hear that Larry was open to finding 1189 00:56:16.440 --> 00:56:18.920 a solution for you, you know, because I'm sure a 1190 00:56:18.960 --> 00:56:21.199 lot of people in his position just wouldn't have been like, 1191 00:56:21.239 --> 00:56:22.400 I don't really need to do this. 1192 00:56:22.320 --> 00:56:24.119 For you, right, No, a lot of people. I had 1193 00:56:24.159 --> 00:56:25.480 talked to a lot of people and they were like, well, 1194 00:56:25.480 --> 00:56:27.960 this is how we've always done it. Yeah, And I'm like, okay, 1195 00:56:28.000 --> 00:56:31.719 but it's not nineteen fifty, right, so can we do 1196 00:56:31.719 --> 00:56:34.360 it differently? I mean, even things that are not problematic, 1197 00:56:34.400 --> 00:56:36.559 Like I remember being in the jazz locker room and 1198 00:56:36.599 --> 00:56:39.800 Paul millsapp decided he didn't want there was a we 1199 00:56:39.800 --> 00:56:42.000 were all cuddled around somebody else. I don't remember who 1200 00:56:42.000 --> 00:56:45.079 it was, but he decided he was annoyed that we 1201 00:56:45.079 --> 00:56:47.480 were He couldn't get to his locker right right, so 1202 00:56:47.519 --> 00:56:50.599 he just dropped his towel and bent over just because 1203 00:56:50.760 --> 00:56:53.679 it's a locker room, okay. And we have a buddy 1204 00:56:53.719 --> 00:56:54.480 Ken Kevin. 1205 00:56:54.280 --> 00:56:56.360 Graham KG the MIDI ticket. 1206 00:56:56.400 --> 00:56:58.039 He like hurried and got in front of me, like 1207 00:56:58.320 --> 00:57:00.599 my honor was at stake here, and he's like, oh 1208 00:57:00.880 --> 00:57:03.960 you know what, And he was like, Amy, you basically 1209 00:57:04.000 --> 00:57:06.599 apologize to me, and I was like, Kevin, why are 1210 00:57:06.599 --> 00:57:08.559 you not doing this for the other people in the room, right? 1211 00:57:08.760 --> 00:57:11.599 Like you know what I mean? It just exacerbates a 1212 00:57:11.679 --> 00:57:14.559 dynamic that's already puts us at a disadvantage. But also 1213 00:57:14.840 --> 00:57:17.199 like Paul should be able to get to his locker 1214 00:57:17.639 --> 00:57:19.679 and get dressed right, right, And I don't agree with 1215 00:57:19.719 --> 00:57:20.599 the way he handled it. 1216 00:57:20.559 --> 00:57:24.159 But I so I'm just curious to get your take 1217 00:57:24.159 --> 00:57:28.320 though on this ownership transition, because I actually think, you know, 1218 00:57:29.159 --> 00:57:31.800 Gail walks the walk. You know, a lot of people 1219 00:57:32.000 --> 00:57:34.800 in her position talk about like Utah this and I 1220 00:57:34.840 --> 00:57:36.599 love the community that it's like, no, you don't, dude, 1221 00:57:36.639 --> 00:57:39.199 you're doing this for you. Okay, this is Walter White 1222 00:57:39.199 --> 00:57:40.920 breaking back at the end, like this is about me 1223 00:57:41.639 --> 00:57:45.000 and Gail has I don't know that there the list 1224 00:57:45.039 --> 00:57:48.039 of people that have done more for our community than 1225 00:57:48.119 --> 00:57:50.840 Gail Miller. She might be at the top, if there's 1226 00:57:50.880 --> 00:57:52.880 anybody else up there, it's a very short. 1227 00:57:52.639 --> 00:57:55.360 List, spent ecles. I mean there are some. 1228 00:57:55.320 --> 00:57:57.440 Sure, but yeah, but Gail, to me has always been 1229 00:57:57.480 --> 00:58:01.159 one that is front facing about wanting to do good 1230 00:58:01.199 --> 00:58:04.519 and actually does That's been my experience with Gail Miller one. 1231 00:58:04.519 --> 00:58:07.519 Hundred and I think they're concerned about more than just 1232 00:58:07.960 --> 00:58:11.559 the success of a sports team. Case in point, they 1233 00:58:11.960 --> 00:58:14.719 were involved in the tour of Utah. That's how I 1234 00:58:14.760 --> 00:58:19.000 met Steve Miller and got to know him. When really 1235 00:58:19.239 --> 00:58:21.400 I think there was probably one or two journalist Evehn 1236 00:58:21.440 --> 00:58:26.360 covering they were trying to establish it, right, and I 1237 00:58:26.400 --> 00:58:30.800 didn't know the Miller's other than Larry right. But I 1238 00:58:30.840 --> 00:58:33.920 was really impressed with the experience they tried to give 1239 00:58:33.920 --> 00:58:36.880 these athletes. This is a worldwide sport and we're a 1240 00:58:36.880 --> 00:58:40.719 little tiny community, right. We have amazing scenery and you 1241 00:58:40.760 --> 00:58:46.280 can make some really incredible courses here if you're talking 1242 00:58:46.840 --> 00:58:52.800 racing bike or hiking or running. But I loved working 1243 00:58:52.800 --> 00:58:56.320 with them because they weren't just about we need to 1244 00:58:56.320 --> 00:58:58.760 make money. It was about we want this community to 1245 00:58:58.800 --> 00:59:02.280 have this because this will open their world, this will 1246 00:59:02.360 --> 00:59:06.039 change the way they see this sport. And yeah, it's 1247 00:59:06.079 --> 00:59:08.719 definitely a business. Definitely want to make money, definitely show 1248 00:59:08.760 --> 00:59:11.840 you that, right, But it's also like this life enriching thing. 1249 00:59:12.000 --> 00:59:14.480 The reason we love sports, the reason we love entertainment, right, 1250 00:59:14.920 --> 00:59:17.760 it makes our lives better. It made it, you know, 1251 00:59:17.880 --> 00:59:20.719 going to work and going to bed. You know, just 1252 00:59:20.920 --> 00:59:23.400 doing doing the things you need to do to live 1253 00:59:23.840 --> 00:59:27.880 is a pretty pretty depressing life. Yeah, right, having joy 1254 00:59:28.039 --> 00:59:31.800 doing things that are fun, and something about having these 1255 00:59:31.840 --> 00:59:36.280 experiences is very You know the Millers did when they 1256 00:59:36.320 --> 00:59:39.199 made the the finals the two years in a row 1257 00:59:40.360 --> 00:59:45.639 against with the Bulls. They had a thing I remember 1258 00:59:45.639 --> 00:59:49.840 talking to somebody about this. They had on the plat 1259 00:59:49.920 --> 00:59:53.920 on the block. They put a big screen teat right 1260 00:59:53.920 --> 00:59:57.000 outside of the delta side and they had all these 1261 00:59:57.039 --> 00:59:59.639 chairs and they had at the time that I don't 1262 00:59:59.639 --> 01:00:01.400 think stre vendors were much of a thing, but they 1263 01:00:02.320 --> 01:00:05.119 The thing that was fascinating was how many of those 1264 01:00:05.119 --> 01:00:07.119 people I went and covered that I won hung out 1265 01:00:07.119 --> 01:00:08.880 with them. I had no interest at all in this, 1266 01:00:09.000 --> 01:00:11.599 and I absolutely loved it. It was a blast, and I 1267 01:00:12.800 --> 01:00:15.039 ended up doing it in Atlanta during the Olympics in 1268 01:00:15.280 --> 01:00:17.920 two thousand and two. But what they did was they 1269 01:00:17.920 --> 01:00:20.760 gave people who couldn't afford a ticket a way to 1270 01:00:20.880 --> 01:00:23.920 have that finals experience. And I think they did it 1271 01:00:23.920 --> 01:00:26.840 actually in the semis. I think they did it two 1272 01:00:26.920 --> 01:00:32.039 rounds and it didn't cost anything and you could buy concessions, 1273 01:00:32.079 --> 01:00:35.159 which you know, only benefits the team, right, But like 1274 01:00:35.199 --> 01:00:37.920 it was amazing because there were people with families and 1275 01:00:38.159 --> 01:00:39.639 they were like, I've been in a jazz fan all 1276 01:00:39.639 --> 01:00:41.639 My guy he was in his sixties. He was like, 1277 01:00:42.159 --> 01:00:44.239 hadn't even taken a shower after work, and he brought 1278 01:00:44.239 --> 01:00:47.519 his kids and and he said, I remember this world 1279 01:00:47.559 --> 01:00:49.400 kept soccer when they had a thing on the Gallovan too. 1280 01:00:49.840 --> 01:00:52.159 These people will never be able to buy a ticket 1281 01:00:52.199 --> 01:00:54.840 there and they but they got to have this moment. 1282 01:00:54.920 --> 01:00:57.559 They got to be part of this community celebration of 1283 01:00:57.599 --> 01:01:00.000 their team. And that is a thing that I think 1284 01:01:00.079 --> 01:01:03.800 the Millers are unique, uniquely like they do that in 1285 01:01:03.840 --> 01:01:05.960 a way that is I don't see a ton of 1286 01:01:06.039 --> 01:01:06.719 owners doing it. 1287 01:01:06.840 --> 01:01:07.760 Yeah, no, for sure. 1288 01:01:07.800 --> 01:01:10.960 All right, before I say you lose here, you reference 1289 01:01:11.039 --> 01:01:14.559 Cooper Flag, You referenced your nephew being a big Jazz fan. 1290 01:01:15.440 --> 01:01:20.119 And there are three two games left Friday, OKC. They 1291 01:01:20.119 --> 01:01:23.119 honored Dan Roberts last night forty six years PA announcer 1292 01:01:23.519 --> 01:01:27.039 Prints of a Man. Yeah, he's exiting stage left. Apparently 1293 01:01:27.039 --> 01:01:29.599 the Jazz posted the PA job on LinkedIn, So they're 1294 01:01:29.599 --> 01:01:30.719 just gonna. 1295 01:01:30.920 --> 01:01:32.679 Take anybody go ahead with a search. 1296 01:01:32.719 --> 01:01:34.960 I guess I still don't know why they're making the change, 1297 01:01:34.960 --> 01:01:38.880 but I'm not down there anymore. First time in Jazz history, 1298 01:01:38.880 --> 01:01:40.760 we have a team that's lost more than sixty games. 1299 01:01:41.360 --> 01:01:44.079 And I watch every game. It's part of the job. 1300 01:01:44.079 --> 01:01:46.519 It's also part of my entire life. Jazz basketball is 1301 01:01:46.519 --> 01:01:50.679 intertwin twined in my entire life. And it is really hard. 1302 01:01:51.079 --> 01:01:53.400 And you know, I have a lot of good friends 1303 01:01:53.440 --> 01:01:55.519 that are still with the organization. And it's hard on 1304 01:01:55.559 --> 01:01:57.800 the players. It's hard on the coaches, it's hard on 1305 01:01:57.880 --> 01:02:01.480 the front office. It's hard on ticket sales. Fans are 1306 01:02:01.480 --> 01:02:06.360 showing up. The TV ratings are massively down locally. When 1307 01:02:07.360 --> 01:02:10.039 Gobaert and Mitchell and Quinn had like their best teams, 1308 01:02:10.639 --> 01:02:13.199 the Jazz were second in the NBA and local TV 1309 01:02:13.320 --> 01:02:15.960 ratings to the Warriors. The Warriors were one because Steph 1310 01:02:16.119 --> 01:02:19.440 was Stephen and Durant the whole thing. Yeah, And I 1311 01:02:19.440 --> 01:02:21.559 think there were only two teams that had a more 1312 01:02:21.599 --> 01:02:24.800 precipitous drop than the Jazz have in local TV ratings. 1313 01:02:25.440 --> 01:02:27.440 And I get it. I know what they look. 1314 01:02:27.679 --> 01:02:31.320 They operate in a league that incentivizes losing, and as 1315 01:02:31.360 --> 01:02:34.719 long as losing is incentivized for certain teams in certain situations, 1316 01:02:34.760 --> 01:02:36.519 you're going to see teams do what the Jazz are doing. 1317 01:02:37.119 --> 01:02:38.239 We're just not used to it. 1318 01:02:38.440 --> 01:02:39.840 What do you think this has been like for jazz 1319 01:02:39.880 --> 01:02:42.360 fans that are used to at least competent basketball. 1320 01:02:42.920 --> 01:02:46.599 Well, I think that this is the problem with business 1321 01:02:46.639 --> 01:02:52.239 and sports getting married because competition wise, I mean the 1322 01:02:52.280 --> 01:02:55.119 person I feel the soriust for is will for sure, 1323 01:02:55.519 --> 01:02:59.760 because how do you find purpose? How do you find 1324 01:03:00.320 --> 01:03:04.599 how do you think about competition when you know your 1325 01:03:04.639 --> 01:03:08.880 owner doesn't want you to win? Like success is trying 1326 01:03:08.920 --> 01:03:10.719 to win, it is trying to be your best. So 1327 01:03:11.000 --> 01:03:13.639 how do you do that? How do you honor that right? 1328 01:03:13.719 --> 01:03:17.559 How do you have some integrity in that process if 1329 01:03:17.920 --> 01:03:21.079 the goal is to lose and it's not a matter 1330 01:03:21.119 --> 01:03:22.599 of like we're going to give our best and we're 1331 01:03:22.639 --> 01:03:25.639 just you know, overmastered or whatever, like they're sitting their 1332 01:03:25.639 --> 01:03:30.119 best players. Like it's so I feel like I feel 1333 01:03:30.159 --> 01:03:31.920 like it's been hard on the fans. I feel like 1334 01:03:32.320 --> 01:03:34.840 we haven't seen anything like this. I mean, this is, 1335 01:03:35.920 --> 01:03:38.440 as someone pointed out, if you lived in another city, 1336 01:03:38.480 --> 01:03:41.679 this would be like, so what you know it matters 1337 01:03:41.679 --> 01:03:45.480 to us because this is a community where this idea 1338 01:03:45.639 --> 01:03:49.800 of not trying your best is also just no one's 1339 01:03:49.800 --> 01:03:52.880 going to admit to that. Not okay, right, So I 1340 01:03:52.920 --> 01:03:55.800 think those are the things I've thought it. I think 1341 01:03:55.840 --> 01:03:58.039 I mentioned this to someone. I think it's fascinating. I 1342 01:03:58.320 --> 01:04:02.440 would love to talk to him honestly about, well, how 1343 01:04:02.480 --> 01:04:07.039 do you have integrity in this coaching process and trying 1344 01:04:07.079 --> 01:04:10.079 to get guys to give you something good or great 1345 01:04:10.199 --> 01:04:13.960 or develop or have long term goals about who they 1346 01:04:13.960 --> 01:04:16.239 want to be in this league, about how you're going 1347 01:04:16.320 --> 01:04:19.599 to evolve this team when the entire season. I think 1348 01:04:19.719 --> 01:04:22.159 the real issue to me, the root of the problem 1349 01:04:22.239 --> 01:04:25.079 is the league, and they should not have They shouldn't 1350 01:04:25.159 --> 01:04:29.039 They should change this system. As you said, it incentivizes losing. 1351 01:04:29.320 --> 01:04:32.639 And it's not just incentivizedes losing, it's ruining the game. 1352 01:04:33.280 --> 01:04:36.920 You're you're hurting your own product by making sure that 1353 01:04:37.199 --> 01:04:40.880 in certain certain markets that the players are the best. 1354 01:04:40.880 --> 01:04:43.360 Players are not going to be on floor. So you're 1355 01:04:43.400 --> 01:04:47.679 not getting your best every game from everybody, right, and 1356 01:04:47.800 --> 01:04:50.159 you're not even getting you have you have someone like 1357 01:04:50.199 --> 01:04:53.800 Jordan Clarkson who's had this crappy year right because of 1358 01:04:53.880 --> 01:04:57.239 what's happening with the team, and that when you're talking 1359 01:04:57.239 --> 01:05:01.000 about athletic athletes and maybe injuries and and like again 1360 01:05:01.079 --> 01:05:04.360 this idea of timing and windows, right, I just feel 1361 01:05:04.360 --> 01:05:08.400 like the league should adjust the way they think about 1362 01:05:08.440 --> 01:05:13.199 the draft and reimagine it because you're they are hurting 1363 01:05:13.199 --> 01:05:16.719 their own league. And eventually this will be when you 1364 01:05:16.920 --> 01:05:18.719 get to a point where you the haves and the 1365 01:05:18.719 --> 01:05:20.719 have nots are further apart. You could get to a 1366 01:05:20.719 --> 01:05:23.360 situation where half your teams are trying to dump, trying 1367 01:05:23.400 --> 01:05:23.719 to try and. 1368 01:05:23.760 --> 01:05:25.519 That is where we're at, Amy, I mean, we're pretty 1369 01:05:25.519 --> 01:05:29.079 close stretch there are. If I am kind, I say 1370 01:05:29.199 --> 01:05:31.360 six teams are doing this. If I'm honest, I'm telling 1371 01:05:31.400 --> 01:05:34.440 you ten because of injuries to what Mayama and embiid 1372 01:05:34.519 --> 01:05:36.920 phillies in the mix and Antonio's in the mix. To 1373 01:05:36.960 --> 01:05:42.079 your point, it's fixing the draft structure, eliminating any incentivized 1374 01:05:42.159 --> 01:05:44.440 for losing. And you know what would secure all of 1375 01:05:44.440 --> 01:05:45.760 this is promotion, relegation. 1376 01:05:46.639 --> 01:05:49.519 It'll I ever love it, Oh my gosh, that would 1377 01:05:49.559 --> 01:05:52.719 be amazing. Undred percent on board with that. I think 1378 01:05:52.760 --> 01:05:56.440 it is. It makes everything exciting, It makes everything matter, 1379 01:05:56.800 --> 01:05:59.480 I mean, and to me, that's competition. It is the 1380 01:05:59.519 --> 01:06:03.400 beauty sports is that everything matters. Did you slough. Did 1381 01:06:03.480 --> 01:06:05.679 you not go to practice, did you show up late? 1382 01:06:05.719 --> 01:06:08.119 Did you do lesson you were asked to do? Every 1383 01:06:08.199 --> 01:06:12.400 little thing should matter right, every little extra you do 1384 01:06:12.679 --> 01:06:16.239 should benefit you. And when you were trying to work 1385 01:06:16.280 --> 01:06:19.840 in a place where excellence is not rewarded, I don't. 1386 01:06:20.000 --> 01:06:22.000 I just think that's a bad recipe. 1387 01:06:22.119 --> 01:06:23.239 I'm telling you you know. 1388 01:06:23.320 --> 01:06:26.039 My father has a role on the board of Burnley FC, 1389 01:06:26.159 --> 01:06:30.960 a soccer club in England, and they're about to, hopefully 1390 01:06:31.320 --> 01:06:34.320 I think it's next week, play a match where if 1391 01:06:34.320 --> 01:06:36.199 they win, they're going to be promoted again. But they've 1392 01:06:36.239 --> 01:06:38.920 been promoted and relegated for three straight years and it 1393 01:06:39.039 --> 01:06:42.000 is the most intense viewing experience I've ever had in 1394 01:06:42.039 --> 01:06:44.199 my entire life. For a little old soccer club that's 1395 01:06:44.239 --> 01:06:46.639 not at the top of the Premiership table trying to 1396 01:06:46.679 --> 01:06:49.400 fight to stay in it, and the days where they've 1397 01:06:49.400 --> 01:06:52.960 lost to be relegated back down to the second Division 1398 01:06:53.000 --> 01:06:56.360 or whatever they call it, the people that are involved 1399 01:06:56.400 --> 01:06:59.320 with the club are devastated. And then the next year 1400 01:07:00.119 --> 01:07:02.840 enough success to be promoted once again. And when they're 1401 01:07:03.000 --> 01:07:06.440 able to grab promotion, it is promotion just to be 1402 01:07:06.480 --> 01:07:08.880 able to play with the other teams not win the league, No, 1403 01:07:08.960 --> 01:07:09.599 but I think what. 1404 01:07:09.559 --> 01:07:12.480 It does is it makes everything meaningful. And I think 1405 01:07:12.519 --> 01:07:14.800 that I mean when BYU was independent. One of my 1406 01:07:14.880 --> 01:07:17.400 concerns when they first went independent was if you don't 1407 01:07:17.440 --> 01:07:20.480 have a league title, that's one layer of success that 1408 01:07:20.519 --> 01:07:22.320 you've taken away from. Sure, so if you don't win 1409 01:07:22.360 --> 01:07:24.920 every game and make it to the playoffs, right, and 1410 01:07:25.000 --> 01:07:28.039 expanding the playoffs gives you levels of success. And so 1411 01:07:28.119 --> 01:07:31.320 there's lots of ways to have that moment you're talking about, 1412 01:07:31.320 --> 01:07:34.039 where the community can galvanize, where everybody can be inspired, 1413 01:07:34.079 --> 01:07:38.039 where people can give everything they've got to this community 1414 01:07:38.079 --> 01:07:39.719 that we're all trying to be a part of. 1415 01:07:39.880 --> 01:07:42.440 Amy, I've taken up too much of your time. Where 1416 01:07:42.440 --> 01:07:44.840 would you tell our listeners to go find whatever it 1417 01:07:44.880 --> 01:07:45.960 is you're working on right now? 1418 01:07:46.039 --> 01:07:48.679 You could listen to There is a new episode of 1419 01:07:48.719 --> 01:07:52.760 The Letter from season one. It's called The Hearing. You 1420 01:07:52.760 --> 01:07:56.960 can go to The letterpodcast dot com. I heard from 1421 01:07:57.000 --> 01:07:59.679 somebody the other day about one of the bonus episodes. 1422 01:08:00.079 --> 01:08:01.880 One was about your dad, it was from a businessman, 1423 01:08:02.159 --> 01:08:05.000 oh okay, and one was about the world according to Pablo, 1424 01:08:05.199 --> 01:08:08.480 So actually, there's really great stuff in the Bonus episodes 1425 01:08:08.480 --> 01:08:09.199 two from Making of. 1426 01:08:09.159 --> 01:08:11.639 A Moment Listen every minute of it. 1427 01:08:11.760 --> 01:08:13.840 Yeah, but I would say you could do any of 1428 01:08:13.880 --> 01:08:17.399 the apps, the Spotify, the Apple, the all of the above. 1429 01:08:17.479 --> 01:08:19.880 So there's too much tray was all that's it been 1430 01:08:19.960 --> 01:08:21.520 Making to the moment. Hey, great to see you, my 1431 01:08:21.520 --> 01:08:24.039 friend guys much. Amy stops by today courtesy of our 1432 01:08:24.079 --> 01:08:26.960 friends at IFA Country Stores. The weather is warm, spring 1433 01:08:27.079 --> 01:08:29.039 is here. Have you ignored your lawn? Well it's not 1434 01:08:29.079 --> 01:08:31.199 too late, but it's time to start thinking about it now. 1435 01:08:31.640 --> 01:08:33.880 IFA Country Stores has everything you need to care for 1436 01:08:33.880 --> 01:08:35.760 your law, no matter its size or shape. Their four 1437 01:08:35.760 --> 01:08:38.439 plus lawn care program can promote a healthy, green lawn 1438 01:08:38.479 --> 01:08:40.720 for you this summer. They're the same products you used 1439 01:08:40.760 --> 01:08:43.479 in many local sports fields, golf courses and city parks. 1440 01:08:43.920 --> 01:08:46.279 You can consult the IFA's team of experts for your 1441 01:08:46.359 --> 01:08:49.119 yard this season, visit them online at IFA dot co op, 1442 01:08:49.159 --> 01:08:51.640 or stop by one of their eighteen Utah stores Today. 1443 01:08:51.960 --> 01:08:54.800 IFA Country Stores helping to grow the things you love. 1444 01:08:55.319 --> 01:08:59.039 We're back on the Drive with ESPN's Dave mcmannimon joining 1445 01:08:59.079 --> 01:09:01.520 us for today's NBA Daily Assist. 1446 01:09:02.880 --> 01:09:06.560 Have the day, justin Rose, you just missed a birdie 1447 01:09:06.560 --> 01:09:09.840 putt on eighteen, and I think he'll tap in for 1448 01:09:09.920 --> 01:09:14.399 part here for a four stroke lead over Scottie Scheffler. 1449 01:09:14.840 --> 01:09:15.560 Oh, no bogey. 1450 01:09:15.600 --> 01:09:18.880 He dropped one three stroke lead over Scottie Scheffler. Justin 1451 01:09:18.960 --> 01:09:21.880 Rose cards a sixty five. Roy McElroy is four under 1452 01:09:21.880 --> 01:09:26.199 through fourteen. Our next guest apparently not a golf guy, 1453 01:09:27.039 --> 01:09:29.119 Dave mcminnimon Thursday Afternoon. 1454 01:09:29.159 --> 01:09:32.359 You're not a fan of the game of golf. I 1455 01:09:32.399 --> 01:09:33.199 was unaware of that. 1456 01:09:34.800 --> 01:09:36.960 I wouldn't put it that way that I'm not a 1457 01:09:36.960 --> 01:09:39.239 fan of it. I think is a cool sport and 1458 01:09:39.279 --> 01:09:41.399 I can get caught up in the drama of a 1459 01:09:41.399 --> 01:09:43.880 great tournament on a Sunday if I'm not working, but 1460 01:09:44.279 --> 01:09:47.720 I just don't follow it regularly. Do you actually good 1461 01:09:47.920 --> 01:09:50.319 Justin Rose being in first place? I went to the 1462 01:09:50.359 --> 01:09:54.479 twenty thirteen US Open in the Philly suburbs at Marrying 1463 01:09:54.560 --> 01:09:56.960 with my dad, and he won it that year, so 1464 01:09:57.680 --> 01:10:00.960 I do have some a bit of a point for him. 1465 01:10:01.239 --> 01:10:03.800 I love Tiger when I was a kid, but it's 1466 01:10:03.840 --> 01:10:06.560 been a while since Tiger's been kind of been that guy. 1467 01:10:06.880 --> 01:10:08.680 You ever play? Do you like to get out and swing? 1468 01:10:09.520 --> 01:10:12.600 I played about once a year It's one of those 1469 01:10:12.640 --> 01:10:15.159 things where I have a bunch of friends as I 1470 01:10:15.239 --> 01:10:17.239 get a little longer in the tooth, that that's their 1471 01:10:17.319 --> 01:10:23.640 main form of physical exercise slash recreation. And like, I'm 1472 01:10:23.640 --> 01:10:26.199 still trying to hang on to my pickup hoops game, 1473 01:10:26.279 --> 01:10:28.119 so if I get free time, I'm doing that rather 1474 01:10:28.159 --> 01:10:29.479 than going to the golf course. 1475 01:10:29.560 --> 01:10:32.079 How often are we talking pick up hoops? Davic Minman, 1476 01:10:32.159 --> 01:10:34.199 what's the consistency. 1477 01:10:33.640 --> 01:10:37.560 Level I play? If I'm home in LA I play 1478 01:10:37.720 --> 01:10:41.640 Saturday morning, Tuesday night, and then usually one other weekday 1479 01:10:41.880 --> 01:10:43.960 floating morning, So like three times. 1480 01:10:43.800 --> 01:10:48.760 A week I'm picturing Dave Mcamendimon on the beach, maybe 1481 01:10:48.920 --> 01:10:51.399 somewhere down in Santa Monica shirt lists right. 1482 01:10:51.479 --> 01:10:54.000 Outdoor basketball? Is that what we're talking about here? 1483 01:10:54.800 --> 01:10:55.000 Ever? 1484 01:10:55.199 --> 01:10:58.359 No, No, I gave up outdoor basketball about ten years ago. 1485 01:10:58.359 --> 01:11:00.640 It's so bad on your need. So I got a 1486 01:11:00.680 --> 01:11:04.840 couple of nice little indoor setups. It's all all organized pickups. 1487 01:11:04.880 --> 01:11:08.560 So it's it's guys that I've known for for a 1488 01:11:08.640 --> 01:11:12.640 decade plus. Guys played high school ball, some played college ball. 1489 01:11:12.720 --> 01:11:15.279 So it's guys who know how to play. But you're 1490 01:11:15.319 --> 01:11:18.479 also like you know one another, You're not getting into 1491 01:11:18.560 --> 01:11:21.680 random fights. You're not trying to get anybody injured. You're 1492 01:11:21.720 --> 01:11:26.920 able to you know, shower and not have a you know, 1493 01:11:27.000 --> 01:11:30.039 black black eye or bloody nose when you go to 1494 01:11:30.079 --> 01:11:31.680 work an hour after the pickup game. 1495 01:11:31.880 --> 01:11:35.239 You play with any of your ESPN cohorts. 1496 01:11:36.000 --> 01:11:40.920 I have played with them in the past. There's not 1497 01:11:41.239 --> 01:11:43.760 too many on on our staff currently that regularly played. 1498 01:11:43.800 --> 01:11:46.560 McMahon plays a little bit, and he's got a nice 1499 01:11:46.600 --> 01:11:50.520 little low post game and a decent catch and shoot jumper. 1500 01:11:51.159 --> 01:11:52.840 But I think that's the only guy on our current 1501 01:11:52.880 --> 01:11:56.119 staff that I played with. Chris Hanes plays a bunch 1502 01:11:56.159 --> 01:11:58.560 that I've played with him over the years. We've played. 1503 01:11:58.880 --> 01:12:01.560 We put together a pick up game Overall Star in 1504 01:12:01.600 --> 01:12:06.560 San Francisco. But yeah, it's there's fewer and fewer unfortunately 1505 01:12:08.159 --> 01:12:10.520 around the league. I feel like, of the guys who 1506 01:12:10.720 --> 01:12:12.840 covered the NBA that play regularly. 1507 01:12:13.079 --> 01:12:15.479 You can't get timmy good time Bontemps out there. He's 1508 01:12:15.520 --> 01:12:16.359 like a good six team. 1509 01:12:16.680 --> 01:12:19.600 Bon TEMs will play every once in a while. Bosteps played. 1510 01:12:20.039 --> 01:12:22.079 We've put together a pickup game in the morning my 1511 01:12:22.079 --> 01:12:26.079 wedding and Bontep's played in it. And actually I'll give 1512 01:12:26.119 --> 01:12:28.920 him credit. He blocks at my jump shots, Bruce, let 1513 01:12:28.960 --> 01:12:33.319 you go a little bit in the game. But Bonteps 1514 01:12:33.319 --> 01:12:35.119 could play. He stays in shape, but he's more of 1515 01:12:35.199 --> 01:12:37.399 like he's an obsessive pelotoner. 1516 01:12:38.399 --> 01:12:42.600 Oh okay, all right, very interesting, All right, moving on, Dave. 1517 01:12:42.640 --> 01:12:45.279 I don't imagine during your pickup games you are introduced 1518 01:12:45.319 --> 01:12:47.560 and then you start crying and drop a forty five 1519 01:12:47.640 --> 01:12:51.119 point you know, jam on your old team. You were 1520 01:12:51.239 --> 01:12:55.119 on the scene, you were prominently featured on television, as 1521 01:12:55.199 --> 01:12:57.319 was our guy Tim McMahon. I got to know what 1522 01:12:57.359 --> 01:13:00.359 that was like because there are so many times in 1523 01:13:00.439 --> 01:13:03.640 a lot of sports where we anticipate the gravity of 1524 01:13:03.680 --> 01:13:06.079 a moment and wonder whether or not an athlete or 1525 01:13:06.079 --> 01:13:07.760 a coach or whatever is going to step up and 1526 01:13:08.560 --> 01:13:09.439 meet that moment. 1527 01:13:09.479 --> 01:13:11.000 And man, did he meet that moment? 1528 01:13:11.039 --> 01:13:13.439 And certainly the Lakers are remotivated to help Luca get 1529 01:13:13.439 --> 01:13:16.199 his and they get the win. And what was a really, 1530 01:13:16.239 --> 01:13:18.319 really unique special night. What was it like to be 1531 01:13:18.359 --> 01:13:18.960 there on the scene. 1532 01:13:20.520 --> 01:13:20.720 Yeah. 1533 01:13:20.720 --> 01:13:25.680 I don't want to be too like Fu Fu poetic here, 1534 01:13:25.720 --> 01:13:28.960 but part of the reason why I wanted to do 1535 01:13:29.039 --> 01:13:32.720 this job was to be able to explore the human 1536 01:13:32.720 --> 01:13:39.000 condition and marvel at what people are capable of accomplishing 1537 01:13:39.319 --> 01:13:44.680 in extreme conditions. And so walking away from the arena 1538 01:13:44.760 --> 01:13:48.399 last night, you're just shaking your head and you're just 1539 01:13:48.479 --> 01:13:54.479 blown away by how Luca Dottris was able to compartmentalize 1540 01:13:54.960 --> 01:13:59.159 fully feel the moment of the pregame introduction where the 1541 01:13:59.159 --> 01:14:02.239 Mavericks honored with about a three minute highlight video and 1542 01:14:02.319 --> 01:14:05.479 the crowd starts channing his name and let that wash 1543 01:14:05.560 --> 01:14:09.760 over him and be vulnerable enough and quite frankly, man 1544 01:14:09.880 --> 01:14:13.520 enough to cry in front of twenty thousand people and 1545 01:14:13.640 --> 01:14:15.880 rather than you know, feel like he has to be 1546 01:14:16.560 --> 01:14:20.760 John Wayne about it and then put the switch. You know, 1547 01:14:20.840 --> 01:14:23.760 he was a little shaky for the first two minutes 1548 01:14:23.800 --> 01:14:26.319 in the game. He had a bad pass underneath the 1549 01:14:26.359 --> 01:14:29.319 basket behind his back that was the turnover, and he 1550 01:14:29.359 --> 01:14:33.119 had his first shocky miss, But really from the moment 1551 01:14:33.159 --> 01:14:34.680 he hit a three right in front of the Lakers 1552 01:14:34.720 --> 01:14:38.439 bench with about you know, maybe eight minutes ago in 1553 01:14:38.479 --> 01:14:41.079 the first quarter till the end of the game, he 1554 01:14:41.159 --> 01:14:46.000 was a killer and it was just an incredible night 1555 01:14:46.079 --> 01:14:49.520 to watch. And then walking into the postgame locker room 1556 01:14:49.560 --> 01:14:53.640 for the Lakers afterwards, talking to Austin Rees and he's like, man, 1557 01:14:53.680 --> 01:14:55.960 I didn't want to look at Luke on the bench 1558 01:14:56.039 --> 01:14:59.119 pregame because I thought if I looked at him crying, 1559 01:14:59.119 --> 01:14:59.960 I'm going to start crying. 1560 01:15:00.000 --> 01:15:00.359 I felt. 1561 01:15:00.840 --> 01:15:03.600 He talked to Lebron, and Lebron is like, this is 1562 01:15:03.600 --> 01:15:05.920 going to be a night that I remember, not for 1563 01:15:05.960 --> 01:15:07.479 the rest of my career, but for the rest of 1564 01:15:07.479 --> 01:15:09.720 my life. And he was just happy to be a 1565 01:15:09.760 --> 01:15:15.119 part of it. And JJ Reddick, you know, having the 1566 01:15:15.239 --> 01:15:20.079 sense of the moment to have a separate sub for 1567 01:15:20.199 --> 01:15:22.119 Luca at the very end of the game with the 1568 01:15:22.199 --> 01:15:25.359 mid thirty four to go, so he gets another ovation 1569 01:15:25.800 --> 01:15:29.159 from the crowd. It was. It's one of those great nights. 1570 01:15:29.359 --> 01:15:33.279 There's been two nights since regular season games, I should 1571 01:15:33.319 --> 01:15:36.279 say since I started covering the NBA back in two 1572 01:15:36.319 --> 01:15:39.199 thousand and five that I've regretted that I wasn't able 1573 01:15:39.279 --> 01:15:43.119 to cover. One was December second, twenty ten, when Lebron 1574 01:15:43.159 --> 01:15:45.159 had his first game back in Cleveland as a member 1575 01:15:45.199 --> 01:15:47.199 of the Heat and I was coming to Lakers back then, 1576 01:15:47.239 --> 01:15:49.680 it wasn't necessarily had an opportunity to do that. And 1577 01:15:49.720 --> 01:15:52.399 then it was Kobe's last regular season game with the Lakers, 1578 01:15:52.399 --> 01:15:54.760 and if I pushed for that, I probably could have 1579 01:15:55.039 --> 01:15:58.720 covered The Cavs had a meaningless end of their regular 1580 01:15:58.720 --> 01:16:01.239 season that year, they had already lot up there seating 1581 01:16:01.319 --> 01:16:03.720 in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and I had covered Kobe 1582 01:16:04.039 --> 01:16:06.840 for six years, so I probably kind of pushed for 1583 01:16:06.880 --> 01:16:08.680 that one. I wish I did because obviously had the 1584 01:16:08.720 --> 01:16:12.119 sixty point send off. This is the only game that 1585 01:16:12.199 --> 01:16:15.399 I would put anywhere close to the realm of what 1586 01:16:15.479 --> 01:16:18.760 those two games became and lucas there's all the cred 1587 01:16:18.760 --> 01:16:19.199 in the world. 1588 01:16:20.079 --> 01:16:23.520 I actually was covering Kobe's last game because I was 1589 01:16:23.560 --> 01:16:25.399 doing pre aff and posts for the team that he 1590 01:16:25.399 --> 01:16:28.800 played against, the Utah Jazz, and I remember watching that 1591 01:16:28.840 --> 01:16:31.880 game and breaking it down afterwards. It was quite a night, 1592 01:16:31.960 --> 01:16:34.239 But I wanted to kick the tires, Dave, since you 1593 01:16:34.239 --> 01:16:39.439 were there with the reaction of Dallas Mavericks fans, because 1594 01:16:39.439 --> 01:16:42.039 on TV you could hear the fire Nico stuff and 1595 01:16:42.079 --> 01:16:44.680 then Luca would hit a three, and it felt like 1596 01:16:45.199 --> 01:16:48.720 all the Laker fans in attendance were superjuiced about that. 1597 01:16:48.840 --> 01:16:51.199 But it also felt like most of the Mavericks fans, 1598 01:16:51.199 --> 01:16:54.159 from what I could tell on television, were pulling for 1599 01:16:54.239 --> 01:16:54.960 Luca to. 1600 01:16:54.920 --> 01:16:55.800 Have a good night. 1601 01:16:56.640 --> 01:16:58.800 How many Mavericks fans were cheering for the maps, Like, 1602 01:16:58.840 --> 01:17:01.279 what was it like to be what was the fan reaction? 1603 01:17:01.479 --> 01:17:06.840 Yeah, but you know they have those like artificial energy 1604 01:17:07.600 --> 01:17:11.000 prompts on the jumbo tron sometimes during I'm out or 1605 01:17:11.359 --> 01:17:15.239 noise meter, they had zero effect on the crowd. And 1606 01:17:15.279 --> 01:17:17.640 they were several times throughout the game where I was 1607 01:17:17.640 --> 01:17:20.640 sitting next to Dan Wiki of the La Times, who 1608 01:17:20.640 --> 01:17:22.680 covers the Lakers as well, and we're like, oh wow, look, 1609 01:17:22.800 --> 01:17:25.319 it's like no one's responding to that. So I think 1610 01:17:25.680 --> 01:17:30.479 the general interest of mass fans last night was to 1611 01:17:30.840 --> 01:17:33.800 cheer Luca and then when there was breaks in the 1612 01:17:33.840 --> 01:17:37.119 action have the fire Nico chant and the fire Deco chant. 1613 01:17:37.199 --> 01:17:40.680 It started just when Lakers shot free throws, and by 1614 01:17:40.680 --> 01:17:42.439 the end of the game is when the Mavericks were 1615 01:17:42.439 --> 01:17:46.640 shooting free throws as well. That said, you know, I 1616 01:17:47.119 --> 01:17:49.840 thought that it didn't cross the line. Of course, it 1617 01:17:49.920 --> 01:17:53.000 had to be uncomfortable for Nico Harrison, who stood a 1618 01:17:53.039 --> 01:17:56.159 tunnel kind of in between the Lakers bench and the 1619 01:17:56.199 --> 01:17:58.720 Mavericks bench. He was mostly out of sight, but if 1620 01:17:58.760 --> 01:18:01.840 you knew where to look, you could see him. But 1621 01:18:03.079 --> 01:18:06.800 the Dallas fans really like poured their support for Luca. 1622 01:18:07.199 --> 01:18:11.760 You saw so many families wearing you know, different versions 1623 01:18:11.840 --> 01:18:15.159 of Mads Luca jerseys that of course they've been purchased 1624 01:18:15.159 --> 01:18:18.199 over his six and a half year career. There the 1625 01:18:18.319 --> 01:18:23.560 Luca Luca chant right that followed right after the tribute 1626 01:18:23.640 --> 01:18:26.880 video that played like echoed throughout the arena gave me 1627 01:18:27.000 --> 01:18:30.199 goosebumps when I heard it. There was a little bit 1628 01:18:30.199 --> 01:18:32.800 of an MVP chant for Luca at one point, and 1629 01:18:32.880 --> 01:18:35.439 in the first quarter whenever he touched the ball, it 1630 01:18:35.560 --> 01:18:39.880 was just pure agulation cheers, which was cool. I mean, 1631 01:18:40.479 --> 01:18:45.560 the guys, if you love watching basketball, it's hard to 1632 01:18:46.680 --> 01:18:50.039 you know, put him in any category other than like 1633 01:18:50.119 --> 01:18:52.960 a master of the game of basketball. It's a modern 1634 01:18:53.039 --> 01:18:59.000 Larry Bird with you know, with the European twist. I 1635 01:18:59.039 --> 01:19:04.199 guess holf fitting he scores forty last night, the bucket 1636 01:19:04.239 --> 01:19:07.079 that he gets it on is a ridiculous reverse, you know, 1637 01:19:07.760 --> 01:19:12.000 showing the type of commandy as of the game unlike 1638 01:19:12.159 --> 01:19:15.479 few have ever had. And yeah, it was a big 1639 01:19:15.560 --> 01:19:18.439 night Phil Lakers as well. They clinched the playoff spot. 1640 01:19:18.479 --> 01:19:20.079 They're not going to be in the play in tournament 1641 01:19:20.600 --> 01:19:23.680 and they have two games left to get the number 1642 01:19:23.720 --> 01:19:25.600 three seed in the West, and if they get that, 1643 01:19:26.319 --> 01:19:29.079 you're talking about a week's rest. You're on the opposite 1644 01:19:29.079 --> 01:19:32.439 side of the bracket as okay, see, and you could 1645 01:19:32.640 --> 01:19:34.239 really do some damage this postseason. 1646 01:19:35.399 --> 01:19:37.720 Yeah, well, I do want to get there before I 1647 01:19:37.800 --> 01:19:40.159 set you loose. And you know, this is going to 1648 01:19:40.199 --> 01:19:42.600 be a little bit of a loose parallel, But I 1649 01:19:42.640 --> 01:19:45.000 am a sports talk radio host in Salt Lake City, 1650 01:19:45.239 --> 01:19:49.920 and so oftentimes I try to consume NBA games and 1651 01:19:49.960 --> 01:19:52.800 storylines and related to certain things that have happened here. 1652 01:19:52.840 --> 01:19:54.880 And you know, with the Lucas stuff, you hear a 1653 01:19:54.880 --> 01:19:58.239 lot of like, nobody trades away a twenty five year 1654 01:19:58.239 --> 01:20:01.920 old generational talent. And I'm not saying Donovan Mitchell's Luka 1655 01:20:01.960 --> 01:20:04.399 Doncic right, I'm not, But the Jazz did that. The 1656 01:20:04.479 --> 01:20:07.600 Jazz traded Donovan, you know, really at the beginning of 1657 01:20:07.640 --> 01:20:09.960 his prime, and certainly two different situations. 1658 01:20:09.960 --> 01:20:11.760 So the parallel is a little loose. 1659 01:20:12.399 --> 01:20:16.920 But when I saw Luca in tears during the pregame introduction, 1660 01:20:17.640 --> 01:20:20.239 if I'm a Mavericks fan, it makes me even more 1661 01:20:20.319 --> 01:20:24.359 upset because it reaffirms the reporting of you and others 1662 01:20:24.399 --> 01:20:27.279 that he very much did not want this to happen. Now, look, 1663 01:20:27.760 --> 01:20:30.279 he's a Laker, he's in Los Angeles. He's going to 1664 01:20:30.319 --> 01:20:32.760 be just fine. He'll acquamate and he'll be a legend 1665 01:20:32.840 --> 01:20:34.439 in a place where all these guys want to live 1666 01:20:34.479 --> 01:20:37.399 and play. I get all that, But when Donovan Mitchell 1667 01:20:37.520 --> 01:20:41.239 came back to saw Lake with the Calves, there was 1668 01:20:41.279 --> 01:20:43.560 no there were no tears, there was no emotion like 1669 01:20:43.640 --> 01:20:46.560 when he left. It was kind of like, yeah, I'm out, 1670 01:20:46.720 --> 01:20:50.000 and I'm thrilled that I'm no longer there anymore. And 1671 01:20:50.239 --> 01:20:54.359 if you're a jazz fan and you see a generational 1672 01:20:54.439 --> 01:20:59.479 talent like Luca crying during the pregame introductions, if you're 1673 01:20:59.479 --> 01:21:02.439 a Mavericks, just makes you even more upset because it's like, dude, 1674 01:21:02.439 --> 01:21:04.359 he wanted Dallas, he wanted to be here, and he's 1675 01:21:04.359 --> 01:21:07.239 one of the best players in the world. And you know, 1676 01:21:07.399 --> 01:21:12.039 from a jazz perspective, it's like, if Donovan was outwardly 1677 01:21:12.199 --> 01:21:15.560 upset about that move and he clearly wanted to be 1678 01:21:15.720 --> 01:21:18.319 back here, I think it would have changed the way 1679 01:21:18.359 --> 01:21:20.840 a lot of jazz fans view him, viewed him then 1680 01:21:20.880 --> 01:21:24.319 and view him now, And just from simply this is 1681 01:21:24.319 --> 01:21:26.319 a really loose I'm gonna land the plane. But just 1682 01:21:26.359 --> 01:21:30.159 simply from like a fan paradigm fan perspective, the fact 1683 01:21:30.159 --> 01:21:33.039 that you just saw that that generational dude is so 1684 01:21:33.199 --> 01:21:37.159 upset that he was traded away from your team, it 1685 01:21:37.279 --> 01:21:40.439 probably makes the vitriol towards the Dallas front office even 1686 01:21:40.479 --> 01:21:41.079 more intense. 1687 01:21:41.119 --> 01:21:42.159 Does that make sense at all? 1688 01:21:43.319 --> 01:21:46.760 It does, because it's gonna be hard to figure out 1689 01:21:47.079 --> 01:21:53.439 how that faucet gets turned off. Basketball fans, like MAVs fans, 1690 01:21:53.439 --> 01:21:55.680 are basketball fans, so they're going to continue to see 1691 01:21:56.319 --> 01:21:59.720 Luca's success with the Lakers. And I'm not saying that 1692 01:22:00.520 --> 01:22:03.000 the collection of talent that the Mavericks have right now 1693 01:22:03.319 --> 01:22:06.600 is a bad one. If Kyrie Irving can come back, 1694 01:22:07.359 --> 01:22:09.880 you know, let's say play half the season next year, 1695 01:22:10.119 --> 01:22:12.640 the second half of the season, and they can stay 1696 01:22:12.640 --> 01:22:15.119 healthy with the rest of their core, they will be 1697 01:22:15.199 --> 01:22:18.760 a significant team in the Western Conference, but they won't 1698 01:22:18.760 --> 01:22:22.800 be favored over the Lakers. And even if they win 1699 01:22:22.840 --> 01:22:26.960 a championship with that group sometime over the next couple 1700 01:22:26.960 --> 01:22:29.960 of seasons, I just don't know if we'll feel as 1701 01:22:30.000 --> 01:22:34.399 good as had they won with Luca Dudgets and you know, 1702 01:22:34.479 --> 01:22:38.199 that when I came back, I covered the Lakers for 1703 01:22:38.239 --> 01:22:40.119 six years and covered the Cavs for four, and now 1704 01:22:40.119 --> 01:22:43.279 I've been covering the Lakers for seven on this currency. 1705 01:22:43.279 --> 01:22:45.520 Then when I came back to LA there was a 1706 01:22:45.560 --> 01:22:48.279 faction of Laker fans who kind of didn't want Lebron 1707 01:22:48.319 --> 01:22:50.560 to be on the team because they wanted to see 1708 01:22:51.039 --> 01:22:54.239 the group led by Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram and 1709 01:22:54.319 --> 01:22:58.800 Julius Randall figure it out together and follow that story 1710 01:22:58.840 --> 01:23:00.399 all the way through because it was kind of the 1711 01:23:00.520 --> 01:23:04.439 quote unquote homegrown talent. It's going to be a different 1712 01:23:04.439 --> 01:23:07.560 feeling for this this MAPS group if they can, in 1713 01:23:07.640 --> 01:23:09.880 fact even do it. I mean, that's a monumental test 1714 01:23:09.920 --> 01:23:14.359 to begin with, so I don't see it changing. Obviously, 1715 01:23:14.800 --> 01:23:17.199 Nico Harrison has had the support of Patrick Dumont, the 1716 01:23:17.239 --> 01:23:20.760 new ownership group, or the trade wouldn't have gotten done. 1717 01:23:20.840 --> 01:23:23.680 So I don't necessarily think his job is in jeopardy. 1718 01:23:23.720 --> 01:23:27.479 But the job's not gonna be fun. I mean he 1719 01:23:27.600 --> 01:23:30.760 still has to, you know, be a citizen of the 1720 01:23:30.800 --> 01:23:33.600 city of Dallas, and you know he has a family there, 1721 01:23:33.600 --> 01:23:36.079 and you know, you go out to dinner and go 1722 01:23:36.159 --> 01:23:38.479 to shows and et cetera, et cetera, like it's going 1723 01:23:38.520 --> 01:23:41.920 to be uncomfortable experience for him kind of no matter 1724 01:23:41.960 --> 01:23:43.880 what happens with the Mavericks going forward. 1725 01:23:44.359 --> 01:23:45.880 All Right, David, I know you got to run, so 1726 01:23:45.920 --> 01:23:47.199 I'll just ask you one more question. 1727 01:23:47.279 --> 01:23:49.319 I'm old enough to remember when you were good at 1728 01:23:49.359 --> 01:23:51.840 your job, typically you kept it, and if you're an 1729 01:23:51.880 --> 01:23:54.600 NBA coach, I guess that's not the deal. A lot 1730 01:23:54.680 --> 01:23:58.119 of reporting, good reporting from both you guys at ESPN 1731 01:23:58.159 --> 01:24:00.199 and then the folks at the athletic about what was 1732 01:24:00.239 --> 01:24:03.279 going on behind the scenes in Denver that led them, 1733 01:24:03.560 --> 01:24:06.680 the Crockey family to move on from both Calvin Booth 1734 01:24:06.720 --> 01:24:10.760 and Michael Malone, who, after a decade a very successful 1735 01:24:10.800 --> 01:24:13.720 basketball including a championship, has been shown the door. 1736 01:24:14.359 --> 01:24:16.359 Look, I don't fully understand it. 1737 01:24:16.399 --> 01:24:18.600 I'm sure you can provide some context, but what's your 1738 01:24:18.600 --> 01:24:19.680 reaction to this story. 1739 01:24:21.159 --> 01:24:24.399 I was not surprising. I'm certainly surprised by the timing. 1740 01:24:25.159 --> 01:24:28.319 I was not surprised to hear Michael Malone being let go. 1741 01:24:29.000 --> 01:24:32.560 I'd heard some things throughout the year, and then of 1742 01:24:32.560 --> 01:24:34.640 course you see the way the league has trended that 1743 01:24:36.159 --> 01:24:38.600 the head coach is good for them I'm glad they 1744 01:24:38.680 --> 01:24:41.479 get paid really well, because that's kind of the only 1745 01:24:41.720 --> 01:24:44.640 part of their existence that's guaranteed that they're going to 1746 01:24:44.720 --> 01:24:47.199 get a really good salary, and everything else is you 1747 01:24:47.279 --> 01:24:51.439 are the automatic scapegoat. It's much harder to trade or 1748 01:24:51.520 --> 01:24:54.079 change the roster than it is the coach. And of 1749 01:24:54.119 --> 01:24:57.079 course the general manager wants to always have a way 1750 01:24:57.119 --> 01:25:00.920 to not make it their fault. Right rising part to 1751 01:25:00.960 --> 01:25:04.880 me was Calvin Booth, and of course Booth's reputation after 1752 01:25:04.920 --> 01:25:07.319 building the championship team of a couple of years ago, 1753 01:25:07.680 --> 01:25:09.760 took a bit of a hit of not being able 1754 01:25:09.760 --> 01:25:12.439 to retain guys like Bruce Brown and Jeff Green and 1755 01:25:12.760 --> 01:25:17.640 contagious Caldwell Pope and you know, obviously Christian Brown's role 1756 01:25:17.720 --> 01:25:20.680 has improved in that time. But other than that, you know, 1757 01:25:20.800 --> 01:25:23.600 what are they added? They added Russell Westbrook, Like, come on, 1758 01:25:24.600 --> 01:25:28.680 so clearly he had not had the best couple of seasons. 1759 01:25:28.720 --> 01:25:30.680 But I figured it would have gone to go the 1760 01:25:30.840 --> 01:25:34.479 way that we've seen in other organizations. You get rid 1761 01:25:34.520 --> 01:25:36.840 of the coach, the general manager has a little bit 1762 01:25:36.880 --> 01:25:40.319 more time here. But listen, it's a bold move. I 1763 01:25:40.359 --> 01:25:42.479 don't like it, just by the fact that they'd already 1764 01:25:42.520 --> 01:25:47.319 qualified for a playoff position. To me, like, it's bad business. 1765 01:25:48.079 --> 01:25:52.359 It's just it's not treating people like humans. You let 1766 01:25:52.359 --> 01:25:54.760 the coach then coach the team in the playoffs for 1767 01:25:54.800 --> 01:25:57.199 the playoffs lootion that he'd already qualified for. That's what 1768 01:25:57.239 --> 01:25:59.760 I would do. But they're going to get a look 1769 01:25:59.800 --> 01:26:03.439 at David Adelman here. And you know, the front office 1770 01:26:03.760 --> 01:26:07.800 part will be very interesting because the Krokey ownership group 1771 01:26:08.399 --> 01:26:13.479 is not known for really being willing to open up 1772 01:26:13.520 --> 01:26:16.760 the purse string and spend at the level of some 1773 01:26:16.880 --> 01:26:19.960 of the other teams that are pernial contenders. Will they 1774 01:26:20.760 --> 01:26:24.319 do that here, spend a lot of money to get 1775 01:26:24.600 --> 01:26:28.560 you know, one of the top executives on the market, 1776 01:26:29.800 --> 01:26:31.159 or you know, do they try to do it on 1777 01:26:31.199 --> 01:26:32.960 the cheap? You know, there's a reason why I'm besides 1778 01:26:33.319 --> 01:26:36.720 Jerry's in Toronto, and there's a reason why Tim Connelly 1779 01:26:36.880 --> 01:26:40.279 is in Minnesota because Denver didn't pay them either. And 1780 01:26:40.359 --> 01:26:44.319 so a very interesting situation. And of course we all 1781 01:26:44.680 --> 01:26:48.000 are wondering about the potential fallout of will Nikola Jokich 1782 01:26:48.039 --> 01:26:50.479 want to finish his career there or will he be 1783 01:26:50.560 --> 01:26:54.000 the next superstarter? Decide that I'm better off finishing my 1784 01:26:54.039 --> 01:26:54.800 career somewhere else. 1785 01:26:55.560 --> 01:26:58.159 All right, my friend, Well, I appreciate the time, have 1786 01:26:58.319 --> 01:26:59.560 a great weekend ahead. 1787 01:26:59.279 --> 01:27:01.720 And we'll chat to day, Yes, sir, Thanks y. 1788 01:27:01.880 --> 01:27:05.119 Dave mcmanamhon covers the NBA for ESPN. He's on Twitter 1789 01:27:05.159 --> 01:27:07.439 at mc ten is where you find him. Dave stops 1790 01:27:07.439 --> 01:27:09.600 Spout today courtesy of our friends at the Salt Lake 1791 01:27:09.640 --> 01:27:12.760 Bees and the Bees Avenue Hive. It's opening week right 1792 01:27:12.800 --> 01:27:15.760 now goes through April thirteenth, c inaugural season at the 1793 01:27:15.800 --> 01:27:18.680 ballpark at America First Square in South Jordan. Every game 1794 01:27:18.720 --> 01:27:22.079 will feature exciting giveaways, so don't miss out. Experience the 1795 01:27:22.119 --> 01:27:24.800 thrill of America's favorite pastime and join us this season 1796 01:27:24.880 --> 01:27:29.840 for professional baseball, family friendly entertainment and unforgettable memories. Giveaways 1797 01:27:29.880 --> 01:27:32.319 include Pennett's t shirts, beanies, and more every night of 1798 01:27:32.359 --> 01:27:34.920 the first home stand. Single game tickets are on sale now. 1799 01:27:35.399 --> 01:27:38.319 Visit SLBs dot com for more information. This season, the 1800 01:27:38.319 --> 01:27:40.640 Bees are going to feature fireworks and drone nights throughout 1801 01:27:40.680 --> 01:27:44.039 the year, brunch every Sunday home game, Bark in the 1802 01:27:44.079 --> 01:27:46.039 Park nights where you can bring your dog to the game, 1803 01:27:46.079 --> 01:27:47.000 a Superman Night, and a. 1804 01:27:47.000 --> 01:27:48.279 Cowboy themed weekend. 1805 01:27:48.880 --> 01:27:52.239 The ballpark at America First Squares designed for year long use. 1806 01:27:52.319 --> 01:27:54.279 Coming soon, a brand new Bees team store is going 1807 01:27:54.319 --> 01:27:56.239 to be open all year. The site's gonna have a 1808 01:27:56.239 --> 01:27:59.760 megaplex theater that includes movies, bowling, arcades and dining restaurants, 1809 01:27:59.760 --> 01:28:02.439 and a consored stage. The Salt Lake Bees are dedicated 1810 01:28:02.439 --> 01:28:05.600 to providing a premium experience with wallet friendly ticket pricing. 1811 01:28:06.000 --> 01:28:08.760 The privately financed stadium as a capacity of eight thousand 1812 01:28:08.760 --> 01:28:12.079 fans and offers open lawn, premium, club and field seating 1813 01:28:12.079 --> 01:28:15.359 options ticket for every type of fan. The animenities include 1814 01:28:15.399 --> 01:28:18.479 a locally inspired concession spot, a grab and go market 1815 01:28:18.560 --> 01:28:23.199 using smart technology, alcohol free family zone, spectacular views of 1816 01:28:23.199 --> 01:28:26.439 the Wassatch Mountains, improved transportation and access to the ballpark, 1817 01:28:26.920 --> 01:28:29.840 more parking, lower costs for parking, newer track stop at 1818 01:28:29.840 --> 01:28:33.720 center field for America First Square, and increased walkability, curiated 1819 01:28:33.720 --> 01:28:36.439 game day experience for fans at America First Square, comfortable 1820 01:28:36.439 --> 01:28:40.199 seats and expansive video board, premium seating options, and fans 1821 01:28:40.239 --> 01:28:42.720 seated behind home plate in the new field suites will 1822 01:28:42.760 --> 01:28:45.600 be closer to the batter than the picture is. Visit 1823 01:28:45.720 --> 01:28:48.119 SLBs dot com you get your tickets and come see 1824 01:28:48.119 --> 01:28:48.479 the Bees. 1825 01:28:48.880 --> 01:28:50.039 A little bit of breaking news. 1826 01:28:50.079 --> 01:28:53.840 On a Thursday, Jeff Goodman is reporting that Rob Wright 1827 01:28:54.039 --> 01:28:58.119 has signed with BYU Baylor transfer who is a point 1828 01:28:58.159 --> 01:29:00.479 guard as Dallen Hall is not his way to Virginia 1829 01:29:00.520 --> 01:29:02.439 and Diego Demon is on his way to the NBA. 1830 01:29:03.000 --> 01:29:05.399 Rob Wright recently signed a contract for more than one 1831 01:29:05.399 --> 01:29:10.159 million dollars to stay at Baylor, but according to Jeff Goodman, 1832 01:29:10.239 --> 01:29:14.279 b YU is paying rob Wright three million dollars to 1833 01:29:14.319 --> 01:29:18.119 pay to play college basketball down in provo aj Debantsy 1834 01:29:18.119 --> 01:29:20.840 getting seven rob Wright getting three ten million dollars for 1835 01:29:20.880 --> 01:29:22.880 two players that will probably be there for one year 1836 01:29:22.920 --> 01:29:26.279 for BYU basketball. All Right, Rsel is back in action, 1837 01:29:26.479 --> 01:29:31.079 coming up on Saturday against Nashville. Pablo mash Johnny Head 1838 01:29:31.079 --> 01:29:34.359 coach ray Al salt Lake. Thursday afternoon, Pablo, Happy Thursday man, 1839 01:29:34.359 --> 01:29:34.840 how are you doing? 1840 01:29:36.159 --> 01:29:38.760 Happy Thursday? Spent's doing great? Just on the way home 1841 01:29:38.800 --> 01:29:40.000 from a day's work. 1842 01:29:40.359 --> 01:29:40.880 That a guy. 1843 01:29:41.039 --> 01:29:44.039 That a guy, all right, most important thing? Your pick 1844 01:29:44.119 --> 01:29:46.359 to win the Masters? 1845 01:29:46.920 --> 01:29:47.760 I got Seveler. 1846 01:29:48.119 --> 01:29:50.600 Okay, come on, you know what I'm taking Scott ye off? 1847 01:29:52.199 --> 01:29:53.920 Well, okay, well then I have. 1848 01:29:56.680 --> 01:30:00.920 Who's who's my I picked four guys and Hoblin's not 1849 01:30:01.039 --> 01:30:04.319 cutting it. Who else do I have? 1850 01:30:04.479 --> 01:30:07.239 You can have Scotty, you can have Scotty, Pablo. 1851 01:30:07.279 --> 01:30:12.159 It's just it feels like this is another situation where 1852 01:30:12.159 --> 01:30:15.279 he's trending up he wanted a year ago, and look, 1853 01:30:15.640 --> 01:30:19.039 I just think he is when he is playing top shelf. 1854 01:30:19.079 --> 01:30:20.960 He's just the guy that everyone else has to beat. 1855 01:30:21.000 --> 01:30:22.359 So if you want to take Scotty, I'll let you 1856 01:30:22.399 --> 01:30:22.920 take Scotty. 1857 01:30:24.039 --> 01:30:24.279 Yeah. 1858 01:30:24.359 --> 01:30:24.520 You know. 1859 01:30:24.560 --> 01:30:27.279 What I've been surprised too, is like, you know, like 1860 01:30:27.520 --> 01:30:30.000 justin Johnson, it wasn't too long ago where he was 1861 01:30:30.000 --> 01:30:32.600 in the same boat as as Scheffler is currently at 1862 01:30:32.800 --> 01:30:35.319 right where there was in a tournament. He wasn't top three, 1863 01:30:35.399 --> 01:30:38.199 top four, So I'm a bit shocked, and I wonder 1864 01:30:38.199 --> 01:30:41.800 if it's the migration to the Lift Tour that's affected 1865 01:30:41.800 --> 01:30:44.279 his game, because he was one of my top dogs 1866 01:30:44.279 --> 01:30:44.880 back in the day. 1867 01:30:45.039 --> 01:30:45.279 Yeah. 1868 01:30:45.359 --> 01:30:48.760 Yeah, when DJ went to Live, that was the first 1869 01:30:48.760 --> 01:30:51.279 one that hurt, and then they got Brooks which also 1870 01:30:51.359 --> 01:30:53.279 hurt as well. But yeah, the Live guys right now, 1871 01:30:53.319 --> 01:30:54.960 I guess Terrell hadn't played pretty well. 1872 01:30:55.239 --> 01:30:57.640 But it's interesting. I wonder if there's a. 1873 01:30:57.560 --> 01:31:02.000 Soccer equivalent of a golfer like Scotty Scheffler, who when 1874 01:31:02.039 --> 01:31:04.880 he is on his game, you just know that you've 1875 01:31:04.880 --> 01:31:07.600 got to deal with that guy. Is there a soccer 1876 01:31:07.640 --> 01:31:11.159 equivalent like throughout your career whatever, like one dude that 1877 01:31:11.279 --> 01:31:13.279 played for a team where you knew that you were 1878 01:31:13.279 --> 01:31:14.840 gonna have to deal with him when you showed. 1879 01:31:14.640 --> 01:31:15.119 Up to play. 1880 01:31:16.479 --> 01:31:18.880 Well, I guess the one guy would be messy, right, 1881 01:31:18.960 --> 01:31:21.039 And I think he did it last night again. Yeah, 1882 01:31:21.119 --> 01:31:23.199 you know this team they had, they conceded in an 1883 01:31:23.199 --> 01:31:26.439 early goal and in Miami had a beat, had to 1884 01:31:26.439 --> 01:31:28.720 score three unanswered goals, and they did it and he 1885 01:31:28.760 --> 01:31:30.920 scored two of them. So he's one of the guys 1886 01:31:30.920 --> 01:31:33.680 when when he's on his game. I mean again, I've 1887 01:31:33.680 --> 01:31:36.039 seen teams try to man mark him, try to double 1888 01:31:36.039 --> 01:31:39.159 team him. It just doesn't matter. I mean, this guy, 1889 01:31:39.199 --> 01:31:41.239 when he's on he is unstoppable. 1890 01:31:41.800 --> 01:31:43.039 Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. 1891 01:31:43.039 --> 01:31:45.880 I'm always fascinated as to what makes one of those 1892 01:31:45.960 --> 01:31:48.560 dudes click and makes them one of those guys. And 1893 01:31:48.600 --> 01:31:52.039 Scotty's year last year was very reminiscent of Tiger back 1894 01:31:52.119 --> 01:31:52.439 in the day. 1895 01:31:52.439 --> 01:31:54.439 I know, I'm not supposed to say that how much 1896 01:31:54.600 --> 01:31:55.199 pro golf. 1897 01:31:55.239 --> 01:31:57.359 I know you're very busy with your job, but how 1898 01:31:57.439 --> 01:31:59.159 much professional golf do you consume? 1899 01:31:59.199 --> 01:31:59.399 Are you? 1900 01:31:59.439 --> 01:31:59.600 Guy? 1901 01:31:59.640 --> 01:32:03.399 The les watch these major tournaments, Yeah. 1902 01:32:03.239 --> 01:32:05.439 The majors I really enjoy. I just I just don't 1903 01:32:05.439 --> 01:32:08.279 have the bandwidth or the time to be able to 1904 01:32:08.680 --> 01:32:11.600 consume too much of it. But before, I mean a 1905 01:32:11.640 --> 01:32:14.000 couple of years ago, I was I was watching ho 1906 01:32:14.159 --> 01:32:17.720 hump tournaments, you know, the Sanderson Farms tournament and really 1907 01:32:17.800 --> 01:32:20.159 get into it. And I think it was it coincided 1908 01:32:20.199 --> 01:32:22.800 with my golf game being pretty good about I don't know, 1909 01:32:22.840 --> 01:32:26.279 eight or nine years ago, where it's slowly tricking off, 1910 01:32:26.479 --> 01:32:29.000 you know, trickling off. But this last week and have 1911 01:32:29.119 --> 01:32:30.680 the opportunity to go to Arizona for a couple of 1912 01:32:30.760 --> 01:32:34.039 days and and shot at seventy nine. So I feel 1913 01:32:34.039 --> 01:32:36.760 like I'm getting back into the swing of things. 1914 01:32:36.840 --> 01:32:38.439 We got to get out, man, we got to get out. 1915 01:32:38.479 --> 01:32:39.920 I know you're busy, but we got to get out 1916 01:32:39.960 --> 01:32:43.720 at some point out that the weather's warm. Absolutely, let's 1917 01:32:43.720 --> 01:32:47.199 do it, all right, my guy, I hate to start here, 1918 01:32:47.239 --> 01:32:50.159 but we have to. Kurt joined us this week, so 1919 01:32:50.479 --> 01:32:52.600 you are in good company for me to ask you 1920 01:32:52.640 --> 01:32:56.800 the question about when reinforcements could potentially be on the way. 1921 01:32:57.239 --> 01:33:00.000 What these reinforcements look like? What have you been told? Man? 1922 01:33:00.119 --> 01:33:01.600 What's the timeframe we're looking at now? 1923 01:33:03.039 --> 01:33:03.319 Yeah? 1924 01:33:03.359 --> 01:33:06.359 So I think, uh, there's there's there's one particular player 1925 01:33:06.399 --> 01:33:12.119 that's that's relatively close, and there's just some we we 1926 01:33:12.239 --> 01:33:16.199 just gotta you know, again, it takes two to tango, right, 1927 01:33:16.319 --> 01:33:18.640 So he's he's he's got to come a little ways. 1928 01:33:18.640 --> 01:33:21.680 We've got to come a little ways. But but I 1929 01:33:21.720 --> 01:33:24.840 think it might it might manifest itself sooner than later. 1930 01:33:25.000 --> 01:33:28.199 And that's fingers crossed that that works out. And then 1931 01:33:28.239 --> 01:33:32.159 we have a couple other guys that we've looked at. 1932 01:33:33.159 --> 01:33:36.439 One of them is is Top Top. The other guy 1933 01:33:36.560 --> 01:33:39.600 is kind of in his in his nascent stages of 1934 01:33:39.960 --> 01:33:42.000 his career, but but again, a really good player. And 1935 01:33:42.039 --> 01:33:44.479 I think, you know, we've talked about this internally, is 1936 01:33:44.479 --> 01:33:47.920 that experience for our front group, you know, in particular 1937 01:33:47.960 --> 01:33:51.119 for guys like you know, dominic and and Diego Luna 1938 01:33:51.319 --> 01:33:54.279 would be really really important for their growth. Again, it 1939 01:33:55.079 --> 01:33:59.279 have them not carrying such a load. And obviously Luna 1940 01:33:59.520 --> 01:34:03.119 wouldn't consider a younger player anymore because he's breaking through, 1941 01:34:04.600 --> 01:34:07.439 but really just having a little bit more experience and 1942 01:34:08.920 --> 01:34:10.880 would really bring a lot of confidence to the team. 1943 01:34:10.920 --> 01:34:14.600 So that's really an area that we're focusing on when 1944 01:34:14.600 --> 01:34:17.600 we're selecting these players. And experience doesn't necessarily mean age, 1945 01:34:17.600 --> 01:34:20.319 it just means years playing professionally. And a lot of 1946 01:34:20.359 --> 01:34:22.840 the guys in Europe, you know, to start with their sixteen, 1947 01:34:23.000 --> 01:34:26.359 so they have quite a few years of experiences under 1948 01:34:26.399 --> 01:34:27.279 their belt. 1949 01:34:27.640 --> 01:34:31.840 Two weeks as of yesterday for this primary transfer window 1950 01:34:31.880 --> 01:34:34.640 to close. What have you been told and what can 1951 01:34:34.680 --> 01:34:37.520 you share about how many signings you guys are hoping 1952 01:34:37.560 --> 01:34:40.039 to get across the line prior to April twenty third. 1953 01:34:41.600 --> 01:34:45.319 Yeah, you know, we've talked about one or two, and 1954 01:34:45.880 --> 01:34:52.800 the way it's looking is is definitely one and then 1955 01:34:52.880 --> 01:34:54.840 kind of keeping the powder dry to see what it 1956 01:34:54.840 --> 01:34:57.359 looks like for the summertime. And as we've talked about 1957 01:34:57.399 --> 01:34:59.439 in the past, you know, the summer it's a really 1958 01:34:59.479 --> 01:35:02.359 difficult win though for us. It leaves you with essentially 1959 01:35:02.439 --> 01:35:05.199 nine games left if you bring someone from abroad given 1960 01:35:05.239 --> 01:35:09.760 the paperwork. So you know, at this point, Spence, you know, 1961 01:35:09.840 --> 01:35:13.479 having one guy at this point in the season, I 1962 01:35:13.479 --> 01:35:16.119 think we'll put us in a good way, and then 1963 01:35:16.399 --> 01:35:19.239 you know, it gives us options heading into the summer window. 1964 01:35:19.920 --> 01:35:22.039 So I'm just gonna ask you about this because it 1965 01:35:22.079 --> 01:35:24.720 has been reported and it is public knowledge that one 1966 01:35:24.760 --> 01:35:27.840 of the players that you guys are talking to is 1967 01:35:27.880 --> 01:35:32.840 a Slovakian international forward, Robert Bosnik. I don't know, man, 1968 01:35:33.319 --> 01:35:35.760 that's that's the that's the name that I'm reading off 1969 01:35:35.840 --> 01:35:39.319 this report from Tom Bogert. Can you confirm or deny 1970 01:35:39.359 --> 01:35:41.239 whether or not this is the player that could potentially 1971 01:35:41.239 --> 01:35:41.840 be on the way. 1972 01:35:43.560 --> 01:35:47.399 I would say that he's he's he's on the list. 1973 01:35:49.119 --> 01:35:52.239 You got to keep it suspenseful, Spence, And it's just 1974 01:35:52.319 --> 01:35:53.399 like hohum news. 1975 01:35:53.479 --> 01:35:53.680 Right. 1976 01:35:53.760 --> 01:35:56.640 So he's he's one of one of the three guys 1977 01:35:56.640 --> 01:36:01.960 that we've we've penciled in and I've had dialogue with. 1978 01:36:02.920 --> 01:36:07.560 But but again, no guarantees that the things are going 1979 01:36:07.600 --> 01:36:08.439 to line up with him. 1980 01:36:08.560 --> 01:36:11.199 Sure, and I do appreciate the flair for the dramatic 1981 01:36:11.239 --> 01:36:13.640 I just want you to have more talent at your disposal. 1982 01:36:14.520 --> 01:36:15.159 Aint. 1983 01:36:15.760 --> 01:36:18.800 I appreciate it, Spence. No, you're absolutely right again. I 1984 01:36:18.880 --> 01:36:20.800 And for me, it's not so much about it. It's 1985 01:36:20.880 --> 01:36:24.119 it's not about me. It's not about me, it's about 1986 01:36:24.159 --> 01:36:27.880 what a player of this magnitude would do to the group, 1987 01:36:28.000 --> 01:36:30.640 and a belief in the group. And you know, when 1988 01:36:30.640 --> 01:36:32.439 you look up front, you see a guy that's like 1989 01:36:32.800 --> 01:36:35.680 he's been here, he's done that, he's played at a 1990 01:36:35.720 --> 01:36:39.399 great level and all those it's it's you wouldn't think 1991 01:36:39.399 --> 01:36:41.359 of it like that, but like again, it'd be like, 1992 01:36:43.880 --> 01:36:48.880 you know when when the Lakers picked up Luca recently 1993 01:36:50.439 --> 01:36:54.039 and and now you're like the fifth guy on the team, 1994 01:36:54.119 --> 01:36:56.199 but now you have Lebron and you have this guy, 1995 01:36:56.199 --> 01:36:59.399 and it's like you believe more than you've ever believed, 1996 01:36:59.520 --> 01:37:01.119 even though you know what I'm saying. So it's like 1997 01:37:01.279 --> 01:37:04.600 it has that type of magnetism to a team. And 1998 01:37:05.039 --> 01:37:09.600 for me, it's all about belief. And when you have 1999 01:37:10.239 --> 01:37:12.920 big you know, when we have good experience, big players 2000 01:37:13.560 --> 01:37:15.720 on those front lines, you can concede a goal and 2001 01:37:15.760 --> 01:37:19.520 it doesn't waver your belief. In fact, you're now pushing 2002 01:37:19.520 --> 01:37:21.960 forward with the understanding that you are going to get 2003 01:37:21.960 --> 01:37:22.680 another goal back. 2004 01:37:23.560 --> 01:37:27.680 Help us understand the process here, and we'll just use 2005 01:37:28.079 --> 01:37:32.239 this striker as the hypothetical example. Okay, as you pointed out, 2006 01:37:32.279 --> 01:37:33.840 we're not sure if it's going to be him. We're 2007 01:37:33.840 --> 01:37:36.880 not sure if it's going to be somebody else, but whoever, 2008 01:37:36.920 --> 01:37:41.560 it is number nine, Okay, And again the transfer window 2009 01:37:41.760 --> 01:37:45.000 closes in two weeks. But look, even if you get 2010 01:37:45.079 --> 01:37:48.399 him on the ground tomorrow, he's not starting against Nashville. 2011 01:37:48.560 --> 01:37:52.800 So what's the process? What's realistic to expect for RSL 2012 01:37:52.880 --> 01:37:55.600 fans chopping at the bit for a signing to get 2013 01:37:55.680 --> 01:37:58.840 done and then to land and then get acclimated. When 2014 01:37:58.920 --> 01:38:00.800 is it reasonable to expect to see him in your 2015 01:38:00.800 --> 01:38:02.439 lineup and actually playing well? 2016 01:38:04.079 --> 01:38:07.319 Yeah? Well, the playing well piece is is there's a 2017 01:38:07.359 --> 01:38:09.319 lot of variables, but the one good thing is that 2018 01:38:10.640 --> 01:38:14.359 you know typically there's there's gonna it's it's a minimum 2019 01:38:14.399 --> 01:38:17.079 of a month when he when when he signs, right, 2020 01:38:17.159 --> 01:38:19.840 So whenever he signs, you can give yourself exactly a 2021 01:38:19.880 --> 01:38:23.600 month and hopefully in the next ten days after he signs, 2022 01:38:24.359 --> 01:38:26.920 he's on the ground in Salt Lake, So that affords 2023 01:38:26.960 --> 01:38:31.359 him another twenty days of training with the team, acclimating 2024 01:38:31.359 --> 01:38:36.960 to the team, acclimating to the uh, to the weather, altitude, 2025 01:38:37.000 --> 01:38:40.039 those type of things. And so typically it's a month 2026 01:38:40.720 --> 01:38:43.439 from when the players signed from abroad that he's able 2027 01:38:43.479 --> 01:38:50.760 to participate so again not not ideal from from our perspective, 2028 01:38:50.840 --> 01:38:53.880 but that's just the reality of it. And and that's 2029 01:38:53.880 --> 01:38:56.119 why I keep telling you, like from my from from 2030 01:38:56.119 --> 01:38:59.760 my chair, that you've got to put all your attention 2031 01:38:59.800 --> 01:39:02.159 on the players that are currently in the clubhouse. And 2032 01:39:02.159 --> 01:39:05.840 and you cannot, you cannot be caught looking and ahead 2033 01:39:06.000 --> 01:39:08.439 because you know those times, you know that's that's four 2034 01:39:08.479 --> 01:39:11.840 games and and those four games are critical. So but 2035 01:39:11.840 --> 01:39:12.920 but it's typically a month. 2036 01:39:14.520 --> 01:39:17.520 So in the theme, in the spirit of focusing on 2037 01:39:17.800 --> 01:39:20.880 the players that you have at your disposal, do you 2038 01:39:21.000 --> 01:39:25.399 feel good about where your group is at right now? Uh, 2039 01:39:25.479 --> 01:39:28.119 in order to be able to add the right piece 2040 01:39:28.239 --> 01:39:30.399 and then boom, here we go. I mean, I I 2041 01:39:30.439 --> 01:39:32.720 still believe you have holes, and I still believe that 2042 01:39:32.760 --> 01:39:35.880 you need talent editions. But do you have the other 2043 01:39:35.960 --> 01:39:38.640 pieces in place that if the other right piece falls 2044 01:39:38.720 --> 01:39:40.920 into place, you're confident about what you can do? 2045 01:39:42.600 --> 01:39:42.840 Yeah? 2046 01:39:43.000 --> 01:39:45.359 No, I think you know again, when I when I 2047 01:39:45.399 --> 01:39:47.119 look at our group, and I and and I look 2048 01:39:47.119 --> 01:39:50.079 at our last game, right and and you know, we 2049 01:39:50.079 --> 01:39:53.319 we played a LA Galaxy side that was missing a 2050 01:39:53.359 --> 01:39:56.720 couple of important pieces. But but again we played the 2051 01:39:56.760 --> 01:39:58.399 team that was in front of us, and and I 2052 01:39:58.439 --> 01:40:01.279 think in particular the first half, the way we attacked 2053 01:40:01.319 --> 01:40:03.720 the game and the way we you know, created a 2054 01:40:03.720 --> 01:40:07.199 lot of really great opportunities, and then we scored two goals. So, 2055 01:40:07.520 --> 01:40:10.119 like you know, I think it's it's early days in 2056 01:40:10.159 --> 01:40:12.800 the season, and oftentimes when you're not getting the results, 2057 01:40:13.119 --> 01:40:16.920 you're you're, you know, you're you're obviously extremely disappointed. But 2058 01:40:16.960 --> 01:40:20.199 there's a lot of things that are happening in those 2059 01:40:20.239 --> 01:40:23.640 games that were going back to the to the video 2060 01:40:23.720 --> 01:40:26.880 room and we're assessing as a group and we're talking about, okay, 2061 01:40:26.960 --> 01:40:29.880 so if we don't have this player, then Diego and 2062 01:40:29.920 --> 01:40:32.920 Diego you've got to get in the box. And typically 2063 01:40:32.960 --> 01:40:36.039 there are two players that like to hang out at 2064 01:40:36.039 --> 01:40:38.720 the top of the box because it's less crowded. They 2065 01:40:38.720 --> 01:40:41.600 both have good shots. But in this particular game against 2066 01:40:41.720 --> 01:40:46.159 La Diego, Luna was in prime real estate, and you know, 2067 01:40:46.319 --> 01:40:49.079 one of them he took really well as well executed 2068 01:40:49.079 --> 01:40:52.000 to play. The other one was a good cross, but 2069 01:40:52.039 --> 01:40:56.039 the but the defender took a bad touch. Which is 2070 01:40:56.079 --> 01:40:59.000 why we want numbers in the box because there's so 2071 01:40:59.119 --> 01:41:03.199 many there's so many things that that can happen when 2072 01:41:03.199 --> 01:41:04.840 the ball is in dangerous areas. But if you don't 2073 01:41:04.840 --> 01:41:07.800 have any players in those areas, well, then you know 2074 01:41:07.840 --> 01:41:09.840 you're not going to score the goals, so you know, 2075 01:41:10.119 --> 01:41:13.479 and and so looking at Diego and Diego in particular 2076 01:41:14.399 --> 01:41:17.000 and their positioning in the attacking part of the field 2077 01:41:17.279 --> 01:41:19.880 has improved game over game and the same thing happened 2078 01:41:19.920 --> 01:41:22.880 in Houston when they were in good spots. But it's 2079 01:41:22.960 --> 01:41:26.960 it's almost a habit that we have to break. So 2080 01:41:26.960 --> 01:41:29.800 to answer your question, if we you know, we bring 2081 01:41:29.840 --> 01:41:33.199 in a nine that that is that is a guy 2082 01:41:33.239 --> 01:41:36.199 that can score goals, well, now we in this time 2083 01:41:36.239 --> 01:41:39.600 that we haven't had them, we've we've worked on the 2084 01:41:39.640 --> 01:41:42.960 players that we do have to not only score goals, 2085 01:41:43.000 --> 01:41:45.840 but to also now have three players that teams have 2086 01:41:45.880 --> 01:41:48.880 to worry about as opposed to the one. So you know, 2087 01:41:48.960 --> 01:41:52.119 I think, and not to mention the confidence piece and 2088 01:41:52.159 --> 01:41:55.640 all the different you know, intangibles that this player will 2089 01:41:55.640 --> 01:41:57.800 bring to our group, I think will be in a 2090 01:41:57.800 --> 01:41:58.199 good way. 2091 01:41:58.960 --> 01:42:01.760 So I want to ask you about Diogo. You know, 2092 01:42:01.880 --> 01:42:04.680 he has the breakaway and you just have to put 2093 01:42:04.680 --> 01:42:06.560 it on frame right, you got to make the keeper 2094 01:42:06.600 --> 01:42:07.439 make a save. 2095 01:42:07.800 --> 01:42:09.159 And so that was a tough moment. 2096 01:42:09.199 --> 01:42:12.520 But I've got to say, like for his ability just 2097 01:42:12.560 --> 01:42:13.239 to put that. 2098 01:42:13.479 --> 01:42:15.520 You know, I know you're a huge dead last guy. 2099 01:42:15.560 --> 01:42:17.760 I'm just kidding, he's not, but you know, the memory 2100 01:42:17.840 --> 01:42:20.760 of a goldfish just to move on right away. And 2101 01:42:20.800 --> 01:42:23.479 then he's the one that went back and won the 2102 01:42:23.520 --> 01:42:27.760 ball that provided Diego's first goal. So it's kind of 2103 01:42:27.760 --> 01:42:30.920 a two tiered thing here, you know, the breakaway opportunity 2104 01:42:31.119 --> 01:42:33.239 at least make and make a say. But I would 2105 01:42:33.239 --> 01:42:35.439 imagine you were very pleased with the way he responded 2106 01:42:35.479 --> 01:42:37.399 after that miss. 2107 01:42:37.640 --> 01:42:40.319 Yeah, that's a great point. You know, it's not easy 2108 01:42:41.039 --> 01:42:44.159 when you know, finding the net is so difficult because 2109 01:42:44.199 --> 01:42:45.840 it is the hardest thing to do in the game. 2110 01:42:46.079 --> 01:42:49.359 And there are so many aspects of Diego's game that 2111 01:42:49.439 --> 01:42:54.479 have improved drastically from last year. And you know, his 2112 01:42:54.680 --> 01:42:56.680 leadership in the locker room has been great, and so 2113 01:42:56.720 --> 01:42:59.199 there's so many different things, and I think that that 2114 01:42:59.239 --> 01:43:02.439 one the aspect that you're talking about, the mentality piece. 2115 01:43:02.800 --> 01:43:05.760 It's really easy to hang your head and and and 2116 01:43:05.800 --> 01:43:08.960 not fight for the team when you feel like you've 2117 01:43:09.039 --> 01:43:11.439 let the team down. It's it's it's it's it's a 2118 01:43:11.479 --> 01:43:13.920 really interesting place to be but I think he showed 2119 01:43:13.960 --> 01:43:15.680 a lot of resolve, a lot of grit, a lot 2120 01:43:15.680 --> 01:43:18.760 of perseverance in that action to give the team an 2121 01:43:18.760 --> 01:43:21.239 opportunity to score a goal even though it wasn't him. 2122 01:43:21.600 --> 01:43:25.319 So he's doing a great job. You know, he's been 2123 01:43:25.439 --> 01:43:27.399 he's been a catalyst in the games where we've been 2124 01:43:27.800 --> 01:43:30.600 uh successful, And so you know, we need Diego to 2125 01:43:30.640 --> 01:43:35.199 be either contributing from a goal going perspective or if not, 2126 01:43:36.439 --> 01:43:39.359 from a leadership perspective, which is putting putting the team first. 2127 01:43:39.359 --> 01:43:41.640 And he did that on that play and. 2128 01:43:41.600 --> 01:43:43.560 Then of course probably buried the lead. 2129 01:43:43.640 --> 01:43:46.399 But Diego with the brace, and you know, it's this 2130 01:43:46.479 --> 01:43:49.199 two tiered thing now with the way the club approaches 2131 01:43:49.239 --> 01:43:53.079 development and how many really talented players have been, you know, 2132 01:43:53.319 --> 01:43:55.920 sold for a premium where I just get nervous that 2133 01:43:55.960 --> 01:43:57.520 I'm going to wake up to an alert that you 2134 01:43:57.520 --> 01:44:01.279 guys have moved on from Diego. But Kurt actually yesterday 2135 01:44:01.439 --> 01:44:03.119 and it was a little bit of a sigh of 2136 01:44:03.119 --> 01:44:07.000 relief because, yes, Pablo, I begrudgingly accepted the ethos of 2137 01:44:07.039 --> 01:44:09.800 this club. Where as Jason put it on the show 2138 01:44:09.800 --> 01:44:11.720 two weeks ago, we do not write checks for ten 2139 01:44:11.720 --> 01:44:14.199 million dollars for players. We develop players, and then we 2140 01:44:14.239 --> 01:44:17.199 sell them for ten million. Okay, all right, that's the deal. 2141 01:44:17.359 --> 01:44:19.520 I'm I'm not gonna say him on board. I'm just 2142 01:44:19.560 --> 01:44:22.720 gonna say I understand, and I just don't want to 2143 01:44:22.720 --> 01:44:26.640 see him moved on. So as he continues to evolve, 2144 01:44:27.760 --> 01:44:30.600 are there any anxious moments for you where it's like, hey, 2145 01:44:30.600 --> 01:44:32.239 don't score every game, man, we need you here for 2146 01:44:32.239 --> 01:44:34.680 a while. Of course, you want him to do what 2147 01:44:34.720 --> 01:44:37.119 he's doing, and he's just so good. I mean, what 2148 01:44:37.560 --> 01:44:39.680 is that like as a coach where you know you 2149 01:44:39.720 --> 01:44:41.960 want your players to succeed and do well, but there's 2150 01:44:41.960 --> 01:44:44.720 also this underline like is he playing too well for 2151 01:44:44.800 --> 01:44:46.520 us to hold on to him? 2152 01:44:47.079 --> 01:44:47.359 Right? 2153 01:44:47.680 --> 01:44:50.119 No, that's a great question, and the coaches kind of 2154 01:44:50.119 --> 01:44:53.159 threw that around. You know that we might lose Diego 2155 01:44:53.199 --> 01:44:56.279 in the summer. You know again, I think from my chair, 2156 01:44:56.479 --> 01:45:02.199 Spence is the reason why coaches is to share experiences 2157 01:45:02.199 --> 01:45:04.680 with with the next generation of players, and hopefully they 2158 01:45:04.760 --> 01:45:07.800 have an opportunity to experience playing for a national team 2159 01:45:07.840 --> 01:45:10.760 in a World Cup and winning an MLS Cup and 2160 01:45:10.760 --> 01:45:13.039 and all the trials and tribulations that come with that. 2161 01:45:13.199 --> 01:45:15.920 And I think that's that gives me the greatest joy, 2162 01:45:16.079 --> 01:45:19.079 you know. And you know, sitting down with Diego last 2163 01:45:19.119 --> 01:45:21.600 week and just talking through some things like you know, 2164 01:45:21.760 --> 01:45:26.039 nonverbals of body language and and getting the right spots 2165 01:45:26.079 --> 01:45:28.399 and and and and all these little things, and then 2166 01:45:28.439 --> 01:45:30.439 seeing him go out and perform. Now, it wasn't because 2167 01:45:30.479 --> 01:45:33.520 of the video session, but it's it's the commitment that 2168 01:45:33.560 --> 01:45:36.760 we and we have a wonderful coaching staff that spends 2169 01:45:36.880 --> 01:45:40.000 countless time with all these players and they're getting the 2170 01:45:40.000 --> 01:45:44.439 best individual video sessions and work and and just a 2171 01:45:44.479 --> 01:45:46.720 lot of love, you know, And and these coaches do 2172 01:45:47.000 --> 01:45:51.319 a fantastic job at coaching staff. And and so when 2173 01:45:51.399 --> 01:45:54.319 when there are moments like this where players like come 2174 01:45:54.359 --> 01:45:56.680 to the club and no one really knew who he was. 2175 01:45:56.760 --> 01:45:59.279 He was a great young player but played in the USL, 2176 01:45:59.319 --> 01:46:03.640 and then you're over a year he's having this you know, 2177 01:46:03.960 --> 01:46:06.840 increase in play and now he's with the national team. 2178 01:46:06.880 --> 01:46:09.960 I mean, it's it's for me, It's why I do it. 2179 01:46:10.119 --> 01:46:12.239 And so if Diego were to, you know, get an 2180 01:46:12.239 --> 01:46:14.520 opportunity to go abroad and it makes sense for the 2181 01:46:14.520 --> 01:46:17.199 club and it makes sense for Diego, well then I 2182 01:46:17.239 --> 01:46:20.319 think that's what our job is, right is to help 2183 01:46:20.399 --> 01:46:23.680 the next generation of players, us generation of players. 2184 01:46:23.439 --> 01:46:24.399 Achieve their dreams. 2185 01:46:24.640 --> 01:46:28.159 And and so while it would be really tough to 2186 01:46:28.239 --> 01:46:32.199 replace a player like him, you know, you go on 2187 01:46:32.359 --> 01:46:36.000 celebrating these players careers. You know, I'm watching you know, 2188 01:46:36.119 --> 01:46:39.479 Andres Gomez from Afar and seeing how he's settling it. 2189 01:46:39.560 --> 01:46:42.800 And it's been difficult for him initially, but that's all 2190 01:46:42.800 --> 01:46:45.119 a part of it. And so while it would be 2191 01:46:45.159 --> 01:46:48.840 tough in the short term losing a player like Diego Luna, 2192 01:46:48.840 --> 01:46:52.960 who's doing everything for the team in possession, out of 2193 01:46:52.960 --> 01:46:56.720 possession in the clubhouse, you know, in in the media, 2194 01:46:57.479 --> 01:47:00.239 he is the face of our of our team, And 2195 01:47:00.760 --> 01:47:02.800 when you lose a player like that, obviously there's gonna 2196 01:47:02.840 --> 01:47:05.000 be you know, there's gonna be a big boy to fill. 2197 01:47:05.119 --> 01:47:07.680 But but the other part is is that, you know, 2198 01:47:07.840 --> 01:47:10.000 I feel like we've accomplished what we've wanted to do, 2199 01:47:10.920 --> 01:47:14.760 which is helping players reach the next level of their game. 2200 01:47:15.479 --> 01:47:19.479 And I suppose the Andres and the Fidel transactions lead 2201 01:47:19.560 --> 01:47:23.279 to proof of concept, right, So what what sort of 2202 01:47:23.800 --> 01:47:28.039 what sort of access into conversations or doors do success 2203 01:47:28.079 --> 01:47:30.600 stories like that give you that maybe you didn't have prior. 2204 01:47:30.399 --> 01:47:34.199 To so that against Ben, Sorry I lost you. 2205 01:47:34.239 --> 01:47:37.920 So the success stories, the proof of concept where you 2206 01:47:37.960 --> 01:47:40.680 guys have now shown that you can identify young talent, 2207 01:47:40.800 --> 01:47:43.159 develop them and move them on for a premium. What 2208 01:47:43.239 --> 01:47:45.479 sort of doors does that open for you to have 2209 01:47:45.520 --> 01:47:47.159 conversations with other players? 2210 01:47:48.479 --> 01:47:51.159 Yeah, you know that was It's really a great question 2211 01:47:51.279 --> 01:47:55.600 because when we were recruiting Dom one of the things 2212 01:47:55.600 --> 01:48:00.000 that his agent said was, you guys have done it, 2213 01:48:00.199 --> 01:48:02.560 and you guys are playing younger players, you know, so 2214 01:48:02.720 --> 01:48:06.359 I think, you know, the league's gone from you know, 2215 01:48:06.439 --> 01:48:10.840 bringing these these older players. You know, initially it was 2216 01:48:10.960 --> 01:48:13.000 only older players at the end of their careers in 2217 01:48:13.039 --> 01:48:16.279 Europe that would come over h to MLS for a payday. 2218 01:48:16.760 --> 01:48:19.319 And now we're a league that really wants to, you know, 2219 01:48:19.680 --> 01:48:22.279 try to sell younger players and have this be the 2220 01:48:22.640 --> 01:48:25.760 grounds in which they they they grow their craft. And 2221 01:48:25.920 --> 01:48:29.680 Dom's you know, Dominic Marsouk's agent said, listen, the reason 2222 01:48:29.720 --> 01:48:32.680 why I'm pushing Dom to come to MLS is because 2223 01:48:32.720 --> 01:48:35.119 you guys are doing it right. You guys sold andres, 2224 01:48:35.800 --> 01:48:38.960 you guys play younger players. You obviously have a really 2225 01:48:39.000 --> 01:48:42.680 good infrastructure within the club. You have a coaching staff 2226 01:48:42.720 --> 01:48:45.760 that cares about the players, and so we feel it's 2227 01:48:45.840 --> 01:48:49.000 best that he goes goes to the MLS versus going 2228 01:48:49.039 --> 01:48:52.680 to you know, a place in Europe that's going to 2229 01:48:52.800 --> 01:48:56.119 just they have to win as we do, but a 2230 01:48:56.119 --> 01:48:59.600 little bit different where you know, he might not be 2231 01:48:59.640 --> 01:49:02.520 seeing seen as much playing time or have the same opportunity. 2232 01:49:02.640 --> 01:49:06.600 So it's it's it's you know, the proof is in 2233 01:49:06.640 --> 01:49:08.520 the pudding, right and if you're not, if you're just 2234 01:49:08.520 --> 01:49:10.640 saying it and not doing it, you're you're probably not 2235 01:49:10.680 --> 01:49:12.800 going to get the type of young talent that's going 2236 01:49:12.880 --> 01:49:16.479 to help our team win today, right. And we feel 2237 01:49:16.479 --> 01:49:18.760 like dom Is is a player that is, you know, 2238 01:49:19.000 --> 01:49:21.680 breaking into the Polish national team. You know, he's coming 2239 01:49:21.720 --> 01:49:25.800 into form and and he's an important player for us, 2240 01:49:26.000 --> 01:49:29.119 albeit that he's a young player. So you know, the 2241 01:49:29.119 --> 01:49:33.239 more the more we're able to show proof of concept, 2242 01:49:33.560 --> 01:49:36.840 the likelihood is we continue to get very very good 2243 01:49:37.119 --> 01:49:39.680 players that might not have the experience yet. 2244 01:49:40.079 --> 01:49:43.520 So two ways to look at because you know, a 2245 01:49:43.520 --> 01:49:46.920 lot of the attention, and understandably so, has just been 2246 01:49:47.800 --> 01:49:51.439 lack of attacking prowess and not being bringing in replacements 2247 01:49:51.520 --> 01:49:53.800 for the majority of the goals and assists that you 2248 01:49:53.840 --> 01:49:56.840 guys decided to jettison. But when you look at your 2249 01:49:56.840 --> 01:49:59.760 goals allowed, Pablo, you guys have allowed eleven. 2250 01:50:00.000 --> 01:50:01.279 Okay, so two ways to look at this. 2251 01:50:01.399 --> 01:50:04.119 You allowed seven of those goals in two games, right, 2252 01:50:04.319 --> 01:50:08.279 and so outside of San Diego and San Jose, uh, 2253 01:50:08.520 --> 01:50:10.800 you know, the defense has been pretty stout, but the 2254 01:50:11.279 --> 01:50:14.840 number is eleven. Are we ignoring an issue you guys 2255 01:50:14.880 --> 01:50:16.479 have or do you feel like it really was those 2256 01:50:16.479 --> 01:50:19.159 two games that kind of is inflating the goals allowed? 2257 01:50:20.760 --> 01:50:23.159 No, I think it was. It was definitely those two 2258 01:50:23.199 --> 01:50:27.600 games because again, I think defensively we've been a pretty 2259 01:50:27.600 --> 01:50:29.600 good team, and I think those two games got away 2260 01:50:29.600 --> 01:50:32.439 from us. And and that's why I go to you know, 2261 01:50:32.479 --> 01:50:34.239 when you look up front and you're like, man, where's 2262 01:50:34.319 --> 01:50:35.800 where's the tip of the spear? How are we going 2263 01:50:35.840 --> 01:50:38.560 to get back into this game? And those those for 2264 01:50:38.640 --> 01:50:41.399 the most part, those were early days and and I 2265 01:50:41.399 --> 01:50:45.279 feel like, you know, well, I'll just say the last 2266 01:50:45.279 --> 01:50:48.079 game in particular, we were we were real stout defensively, 2267 01:50:48.279 --> 01:50:50.800 and it's obviously been an area that again we haven't 2268 01:50:50.840 --> 01:50:52.760 been pleased with that. Spence, I think you're spot on it. 2269 01:50:52.760 --> 01:50:55.479 It's not there's I mean, it's eleven goals, so it's 2270 01:50:55.520 --> 01:50:59.000 it's not good enough. But but I think we did 2271 01:50:59.039 --> 01:51:02.359 a great job against La minimizing they didn't have a 2272 01:51:02.399 --> 01:51:07.960 shot inside our box and so real, you know, for me, 2273 01:51:08.079 --> 01:51:11.079 it's again it's it's Jay Glad and the pivots doing 2274 01:51:11.079 --> 01:51:14.840 a great job of organizing our defense, you know, learning 2275 01:51:14.840 --> 01:51:17.000 from our previous games. And again we're not going to 2276 01:51:17.039 --> 01:51:19.720 get a shot out every game, but we've placed a 2277 01:51:19.800 --> 01:51:22.600 high premium on defending really really well as a team. 2278 01:51:22.640 --> 01:51:26.000 And again, the defending starts at the front, right, So 2279 01:51:26.079 --> 01:51:27.960 if our guys up front, and the last game, it 2280 01:51:28.000 --> 01:51:30.800 was Luna and Ari doing a great job of making 2281 01:51:30.840 --> 01:51:32.960 it difficult for them and making it predictable for the 2282 01:51:32.960 --> 01:51:37.039 guys behind behind them to make plays. And so when 2283 01:51:37.279 --> 01:51:39.439 I look at that stat, it's not just the back line, 2284 01:51:39.520 --> 01:51:42.359 it's it's you know, it's it's the whole group. So 2285 01:51:43.239 --> 01:51:45.680 you know, hopefully we continue on the same vein heading 2286 01:51:45.680 --> 01:51:46.479 into Nashville. 2287 01:51:47.079 --> 01:51:49.039 All right, before we say you lose, let's talk about 2288 01:51:49.119 --> 01:51:51.800 Nashville out of the East. You haven't played him since 2289 01:51:51.840 --> 01:51:56.800 twenty twenty two. How healthy are you? What sort of 2290 01:51:56.880 --> 01:51:58.800 challenges do they pose what do you have to do 2291 01:51:58.880 --> 01:51:59.880 to come home with a result? 2292 01:52:01.600 --> 01:52:04.199 Yeah, no, I think we're we're relatively healthy. We have 2293 01:52:04.239 --> 01:52:07.920 a couple of question marks as far as defenders are concerned, 2294 01:52:08.359 --> 01:52:12.239 but hopefully we get one back tomorrow. And then as 2295 01:52:12.239 --> 01:52:16.119 far as Nashville, you know, I think they they brought 2296 01:52:16.159 --> 01:52:18.520 a new coach last year. They're they're they're they're a 2297 01:52:18.520 --> 01:52:21.960 bit you know. They they want to play, they want 2298 01:52:22.000 --> 01:52:26.079 to build out of the back. But really the the 2299 01:52:26.199 --> 01:52:28.640 meat and potatoes of the team are their two attackers. 2300 01:52:28.680 --> 01:52:31.880 So they have Surge, which is a big, tall six 2301 01:52:31.920 --> 01:52:35.720 foot four nine who's got great hold up play. He 2302 01:52:35.840 --> 01:52:38.279 runs well, but more importantly he's got a nine for 2303 01:52:38.319 --> 01:52:41.399 the goal. And then they have Honey Mouktar, who's I 2304 01:52:41.399 --> 01:52:44.920 think the MVP in twenty two or twenty three, and 2305 01:52:45.479 --> 01:52:47.600 you know this guy has got you know, he plays 2306 01:52:47.680 --> 01:52:51.239 underneath Surge, And so the tandem up front is really 2307 01:52:51.560 --> 01:52:54.039 the two guys that we have to stop. And so 2308 01:52:54.159 --> 01:52:56.439 I think if we do a good job against those 2309 01:52:56.439 --> 01:52:59.520 two guys and create as many quality chances as we 2310 01:52:59.560 --> 01:53:01.760 did it again in La, we put ourselves in a 2311 01:53:01.760 --> 01:53:03.479 great position to come away with a great result. 2312 01:53:04.520 --> 01:53:06.359 Have you looked at the forecast. Since I do this 2313 01:53:06.399 --> 01:53:07.119 to you every week. 2314 01:53:08.520 --> 01:53:10.319 Yeah, it's gonna be a little bit chilly. I think 2315 01:53:10.359 --> 01:53:14.680 the highs sixty, so game time should be in the fifties, 2316 01:53:14.720 --> 01:53:17.279 which is for the players. It's a dream. As long 2317 01:53:17.319 --> 01:53:19.600 as there's no rain, We're in a great way. 2318 01:53:19.960 --> 01:53:22.720 Fair enough, all right, buddy, appreciate it, Safe travels, Go 2319 01:53:22.800 --> 01:53:24.119 get a result, man, we'll chat soon. 2320 01:53:24.960 --> 01:53:26.199 Thanks, Ben, appreciate it, Bud. 2321 01:53:26.319 --> 01:53:30.159 Bablo Mastoetti, head coach of RSL Nashville is the opponent 2322 01:53:30.239 --> 01:53:32.439 coming up Saturday six thirty. 2323 01:53:33.079 --> 01:53:34.640 Is where you can see that. 2324 01:53:34.800 --> 01:53:37.720 It's on mL excuse me, it's on Apple TV, because 2325 01:53:37.920 --> 01:53:40.079 you know that's how you have to do it these 2326 01:53:40.159 --> 01:53:44.000 days to watch MLS soccer, So appreciate Pablo's time. A 2327 01:53:44.000 --> 01:53:47.880 lot of reports out there about potential players on the way, 2328 01:53:48.000 --> 01:53:49.800 and we'll see if any of these get across the 2329 01:53:49.840 --> 01:53:54.159 dotted line prior to that April twenty third date where 2330 01:53:54.199 --> 01:53:59.359 the primary transfer window closes. In spring football, rolling along 2331 01:53:59.439 --> 01:54:01.439 up on the hill about halfway down. A couple more 2332 01:54:01.439 --> 01:54:03.680 practices this week than we got four next week. In 2333 01:54:03.720 --> 01:54:06.439 the forever twenty two game. The defensive coordinator of the 2334 01:54:06.520 --> 01:54:08.760 utes and the head coach in waiting and my good 2335 01:54:08.760 --> 01:54:11.399 friend for a number of years, Morgan Scalley on a 2336 01:54:11.399 --> 01:54:13.439 beautiful Thursday. Morgan, happy Thursday. 2337 01:54:13.439 --> 01:54:14.119 How are you buddy? 2338 01:54:15.800 --> 01:54:20.199 Doing well? Brother? Doing well? It's springball. The weather's great. 2339 01:54:20.239 --> 01:54:23.239 I'm hoping it stays that way for the next six 2340 01:54:23.279 --> 01:54:26.600 to seven practices that we have left. But fired up 2341 01:54:26.600 --> 01:54:27.920 for this new crew coming in. 2342 01:54:28.359 --> 01:54:29.880 Love it, love it all right. Let's start with the 2343 01:54:29.920 --> 01:54:32.680 most important thing. Who is your pick to win the Masters? 2344 01:54:32.680 --> 01:54:33.760 And who is your dark horse? 2345 01:54:36.520 --> 01:54:41.399 Man? The pick to win the Masters would probably be Chefer. 2346 01:54:41.399 --> 01:54:44.079 I don't know. I you can go against him and 2347 01:54:44.159 --> 01:54:54.079 then man dark horse. The way that things are going, Man, 2348 01:54:54.239 --> 01:54:57.439 give me more cowa, Okay, I haven't done anything in 2349 01:54:57.479 --> 01:54:58.600 a minute, all. 2350 01:54:58.560 --> 01:55:00.000 Right, No, I like it. I like it. 2351 01:55:00.119 --> 01:55:02.600 I know that you have an affinity for golf. But 2352 01:55:02.640 --> 01:55:04.760 as we were discussing off air, you'll have plenty of 2353 01:55:04.840 --> 01:55:06.840 time to golf when you're not doing this job, and 2354 01:55:06.880 --> 01:55:09.520 certainly when you're not doing your next job, so you'll 2355 01:55:09.560 --> 01:55:11.239 get there. But in the meantime, you've got a lot 2356 01:55:11.239 --> 01:55:14.000 going on. So let's just get a look. You know 2357 01:55:14.079 --> 01:55:17.399 spring football. Obviously, you know doing this as long as 2358 01:55:17.479 --> 01:55:20.199 I have, and you with your eighteenth year with the program, 2359 01:55:20.600 --> 01:55:24.079 opportunity to get the new group on campus, opportunity to 2360 01:55:24.119 --> 01:55:28.439 start learning new personalities, opportunities to start helping these young 2361 01:55:28.479 --> 01:55:31.479 men understand what you ask for them. So let's go 2362 01:55:31.560 --> 01:55:34.479 to the start of springball the boxes that you want checked, 2363 01:55:34.600 --> 01:55:36.560 and let's fast forward to where we're at today and 2364 01:55:36.560 --> 01:55:37.840 how how's the progress going? 2365 01:55:37.880 --> 01:55:44.319 Morgan, Well, springball is. Ever since the mid year signing 2366 01:55:44.439 --> 01:55:50.359 date was instituted, you see more and more of new 2367 01:55:50.399 --> 01:55:53.239 faces that in the transfer portal coming in Springball. Used 2368 01:55:53.239 --> 01:55:55.479 to be fall camp that you wait to see what 2369 01:55:55.520 --> 01:55:58.600 you really had. Now it's really spring football. Guys are 2370 01:55:58.600 --> 01:56:01.479 coming in midyear. You're transfer por guys your high school 2371 01:56:01.720 --> 01:56:06.600 seniors that are graduating early. So really it's the new 2372 01:56:06.640 --> 01:56:09.600 faces that you're trying to get adjusted to the culture, 2373 01:56:09.720 --> 01:56:13.359 to the scheme. The things that we wanted to work 2374 01:56:13.399 --> 01:56:15.359 on this spring that we didn't feel we did a 2375 01:56:15.359 --> 01:56:19.720 good enough job of is stopping the run and creating takeaways. 2376 01:56:20.000 --> 01:56:23.279 I say, midway through, we're seeing what we want to see. 2377 01:56:23.399 --> 01:56:26.239 It can always be better, But you know, in the 2378 01:56:26.319 --> 01:56:29.479 drill work that we've been doing, in the crossover drills 2379 01:56:29.479 --> 01:56:33.279 that we've been doing, strong emphasis on stout run defense, 2380 01:56:33.439 --> 01:56:37.600 you know, getting those defensive tackles up to par and 2381 01:56:37.640 --> 01:56:40.760 then creating takeaways, which I believe we've done a pretty 2382 01:56:40.760 --> 01:56:41.279 good job of that. 2383 01:56:41.760 --> 01:56:45.439 So I do want to follow up with how the 2384 01:56:45.720 --> 01:56:51.039 calendar has changed and how your job has changed as 2385 01:56:51.079 --> 01:56:53.319 a result of where we find ourselves in the world 2386 01:56:53.359 --> 01:56:56.119 of college football. I look the topic of the transfer portal, 2387 01:56:56.720 --> 01:56:58.760 it gets a little bit tired because it's been around 2388 01:56:58.840 --> 01:57:01.560 long enough by now Morgan to just have it be 2389 01:57:01.600 --> 01:57:04.479 a reality. And I call it free agency. And then 2390 01:57:04.520 --> 01:57:08.560 there's the nil portion, the collective and all of these things. Uh, 2391 01:57:08.600 --> 01:57:10.039 you know, we had coach went on the show just 2392 01:57:10.039 --> 01:57:13.439 a couple of weeks ago. Regardless of how many support 2393 01:57:13.520 --> 01:57:17.000 staff you guys bring in, your individual individual jobs are 2394 01:57:17.000 --> 01:57:19.640 going to change and evolve. How has your job been 2395 01:57:19.640 --> 01:57:21.479 affected by the changes in college football? 2396 01:57:25.479 --> 01:57:28.399 I would say the biggest difference is, I mean, it's 2397 01:57:28.439 --> 01:57:31.119 it's it is about relationships, but people want to know 2398 01:57:31.159 --> 01:57:35.520 the financial part of coming to your program, what you're 2399 01:57:35.560 --> 01:57:38.600 going to be able to do for them financially. Makes 2400 01:57:38.680 --> 01:57:43.000 it harder to main attain sustained culture. But you know 2401 01:57:43.159 --> 01:57:45.880 that just makes it more of a priority for us 2402 01:57:45.960 --> 01:57:51.119 to in recruiting, recruiting the guys that fit our culture. Yes, 2403 01:57:51.199 --> 01:57:53.960 we are going to need money, and our donors have 2404 01:57:54.039 --> 01:57:57.159 done a great job and we'll continue to do a 2405 01:57:57.199 --> 01:58:01.439 great job. But ultimately, know, recruiting used to be all 2406 01:58:01.479 --> 01:58:06.399 about the relationships, and now there's that financial piece that 2407 01:58:06.479 --> 01:58:09.479 no matter how much the recruit may love you, love 2408 01:58:09.520 --> 01:58:13.680 what you do, love love your scheme. Sometimes if it's 2409 01:58:13.840 --> 01:58:16.159 just about the money, you're not going to end up 2410 01:58:16.159 --> 01:58:19.039 getting that kid, no matter how great the relationship. Is 2411 01:58:19.159 --> 01:58:22.399 so a little bit different than in that aspect. But 2412 01:58:22.920 --> 01:58:25.600 we've still got kids that love the culture, love that 2413 01:58:25.680 --> 01:58:28.479 we what we do. We're financially being able to take 2414 01:58:28.479 --> 01:58:31.520 care of them. You know, it's the front office really 2415 01:58:31.560 --> 01:58:35.039 now that has to take care of all those other things. 2416 01:58:35.119 --> 01:58:40.239 You know, we're we're as coaches talking about, you know, 2417 01:58:40.319 --> 01:58:44.560 how do we win games? And now you're hiring people 2418 01:58:44.640 --> 01:58:47.600 and you're putting people in positions to deal with the 2419 01:58:47.600 --> 01:58:48.840 professional side of things. 2420 01:58:49.479 --> 01:58:52.520 Sharif shaw last year some interesting comments he gave to 2421 01:58:52.560 --> 01:58:55.600 the Solid Yourbune And you know, I don't recall the 2422 01:58:55.680 --> 01:58:59.199 exact figure, but I believe Sharif said, as you're calling recruits, 2423 01:58:59.720 --> 01:59:02.439 if you don't offer something like fifty k right out 2424 01:59:02.479 --> 01:59:04.479 of the gates. You can't even get them on campus. 2425 01:59:04.560 --> 01:59:06.279 I mean, is that where we're at? Are there a 2426 01:59:06.279 --> 01:59:08.720 lot of because you and Sharif and the staff. I mean, 2427 01:59:08.760 --> 01:59:10.880 once upon a time maybe the recruiting was a little 2428 01:59:10.880 --> 01:59:13.399 bit more regional, but now you guys have a footprint 2429 01:59:13.399 --> 01:59:16.439 that spreads across the country. Are there really situations more 2430 01:59:16.479 --> 01:59:18.479 than that you run into with a recruit out of 2431 01:59:18.520 --> 01:59:20.279 state where you want to get them on the phone 2432 01:59:20.359 --> 01:59:21.920 or get them on campus, and if you don't have 2433 01:59:21.960 --> 01:59:24.239 something offer right up front, you can't even talk to them. 2434 01:59:24.279 --> 01:59:25.039 Is that a real thing? 2435 01:59:27.000 --> 01:59:31.279 Well, it's economics, it's supply and demand. That's who you're 2436 01:59:31.319 --> 01:59:36.239 talking to. Am I talking to a transfer portal deligneman 2437 01:59:36.399 --> 01:59:41.600 that's looking for just a spot to be someone that's 2438 01:59:41.680 --> 01:59:44.760 trying to prove themselves. There was a lower division school 2439 01:59:44.880 --> 01:59:49.199 that thinks that they're better than than that, a starter 2440 01:59:49.319 --> 01:59:52.079 from another program that wants to be a part of 2441 01:59:52.119 --> 01:59:57.000 a winning program. Everything is dependent upon their situation and 2442 01:59:57.039 --> 01:59:59.920 supply and demand. And you know, is this a heist 2443 02:00:00.359 --> 02:00:04.960 kid that you know maybe isn't a highly recruited kid 2444 02:00:05.279 --> 02:00:09.159 versus your five star kid that's got every offer out there. 2445 02:00:09.880 --> 02:00:13.840 Everything really is is situational, and you've got to be 2446 02:00:13.920 --> 02:00:18.319 really good at understanding that. So this game, this you know, 2447 02:00:18.439 --> 02:00:21.560 college football has changed quite a bit over the past 2448 02:00:21.560 --> 02:00:22.319 few years. 2449 02:00:22.920 --> 02:00:26.039 It has and you know it will continue to change 2450 02:00:26.039 --> 02:00:28.439 and evolve. And we're hoping to get more information over 2451 02:00:28.479 --> 02:00:30.920 the next couple of weeks. And we're actually getting some 2452 02:00:30.960 --> 02:00:33.319 more information Morgan about the details of the house versus 2453 02:00:33.319 --> 02:00:37.239 the NCAA settlements. And then come June, you guys, as 2454 02:00:37.279 --> 02:00:39.199 a athletic department at the you and I use the 2455 02:00:39.199 --> 02:00:43.039 football program, we'll have twenty million dollars to allocate. Are 2456 02:00:43.079 --> 02:00:46.520 any of these things on your radar? I mean because 2457 02:00:46.560 --> 02:00:49.239 for me covering the sport and covering the U, I 2458 02:00:49.279 --> 02:00:52.159 think the house versus NCAA segment will actually bring some 2459 02:00:52.199 --> 02:00:55.319 clarity so people like you and people like coach Wit 2460 02:00:55.479 --> 02:00:57.920 and even people like Mark Harland don't have to guess 2461 02:00:58.239 --> 02:01:01.640 how to do this anymore. Are these benchmarks that we 2462 02:01:01.680 --> 02:01:03.840 look at people to cover the sport, something that you're 2463 02:01:03.920 --> 02:01:06.720 dialed into and maybe looking forward to to get more 2464 02:01:06.720 --> 02:01:08.399 clarity and more guidelines in place. 2465 02:01:09.520 --> 02:01:11.239 Yeah, I think you have to be dialed into it. 2466 02:01:11.279 --> 02:01:13.439 I mean it's our profession, it's what we do. And 2467 02:01:13.439 --> 02:01:17.520 and you know, ultimately people want guard rails, they want rules, 2468 02:01:17.520 --> 02:01:21.359 they want a level playing field, and right now that's 2469 02:01:21.399 --> 02:01:24.760 not necessarily the case. So hopefully here in the in 2470 02:01:24.840 --> 02:01:29.520 the next few weeks months, uh, we're going to get 2471 02:01:29.560 --> 02:01:34.079 a lot more clarity and hopefully a level playing field. 2472 02:01:34.159 --> 02:01:38.800 And you're always going to have schools that try and uh, 2473 02:01:39.319 --> 02:01:42.880 you know, walk that line, and there were there was 2474 02:01:42.960 --> 02:01:46.479 cheating before them. Still there's still cheating going on now 2475 02:01:46.560 --> 02:01:49.520 and we'll continue to go on. But hopefully what this 2476 02:01:49.640 --> 02:01:51.600 does is it's it levels the playing field. 2477 02:01:51.800 --> 02:01:53.800 So let's move off of this and talk about some 2478 02:01:53.880 --> 02:01:57.079 actual football. And you know, last year, Morgan, of course, 2479 02:01:57.319 --> 02:02:01.359 everybody both locally and nationally picked you guys to if 2480 02:02:01.359 --> 02:02:02.880 not win the Big Twelve. You were one of the 2481 02:02:02.880 --> 02:02:04.800 top two or three picks. You were the Vegas favorite, 2482 02:02:04.800 --> 02:02:07.920 you were the media preseason favorite. And I would imagine, 2483 02:02:08.119 --> 02:02:10.640 no matter what you tried to do with your group, 2484 02:02:10.720 --> 02:02:13.479 you cannot insulate them from information because we all have 2485 02:02:13.600 --> 02:02:16.000 these computers in our hands that give us all the 2486 02:02:16.039 --> 02:02:19.800 info twenty four to seven. So there's no way to 2487 02:02:19.840 --> 02:02:22.840 protect your team from the knowledge that we all thought 2488 02:02:22.840 --> 02:02:24.920 you guys were going to win the thing. I wonder 2489 02:02:25.000 --> 02:02:27.399 if you feel like that extra added pressure or start 2490 02:02:27.439 --> 02:02:29.279 the year had anything to do with the way that 2491 02:02:29.319 --> 02:02:32.560 everything went. Of course, I always bring up last year 2492 02:02:32.560 --> 02:02:35.079 with the context of a tremendous amount of injuries and 2493 02:02:35.359 --> 02:02:38.800 health issues. But the pressure that you guys faced from 2494 02:02:38.840 --> 02:02:40.880 the outside looking in, where we all thought you were 2495 02:02:40.920 --> 02:02:42.600 going to win the Big twelve and go to the CFP, 2496 02:02:43.159 --> 02:02:44.880 how did that affect the way last year went. 2497 02:02:47.079 --> 02:02:49.479 I don't think it affected it all that that much. 2498 02:02:50.680 --> 02:02:55.319 You know, we've got good kids that understand and it's 2499 02:02:55.359 --> 02:02:59.000 all about what you do on the field, and you know, 2500 02:02:59.199 --> 02:03:01.399 you can point to a number of different things. Bottom 2501 02:03:01.399 --> 02:03:04.399 line is, turn on the film and what did the 2502 02:03:04.399 --> 02:03:08.640 behavior say? You know, defense, from a defensive perspective, we 2503 02:03:09.039 --> 02:03:12.000 missed too many tackles, We didn't create enough takeaways. We 2504 02:03:12.039 --> 02:03:14.479 did some really good things on defense, But there's some 2505 02:03:14.560 --> 02:03:17.000 things that we that we did that contributed maybe that 2506 02:03:17.039 --> 02:03:20.079 five and seven season, right, And so what what did 2507 02:03:20.079 --> 02:03:22.079 the film say? How can we improve? How can we 2508 02:03:22.079 --> 02:03:25.399 get better on the offensive side? Obviously that's what they're 2509 02:03:25.439 --> 02:03:28.439 working on and what coach Wit has worked to fix 2510 02:03:28.479 --> 02:03:32.439 on the offensive side of the ball. Preseason talk. That's 2511 02:03:32.479 --> 02:03:34.439 I mean, it is, it's what makes the game great. 2512 02:03:34.479 --> 02:03:38.439 You get fans and they want to know about projections 2513 02:03:38.640 --> 02:03:40.880 and where's everyone ranked. At the end of the day. 2514 02:03:40.960 --> 02:03:43.560 No one ever puts a preseason ranking on their resume. 2515 02:03:44.520 --> 02:03:46.840 It didn't you know, these preseason awards, no one does. 2516 02:03:47.000 --> 02:03:49.039 You don't see that on anyone's resume. It's what you 2517 02:03:49.159 --> 02:03:52.199 do during the season. It's the behavior that matters. And 2518 02:03:52.319 --> 02:03:55.960 you know, unfortunately we had some things that you know, 2519 02:03:56.000 --> 02:03:59.239 we didn't do well enough, and you know, staying healthy 2520 02:03:59.319 --> 02:04:01.720 is one of them too. That in order to have 2521 02:04:01.800 --> 02:04:04.560 a great season, you got to stay healthy. That's that's 2522 02:04:04.600 --> 02:04:05.279 just a part of it. 2523 02:04:05.760 --> 02:04:08.359 Yeah, no, for sure, and that's always something that we 2524 02:04:08.439 --> 02:04:10.520 bring up in context in the past couple of years. 2525 02:04:10.520 --> 02:04:13.920 But I asked you that to dovetail into this, which 2526 02:04:14.039 --> 02:04:17.000 is this year, you guys will not be picked to 2527 02:04:17.000 --> 02:04:19.399 when the Big twelve. This year, chances are you're going 2528 02:04:19.439 --> 02:04:21.920 to be picked like mid conference and most of the 2529 02:04:22.039 --> 02:04:24.359 way too early preseason polls. I have no idea how 2530 02:04:24.359 --> 02:04:26.680 they know how to do this because it is April 2531 02:04:26.720 --> 02:04:29.800 and you don't play until August. But is having that 2532 02:04:29.920 --> 02:04:33.359 pressure removed from the equations, something that you think could 2533 02:04:33.359 --> 02:04:35.680 benefit you guys year two in the Big twelve. 2534 02:04:39.000 --> 02:04:42.039 Well, I don't know. I hope. So my my our 2535 02:04:42.119 --> 02:04:45.399 main focus, And honestly, I don't mean to dismiss that 2536 02:04:46.479 --> 02:04:51.119 because you know kids will look at that, what are 2537 02:04:51.159 --> 02:04:52.840 we picked to do? And you can use that as 2538 02:04:52.920 --> 02:04:55.760 motivation that at times people don't believe in you. But 2539 02:04:55.800 --> 02:04:59.920 when the ball's kicked off, it's all about are you 2540 02:05:00.159 --> 02:05:02.920 playing the way we need you to play, Are you 2541 02:05:03.000 --> 02:05:07.000 playing with great fundamentals and technique or you know, it's 2542 02:05:07.359 --> 02:05:12.920 no amount of anger, no amount of of preseason hype, 2543 02:05:12.960 --> 02:05:16.039 whatever it is is going to have a factor on you. 2544 02:05:16.720 --> 02:05:19.560 Peddling the right way, breaking and driving the right way. 2545 02:05:19.920 --> 02:05:22.119 That's that's what we do in practice, That's what we 2546 02:05:22.239 --> 02:05:26.359 train for. So it's behavior that wins championships. It's teams 2547 02:05:26.399 --> 02:05:29.600 that win championships, not talk for sure. 2548 02:05:29.840 --> 02:05:30.359 For sure. 2549 02:05:31.680 --> 02:05:34.640 Ultimately, when it comes to spring football, you know, we 2550 02:05:34.880 --> 02:05:37.199 replay all the sound. It's nice to say with Kyle, 2551 02:05:37.239 --> 02:05:41.119 it's nice to say with you, But occasionally coach will 2552 02:05:41.199 --> 02:05:45.680 say something that kind of catches my attention in a 2553 02:05:45.720 --> 02:05:48.800 different way than a spring football typical coach speak interview 2554 02:05:48.840 --> 02:05:52.119 would go and Morgan. At least three, if not more times, 2555 02:05:52.119 --> 02:05:55.640 I've heard Kyle say there's more positive energy in the 2556 02:05:55.680 --> 02:05:58.640 building during spring than there has been in a long time. 2557 02:05:59.079 --> 02:06:01.439 And I'm not trying to run anybody down. And the 2558 02:06:01.479 --> 02:06:03.279 past is the past, and you guys have moved on. 2559 02:06:03.920 --> 02:06:06.399 But you know, you know Kyle, he doesn't pull any punches. 2560 02:06:06.439 --> 02:06:08.319 He's gonna let you know how it is. So when 2561 02:06:08.399 --> 02:06:12.239 he says publicly multiple times, there's more positive energy in 2562 02:06:12.279 --> 02:06:14.760 our building right now than there has been a long time, 2563 02:06:14.760 --> 02:06:15.720 how does that land with you? 2564 02:06:15.760 --> 02:06:17.119 What do you what do you think he's referring to. 2565 02:06:18.560 --> 02:06:22.840 He's probably referring to market ottawaya yelling and screaming and 2566 02:06:22.960 --> 02:06:27.159 singing all day that that enough in the office is 2567 02:06:27.279 --> 02:06:32.079 enough energy. No, I mean, to be perfectly honest with you. 2568 02:06:32.720 --> 02:06:36.720 This offensive staff they do, they've they've got a lot 2569 02:06:36.319 --> 02:06:39.760 of energy the way they coach, the way they teach, 2570 02:06:39.840 --> 02:06:45.359 and you know, Jason's done a great job really bringing 2571 02:06:45.399 --> 02:06:51.680 everyone together and helping them understand what he's looking for 2572 02:06:52.039 --> 02:06:55.800 and establishing their culture on that side of the ball. 2573 02:06:56.439 --> 02:06:59.880 And it's been it's been fun, you know, not only 2574 02:07:00.199 --> 02:07:02.520 obviously if you ever come to practice, you're always going 2575 02:07:02.600 --> 02:07:06.800 to hear the defensive coaches yelling and screaming, and now 2576 02:07:06.840 --> 02:07:10.279 you hear it from all angles and it's you know, 2577 02:07:10.520 --> 02:07:15.319 it's very lively and guys are having fun. It's just 2578 02:07:16.000 --> 02:07:17.760 it's a fun environment to be a part of. And 2579 02:07:18.199 --> 02:07:19.680 that's what Coach WIT's talking about. 2580 02:07:19.760 --> 02:07:21.760 I know this is not your silo, but we've had 2581 02:07:21.920 --> 02:07:25.079 Jason and Coach went on. Jason back and Coach went on, 2582 02:07:25.279 --> 02:07:28.359 and I've asked them both just just because of what 2583 02:07:28.359 --> 02:07:30.600 we've been through over the past few years, is Devin 2584 02:07:30.640 --> 02:07:30.920 the guy? 2585 02:07:31.079 --> 02:07:32.319 Is Devin the starting quarterback? 2586 02:07:32.359 --> 02:07:34.520 And they both said yes, if we went and went 2587 02:07:34.560 --> 02:07:37.800 to play tomorrow, he's the guy. And Cameron Rising should 2588 02:07:37.800 --> 02:07:40.359 always be remembered as an absolute legend for what he 2589 02:07:40.439 --> 02:07:42.720 did for you guys at quarterback. But what sort of 2590 02:07:42.800 --> 02:07:45.439 dynamic or relief, if at all, does it bring that 2591 02:07:45.479 --> 02:07:48.399 you guys know who the quarterback is going into the 2592 02:07:48.439 --> 02:07:50.640 season and there's no ambiguity about how that's going to 2593 02:07:50.680 --> 02:07:51.479 play out. 2594 02:07:53.279 --> 02:07:56.079 Webally just gives him him confidence. I mean, he should 2595 02:07:56.079 --> 02:08:00.199 have confidence. It's it's his offense, you know, It's that 2596 02:08:00.239 --> 02:08:02.199 he's been comfortable with the past couple of seasons. So 2597 02:08:02.640 --> 02:08:05.439 Devin is a guy that's very competitive. He's got he's 2598 02:08:05.479 --> 02:08:10.920 got great character, very football savvy, high football intelligence, and 2599 02:08:12.680 --> 02:08:16.600 you know, I just love going against and Cam was 2600 02:08:16.640 --> 02:08:22.119 the same way, going up against quarterbacks that are just competitive. 2601 02:08:22.159 --> 02:08:25.319 They hate to lose. They're going to get their guys 2602 02:08:25.399 --> 02:08:28.880 right where they need to be. And Devin is that 2603 02:08:28.960 --> 02:08:33.840 guy and excited for his continued development and what he 2604 02:08:33.920 --> 02:08:34.960 has in store for the season. 2605 02:08:35.279 --> 02:08:38.159 You're losing some very talented defensive lineman as you know. 2606 02:08:38.279 --> 02:08:40.600 Of course, Keno Town of Austa is now playing for 2607 02:08:40.640 --> 02:08:43.119 Brigham Young and Junior Tifuna is trying his hand a 2608 02:08:43.159 --> 02:08:47.000 pro football. Those are big losses. Morgan, what's the contingency plan? 2609 02:08:47.039 --> 02:08:48.119 How are you guys looking up front? 2610 02:08:49.880 --> 02:08:57.079 Yeah, I am elited I should say about what we 2611 02:08:57.199 --> 02:09:00.800 have a defensive tackle and I think that's probably going 2612 02:09:00.840 --> 02:09:02.439 to come as a surprise to a lot of people. 2613 02:09:02.439 --> 02:09:04.720 But the guys that we brought in, the things that 2614 02:09:04.840 --> 02:09:09.039 Luther Ellis is doing, you know, with the d tackles 2615 02:09:09.079 --> 02:09:11.319 that we have with Jonah lay As, a kid that's 2616 02:09:11.319 --> 02:09:15.600 been in the program that has just struggled to gain 2617 02:09:15.640 --> 02:09:19.600 the weight and he's now weighing what we need him 2618 02:09:19.640 --> 02:09:23.600 to weigh. He's quick, he's athletic, he's long levered. Dallas Bakalah, 2619 02:09:23.680 --> 02:09:27.560 he is a freshman who was so productive and now 2620 02:09:27.800 --> 02:09:31.439 you add another season and the spring ball where he's 2621 02:09:31.640 --> 02:09:35.119 gaining a little bit more confidence and a little bit 2622 02:09:35.159 --> 02:09:38.439 more power and strength. He looks fantastic. 2623 02:09:39.119 --> 02:09:39.239 Uh. 2624 02:09:39.600 --> 02:09:43.880 You look at Aliki vi Ma. He's a returning one 2625 02:09:43.920 --> 02:09:47.560 of our returning starters that played started last year for 2626 02:09:47.720 --> 02:09:51.840 us during times and you know he's taken on a 2627 02:09:51.920 --> 02:09:56.239 leadership role and is doing great with it. Carson Kfusi 2628 02:09:56.479 --> 02:10:01.199 is a is a freshman that we absolutely love. He's 2629 02:10:01.239 --> 02:10:04.960 probably the pleasant surprise of spring football right now. Is 2630 02:10:05.399 --> 02:10:08.720 this incoming freshman from Skyline High School is just tearing 2631 02:10:08.760 --> 02:10:14.239 it up. Add to that, Sony mutuap Waca from Bishop 2632 02:10:14.279 --> 02:10:19.000 Gorman is looking really good. We've got a couple walk 2633 02:10:19.039 --> 02:10:22.039 ons and the two incoming freshmen. This is going to 2634 02:10:22.079 --> 02:10:26.800 be a very stout defensive tackle group and I could 2635 02:10:26.840 --> 02:10:27.800 not be more excited. 2636 02:10:28.720 --> 02:10:30.920 All Right, buddy, before I say you lose, I've always 2637 02:10:30.960 --> 02:10:34.199 described you as a combination of a guy that really 2638 02:10:34.239 --> 02:10:36.439 loves to have a good time, but it's also deathly 2639 02:10:36.520 --> 02:10:39.439 serious about anything he's involved in. And that goes back 2640 02:10:39.439 --> 02:10:40.960 to when you were like eighteen years old. Is a 2641 02:10:41.039 --> 02:10:43.159 running back in Highland High School? You know, kind of 2642 02:10:43.159 --> 02:10:44.560 a goof when you want to have a good time, 2643 02:10:44.600 --> 02:10:46.520 but when it comes to the task at hand. A 2644 02:10:46.640 --> 02:10:51.159 very serious, serious person. But I've noticed Morgan from outside 2645 02:10:51.159 --> 02:10:53.880 looking in whenever I hear you interviewed or whenever I 2646 02:10:54.000 --> 02:10:55.840 kind of have a chance to be around you a 2647 02:10:55.840 --> 02:11:00.199 little bit, this kind of maturation period where emotion has 2648 02:11:00.239 --> 02:11:03.119 been replaced by pragmatism. And I don't know if that's 2649 02:11:03.159 --> 02:11:05.199 a result of a lot of things that you've been through. 2650 02:11:05.239 --> 02:11:08.039 You guys are coming off a hard season. Life is hard. 2651 02:11:08.159 --> 02:11:10.720 It's not linear, it's not a straight line. But before 2652 02:11:10.720 --> 02:11:13.239 I set you lose for our Youte football fan listeners, 2653 02:11:13.239 --> 02:11:15.920 how have you grown and changed in the eighteen years 2654 02:11:15.960 --> 02:11:18.720 you've been in Utah? 2655 02:11:18.800 --> 02:11:24.199 Oh man, that could be a podcast in of itself. 2656 02:11:24.199 --> 02:11:26.520 I want all of it. You go for a while, you. 2657 02:11:26.439 --> 02:11:28.840 Know more from the losses than you do from the wins. 2658 02:11:28.880 --> 02:11:31.760 And that's not just on the you know, the win 2659 02:11:31.880 --> 02:11:36.119 loss record, that's just adversity that you face throughout your time, 2660 02:11:36.239 --> 02:11:40.840 throughout your life, Trials that you have, stuff that you 2661 02:11:40.880 --> 02:11:46.039 go through with your players, and I think what I've 2662 02:11:46.119 --> 02:11:49.399 learned most is just empathy. People go through tough times, 2663 02:11:49.439 --> 02:11:52.800 hard things, and you can be resilient and you can 2664 02:11:52.840 --> 02:11:56.600 come back stronger, and you can be more understanding of 2665 02:11:56.640 --> 02:12:02.039 other people's struggles and be there for others, lift others. 2666 02:12:02.479 --> 02:12:05.760 And instead of why me, you know, why did this 2667 02:12:05.840 --> 02:12:08.319 happen to me? Why did this happen for me? And 2668 02:12:08.359 --> 02:12:10.079 what am I supposed to learn from it? And how 2669 02:12:10.079 --> 02:12:13.560 can I be better? So I would just say that 2670 02:12:14.279 --> 02:12:18.079 definitely have learned a ton from adversity and tough times 2671 02:12:18.079 --> 02:12:20.880 that I faced, and learned from really good people, really 2672 02:12:20.880 --> 02:12:25.359 good mentors, and have had an unbelievable staff to love 2673 02:12:25.399 --> 02:12:28.359 and support me as I love and support them. 2674 02:12:29.039 --> 02:12:31.279 All Right, my friend, Well, I always appreciate the time. 2675 02:12:31.319 --> 02:12:31.479 You know. 2676 02:12:31.520 --> 02:12:33.560 I'm pulling for you over here in my space. If 2677 02:12:33.600 --> 02:12:36.520 I can ever do anything, please let me know and 2678 02:12:36.600 --> 02:12:37.640 enjoy the rest of spring ball. 2679 02:12:37.680 --> 02:12:40.720 Okay, Spencer stud take care. 2680 02:12:40.800 --> 02:12:44.239 Brother Morgan Scally, defensive coordinator, University of Utah head coach 2681 02:12:44.359 --> 02:12:46.840 in waiting a couple of more practices this week. We've 2682 02:12:46.880 --> 02:12:49.159 got four next week and it's time for the Forever 2683 02:12:49.279 --> 02:12:52.520 twenty two game on Saturday, April nineteenth. Go to you 2684 02:12:52.600 --> 02:12:55.560 tell you dot com for ticket information. I want to 2685 02:12:55.600 --> 02:12:58.800 tell you by my friends at Courtland Ruffine, a great 2686 02:12:58.920 --> 02:13:02.800 new client on on the program. Portland Roofing is your 2687 02:13:02.800 --> 02:13:05.159 go to for all of your re roofing, your roof 2688 02:13:05.199 --> 02:13:08.560 repairs and your roof maintenance needs. They're offering you a 2689 02:13:08.560 --> 02:13:12.079 free insurance analysis, free estimates and senior discounts, so check 2690 02:13:12.119 --> 02:13:17.039 them out online at Cortland Roofing dot com. Day one 2691 02:13:17.279 --> 02:13:21.680 of the Masters, Augusta, Georgia at the Augusta National Golf 2692 02:13:21.720 --> 02:13:26.560 Club where conditions just looked to be pristine. Feature Justin 2693 02:13:26.680 --> 02:13:29.239 Rose going low sixty five, seven hundred par. 2694 02:13:29.439 --> 02:13:30.279 He is your leader. 2695 02:13:30.760 --> 02:13:34.319 Corey Connor, Scottie Scheffler and Ludwig Oberg all card at 2696 02:13:34.359 --> 02:13:37.439 sixty eight's they are right behind, well three shots behind. 2697 02:13:37.479 --> 02:13:38.399 They're in second place. 2698 02:13:38.479 --> 02:13:42.119 Great day for Justin Rose, Terrell Hatton, Bryceon Deschambeau three 2699 02:13:42.199 --> 02:13:45.319 hundred par and then Aaron Raye, Harris English, Jason dayan 2700 02:13:45.399 --> 02:13:47.159 Ox shape of Tea at two under. 2701 02:13:47.760 --> 02:13:50.880 Tony Fedau our local guy of course we're always cheering for. 2702 02:13:50.960 --> 02:13:54.479 Tony is going to need a massive Day two to 2703 02:13:54.680 --> 02:13:58.239 play the weekend. He is at three over par and 2704 02:13:58.359 --> 02:14:02.439 with Justin Rose setting the standard at seven under. I'm 2705 02:14:02.479 --> 02:14:03.800 not sure where the cut line is going to be, 2706 02:14:03.880 --> 02:14:05.840 but Tony's gonna have to have a good day tomorrow, 2707 02:14:06.359 --> 02:14:11.560 as will Wyndham Clark, as Will Phil Mickelson, Mike we Or, 2708 02:14:11.680 --> 02:14:15.600 Sam Burns, Brooke Keepka, Patrick Cantley, Dustin Johnson, Maxhomme, a 2709 02:14:15.600 --> 02:14:18.960 lot of really good golfers struggling Day one of the Masters. 2710 02:14:19.000 --> 02:14:19.840 So there you go. 2711 02:14:20.319 --> 02:14:23.520 Final home game of the season for the Utah Hockey 2712 02:14:23.520 --> 02:14:27.560 Club tonight, Nashville is in town and following the game, 2713 02:14:27.640 --> 02:14:31.439 the Utah Hockey Club will announce their postseason award winners, 2714 02:14:31.439 --> 02:14:33.800 including MVP and other awards. So if you have not 2715 02:14:33.840 --> 02:14:37.319 seen a hockey game, it's a really fun experience. And 2716 02:14:37.359 --> 02:14:39.600 the final home game of the season will be tonight 2717 02:14:39.680 --> 02:14:43.600 for the Utah Hockey Club. After a very i would 2718 02:14:43.600 --> 02:14:47.560 say successful year one here in Salt Lake on a 2719 02:14:47.600 --> 02:14:50.680 number of different levels, they're not going to make the postseason. 2720 02:14:50.680 --> 02:14:54.800 The wildcard is out of reach. They have officially been eliminated. 2721 02:14:54.800 --> 02:14:57.039 But a fun chase and a really really exciting young 2722 02:14:57.079 --> 02:15:00.760 team with a very very bright future. A big one 2723 02:15:00.760 --> 02:15:02.760 tonight in the NBA, and we're going to have it 2724 02:15:02.800 --> 02:15:05.920 for you. Probably the biggest game, not probably the biggest 2725 02:15:05.920 --> 02:15:09.279 game on the slate for pro basketball tonight is going 2726 02:15:09.319 --> 02:15:12.920 to be the Timberwolves and the Grizzlies from the Grindhouse. 2727 02:15:12.960 --> 02:15:17.640 The FedEx form in Memphis, Tennessee, and as of right now, 2728 02:15:18.760 --> 02:15:21.720 the Western Conference continues to be stacked up. The Minnesota 2729 02:15:21.760 --> 02:15:26.279 Timberwolves are one game behind Memphis for the sixth spot. 2730 02:15:26.399 --> 02:15:29.039 Now that's important because if you get a top six spot, 2731 02:15:29.079 --> 02:15:31.319 you avoid the play in and you don't have to 2732 02:15:31.359 --> 02:15:34.640 worry about going home early. Golden State has kind of 2733 02:15:34.680 --> 02:15:36.800 come back down to earth. They're the only team between 2734 02:15:36.840 --> 02:15:39.880 Memphis and Minnesota. They are a half game behind Memphis 2735 02:15:39.920 --> 02:15:44.359 and a half game head of the Timberwolves. All right, 2736 02:15:44.399 --> 02:15:47.800 in case you missed it, the rumor became official now. 2737 02:15:47.880 --> 02:15:52.399 Jeff Goodman, one of the best college basketball media members 2738 02:15:52.479 --> 02:15:55.960 Riders covered the game forever, is reporting that Rob Wright, 2739 02:15:56.760 --> 02:15:59.760 who signed a one million dollar nil contract to stay 2740 02:15:59.760 --> 02:16:05.479 at broke that contract and is going to BYU where. 2741 02:16:05.520 --> 02:16:08.159 According to Jeff Goodman, bringing Me Young his Pain, Rob 2742 02:16:08.199 --> 02:16:12.920 Wright three million dollars to play basketball and profo. You 2743 02:16:12.960 --> 02:16:17.199 add that to Ajdbantsa, who the reports are seven million dollars. Now, 2744 02:16:17.239 --> 02:16:19.800 the hard part about breaking these stories down or covering 2745 02:16:19.800 --> 02:16:22.000 them or talking about them is we don't know for sure. 2746 02:16:22.800 --> 02:16:25.439 Just those are the reports for people to cover college basketball. 2747 02:16:25.479 --> 02:16:28.359 That de Bants is getting seven mil, Rob Wright's getting 2748 02:16:28.359 --> 02:16:32.120 three mil. That is ten million dollars from BYU for 2749 02:16:32.200 --> 02:16:34.920 two players to play for them, one certainly for one year. 2750 02:16:34.959 --> 02:16:36.520 We'll see what rob Right ends up doing. 2751 02:16:36.959 --> 02:16:39.719 The other report is they've offered Richie Saunders a seven 2752 02:16:39.840 --> 02:16:43.399 figure contract to stay at BYU. And I just have 2753 02:16:43.479 --> 02:16:46.079 to wonder how Kalani is digesting this, and now the 2754 02:16:46.079 --> 02:16:48.639 football team is digesting this based off of the reporting 2755 02:16:48.639 --> 02:16:53.959 from the Salid Tribune of the football team's NIL initiative 2756 02:16:54.000 --> 02:16:56.639 is being cut prior to the start of last season 2757 02:16:56.680 --> 02:16:58.440 because of a rough year one of the Big twelve. 2758 02:16:59.040 --> 02:17:02.760 So a lot of BYU and I'm using air quotes 2759 02:17:03.000 --> 02:17:07.079 media members they work for BYU, they're really not media members. 2760 02:17:07.159 --> 02:17:10.520 So a lot of BYU employees, a lot of BYU 2761 02:17:10.559 --> 02:17:15.000 apologists have taken a social media today to try to 2762 02:17:15.040 --> 02:17:17.760 spread some sort of narrative that this is not about money, 2763 02:17:17.760 --> 02:17:21.079 it's about the BYU experience. Just stop it, okay, just 2764 02:17:21.120 --> 02:17:23.600 be honest about what it is. This is the game now. 2765 02:17:23.799 --> 02:17:26.200 You should be proud that your institution is in a 2766 02:17:26.200 --> 02:17:29.239 place where you can essentially buy the best players out there, 2767 02:17:29.280 --> 02:17:30.879 because if you can't do that, you're not gonna be 2768 02:17:30.920 --> 02:17:34.639 able to win. We just saw the four number one 2769 02:17:34.639 --> 02:17:37.959 seeds advanced to the final four, and that's going to 2770 02:17:38.000 --> 02:17:41.479 be how it is moving forward. The chasm between the 2771 02:17:41.559 --> 02:17:44.239 haves and the have nots in college football and college basketball, 2772 02:17:44.239 --> 02:17:47.280 it's can get to continue to grow. So instead of 2773 02:17:47.360 --> 02:17:50.440 this hand ringing and this wailing of gnashing of teeth 2774 02:17:51.000 --> 02:17:53.719 where BYU people are taking a social media to try 2775 02:17:53.719 --> 02:17:55.399 to get in front of the story, just stop it. 2776 02:17:55.639 --> 02:17:58.760 Call it what it is. This is not Rob Wright 2777 02:17:58.879 --> 02:18:01.479 wanting more swig in his life. This is not aj 2778 02:18:01.600 --> 02:18:04.840 Debantsa wanting more muss or excuse me, wanting what do 2779 02:18:04.879 --> 02:18:07.959 they call the rock the BYU student section. This is 2780 02:18:09.000 --> 02:18:13.200 about BYU writing massive checks for talent. And honestly, I've 2781 02:18:13.200 --> 02:18:16.399 talked about this for years. I said, like the day 2782 02:18:16.479 --> 02:18:20.719 after NIL became legal and NIL became a reality. So 2783 02:18:20.840 --> 02:18:22.600 if you're a BYU fan, this is what you've been 2784 02:18:22.639 --> 02:18:26.319 waiting for. Because if BYU wants to get into the 2785 02:18:26.360 --> 02:18:29.559 game and money is the issue. Money is no issue 2786 02:18:29.559 --> 02:18:31.920 for that school. Money is no issue for that religion, 2787 02:18:32.000 --> 02:18:34.600 Money is no issue for that culture. It's just a 2788 02:18:34.639 --> 02:18:36.399 matter of whether or not they want to get involved, 2789 02:18:36.399 --> 02:18:39.479 and they're getting involved in a very aggressive way. And 2790 02:18:39.600 --> 02:18:42.399 Kevin Young's gonna have a really, really good team next year. 2791 02:18:43.600 --> 02:18:45.159 I don't know what it means for Alex Jensen and 2792 02:18:45.200 --> 02:18:47.799 the University of Utah, but there was a piece of 2793 02:18:47.879 --> 02:18:51.840 Utah Basketball news today that Eric Daniels has been hired 2794 02:18:52.360 --> 02:18:54.399 as an assistant coach for the youth, so he will 2795 02:18:54.479 --> 02:18:58.399 join Raphael Chilius as the lead assistant, and then Wes 2796 02:18:58.440 --> 02:19:00.920 Wilcox is the general manager of Alex. 2797 02:19:00.559 --> 02:19:02.239 As the head coach. 2798 02:19:03.120 --> 02:19:05.319 But only two players as of now signed a play 2799 02:19:05.360 --> 02:19:06.840 for the youth, so a lot of work to do 2800 02:19:06.920 --> 02:19:07.959 to fill out that roster. 2801 02:19:08.639 --> 02:19:10.959 Porter. I wonder how you digest. 2802 02:19:10.559 --> 02:19:14.600 This with BYU people, folks that work for the school 2803 02:19:14.840 --> 02:19:17.440 trying to get in the way of this story, like, Hey, 2804 02:19:17.479 --> 02:19:19.799 it's about the BYU experience. It's about the way we 2805 02:19:19.959 --> 02:19:22.719 know it's not it's about you writing checks and that's 2806 02:19:22.760 --> 02:19:23.399 the name of the game. 2807 02:19:23.440 --> 02:19:24.360 Now, there's nothing wrong with it. 2808 02:19:24.440 --> 02:19:28.559 Yeah, I mean, it's it's interesting to see folks try 2809 02:19:28.600 --> 02:19:33.319 to try to spin that because I don't get why, right. 2810 02:19:34.239 --> 02:19:36.920 Maybe it's a cultural thing. Maybe you don't want that 2811 02:19:36.920 --> 02:19:40.680 that perception. But I've seen it a lot during the tournament, 2812 02:19:40.719 --> 02:19:42.559 like people trying to say that that if you're looking 2813 02:19:42.600 --> 02:19:45.600 for a team that does it the right way, like 2814 02:19:45.760 --> 02:19:49.120 college basketball used to be look at BYU right because 2815 02:19:49.120 --> 02:19:51.559 they've got a bunch of kids on their Sweet sixteen 2816 02:19:51.639 --> 02:19:55.440 team that were recruited there, that you know, played there 2817 02:19:55.559 --> 02:19:58.479 for three four years and then made their way up. Okay, 2818 02:19:58.879 --> 02:20:02.719 that's not how college basketball is anymore. It's not how 2819 02:20:02.719 --> 02:20:07.239 you want to be anymore. If there are cultural aspects 2820 02:20:07.239 --> 02:20:12.760 that you want to put first and foremost of your program, cool, 2821 02:20:12.840 --> 02:20:17.200 that's fine. But that's not why the kid from Baylor 2822 02:20:17.319 --> 02:20:20.920 who had a million dollar offer on the table is 2823 02:20:20.959 --> 02:20:23.440 coming here. It's not why the number two recruit in 2824 02:20:23.479 --> 02:20:28.280 the country who was paid already to come play here 2825 02:20:28.399 --> 02:20:31.959 in prep ball, It's not why he's going to Provo. 2826 02:20:32.159 --> 02:20:37.520 It is an entirety, entirely different reason altogether. So for you, 2827 02:20:37.840 --> 02:20:43.760 for you know what you said, why you know, why 2828 02:20:43.799 --> 02:20:46.920 are you trying to put on that narrative when it 2829 02:20:46.959 --> 02:20:50.719 doesn't matter. This is this is the reality of college sports. Now, 2830 02:20:51.079 --> 02:20:54.399 you should want and you should be happy that your 2831 02:20:54.440 --> 02:20:59.040 program or let's just say people around your program, because 2832 02:20:59.040 --> 02:21:01.639 we don't know exactly what's going on behind the scenes 2833 02:21:02.399 --> 02:21:03.840 until until. 2834 02:21:03.440 --> 02:21:04.719 Those guardrails are put up. 2835 02:21:06.280 --> 02:21:08.319 This is what you want them to be doing, and 2836 02:21:08.360 --> 02:21:10.840 you should be happy that they are doing so. Uh, 2837 02:21:11.120 --> 02:21:17.680 money is is the driver in college sports? TV money, 2838 02:21:18.000 --> 02:21:23.159 booster money, and and then after that maybe you know 2839 02:21:23.239 --> 02:21:27.600 ticket rip money, all all of the above. But uh, yeah, 2840 02:21:27.799 --> 02:21:34.239 there's no there's no getting around what what is driving 2841 02:21:34.319 --> 02:21:39.520 decisions and what is driving rosters in today's age of 2842 02:21:39.600 --> 02:21:44.360 college sports and especially college basketball. B Why you striking hot? 2843 02:21:44.719 --> 02:21:47.360 And uh you should be stoked about that if you're 2844 02:21:47.360 --> 02:21:50.639 a if you're a Cougar fan, not trying to like backpedal, 2845 02:21:50.799 --> 02:21:55.079 do do something else. It's it's uh unnecessary to me. 2846 02:21:55.079 --> 02:21:55.360 I don't know. 2847 02:21:55.360 --> 02:21:56.399 I don't I don't really understand it. 2848 02:21:56.479 --> 02:21:58.719 Yeah, it's it's a weird thing. It's a weird dynamic. 2849 02:21:58.760 --> 02:22:01.479 I don't really understand. You wouldn't be anything other than 2850 02:22:01.559 --> 02:22:03.959 thrilled that you have the bankroll to be among the 2851 02:22:04.040 --> 02:22:07.000 highest bidders and spenders in college athletics. That's how you're 2852 02:22:07.040 --> 02:22:09.399 gonna get good players. It's how you're gonna win games. 2853 02:22:09.440 --> 02:22:13.040 It's how you're gonna win championships. Ultimately, it's how you're 2854 02:22:13.079 --> 02:22:15.239 gonna compete. And it's the only way to do it now. 2855 02:22:15.319 --> 02:22:17.000 And I know a lot of people don't love it, 2856 02:22:17.079 --> 02:22:18.719 but you can hate it all you want. It's where 2857 02:22:18.719 --> 02:22:23.200 we're at. So fun Day one at Augusta, Georgia. Will 2858 02:22:23.239 --> 02:22:25.319 be all over the Masters tournament coming up tomorrow and 2859 02:22:25.399 --> 02:22:28.280 of course through the weekends. Utah Hockey Club and Action. 2860 02:22:28.399 --> 02:22:30.840 Tonight we have a big NBA game on the station 2861 02:22:30.959 --> 02:22:35.840 that features the Memphis Grizzlies in the Minnesota Timberwolves, FedEx 2862 02:22:35.840 --> 02:22:39.040 form Memphis Tennessee RSL and talks to bring in a 2863 02:22:39.120 --> 02:22:43.280 Slovakian striker. Alex Jensen hires an assistant coach for Utah 2864 02:22:43.399 --> 02:22:48.479 men's basketball program. So very very busy day. Unexpectedly, you're 2865 02:22:48.520 --> 02:22:51.280 almost to the weekend. Lovely Thursday afternoon, all right, Porta, 2866 02:22:51.319 --> 02:22:52.879 before we get out of here, what comes our way 2867 02:22:53.000 --> 02:22:54.879 on a Friday edition of the show. 2868 02:22:55.040 --> 02:22:58.479 Yeah, as you mentioned Masters weekend, Spence, you're all wearing green. 2869 02:23:00.159 --> 02:23:01.639 Yeah, I had a busy morning. 2870 02:23:01.639 --> 02:23:03.520 This is just I'm gonna pinch you. I wore this 2871 02:23:03.600 --> 02:23:06.000 to the gym waiting Is that a safe? No, that's 2872 02:23:06.000 --> 02:23:08.000 Saint Patrick's Day. But you know what, I'll wear a 2873 02:23:08.000 --> 02:23:10.200 little green tomorrow in honor of the green jacket. 2874 02:23:10.239 --> 02:23:12.600 I'm not Irish, so I don't really do the Saint 2875 02:23:12.600 --> 02:23:15.120 Patrick's Day thing outside the corn beef. So if you 2876 02:23:15.120 --> 02:23:17.239 don't wear You're green on Master's Week, that's when that's 2877 02:23:17.239 --> 02:23:20.200 what I get it in. Rex Hogard stops by the program, 2878 02:23:20.600 --> 02:23:23.319 the president of the Golf Riders Association of America and 2879 02:23:23.360 --> 02:23:27.239 of course Golf Channel, NBC sports guy Howard Beck for 2880 02:23:27.360 --> 02:23:31.360 your NBA Daily assist. We get Chris com Ronnie in studio, 2881 02:23:32.000 --> 02:23:35.520 and we get Richard Smith in studio, and we finish 2882 02:23:35.639 --> 02:23:39.440 off the week with Paul Pugmeyer after the cut line 2883 02:23:39.520 --> 02:23:40.200 is decided. 2884 02:23:40.319 --> 02:23:42.200 On a Masters Friday. 2885 02:23:42.239 --> 02:23:44.200 There you go, and we're hoping that Tony fen Now 2886 02:23:44.239 --> 02:23:46.360 can have a good round two after struggling out of 2887 02:23:46.360 --> 02:23:48.520 the gates at Augusta. Our guy is three over par 2888 02:23:49.159 --> 02:23:51.719 along with a bunch of other really good golfers. Looked 2889 02:23:51.719 --> 02:23:54.159 like the golf course was playing pretty tough today. All Right, 2890 02:23:54.200 --> 02:23:56.319 we will say good night, special thank you today to 2891 02:23:56.520 --> 02:24:00.000 Amy Donaldson, Dave McManamon, Pablo Mash, Johnny and Morgan scallay 2892 02:24:00.159 --> 02:24:02.440 for me the sound that you may have missed from 2893 02:24:02.440 --> 02:24:05.639 the show today. Website is ESPN seven hundred sports dot com. 2894 02:24:05.680 --> 02:24:08.479 Make sure to download our mobile app and take us 2895 02:24:08.520 --> 02:24:10.840 on the go. The ESPN seven hundred app is available 2896 02:24:10.840 --> 02:24:13.040 in the App Store and the Google Play Store for free. 2897 02:24:13.399 --> 02:24:16.120 And then, finally, for what we do in our space 2898 02:24:16.200 --> 02:24:19.680 every afternoon for four hours, check out our podcast page. 2899 02:24:19.680 --> 02:24:21.440 It is called The Drive with Spence. Check its and 2900 02:24:21.479 --> 02:24:25.360 it is available wherever you get your shows. So subscribe, rate, review, 2901 02:24:25.440 --> 02:24:27.520 say nice things in the comments, give us all the stars. 2902 02:24:27.520 --> 02:24:29.799 It actually helps out for porter. I'm Spencing and I 2903 02:24:29.920 --> 02:24:32.159 enjoy your Thursday evening. We've got a little NBA basketball 2904 02:24:32.200 --> 02:24:33.920 between the Grizzlies and the Tea Wolves coming up in 2905 02:24:33.959 --> 02:24:36.079 a bit and join us for a Friday Drive and 2906 02:24:36.079 --> 02:24:37.959 as well as you can catch that right here on 2907 02:24:38.239 --> 02:24:40.559 ESPN seven hundred ninety two and FM. We are proud 2908 02:24:40.600 --> 02:24:43.280 to be part of Utah's ESPN Radio network.