WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:05.559 Alright, what's going on? Drivetime Monday afternoon, about fifteen minutes 2 00:00:05.639 --> 00:00:08.439 past the hour of two o'clock. All is here. It's 3 00:00:08.439 --> 00:00:10.919 a little chilly, as we are about to turn our 4 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:14.160 calendars to November here in a few days. But as 5 00:00:14.199 --> 00:00:16.039 it is every single day, it's gonna have you along 6 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:18.199 for the riots. Bence check. It's behind the mike. That 7 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:22.000 young man is Porter Larson beyond the glass producing this 8 00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:25.719 program today. How's your Monday? How are we doing? How 9 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:26.199 we doing? 10 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:26.519 Guys? 11 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:31.079 Bring it in big group, hug rough Monday, kind of 12 00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:35.840 all the way around, depending on your local sports fandom. 13 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:39.200 Luckily BYU continues to play really well for you fans, 14 00:00:39.200 --> 00:00:42.520 it's not gonna do much for you. RSL is in 15 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:45.880 the Major League Soccer playoffs that starts tomorrow. So a 16 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:49.960 couple of local teams winning, but most local teams losing. 17 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:54.320 The Utah Hockey Club three straight losses, now three goals 18 00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:56.719 in three games after scoring sixteen goals in their first 19 00:00:56.759 --> 00:00:59.719 three games. We're gonna do a little Utah Hockey Club 20 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:02.240 on the program today, do a little RSL. Of course, 21 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:05.159 Utah football is stunned. I don't know what to say. Man, 22 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:08.840 Like we were talking about this during cross talk with OC. 23 00:01:10.920 --> 00:01:13.560 I've been wrong often, and I'm find admitting that I 24 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:17.680 don't know that I've ever been as wrong about a 25 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:20.680 team as I've been about this Utah football team. Four 26 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:23.599 straight losses, You guys know the deal. I am stunned 27 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:25.840 they lost to Houston, But at this point, maybe that's 28 00:01:25.879 --> 00:01:28.560 a me problem. Last week I was the guy that 29 00:01:28.680 --> 00:01:31.359 was holding on to the last branch before falling face 30 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.000 down to the mud, and today I am face down 31 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:37.400 in the mud. I don't know what. I don't know 32 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:39.319 how to spin it. Man, it is odd, but give 33 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:41.519 BYU a lot of credit. As they moved eight to 34 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:44.400 no they're a top ten team now number nine in 35 00:01:44.439 --> 00:01:46.640 the country. Both teams now are a buy before They're 36 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:49.840 going to play up here eight fifteen kick time unfortunately, 37 00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:51.560 so it's gonna be a late game. Don't love that. 38 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:55.439 But down in the stretch we come. College football continues 39 00:01:55.480 --> 00:01:58.400 to be pretty interesting from a national standpoint. We'll get 40 00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:02.400 to some college football takeaways Big twelve Takeaways on the program. 41 00:02:02.519 --> 00:02:05.400 Your Pro Football weekend will wrap up tonight we get 42 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:10.439 Russell Wilson and Daniel Jones Monday Night Football. I'm also 43 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:12.039 a Yankee fan. The Dodgers are up two. 44 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:12.199 Oh. 45 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:14.520 I'm also a Jets fan. They lost to the Patriots. 46 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:18.719 So how's your Monday from a sports perspective, Mine's not great. 47 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:20.639 But we got a good guest list for you guys 48 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:23.840 on this Monday afternoon to help you get your work 49 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:27.039 week started out the correct way. Bell Fraser will be 50 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:29.080 our first guest covers the Utah Hockey Club for the 51 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:33.360 Salt Lake Tribune. Tom Haberstrow will drop your NBA Daily Assist. 52 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:36.520 I gotta say, I gotta say one team that is 53 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:38.919 losing that I'm fine with the Utah Jazz lose. Okay, 54 00:02:39.319 --> 00:02:41.039 if you've listened to the show, I've been on it 55 00:02:41.080 --> 00:02:44.080 for a while, I'm gonna stay on it. Nobody likes losing, 56 00:02:44.199 --> 00:02:46.680 but it is a necessity if you have to do 57 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:48.719 a bit of a reset in pro basketball like the 58 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:52.000 Jazz have to do. So we'll talk to Tom Haberstrow today. 59 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:54.400 I'm sorry about this, but on a Monday, we're gonna 60 00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:57.879 give you our Big twelve Power rankings. Who Baby and 61 00:02:57.919 --> 00:03:00.800 then Matt Crooks from RSL will stop by. Scott Mitchell, 62 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:04.400 former Utah quarterback on the program as well. Belle Frasier, 63 00:03:04.520 --> 00:03:08.520 Tom Haberstrow, Matt Crooks, Scott Mitchell, Me Spence Jackets, all 64 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:10.879 of you the great listeners on this Monday. Thank you 65 00:03:10.919 --> 00:03:13.479 for making us a part of your Monday. And that 66 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:17.240 guy order Larson. I've been wrong, buddy, as you know, 67 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:19.520 you produced the show for a number of years now. 68 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:22.960 I've been wrong before. I don't know that I've ever 69 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:26.039 been as wrong as I clearly have been about this 70 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:27.080 Utah football team. 71 00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:31.759 Well, and I mean all of us can be guilty 72 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:33.560 of that. And you look at the Big twelve pre 73 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:37.000 season media poll, Utah was up there at number one. 74 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:39.080 They were picked as the team to win it by 75 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:41.800 not just us here in the market, but by media 76 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:47.560 members across the country and around the conference. Yeah, we're wrong, 77 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:49.599 but there is a lot of context to that, which 78 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:55.000 includes obviously the availability of a quarterback, which is the 79 00:03:55.159 --> 00:03:58.639 main issue I think with this Utah team. That being said, 80 00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:02.120 just this is big of an issue, is the inability 81 00:04:02.199 --> 00:04:06.360 to move on from not having quarterback one and that 82 00:04:06.520 --> 00:04:08.879 is what we'll get into today. In addition, too, as 83 00:04:08.919 --> 00:04:12.560 you mentioned, a whole bunch of other stuff going on 84 00:04:12.680 --> 00:04:13.120 in the market. 85 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:15.240 Yeah, it's a busy time of year, so that gives 86 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:17.079 us a lot to get to We'll start things off 87 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:20.519 little hockey chatter with bel Fraser from the trail. But 88 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:22.759 before we get to bell courtesy of our friends at 89 00:04:22.759 --> 00:04:26.240 Standard Restaurant Supply check them out at Standard Restaurant dot 90 00:04:26.279 --> 00:04:28.800 com or stop by the location of thirty five hundred South. 91 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:30.319 It is time now for your opening tip. 92 00:04:31.399 --> 00:04:34.000 Welcome to the Drive with Spence Check it's on Utah's 93 00:04:34.079 --> 00:04:37.639 number one sports talk. Now into the studio of ESPN 94 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:39.959 seven hundred to set the scene for the show. 95 00:04:40.519 --> 00:04:41.519 The opening tip. 96 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:44.040 Of the Drive is brought to you by Standard Restaurant Supply, 97 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:47.319 your one stop shop to build the best tailgate in town. 98 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:51.720 Standard Restaurant Supply, thirty five hundred South West Temple. 99 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:57.040 So we're gonna start the show on a Monday by 100 00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:59.720 taking our medicine. We gotta do it. Utah football goes 101 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:03.120 down Houston and they lose last second field goal by 102 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:06.040 Houston after an interception from Brandon Rose gave Houston some 103 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:09.560 pretty good fuel position. Utah football has now lost four 104 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:12.959 straight games for the first time since twenty seventeen. It's 105 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:15.279 only the fourth time that it's ever happened in two 106 00:05:15.319 --> 00:05:18.560 decades under coach wit and now it's a bye week, 107 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:21.199 and then you welcome in a red hot BYU Cougar 108 00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:25.120 team right now, who's very complete. They play complimentary football, 109 00:05:25.160 --> 00:05:28.079 They're good all the way around. Jake Retzlav has has 110 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:31.480 evolved and developed into one of the best quarterbacks in 111 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:34.959 this conference period. That's what the numbers say. So you 112 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:37.480 can complain about it all you want, but right now 113 00:05:37.560 --> 00:05:41.839 BYU is flying, and I guarantee they are smelling blood 114 00:05:41.879 --> 00:05:43.399 in the water like a shark, and they want to 115 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:45.199 come up here and they want to go for the jugular. 116 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:48.639 That's just the nature of this game. Grew up around it, 117 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:52.720 covered it for eighteen years doing this radio show. In 118 00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:56.480 other places this radio show as well. Usually there's chaos 119 00:05:56.560 --> 00:05:59.720 unless there's a big time talent gap. More often than not, 120 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:03.399 it feels like a random, crazy play changes the scope 121 00:06:03.399 --> 00:06:06.040 of the entire thing. But as we sit here today, 122 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:09.000 can't I can't. I can't sit here and tell you 123 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:11.160 that I have confidence in this Utah football team to 124 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:14.079 turn it around. I'm sorry about that. I wish I did. 125 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:18.079 We are your home of the Utes, and ultimately, as 126 00:06:18.279 --> 00:06:20.560 someone who went to school there and has watched this 127 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:23.439 football program, be built brick by brick by coach wit 128 00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:27.160 for twenty years. This is new. This feels like an 129 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:31.360 all time new low. And I don't know exactly where 130 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:33.720 to kind of place blame. I don't do radio like 131 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:36.480 that anyway. I'm not a call for the coach's job, 132 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:40.240 guy Mackai Bernard. Everyone's talking about Mackay's comments after the 133 00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:42.240 game when he said, look, I know what's wrong. I'm 134 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:44.199 just not going to say it out loud. I've seen 135 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:46.600 a lot of rumors about that. I can't speak to it. 136 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:50.000 My guess is if he was honest and kept going 137 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:52.800 after Josh Furlong from KSL asking the question, he would 138 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:54.879 have talked about the quarterback play. I don't think there's 139 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:58.480 anything behind closed doors going on that we don't know about, 140 00:06:58.480 --> 00:07:00.480 but I can't speak to it. I have no idea. 141 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:03.399 I'm not in the locker room. But I can just say, Man, 142 00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:06.639 the feeling around the community right now, and we all 143 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:09.879 exist on our own little echo chambers and cognitive dissidents 144 00:07:09.959 --> 00:07:13.199 and such. So I am reacting to messages I receive 145 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:18.560 from youth fans, social media, direct messages, friends, emails, text 146 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:22.480 messages and such, and I from my vantage point. I 147 00:07:22.519 --> 00:07:25.839 don't think I can recall in eighteen years of doing 148 00:07:25.879 --> 00:07:29.920 this a feeling around Utah Football that feels this desolate, 149 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:34.839 this desperate, this low. And obviously it's losing, it's four straight, 150 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:38.000 but it's also juxtaposed and combined with what we all 151 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:41.120 thought that they could be. Like if we were all 152 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:43.839 on the same page that Utah Football was going to 153 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:46.000 really struggle to find their footing year one of the 154 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:49.160 Big Twelve, then the show would sound much different. We 155 00:07:49.240 --> 00:07:51.800 talk about the growing pains, and we talk about developing 156 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:54.199 young players, and we talk about step by step like 157 00:07:54.600 --> 00:07:57.680 the reason everybody's so bummed about this is we all 158 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:00.959 thought it was going to be the exact office And honestly, 159 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:03.519 I don't know what to say about this team the 160 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:06.680 rest of the year. I have seen Kyle Whittingham turn 161 00:08:06.759 --> 00:08:09.800 teams around, and as we talked about during cross talk, 162 00:08:10.040 --> 00:08:13.600 coach wit over twenty years does deserve the benefit of 163 00:08:13.639 --> 00:08:16.639 the doubt. But I do feel like the trust is 164 00:08:16.680 --> 00:08:18.720 eroding a little bit. I mean, I'm not sure that 165 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:22.720 there's another sports figure in our state that's more teflon 166 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:26.920 than Kyle based off of what he's accomplished. Maybe Ryan Smith, 167 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:28.600 because the man with the gold makes the rules. But 168 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:31.279 you know, unless you you know, you want to count 169 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:34.080 that element of this discussion. Coach Wit is probably the 170 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:38.600 most teflon sports figure in our state, and he is 171 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:41.000 a man of great integrity and great character, and I'm 172 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:43.000 sure that he's going to do everything in his power 173 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:44.720 to try to get this thing right over the next 174 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:48.559 twelve days before Brigham Young comes rolling up to Riyseycle Stadium. 175 00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:51.480 Because I can tell you what if we just see 176 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:55.240 coming up at rice Ecles what we've seen from both teams, 177 00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:59.519 BYU wins by two touchdowns at least, Like how can 178 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:02.720 we spin any other way? As we say here today 179 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:06.200 on this Monday, after watching Utah lose its fourth straight 180 00:09:06.279 --> 00:09:10.240 football game and watching BYU for the second time under 181 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:12.879 Kolone Satake. The last time it was twenty twenty. During 182 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:16.039 the COVID year, they've started eight and zero. They're in 183 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:18.919 the top ten twelfth time all time for Brigham Young, 184 00:09:19.080 --> 00:09:22.159 in the top ten for their college football program. And 185 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:26.440 the ironic thing is to start the year, we thought 186 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:29.879 it was going to be BYU's tough schedule that might 187 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:34.039 trip them up and Utah's relatively easy schedule. According to 188 00:09:34.039 --> 00:09:36.799 the metrics that would play in their favor. But now 189 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:40.000 the final four games, Utah has a much much more 190 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:42.679 difficult task where you're playing essentially three of the four 191 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:46.000 best teams in the conference, and then you finish with 192 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:48.960 a three time zone travel to Orlando to take on 193 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:51.440 a solid UCF team. So it's Brigham Young, then it's 194 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:54.080 in Boulder against Colorado, it's back home against Iowa State, 195 00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:57.279 then you're on the road at UCF. How many wins 196 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:01.320 do you see? I mean, honestly, right here today as 197 00:10:01.320 --> 00:10:03.000 we sit it on a Monday and I read off 198 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:05.200 the rest of the schedule for Utah football, how many 199 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:08.159 wins do you see? Because they're going to need, you know, 200 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:11.360 at least two to go bowling. And the really crummy 201 00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:14.840 part is it's going to be a throwaway bowl game. 202 00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:16.919 I mean, you like the experience for the seniors, and 203 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:19.480 you want to qualify for a bowl because everybody does. 204 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:24.120 But when your season has been broken down and and 205 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:27.759 essentially broken down to the studs, we're the only thing 206 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:31.440 you're playing for is to ruin the seasons for your opponents. 207 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:36.240 That's a damning sentiment about where this program is. And 208 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:38.679 I have to wonder where Morgan is on this right. 209 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:42.039 So there's a lot and you guys, you don't have 210 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:43.759 to take it from me. There are people that know 211 00:10:44.039 --> 00:10:46.399 in a way that I just wouldn't that believe that 212 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:48.200 Kyle is going to walk away at the end of 213 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:50.600 this year. And we know that Morgan is going to 214 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:53.960 slide over one seat from his defensive coordinator slot and 215 00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:56.480 take over the head coaching job. Like, where is Morgan 216 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:59.440 right now? I just wonder where his head is at 217 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:02.639 as far is what he is about to inherit and 218 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:04.799 what he's about to take over if that's the deal. Now, 219 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:07.240 in a weird way, this could actually work to Morgan's 220 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:11.639 favor because typically, you know, ask Tyrone Corbyn. I could 221 00:11:11.639 --> 00:11:14.559 give you a list. You know, ask anybody who has 222 00:11:14.600 --> 00:11:18.000 stepped in for a coaching legend after that legend steps aside, 223 00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:20.720 ask them what that's like. More often than not, it 224 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:23.200 doesn't work. Klin de bor is going through it down 225 00:11:23.240 --> 00:11:26.840 in Tuscaloosa. They're used to a certain standard and Alabama 226 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:30.080 football has not played up to that standard. So if 227 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:32.440 the season continues to go south, and I'm sorry on 228 00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:34.919 this Monday, after being the guy that was holding on 229 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:38.039 to the last branch last week, I let go of 230 00:11:38.039 --> 00:11:41.000 the branch. I'm face down in the mud. I can't. 231 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:42.840 It's just the data that we have, the proof that 232 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:45.279 we have. I think the defense is still good. Of course, 233 00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:48.279 a couple of fourth down goal line stands to keep 234 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:51.720 him in the game, and by most metrics, Utah defense 235 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:54.039 is still one of the elite defenses in both the 236 00:11:54.039 --> 00:11:57.759 conference in the country. But imagine being on that side 237 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:00.840 of the football. And we've talked to Nate Orchard and 238 00:12:00.919 --> 00:12:04.919 others and will talk to Scott Mitchell today about this. Like, 239 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:07.559 if you're on the defense and you get a great stand, 240 00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:10.120 you go over and you have a sipagatorade, then you 241 00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:11.840 turn around, you got to put your helmet back on. 242 00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:15.279 At some point that is going to seep into the 243 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:19.480 chemistry of the group. It's just inevitable, and we're starting 244 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:21.840 to see it a little bit here there. But look, 245 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:25.519 credit Brigham Young for what they've done. Klone's doing a 246 00:12:25.559 --> 00:12:26.840 hell of a job. He's going to be on the 247 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:29.559 short list for Coach of the Year both Big twelve 248 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:33.399 and in the country, and he deserves it. Jake is 249 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:36.159 playing mistake free football. I didn't think he could after 250 00:12:36.200 --> 00:12:38.240 the four starts and he lost all four last year. 251 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:39.679 They're complimentary. 252 00:12:40.039 --> 00:12:40.240 LJ. 253 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:43.000 Martin is back, Innkley, Rapotti's a beast. They can pass it, 254 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:45.919 they can run it. Their special teams are dialed. They 255 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:48.120 turned the other team over. They did it twice again 256 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:51.759 against UCF. They take care of the football much better 257 00:12:51.799 --> 00:12:55.000 than Jake was under center last year. They've got a 258 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:58.759 big time playmaker and Chase Roberts. Darius Lassiter has uped 259 00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:00.960 his game as well. Dari and Jake just kind of 260 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:04.480 have this thing. They are dialed in on both sides 261 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:07.639 of the football, all three phases. Offense, defense, special teams 262 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:12.799 BYU is far superior, as we say here today over 263 00:13:12.840 --> 00:13:15.200 the University of Utah. Sorry, I wish I could spin 264 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:18.120 it in another way. See, this is a great song 265 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:22.600 and a great intro, but you can't cut it short. 266 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:25.240 You gotta let it bleed into the start of the song, 267 00:13:25.399 --> 00:13:28.279 right I think, So, yeah, you can't. I mean, because 268 00:13:28.320 --> 00:13:31.759 it really is and this was so Bell picked this song. Yes, 269 00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:34.240 we must have an old soul on our hands because 270 00:13:34.279 --> 00:13:37.399 I believe she's too young for the who Belle Frasier 271 00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:39.639 covers the Yutah Hockey Club? Did you grow up? With 272 00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:40.279 the who bell. 273 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:45.399 No, but it was always the New York Rangers intro 274 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:49.039 song for playoffs, So it was just part of my 275 00:13:49.159 --> 00:13:53.720 childhood inherently. Yes, I guess it was like my hockey 276 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:54.639 song growing up. 277 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:57.480 I love it. I love it well, great memories, certainly 278 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:59.519 attending a lot of Ranger games, as you and I 279 00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:02.639 both did. All right, Belle, what's gone wrong here? After 280 00:14:02.679 --> 00:14:04.480 the hot start we kind of come back down earth? 281 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:07.679 What stands out most of you about this Utah Hockey 282 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:10.519 Club streak of three losses and then five losses in 283 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:11.960 their last six games. 284 00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:14.320 Yeah, I mean, I think first of all, it was 285 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:17.080 a hot start. You know, that was not a start. 286 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:20.080 I think most people were expecting from that team, especially 287 00:14:20.600 --> 00:14:23.360 going into the Islanders and Rangers opening night with those 288 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:25.799 overtime wins, and then they had another great overtime win 289 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:28.559 at Delta Center against the Bruins where they played a 290 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:30.360 good game, and I think this is just what you 291 00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:32.919 have to expect with the team that's in the fourth 292 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:37.120 year of a rebuild with one number one defenseman right now, 293 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:39.080 and then kind of figuring out how to work with 294 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:42.799 their injured blue line. Coach shuffled the lines a lot today, 295 00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:44.600 in practice, so you're going to see a new look 296 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:47.440 up front for them tonight. But I think other than 297 00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:50.120 the five to one loss against Colorado, I think that 298 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:53.120 game they just didn't show up at all. The player 299 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:55.679 said it afterwards, it was kind of an unacceptable performance. 300 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:58.000 The effort level wasn't there, the buying wasn't there. But 301 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:01.519 I think the four NASA loss against Ottawa looks a 302 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:03.519 lot worse than maybe it was. You know, they let 303 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:06.480 up gas for eight minutes in the first period, gave 304 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:08.519 up four goals, and then for the second and third 305 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:10.320 didn't give up anything else and had a lot of 306 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:13.000 good chances. And same thing with the Kings. That's a 307 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:15.440 one shot game. Logan Cooley gets his first of the 308 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:18.440 year and Clayton Keller gets his team going too. So 309 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:22.799 I think what coach his sentiment today was, you obviously 310 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:24.960 want wins in this league. You're not coming in just 311 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:27.320 to have moral victories. But when you look at the 312 00:15:27.320 --> 00:15:31.720 body of work, maybe the scores or or the loss 313 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:34.000 column for them is it looks a little bit different 314 00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:35.879 than how they actually feel in the room, And I 315 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:38.600 think that's kind of the message you have to to 316 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:42.080 give to stay positive in there. They're building, and then 317 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:44.279 they're trying to find their identity in Utah and that's 318 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:46.159 not going to come with you know, a ten and 319 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:49.080 oh streak to start the season. But tonight they play 320 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:52.240 the San Jose Sharks, so I believe are seven and two, 321 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:55.879 So the pressure's on if you you don't want to 322 00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:58.519 underestimate any opponent in the league. But this is a 323 00:15:58.559 --> 00:16:03.080 team that Utah should be and it has an opportunity 324 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:06.360 to get out of a losing right here and on 325 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:09.120 home ice, nonetheless, so I would say this is kind 326 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:11.559 of a must win for the team. And we can 327 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:13.600 talk about lines later, but yeah, they're shaking up the 328 00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:16.480 forward group to kind of get something going after only 329 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:20.639 scoring what three regulation goals in three games? 330 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:23.639 Yeah, yeah, the offense is stalled and I wanted to 331 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:27.759 kind of kick the tires with you on and you'll 332 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:30.159 know better than I, But when I read up, I 333 00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:32.759 didn't watch a ton of Coyotes hockey last year. I 334 00:16:32.759 --> 00:16:34.879 will admit that bell I wasn't dialed in on them, 335 00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:38.240 so when I read about the issues they had a 336 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:40.960 year ago, it seemed like most people believe that Connor 337 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:43.480 was asked to stand on his head a bit because 338 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:46.320 the defense was just kind of left wanting. Now, they 339 00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:49.120 made some additions in the offseason, as we know, they 340 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:52.200 also have some injuries. So are we kind of seeing 341 00:16:52.200 --> 00:16:55.399 a continuation of that issue that plagued them last year? 342 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:58.399 Do you see that side of the equation here where 343 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:01.639 the defense continues to struggle and they're asking their goalkeeper 344 00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:02.679 to do a little bit too much. 345 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:05.920 Yeah, for sure. That and they're not scoring in the 346 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:08.279 numbers that they did last year too. Like last year 347 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:11.240 they didn't have really a lot of issues scoring three 348 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:14.039 to four goals a night, but they were giving up 349 00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:17.440 average three point five goals a night, I think, more 350 00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:19.400 than they were scoring. So that's never going to win 351 00:17:19.480 --> 00:17:21.920 you a game. And the back end, we talked about 352 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:23.720 it earlier this season. That was the main thing they 353 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:26.319 focused on going to the season. They brought in Surgachev, 354 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:31.240 they extended Dursey, they brought in John Marino, ian cole Bertuso, 355 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:35.319 and Sean Jersey got shoulder surgery on his right shoulder 356 00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:37.400 and he's out four to six months. They just released 357 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:40.119 and Marino hasn't even faded with the team yet. He 358 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:43.200 got lower back surgery and is out I believe three 359 00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:43.920 to four months. 360 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:44.839 So those are two. 361 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:46.400 Guys that you kind of thought were going to be 362 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:50.319 back in stalwarts for you, and you're kind of given 363 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:53.359 the opportunity to a lot of young guys to step up. 364 00:17:53.960 --> 00:17:56.480 But that wasn't the blueprint for this season, you know. 365 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:58.920 The whole point was to have these young guys be 366 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:03.680 able to be paid with maybe a little more experienced veterans. 367 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:06.319 And you still have Sergachev and you still have Colon Bertuso, 368 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:08.880 but they're kind of more stay at home, you know, 369 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:12.359 puck eating physical defenseman and not the same two way 370 00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:15.160 maybe offensive flare the way that Marino and Jersey are. 371 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:18.240 So I think you see that as a struggle for them. 372 00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:20.839 They have Michael Kesling on the first pair, who has 373 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:22.599 been holding his own and has kept up with the 374 00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:26.039 minutes pretty well. But you know, that's not exactly what 375 00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:28.079 you would have imagined coming to the season. And then 376 00:18:28.119 --> 00:18:31.279 they called up Maverick Lameru from the AHL. He made 377 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:34.119 his NHL debut a few nights ago and he's been great, 378 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:36.240 but he's twenty years old, you know, and he's learning 379 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:38.359 the league for the first time as well. He's impaired 380 00:18:38.359 --> 00:18:41.240 with Ian Cole, So I think that NHL because of 381 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:43.640 injuries and call ups, is kind of a learn as 382 00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:46.279 you go league. It's not really a developmental league. That's 383 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:48.799 what the AHL is for. So you're kind of seeing 384 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:51.519 Utah figure out their problems on the fly. And I 385 00:18:51.559 --> 00:18:54.079 think that defense doesn't just come from the defenseman. It's 386 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:56.960 the forwards too, and Lost and Kraus kind of sets 387 00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:59.039 that they need to play better team defense. It's not 388 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:01.640 just on the two guys and the goalie. So I 389 00:19:01.640 --> 00:19:04.400 think it goes down all through the roster and they're 390 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:07.799 going to figure out eventually. But yeah, I think the 391 00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:10.319 the court that they have now is not what most 392 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:12.839 people would have projected in September. 393 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:17.519 So you reference some shuffling with some of the lines. 394 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:21.519 So let's get let's get the detailed information there and 395 00:19:21.559 --> 00:19:23.160 do you know what it's going to look like, maybe 396 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:24.359 starting as early as tonight. 397 00:19:25.559 --> 00:19:28.839 Yeah, So per coach this morning, he said the first 398 00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:31.759 line will be Keller, Cooley, and Gunther, So Cooley is 399 00:19:31.799 --> 00:19:35.480 getting moved up to center that line, as is guntherer 400 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:38.240 on the right wing, and then second line is supposed 401 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:43.640 to be Mitchelli, Hayton and Schmaltz. Third line Kerfoot Bukestad 402 00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:46.000 and Kraus and you know, big return with buke Sad 403 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:48.799 who played his first game this season last game after 404 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:51.279 being injured for all of training camp, and then the 405 00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:55.039 fourth line will be McBain, Stenlin and O'Brien. So big 406 00:19:55.079 --> 00:19:58.359 news tonight is that Josh Stone is a healthy scratch 407 00:19:58.440 --> 00:20:01.519 for the first time this season and O'Brien's coming in 408 00:20:01.640 --> 00:20:05.279 on the fourth line, So Michael Carconi will also be scratched. 409 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:08.519 And then you so vallamachis scratch, so Wretusa will be 410 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:12.319 in on the back end. But yeah, they really shuffled 411 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:14.319 it up. I talked to Kuley the other day and 412 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:17.200 he kind of said, when teams aren't producing and guys 413 00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:19.720 aren't feeling their best, sometimes a mix up is just 414 00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:22.559 good mentally to feel like you have a refresher and 415 00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:25.559 then see what happened and worked for him last game 416 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:27.160 he got his first of the season and he kind 417 00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:29.200 of gets the promotion to the first line now, so 418 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:30.279 we'll see. 419 00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:30.559 What it can do. 420 00:20:30.759 --> 00:20:33.039 But Utah kind of stuck with the same lineup for 421 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:35.880 the first six Fish games of the season, and I 422 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:37.920 think at a certain point, when you're not scoring, it's 423 00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:40.079 on the coach to kind of see what he can 424 00:20:40.119 --> 00:20:42.200 get out of his lineup, and that's exactly what they've 425 00:20:42.200 --> 00:20:42.640 done here. 426 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:45.920 Let's move over to special teams first. I wanted to 427 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:49.079 get your opinion on what you've seen on both the 428 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:51.400 power play and then the power play kill. I mean 429 00:20:51.400 --> 00:20:54.400 that's another you know, killing power plays a year ago 430 00:20:54.799 --> 00:20:57.599 was not a strength of theirs. So are you seeing 431 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:00.799 any improvement on the special team side? And do you 432 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:03.000 know what the special team's lines are going to look 433 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:03.480 like tonight? 434 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:04.920 Yeah? 435 00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:07.519 I think you know, starting the season, the power play 436 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:10.519 was a strength for Utah and it's really dwindled off 437 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:13.039 a bit. A lot of the players have talked about it, 438 00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:14.839 and you can see it in the games. They're playing 439 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:17.079 a lot more perimeter than they did before. They're kind 440 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:20.160 of being pushed the outside ice and shooting from the 441 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:23.440 point and the circles, which you know is great, But 442 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:26.559 in this NHL, goaltenders are too good. Defense oon are 443 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:28.319 too good. They'll get in the way, they'll block the shot, 444 00:21:28.359 --> 00:21:30.640 they'll make the save. And I think when Utah had 445 00:21:30.680 --> 00:21:33.279 the most success this season was when they were battling 446 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:35.359 for inside ice, when they were fighting for the crease. 447 00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:37.480 You know, Barrett Hayton had a great screen on Clayton 448 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:40.880 Keller's goal right when the power play expired, and Logan 449 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:42.799 Cooley did a good job of that, just getting in 450 00:21:42.839 --> 00:21:45.359 front and getting a tipping goal. And Coach has kind 451 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:48.200 of preached getting the greasier, dirtier goals, and that's when 452 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:50.720 you know they have three to four goals tonight. So 453 00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:52.640 I think they need to start doing that on the 454 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:54.839 power play again and kind of not looking for the 455 00:21:54.920 --> 00:21:57.480 perfect shot, but just getting it on net and going 456 00:21:57.480 --> 00:22:01.799 for the rebound. And with so power play units today 457 00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:05.279 in practice, the first film was Sergachev, Keller, Schmaltz, Hayton 458 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:08.400 and Gunther, which is unchanged. You know, that's a pretty 459 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:12.359 loaded first unit. And then the second unit is Kesslering, Machelli, 460 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:14.440 buke Sad, Kraus and Cooley. And that's a bit of 461 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:17.720 a different look because Bukesad is back and also because 462 00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:21.240 Valla Macky is scratched. Kesslering will be running the point 463 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:23.599 on the power play he did last game. He has 464 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:26.400 a tremendous shot, one of the best, one of the 465 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:28.960 defenseman on the team, I would say, so I think 466 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:31.759 that's no worry with him up there and then for 467 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:35.880 the penalty kill. You know, I personally don't I worry 468 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:38.079 less about the penalty kill than the power play because 469 00:22:38.119 --> 00:22:41.359 I think just the experience they have back there is great. 470 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:46.160 You look at stenlan Kerfoot Bortuso, all of those guys 471 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:49.440 have kind of earned a living blocking shots, winning defensive 472 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:53.279 zone face offs and have that mileage that they know 473 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:56.119 what it takes and do or die situation. So I 474 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:58.519 think the PK is less of a problem for Utah 475 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:01.559 and you just need a score, Like if you're not 476 00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:03.680 scoring five on five, you're probably not scoring on the 477 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:06.319 power play and vice versa. So I think once that 478 00:23:06.359 --> 00:23:09.200 offensive touch comes back for Utah, maybe that confidence will 479 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:11.680 come back to the power play. But you know, it 480 00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:14.119 also comes to discipline. They've had to use their penalty 481 00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:15.799 kill a lot more than they've had to use their 482 00:23:15.799 --> 00:23:18.279 power play with the amount of penalties they've taken. So 483 00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:21.480 you've got to put yourself in opportunities to be a 484 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:23.079 man up and not be a man down. And I 485 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:25.599 think that's something that the team is actively working on. 486 00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:30.000 Are they getting what they need? Slash expected from Sergachev 487 00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:34.240 because it seems like he's extremely skilled for a defenseman 488 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:37.200 as far as the ability to provide you know, assists. 489 00:23:37.319 --> 00:23:39.480 He hasn't scored a goal yet, but he has five assists. 490 00:23:39.880 --> 00:23:42.079 But back to the defensive issues. He was kind of 491 00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:45.480 the star signing of the offseason. Has he lived up 492 00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:47.519 to expectations in your opinion. 493 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:49.920 Bill, Yeah, I mean it's early, and I think you 494 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:53.880 probably need at least I don't know fifteen twenty games 495 00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:56.880 that you're nearing, but I think Sergachev has been great 496 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:58.880 and I think he's been what they need him to be, 497 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:02.200 and he probably has taken on a lot more responsibility 498 00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:04.640 than he thought he was going to have. You know, 499 00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:07.079 the conversations coming into the season was can he be 500 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:09.400 the number one defenceman? Will he earn that role? And 501 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:12.680 he has because of all the injuries they've had, and 502 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:14.599 you know, there were two games where they went down 503 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:18.759 to five defenceman when Jersey was out, Virtuso got hurt 504 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:22.400 and Sergachev logged almost thirty minutes of ice time for 505 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:25.920 both of those games. And he's continued, even with six defensemen, 506 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:29.279 to log around twenty five plus a night. So that 507 00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:31.880 part of that is he's used in all situations. You know, 508 00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:33.759 he'll be on the power play, he can slodd in 509 00:24:33.799 --> 00:24:36.720 on the penalty kill, he's on the first pair, he's 510 00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:39.400 kind of orchestrating offense from the top. But then he 511 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:42.000 also is the first one back. So I think his 512 00:24:42.119 --> 00:24:44.880 versatility kind of forces him to be on the ice 513 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:46.960 for that amount of time. And I think something that 514 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:50.440 sticks out with him is even if he's logging all 515 00:24:50.440 --> 00:24:52.519 those miles, his play doesn't really dip. 516 00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:52.759 You know. 517 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:55.039 It could be his first minute on the ice or 518 00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:58.359 his twenty second in the third period, and his his 519 00:24:58.519 --> 00:25:01.359 level of play and his compete level kind of remains 520 00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:03.480 the same. And that's something that is not true for 521 00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:06.079 a lot of defensemen who have to log that much time. 522 00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:08.519 You know, you just simply get tired. But we talked 523 00:25:08.519 --> 00:25:11.640 to Sergachev and he said he's really embracing it. It's 524 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:13.720 his chance to be a leader on this team, and 525 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:16.400 he said it's kind of helping him get his confidence back. 526 00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:18.720 You know, he suffered a really brutal injury last year, 527 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:21.319 breaking his leg, and it takes a second to get 528 00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:23.720 back into the season and lose that fear of getting 529 00:25:23.720 --> 00:25:26.119 injured again. And he said the more he plays, the 530 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:28.920 more comfortable he feels. Not only just as a hockey player, 531 00:25:28.920 --> 00:25:32.200 but within the Utah system. So I think he's kind 532 00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:34.440 of doing everything he can to lift that blue line 533 00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:37.200 and the goals will come. I think that's something everyone's 534 00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:40.640 confident about. You're not really nervous about Surgachev hitting a 535 00:25:40.680 --> 00:25:43.200 slump because if he's not scoring with the puck, his 536 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:45.440 work away from it is helping the team win in 537 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:46.119 different ways. 538 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:50.559 So I think we all could agree with the following statement. 539 00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:54.400 Probably not as good as they started the season, and 540 00:25:54.440 --> 00:25:56.680 probably not as bad as they've been over the past 541 00:25:56.680 --> 00:25:59.119 four or five games. So it is early. It is 542 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:02.200 nine games, but through the first nine, what are you 543 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:05.359 confident bell in saying that you really do know about 544 00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:08.480 this team got off to a hot start, have leveled 545 00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:12.000 off in the truth as it normally is, is probably somewhere. 546 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:12.119 In the middle. 547 00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:17.079 Yeah, yeah, no, totally. I think it's not surprising. You 548 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:19.279 knew with a team like this, a young team that's 549 00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:21.759 still trying to figure out all the pieces that there, 550 00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:23.720 it's going to be a mixed bag. It's going to 551 00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:24.400 be up and down. 552 00:26:24.440 --> 00:26:25.480 But something that's. 553 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:28.640 Really stuck out to me over you know, this losing 554 00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:31.119 streak and even during the winning streak, is the maturity 555 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:34.400 in the room and how they're handling this adversity. I 556 00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:37.319 think maybe in Arizona the past few years when the 557 00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:40.359 leaders on that team are only what twenty three, twenty four, 558 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:43.319 twenty five at that time. Now those guys are twenty six, 559 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:45.799 twenty seven, twenty eight, and even the young guys like 560 00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:48.519 gun thro and Cooley and McBain, they kind of just 561 00:26:48.599 --> 00:26:51.400 have a good mindset and head on their shoulders right now. 562 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:54.000 And they came out of that Colorado game and no 563 00:26:54.039 --> 00:26:56.119 one was like, oh, it's early in the season, like 564 00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:58.559 you're going to lose sometimes at home. Oh well, like 565 00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:02.400 every single guy saying that's unacceptable, that is not Utah hockey. 566 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:04.519 That's not what we're here to do. We have to 567 00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:06.160 learn from it and we have to grow from it. 568 00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:09.519 So I think that kind of just says a lot about, 569 00:27:09.640 --> 00:27:11.480 you know, where the team has come from and not 570 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:14.079 getting frustrated with themselves. And I think you saw that 571 00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:16.799 in the Ottawa game too, when they lost for nothing. 572 00:27:16.839 --> 00:27:19.359 Even though they weren't able to score in those forty 573 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:21.880 minutes after they gave out those four goals, they were pushing. 574 00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:25.400 It was never you know, breaking sticks. Bad attitude on 575 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:28.119 the bench kind of throwing the game away because they 576 00:27:28.119 --> 00:27:30.599 were down four. I mean, they were fighting for a 577 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:33.079 goal until that last minute. And I think that's what 578 00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:36.200 you want to see from a team if they're losing. Okay, 579 00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:38.839 everyone's going to lose in the NHL, but it's what 580 00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:40.839 are they taking from those losses, what are they trying 581 00:27:40.839 --> 00:27:43.039 to improve on, and how are they viewing kind of 582 00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:45.519 those role in those losses. So I think, yeah, big 583 00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:48.839 theme has been maturity and accountability in a room that 584 00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:51.440 had to grow that, you know, from the ground up 585 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:53.920 in Arizona, and I think it'll help them get out 586 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:55.880 of the thread and help them down the stretch, hopefully 587 00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:58.759 when they're able to start stringing someones together. 588 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:02.960 I saw that you wrote about the debut of Maverick Lameoureau, 589 00:28:03.400 --> 00:28:06.039 the twenty year old man. So young, twenty year old 590 00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:10.519 defenceman who made his debut last week. Unpack that piece 591 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:12.400 for us bell. Tell our listeners what you learned about 592 00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:13.039 this young kid. 593 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:17.880 Yeah, I mean from day one when he came to practice. 594 00:28:17.880 --> 00:28:20.720 So he got called up. They called him right before 595 00:28:20.759 --> 00:28:23.240 he went to bed in Arizona and he's on a 596 00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:26.279 six am flight the next morning, shows up to Utah 597 00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:30.279 practice that same morning, off of like four hours of sleep, 598 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:32.720 and he was probably the most lively guy there and 599 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:35.440 in the media scrum, you know, he's just so happy, 600 00:28:35.640 --> 00:28:38.759 so smiley, laughing, jumping around, is so happy to be 601 00:28:39.079 --> 00:28:41.480 in the NHL. And he didn't know at that point 602 00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:43.319 if he was making his debut, but he was just 603 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:47.640 so grateful for the opportunity. And what's really interesting about him. 604 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:50.119 You know, Sean Jersey's out with the shoulder surgery. And 605 00:28:50.119 --> 00:28:52.440 I talked about this in the story, but before he 606 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:54.359 turned twenty, or by the time he turned twenty, he 607 00:28:54.440 --> 00:28:57.400 underwent two shoulder surgeries. So he has had to deal 608 00:28:57.880 --> 00:29:00.400 with that four to six month rehab twice. The prime 609 00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:02.960 years of his development. He was injured in his draft year. 610 00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:05.200 Then he was injured in the time when you're trying 611 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:07.440 to make a push in the juniors or NCAA or 612 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:10.279 in the HL to show the franchise you were drafted 613 00:29:10.279 --> 00:29:12.480 by that you're kind of ready to go and be 614 00:29:12.599 --> 00:29:15.559 a difference maker in the organization. So he's had to 615 00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:19.839 battle back from a lot of that, and I think 616 00:29:20.039 --> 00:29:22.319 it shows in his work ethic on the ice. You know, 617 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:27.119 he's six foot six, almost two hundred pounds and he skates. 618 00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:30.160 I talked to one of his strength trainers this summer. 619 00:29:30.200 --> 00:29:32.000 He said, he skates like he's five foot ten, but 620 00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:34.759 he's six foot six. And I think that's really unique 621 00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:36.839 about him and what Utah fans have been able to 622 00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:39.759 see that he's this big, physical body, but he's kind 623 00:29:39.799 --> 00:29:43.799 of fleet footed. He can score, he's responsible. That's something 624 00:29:43.799 --> 00:29:45.720 he's really been saying that he just wants the team 625 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:48.359 to be able to trust him even though he's younger. 626 00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:51.640 And you know finality too. He was saying he grew 627 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:54.039 out his He's been trying to grow out his mustache 628 00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:56.359 and his beard so he can look more like a 629 00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:59.599 pro because he's only twenty playing against these older guys. 630 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:01.680 He said his dad told him to shave it, but 631 00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:03.480 he was like, no, I have to try to fit in. 632 00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:06.920 So I think that's something that Utah fans get with 633 00:30:06.920 --> 00:30:10.359 a developing team, is that with injuries and stuff like that, 634 00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:12.240 you're going to see some of their prospects from the 635 00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:14.880 AHL get to come up and have their opportunities. And 636 00:30:15.319 --> 00:30:17.599 you know, it's nothing's cooler than getting to see a 637 00:30:17.640 --> 00:30:20.400 kid's dream come true. And that's exactly what it was 638 00:30:20.440 --> 00:30:23.200 for Utah this week, and you know, coach said, sometimes 639 00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:25.559 that does something for the room. It's a little reminder 640 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:27.759 for everyone to, you know, remember where they came from 641 00:30:27.799 --> 00:30:29.839 and remember what a privilege it is to play in 642 00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:31.799 the NHL. So I think that's been a bright spot 643 00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:34.079 for Utah and we'll kind of see how how long 644 00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:37.000 he can pull this pro stint off for well. 645 00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:40.160 Before I said you lose, I wonder what your opinion 646 00:30:40.279 --> 00:30:43.400 is on how the building has felt. I mean, I 647 00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:46.000 was there Opening night and it was awesome, and I've 648 00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:48.119 watched the rest of the games on television. I know 649 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:50.640 you're there. What do you make of the type of 650 00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:52.839 support that this club is getting so far here in 651 00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:53.319 Sol Lake. 652 00:30:54.319 --> 00:30:56.799 I don't think anything has compared to Opening Night. That 653 00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:00.160 was a really special night, you know, sell out. The 654 00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:03.319 crowd was insane. It was super loud. Every play it 655 00:31:03.319 --> 00:31:06.240 felt like they were ready to explode. I would say 656 00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:09.440 the Bruins game, there were a lot of Bruins fans randomly, 657 00:31:09.480 --> 00:31:12.039 a lot of Utah Natives are Bruins fans, so it 658 00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:14.559 was kind of split for that, and then the last 659 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:17.039 two games. You know, it's still full, but I think 660 00:31:17.079 --> 00:31:20.240 the energy has teetered off maybe a little, which is 661 00:31:20.359 --> 00:31:22.680 fair if your team is shut out one night and 662 00:31:22.720 --> 00:31:25.319 scores one goal with five minutes left in the third 663 00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:29.000 period the next night. So you know, I think the 664 00:31:29.079 --> 00:31:32.039 fan support is obviously still there. People are still interested. 665 00:31:32.119 --> 00:31:34.599 But the players have all talked about it. Nick Bugsad 666 00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:37.400 talked about it today. They need to give people something 667 00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:39.960 to cheer about and something to be invested in. And 668 00:31:40.039 --> 00:31:42.599 the way to create that tradition and culture of Utah 669 00:31:42.599 --> 00:31:45.759 hockey is winning. And so that's something I think they're 670 00:31:45.799 --> 00:31:47.400 really aware of, is that they need to put a 671 00:31:47.400 --> 00:31:49.839 good product on the ice for people to want to 672 00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:52.119 support the Utah Hockey Club and make this a premiere 673 00:31:52.200 --> 00:31:55.279 NHL city. So it's definitely not missed on them. But yeah, 674 00:31:55.319 --> 00:32:00.039 I would say opening night set standards pretty high. I 675 00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:02.039 don't know if the building has been that loud since 676 00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:05.559 that night, but it's loud every night, you know, and 677 00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:07.480 it's definitely a step up from what they were dealing 678 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:10.440 with last year. So I think they appreciate the fan support, 679 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:12.759 whether it's a sellout where the upper bowl is kind 680 00:32:12.759 --> 00:32:13.359 of scattered. 681 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:16.480 Bell, thanks so much for the time, Keep up the 682 00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:18.920 great work. You're very helpful. For all of us as 683 00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:21.359 we learn this new sport here in our market and 684 00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:24.039 have a great week. We'll chat soon, Okay, thank you, 685 00:32:24.279 --> 00:32:26.599 all right. Belle Frasier covers the Utah Hockey Club for 686 00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:30.200 the Salt Lake Tribune. Get her on Twitter at Belle Fraser. 687 00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:32.359 One is where you find her. A really cool piece 688 00:32:32.960 --> 00:32:35.799 on Maverick Lamreau his debut with the hockey club last 689 00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:38.000 week and seems like a great kid. Trying to grow 690 00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:39.640 out a beard, so he looks old. He's only twenty 691 00:32:39.720 --> 00:32:42.759 years old. Get back to some college football. 692 00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:43.000 Coming up in a bit. 693 00:32:43.079 --> 00:32:45.400 Scott Mitchell stops five, one of the best ever do 694 00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:48.440 it at the U. Longtime NFL VET. We're going to 695 00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:51.920 bring Scott in a little bit later. Riso gets their postseason, 696 00:32:52.039 --> 00:32:57.759 hopefully postseason. Ron started tomorrow night against Minnesota here in 697 00:32:57.799 --> 00:33:00.200 our market and started things off a little hockey, but 698 00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:03.720 no outside for some basketball. The Jazz are zero to two. 699 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:06.079 They've lost their first couple of games there in Dallas. 700 00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:08.480 Tonight time for the NBA Daily Assist with our guy 701 00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:11.759 Tom Haberstrow on a Monday, tom Happy Monday. 702 00:33:11.480 --> 00:33:13.920 Buddy, How are you doing doing great man? How are you? 703 00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:16.079 I'm well I'm well, so we have a lot of 704 00:33:16.119 --> 00:33:19.680 teams that are losing right now in our market. Utah 705 00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:23.400 football is not great hockey team three straight. But the 706 00:33:23.400 --> 00:33:26.839 one team that I'm on board with the losing is 707 00:33:26.880 --> 00:33:29.599 the Jazz. Okay, so I don't know if they're actually 708 00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:33.119 doing this by design, but through two games, you know, 709 00:33:33.160 --> 00:33:36.319 there were some decent moments against Memphis, marketing was really good. 710 00:33:36.359 --> 00:33:39.359 They get smoked by Golden State. Is there a chance 711 00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:42.920 they're finally leaning in to a full you know, I'll 712 00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:45.119 just say it a full tank in order to kind 713 00:33:45.119 --> 00:33:47.680 of expedite the rebuild with maybe a Cooper flag or 714 00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:49.319 something like it next draft. 715 00:33:50.000 --> 00:33:54.480 Until Larry Markinin is sidelined with some sort of load management. No, 716 00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:56.640 I don't think that they're trying to lose this badly. 717 00:33:57.319 --> 00:34:00.319 I think it's just a bad case of they hit 718 00:34:00.319 --> 00:34:03.799 a shot and the other team is just everybody looks 719 00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:07.079 like Steph Curry out there. What Buddy Heal did against 720 00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:10.239 the Blazers the other day and then what he did 721 00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:12.519 against the Jazz, you would think that he is the 722 00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:17.159 greatest shooter of all time, and it's just this is 723 00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:22.760 life in the NBA. It's a young team, Cante George 724 00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:27.679 still struggling to figure things out. It's another year. 725 00:34:28.280 --> 00:34:28.440 You know. 726 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:31.639 Scoot Henderson's another young point guard in his sophomore year 727 00:34:32.280 --> 00:34:36.079 and at times he's struggling to hit his jumper from downtown. 728 00:34:36.119 --> 00:34:39.079 But Cante George, we thought he was going to be 729 00:34:39.079 --> 00:34:41.679 better at this in terms of his long distance shooting, 730 00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:45.239 and he's shown moments that he is a really talented shooter. 731 00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:48.599 Hasn't been able to get it together. But marking In 732 00:34:48.760 --> 00:34:51.800 is that dude until he is sidelined for any sort 733 00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:55.400 of period. I am gonna say that they're not trying 734 00:34:55.440 --> 00:34:58.119 to lose this badly. But when the Golden State Warriors 735 00:34:58.159 --> 00:35:00.199 are going to look like that, it's really hard to 736 00:35:00.199 --> 00:35:01.280 beat anybody. 737 00:35:01.199 --> 00:35:05.559 No, for sure. And you reference Kyante. So look, every 738 00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:09.400 time either Xanik or Age has an opportunity to address 739 00:35:09.440 --> 00:35:12.239 the media, they pretty much hammer the same point home, 740 00:35:12.280 --> 00:35:15.760 which is developments, development of our young players, and believing 741 00:35:15.800 --> 00:35:19.679 in our coach and believing in this process. So what 742 00:35:19.719 --> 00:35:22.519 should Jazz fans look for to indicate whether or not 743 00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:26.360 the development is going well? Because you referenced it, and look, 744 00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:28.239 it's only two games. We're just trying to make some 745 00:35:28.280 --> 00:35:30.360 topics here out of a couple of basketball games, which 746 00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:34.400 is always tricky, but we have data now dating back 747 00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:37.360 to college of Kyante just not being a good shooter. 748 00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:40.199 I mean, I know it sounds simplistic, but he didn't 749 00:35:40.519 --> 00:35:42.920 knock down a high percentage in college. He didn't as 750 00:35:42.960 --> 00:35:46.760 a rookie. He was three of eighteen against Memphis, and 751 00:35:46.840 --> 00:35:49.559 so if the development is working, He's four of twelve 752 00:35:49.559 --> 00:35:52.400 against Golden State, so obviously not a good start as 753 00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:55.159 far as shot making five turnovers against the Warriors as well. 754 00:35:55.519 --> 00:35:58.079 If the development is working over there, what should Jazz 755 00:35:58.119 --> 00:36:00.599 fans look forward to indicate that things are up with 756 00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:02.000 some of these young players. 757 00:36:04.039 --> 00:36:05.360 Well, I'll just put it like this. 758 00:36:07.039 --> 00:36:12.079 Over in Portland, Scoot Henderson has twenty two shots at 759 00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:17.079 the rim restricted area. So that's that area right, like 760 00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:19.679 a two to three feet inside the basket area. He 761 00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:23.079 has twenty two shots. He's getting to the cup. Do 762 00:36:23.119 --> 00:36:25.719 you know how many shots in the restricted area? Can't 763 00:36:25.719 --> 00:36:27.400 say George has so far this season? 764 00:36:27.599 --> 00:36:30.000 Doesn't feel like a lot, would be my guest. 765 00:36:31.239 --> 00:36:31.519 Zero. 766 00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:34.079 I didn't know it was zero. 767 00:36:34.239 --> 00:36:36.400 Like that, wow, zero. 768 00:36:36.639 --> 00:36:41.000 He's got zero shots at the rim in the two games, 769 00:36:41.159 --> 00:36:44.159 and that's worrisome for me beyond like the long distance 770 00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:47.440 shooting that isn't there yet in two games. If your 771 00:36:47.480 --> 00:36:51.840 ability to get to the rack, what separates Shake Gilgris Alexander, 772 00:36:51.920 --> 00:36:57.599 what separates John Moran, what separates Daron Fox, What separates 773 00:36:58.280 --> 00:37:00.960 even Steph Curry with his great three point shot very 774 00:37:01.039 --> 00:37:03.920 underrated at his finishing around the rim? You got to 775 00:37:03.960 --> 00:37:07.559 get there. That is an elite level skill that after 776 00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:09.280 a season of being a point guard in the NBA, 777 00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:11.760 you have to have at least one, you know, And 778 00:37:11.800 --> 00:37:12.639 so that for me. 779 00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:15.400 Is the biggest thing. 780 00:37:15.760 --> 00:37:19.880 Is your ability to get to the rack is a 781 00:37:19.960 --> 00:37:24.000 premier skill as a point guard. In order to be 782 00:37:24.760 --> 00:37:28.119 an upper echelon point guard and lead guy in the NBA, 783 00:37:28.559 --> 00:37:30.880 you got to get to the cup. And so far 784 00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:34.760 this season, according to NBA dot Com shooting data, kant 785 00:37:34.920 --> 00:37:39.440 George has zero attempts at the rim. Now, he's three 786 00:37:39.480 --> 00:37:42.360 of eleven in the paint, but not at the rim area. 787 00:37:42.480 --> 00:37:45.760 So maybe you can say that these floaters should be 788 00:37:45.840 --> 00:37:49.960 considered layups, but it is it is alarming to me 789 00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:53.920 that Kant George through two games does not have a 790 00:37:53.960 --> 00:37:57.519 single shot or a layup so far this season. So 791 00:37:58.400 --> 00:38:01.400 I'm not expecting him to be Jama. I'm not expecting 792 00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:04.360 him to be Russell Westbrook, prime Russell Westbrook or prime 793 00:38:04.480 --> 00:38:07.719 Derrick Rose. But that's going to be something that I'm 794 00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:10.679 going to track going forward. Is his ability to get 795 00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:13.920 to the rack. And yes, he's getting to the free 796 00:38:13.920 --> 00:38:16.440 throw line, so some of those attempts aren't being counted 797 00:38:16.480 --> 00:38:18.960 because he might be getting fouled at the rim and 798 00:38:19.039 --> 00:38:22.480 negates the miss free field goal attempt. But I do 799 00:38:22.519 --> 00:38:25.679 think that when other players like Scood Henderson who are 800 00:38:25.760 --> 00:38:28.239 about the same age are getting to the cup twenty 801 00:38:28.239 --> 00:38:32.880 two times in three games, it should be at least 802 00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:35.199 one attempt at the rim for Kiance. 803 00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:35.960 Yeah. 804 00:38:36.199 --> 00:38:38.119 I mean, like I said when you ask the question, 805 00:38:38.719 --> 00:38:40.719 because I've watched every minute of every game, you know, 806 00:38:40.800 --> 00:38:42.960 both games, it didn't seem like it would be a lot, 807 00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:45.440 but I did not know it was zero. This is 808 00:38:45.559 --> 00:38:48.199 year three for Walker Walker Kessler, So I'm going to 809 00:38:48.239 --> 00:38:51.599 continue to kind of track his progress because, like I've 810 00:38:51.639 --> 00:38:54.320 just asked you about Keyante, if the Jazz are asking 811 00:38:54.400 --> 00:38:57.039 us to watch this development take place a year three, 812 00:38:57.039 --> 00:38:58.480 Walker Kessler is going to be a bit of a 813 00:38:58.480 --> 00:39:01.480 case study because he's had time in the league, and 814 00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:03.880 so far it's been pretty good. He was really good 815 00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:06.800 against Memphis. Zach Edy, who played in one hundred and 816 00:39:06.840 --> 00:39:09.559 thirty eight college basketball games and only filed out once, 817 00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:12.360 filed out in fifteen minutes, and Walker was kind of 818 00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:15.320 the main impetus there. He also had fourteen boards. And 819 00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:17.400 you know, the Golden State game is tough to measure 820 00:39:17.480 --> 00:39:19.840 because they were just getting smoked and so essentially a 821 00:39:19.840 --> 00:39:22.159 lot of guys just sat. Walker only played twenty minutes. 822 00:39:22.199 --> 00:39:24.280 But I'll kind of ask you the same question, what 823 00:39:24.480 --> 00:39:27.719 should year three look like for Walker Kesler. 824 00:39:29.360 --> 00:39:33.880 Well, it should be more than twenty five minutes a game. 825 00:39:34.880 --> 00:39:38.000 I think for him it's the ability to play deeper 826 00:39:38.039 --> 00:39:41.719 into games and proving that you don't get into foul trouble. 827 00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:44.320 But he's not getting into foul trouble, and yet he's 828 00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:46.639 only playing twenty five minutes so far. I would like 829 00:39:46.719 --> 00:39:49.079 to see him as an elite center who I think 830 00:39:49.199 --> 00:39:50.639 was on track to be a kind of in the 831 00:39:50.679 --> 00:39:54.800 same profile as Rudy Gobert. He's still not able to 832 00:39:54.840 --> 00:39:56.480 be trusted for huge minutes. 833 00:39:56.559 --> 00:39:56.760 Now. 834 00:39:57.199 --> 00:40:00.599 You know, Markinen and Cante George have only played sixty 835 00:40:00.679 --> 00:40:03.400 one over those two games, so they're playing just over 836 00:40:03.440 --> 00:40:07.599 thirty minutes. But I still like to see Kessler playing 837 00:40:07.639 --> 00:40:10.559 a little bit more higher minutes, especially because he hasn't 838 00:40:10.559 --> 00:40:13.800 been in foul trouble. But also, you know, it is 839 00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:16.599 a little unnerving to see that the team with the 840 00:40:16.639 --> 00:40:20.960 second highest field goal percentage at the rim is Utah Jazz. 841 00:40:21.239 --> 00:40:25.039 Seventy four percent of the shots at the rim are 842 00:40:25.039 --> 00:40:28.719 going in and that's the second highest for any defense. 843 00:40:28.400 --> 00:40:29.119 In the NBA. 844 00:40:29.760 --> 00:40:31.440 That's not what you want to see from a team 845 00:40:31.440 --> 00:40:34.119 that employees Walker Kessler. That is, you know, one of 846 00:40:34.159 --> 00:40:36.480 the best shot blockers in the game in terms of 847 00:40:36.519 --> 00:40:39.440 just pure shot blocking. But rim protection is more than that. 848 00:40:39.840 --> 00:40:42.280 As you know from watching Rudy Gobert for all these years. 849 00:40:42.440 --> 00:40:45.039 It's not just about the block shots. It's also about 850 00:40:45.079 --> 00:40:47.840 the shots that don't get taken in the rim area. 851 00:40:47.920 --> 00:40:51.480 You're preventing your deterring shots at the rim. But so 852 00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:55.280 far this season, the Utah Jazz have allowed seventy four 853 00:40:55.320 --> 00:40:58.239 percent shooting and the restricted area, which is the second 854 00:40:58.320 --> 00:41:01.079 highest in the league. So you can't build a good 855 00:41:01.079 --> 00:41:05.760 defense around preventing shots at the rim. And even though 856 00:41:05.760 --> 00:41:09.559 it's a high number seventy four percent. Maybe you're minimizing 857 00:41:09.599 --> 00:41:12.880 the attempts and so you're preventing those shots at the rim. 858 00:41:12.920 --> 00:41:16.679 And yes, sometimes they break through in transition, but you're 859 00:41:16.920 --> 00:41:19.639 not seeing that rim protection or rim deterrence like you 860 00:41:19.639 --> 00:41:22.159 would hope. And so I think Walker, maybe it's just 861 00:41:22.760 --> 00:41:25.280 a tough couple of games here in the opening of 862 00:41:25.320 --> 00:41:27.840 the season, but I would like to see that rim 863 00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:30.159 protection stat be a little bit better for Walker. 864 00:41:30.719 --> 00:41:34.000 So I was curious to see because, as you know, Tom, 865 00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:36.920 you've been doing this forever. Coaches just want to win now. 866 00:41:37.079 --> 00:41:41.000 They don't have any interest in, you know, losing a 867 00:41:41.000 --> 00:41:43.280 bunch of games that goes on their track record for 868 00:41:43.440 --> 00:41:45.719 no matter where Will Hardy goes, he's gonna have a 869 00:41:45.760 --> 00:41:48.960 lot of l's on his resume as a result of 870 00:41:49.000 --> 00:41:51.079 being a part of this project. Now they picked up 871 00:41:51.079 --> 00:41:54.719 his fifth year, so next year will be year four. 872 00:41:54.880 --> 00:41:57.000 They already have that option picked up. They announced like 873 00:41:57.039 --> 00:42:00.480 two weeks ago you're good, okay, so you're picked up 874 00:42:00.519 --> 00:42:02.880 through year five. It's a lot like what Danny did 875 00:42:02.880 --> 00:42:05.760 in Boston with Brad Stevens. So he's in the room, 876 00:42:05.960 --> 00:42:09.000 he's part of the deal. He knows kind of what 877 00:42:09.159 --> 00:42:11.760 time it is with the youth on his roster. But 878 00:42:11.840 --> 00:42:14.679 I was really curious to see because Will and Patty 879 00:42:14.679 --> 00:42:17.000 Mills know each other from San Antonio, and Patty Mills 880 00:42:17.039 --> 00:42:19.760 is an NBA champ, and you know he's thirty six, 881 00:42:19.880 --> 00:42:21.880 so we no what's expecting very much, But I was 882 00:42:22.039 --> 00:42:26.400 curious to see what Will would do during Keyante's inevitable 883 00:42:26.400 --> 00:42:28.599 struggles as a young player who's been tasked as the 884 00:42:28.679 --> 00:42:32.920 league guard here and against Memphis, you know, Patty played 885 00:42:32.960 --> 00:42:36.039 sixteen minutes. He didn't take a shot, he didn't take 886 00:42:36.039 --> 00:42:38.920 a free throw, he had one board, he had one assist. 887 00:42:39.400 --> 00:42:42.000 But they were plus ten in patty sixteen minutes as 888 00:42:42.039 --> 00:42:45.480 a team, and they were minus eleven in Keyant's thirty one. 889 00:42:46.480 --> 00:42:49.039 As as Will decided to kind of go with Patty 890 00:42:49.039 --> 00:42:50.599 Mills a little bit to see if he could get 891 00:42:50.599 --> 00:42:52.880 a veteran and at work, the ball started popping, the 892 00:42:52.880 --> 00:42:56.599 ball started moving. Keyante, tom there's a little Donovan there, 893 00:42:56.679 --> 00:42:59.760 like he sometimes can get a little ball dominant instead 894 00:42:59.800 --> 00:43:02.960 of being more decisive and quick with his decisions. And 895 00:43:03.039 --> 00:43:07.199 then Golden State Utah got smoked. But in Patty's eighteen minutes, 896 00:43:07.239 --> 00:43:10.599 they were minus four in Kyante's thirty minutes, they're minus 897 00:43:10.639 --> 00:43:14.440 thirty seven. So what do you make of that dynamic 898 00:43:14.599 --> 00:43:16.880 of a coach who simply wants to win and wants 899 00:43:16.880 --> 00:43:19.920 to win now, but tasks with development And do you 900 00:43:19.920 --> 00:43:23.280 think we're going to see, you know, will allow Kyante 901 00:43:23.440 --> 00:43:25.719 to continue to learn with these mistakes or is he 902 00:43:25.760 --> 00:43:27.639 going to try to play some vets to get more wins? 903 00:43:27.639 --> 00:43:28.159 What do you think? 904 00:43:30.280 --> 00:43:33.440 Yeah, So in year three of the Brad Stevens head 905 00:43:33.480 --> 00:43:36.639 coaching gig over at Boston, they were a forty eight 906 00:43:36.679 --> 00:43:41.079 win team. Forty eight win team, so they were one 907 00:43:41.119 --> 00:43:43.880 of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. They lost 908 00:43:43.880 --> 00:43:47.239 in the first round, but they had Isaiah Thomas All 909 00:43:47.280 --> 00:43:49.880 Star twenty two points per game, which I guess you 910 00:43:49.880 --> 00:43:52.760 could put market in in the same category. But they 911 00:43:52.800 --> 00:43:54.960 also had some vets in. 912 00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:56.880 There that were good. 913 00:43:57.159 --> 00:44:00.239 They had a young team, for sure, but he had 914 00:44:00.280 --> 00:44:02.480 some guys who could really play and play right now, 915 00:44:02.920 --> 00:44:05.320 I'm not so sure you have the same caliber of 916 00:44:05.360 --> 00:44:09.239 players on this roster for Will Hardy, no matter who 917 00:44:09.239 --> 00:44:11.599 he is, he's prime, Greg Popovich, I don't think this 918 00:44:11.639 --> 00:44:13.559 team is going to be a forty eight win team. 919 00:44:13.800 --> 00:44:16.199 And in order to be a Michelin star chef. You 920 00:44:16.199 --> 00:44:19.519 have to have Michelin star ingredients. And so I think, 921 00:44:19.639 --> 00:44:21.800 you know, Patty Mills is at the end of his career, 922 00:44:22.000 --> 00:44:24.920 and for him to lean on Patty Mills for more 923 00:44:24.960 --> 00:44:27.679 than ten minutes a game is going to be tough. 924 00:44:28.679 --> 00:44:31.719 And so, you know, sometimes you look at a guy 925 00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:33.719 and say, you got to play him to learn through 926 00:44:33.800 --> 00:44:37.000 your mistakes. But then you see Mark hel Foltz get 927 00:44:37.079 --> 00:44:39.480 washed out of the league in four years. You see 928 00:44:39.559 --> 00:44:42.000 Anthony Bennett number one overall pick wash out of the 929 00:44:42.079 --> 00:44:45.320 league in four years. There's a lot of guys who 930 00:44:45.320 --> 00:44:49.199 were expected to be great right away and just didn't 931 00:44:49.239 --> 00:44:51.639 have it and washed out of the league. And so 932 00:44:52.159 --> 00:44:53.960 as much as we'd like to say that this is 933 00:44:54.000 --> 00:44:56.480 a noble thing that we got to let these guys 934 00:44:56.519 --> 00:44:59.559 play through their mistakes, there comes a point, a tipping 935 00:44:59.599 --> 00:45:02.119 point in which you're hurting your team and the morale 936 00:45:02.199 --> 00:45:05.440 of the club because there's other guys who are more 937 00:45:05.559 --> 00:45:08.079 capable who are sitting on the bench. I don't know 938 00:45:08.079 --> 00:45:10.440 if Patty Mills is that guy, but you know, just 939 00:45:10.480 --> 00:45:13.119 like Eric Bolster with Udonis Hasmitz, it is good to 940 00:45:13.159 --> 00:45:15.760 have these veterans who have won championships who've been in 941 00:45:15.800 --> 00:45:20.079 winning organizations to be around to, you know, give a 942 00:45:20.199 --> 00:45:24.000 sense of professionalism and a sense of winning character and 943 00:45:24.079 --> 00:45:26.639 having the right habits in the locker room. And you know, 944 00:45:26.679 --> 00:45:28.840 I remember Eric Bolsh was telling me once why he 945 00:45:28.880 --> 00:45:31.639 had Juwan Howard as a player even though he barely 946 00:45:31.679 --> 00:45:34.280 played at the end of his bench. And He's like, 947 00:45:34.360 --> 00:45:38.320 because his message carries a lot more weight when it's 948 00:45:38.360 --> 00:45:40.920 a player, When it's a guy in a uniform saying 949 00:45:40.960 --> 00:45:43.039 the same thing that I'm going to say. But when 950 00:45:43.079 --> 00:45:46.079 it's a player saying that, the young guy seem to 951 00:45:46.159 --> 00:45:48.559 listen a little bit more or they're just gonna it's 952 00:45:48.599 --> 00:45:50.800 going to reach them a little bit deeper if one 953 00:45:50.840 --> 00:45:54.079 of their teammates is saying the very same message that 954 00:45:54.119 --> 00:45:56.639 the coach does. So I do think this value in 955 00:45:56.719 --> 00:45:59.639 having Patty Mills on the team beyond just his minutes 956 00:45:59.679 --> 00:46:02.400 on the floor. But you got to see some some 957 00:46:02.440 --> 00:46:07.199 better production from George because you know this is there's 958 00:46:07.320 --> 00:46:09.239 I mean, I guess you could say Jordan Clarson could 959 00:46:09.239 --> 00:46:12.679 play backup point guard and steal some minutes from Cante. 960 00:46:13.079 --> 00:46:16.079 But I do think that it's a tough thing for 961 00:46:16.119 --> 00:46:21.679 will Hardy this organization. I think would be smart movie 962 00:46:21.840 --> 00:46:23.880 wise to see what they can get for their veterans 963 00:46:24.360 --> 00:46:26.639 and try to see, you know, what you can get 964 00:46:26.679 --> 00:46:30.239 for John Collins or what you can get for a 965 00:46:30.280 --> 00:46:34.199 guy like Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton and see if 966 00:46:34.199 --> 00:46:37.039 you can get some draft picks. Because you know, when 967 00:46:37.079 --> 00:46:40.320 you look at the trajectory, you said it, Brad Stevens. 968 00:46:40.480 --> 00:46:46.360 Brad Stevens didn't get Jalen Brown until year four. Year 969 00:46:46.440 --> 00:46:51.840 five is when he got Jason Tatum. So we like 970 00:46:51.920 --> 00:46:55.360 to think that Brad Stevens went through years of struggle 971 00:46:55.440 --> 00:46:58.960 to get those guys, but it's true four year four 972 00:46:59.039 --> 00:47:00.599 and year five is when they got two. And I 973 00:47:00.639 --> 00:47:02.480 think that's what Danny Age is pointing to and saying, 974 00:47:02.519 --> 00:47:05.440 like you will and the rest of the guys, we're 975 00:47:05.480 --> 00:47:08.360 trying to get our Victor Webbin Yama, We're trying to 976 00:47:08.360 --> 00:47:10.599 get our Jason Tatum. It just might be another year 977 00:47:10.679 --> 00:47:11.800 or two. 978 00:47:11.960 --> 00:47:14.599 All right, one more jazz question and then we will 979 00:47:14.840 --> 00:47:17.559 move along to some other topics that's going on around 980 00:47:17.639 --> 00:47:20.199 the basketball world right now. That's more interesting than what 981 00:47:20.199 --> 00:47:24.119 we're gonna watch here all year. I wonder so, and 982 00:47:24.280 --> 00:47:26.320 you know, obviously, as you know we're in this new 983 00:47:26.639 --> 00:47:29.920 CBA reality. A lot of people just to kind of 984 00:47:29.920 --> 00:47:33.559 be reductive, draw the parallel of Adam Silver, trying to 985 00:47:33.559 --> 00:47:35.360 make this look a little bit more like the NFL 986 00:47:35.400 --> 00:47:35.960 with parody. 987 00:47:36.159 --> 00:47:36.320 Right. 988 00:47:36.920 --> 00:47:39.960 I don't think he loves that parallel, but it's too 989 00:47:40.039 --> 00:47:43.519 obvious to not bring up, which, if you expand it 990 00:47:43.599 --> 00:47:45.760 and if we use our imagination at the end of 991 00:47:45.760 --> 00:47:48.199 the day, is good news for a team that plays 992 00:47:48.239 --> 00:47:51.480 in a city that most NBA players don't seem to 993 00:47:51.639 --> 00:47:54.480 want to either move here to play for the Jazz 994 00:47:54.559 --> 00:47:56.320 or even come here to play for the other team 995 00:47:56.440 --> 00:48:00.119 against the Jazz, Like we know the deal. So you know, 996 00:48:00.159 --> 00:48:03.000 we've already seen a couple of teams adversely affected by 997 00:48:03.079 --> 00:48:06.079 the second apron stuff Denver the clips, you know, some 998 00:48:06.159 --> 00:48:09.559 others losing talent, and it does seem like draft picks 999 00:48:09.559 --> 00:48:13.559 are going to be very valuable moving forward now this year, 1000 00:48:13.800 --> 00:48:16.360 the take home from the Mitchell and go Bear trade 1001 00:48:16.440 --> 00:48:19.519 start to come in, so three first round picks, you know, 1002 00:48:19.679 --> 00:48:23.039 for the next few years, and also really clean books 1003 00:48:23.079 --> 00:48:26.599 and Xanak and Age have been very deliberate in their 1004 00:48:26.639 --> 00:48:30.320 approach here, So we could create a scenario Tom where 1005 00:48:30.360 --> 00:48:34.159 the Jazz are a team that could capitalize by calling 1006 00:48:34.320 --> 00:48:36.559 a team that is looking to shed some money and 1007 00:48:36.639 --> 00:48:41.519 talent and offering them some picks and maybe some cap relief. Look, 1008 00:48:41.559 --> 00:48:43.559 we're two games in, so I'm laughing as I ask 1009 00:48:43.639 --> 00:48:46.880 you this, But do you anticipate any teams looking to 1010 00:48:47.199 --> 00:48:50.559 shed legitimate talent as soon as this season? And do 1011 00:48:50.559 --> 00:48:53.400 you think the Jazz could be buyers because of their 1012 00:48:53.480 --> 00:48:56.639 treasure troves treasure trove of assets. 1013 00:48:57.159 --> 00:48:59.679 I would bet against that. I think Danny Age is 1014 00:48:59.679 --> 00:49:03.239 looking at ad picks rather than give him up. But 1015 00:49:03.519 --> 00:49:08.920 you're looking at teams like the Chicago Bulls with Zach Levine. 1016 00:49:08.920 --> 00:49:11.280 Do you want to take on that contract going forward 1017 00:49:12.440 --> 00:49:14.880 to basically compete at and play a be a five 1018 00:49:14.960 --> 00:49:18.840 hundred team. I'm not sure. He's got two more years 1019 00:49:18.840 --> 00:49:21.280 on his deal at forty six million and forty nine 1020 00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:24.360 million dollars, uh, the player option in his final year. 1021 00:49:24.519 --> 00:49:26.000 Is that a guy that you want to add to 1022 00:49:26.039 --> 00:49:30.480 your team? You know, Chicago probably would want to figure 1023 00:49:30.480 --> 00:49:32.920 out a way to get off of Nicole Vucevic if 1024 00:49:32.920 --> 00:49:36.519 their season is in the tank and he's due for 1025 00:49:36.559 --> 00:49:38.800 another year at twenty one million dollars. 1026 00:49:39.159 --> 00:49:40.199 Is that something you want to do. 1027 00:49:40.239 --> 00:49:42.639 If you're the Utah Jazz, I think the other team 1028 00:49:42.679 --> 00:49:46.880 that you look at is the Milwaukee Bucks. Janni Sandatokompo 1029 00:49:47.079 --> 00:49:51.039 is already, you know, saying some crazy quotes to reporters 1030 00:49:51.400 --> 00:49:55.800 in the preseason, telling Sam Amick, you know, joking basically 1031 00:49:55.800 --> 00:49:58.039 looking around his staff and saying, oh, are you gonna 1032 00:49:58.280 --> 00:50:00.000 if things? If we lose or you're gonna get five? 1033 00:50:00.199 --> 00:50:01.159 Are you going to get traded? 1034 00:50:02.159 --> 00:50:05.239 And my eyes, my third eye was open on that 1035 00:50:05.280 --> 00:50:08.360 one because this is a new ownership in Milwaukee, and 1036 00:50:08.519 --> 00:50:13.559 I do think that other teams like Golden State, like 1037 00:50:13.800 --> 00:50:18.239 you know, San Antonio, like Okac, like Utah are watching. 1038 00:50:18.320 --> 00:50:22.679 That's that situation very closely. Is if that becomes more 1039 00:50:22.719 --> 00:50:28.159 combustible they're in Giannis's world? Does he demand some sort 1040 00:50:28.199 --> 00:50:30.239 of trade or try to get out of there. Damian 1041 00:50:30.280 --> 00:50:33.760 Lillard's same question, but again, where the roster is at 1042 00:50:33.840 --> 00:50:36.679 right now. If you acquire Damian Lillard and take on 1043 00:50:36.719 --> 00:50:39.880 that contract and you're nowhere near contending, is it going 1044 00:50:39.920 --> 00:50:42.559 to be the same situation where he's in right now, 1045 00:50:42.559 --> 00:50:45.360 where he's like, I don't I want to win right now. 1046 00:50:45.519 --> 00:50:47.079 I don't want to spend the last years of my 1047 00:50:47.119 --> 00:50:49.800 career on a five hundred team. I just don't see 1048 00:50:49.840 --> 00:50:52.920 what team right now has both the player that could 1049 00:50:53.000 --> 00:50:54.920 move the Utah Jazz into title. 1050 00:50:54.679 --> 00:50:58.960 Contention or you know, whether they're willing to. 1051 00:50:58.960 --> 00:51:01.880 Give up draft pick to make that deal happen, because 1052 00:51:01.920 --> 00:51:03.440 I think the Utah Jayds are gonna be looking for 1053 00:51:03.519 --> 00:51:04.800 draft picks rather than giving him up. 1054 00:51:05.519 --> 00:51:07.960 All right, moving off the Jazz, now, let's get to Oh, yeah, 1055 00:51:08.039 --> 00:51:10.639 since you brought it up and you're working with the Blazers, now, 1056 00:51:11.320 --> 00:51:13.639 at what point are we a little concerned about Scoot 1057 00:51:13.800 --> 00:51:16.599 player who I really like during the draft process and 1058 00:51:17.079 --> 00:51:20.000 Portland's you know, kind of in the same stratosphere as 1059 00:51:20.000 --> 00:51:22.440 the Jazz this year with pretty low expectations. But where 1060 00:51:22.440 --> 00:51:25.039 are you at right now as far as your concern 1061 00:51:25.159 --> 00:51:29.159 level of Scoot with us? Scoot Henderson, he's getting to 1062 00:51:29.199 --> 00:51:29.559 the cup. 1063 00:51:29.679 --> 00:51:32.000 Like I said, he's number three in the NBA among 1064 00:51:32.079 --> 00:51:35.360 guards in getting to the cup. He's he's getting to 1065 00:51:35.400 --> 00:51:37.840 the free throw line. There is a real skill there. 1066 00:51:38.320 --> 00:51:42.000 The jump shot hasn't really paid dividends. And that's another thing. 1067 00:51:42.079 --> 00:51:44.039 Like if you want to be Darren Fox and we're 1068 00:51:44.079 --> 00:51:47.039 going to be broadcasting the game tonight against the Sacramento Kings, 1069 00:51:47.559 --> 00:51:50.199 and I'm going to be watching, you know, like if 1070 00:51:50.199 --> 00:51:52.800 he wants to have that same burst as Russell Westbrook 1071 00:51:52.920 --> 00:51:57.599 Darn Fox in the open court. The real reason why 1072 00:51:57.639 --> 00:51:59.719 Daron Fox made the leap is because of that jumper, 1073 00:52:00.119 --> 00:52:02.920 right is because he became a knockdown shooter, and so 1074 00:52:03.000 --> 00:52:05.039 that's the missing part of the game that he hasn't 1075 00:52:05.039 --> 00:52:08.280 shown yet this season. But you know, he's the same 1076 00:52:08.280 --> 00:52:11.440 age as Kiance George. He just you know, turned twenty 1077 00:52:11.519 --> 00:52:14.840 last year, turning twenty one in February, and so I'm 1078 00:52:14.840 --> 00:52:17.639 probably going to hold out on, you know, any sort 1079 00:52:17.639 --> 00:52:21.199 of referendum on Scoot Henderson until next year because not 1080 00:52:21.360 --> 00:52:23.840 too many twenty year olds in the NBA, especially at 1081 00:52:23.880 --> 00:52:27.400 point guard, are great right away. There's a very short list. 1082 00:52:27.800 --> 00:52:30.719 Caiance George is not on that list yet. Scoot Henderson 1083 00:52:30.760 --> 00:52:33.199 isn't on that list yet. But in terms of one 1084 00:52:33.280 --> 00:52:37.920 identifiable skill is he gets to the rim all the time, 1085 00:52:38.280 --> 00:52:40.679 and he had nine free throws in last night's game, 1086 00:52:41.039 --> 00:52:42.960 and I do think that that is a veritable skill 1087 00:52:43.000 --> 00:52:45.800 that he can build off of, and hopefully that jump 1088 00:52:45.840 --> 00:52:49.000 shot rounds out into form, because he would be deadly 1089 00:52:49.039 --> 00:52:51.000 as a player if he had a reliable Jay. 1090 00:52:51.360 --> 00:52:54.360 How real, Tom, is what we've seen from the Lakers 1091 00:52:54.400 --> 00:52:56.079 so far? You know, every once in a while you 1092 00:52:56.079 --> 00:52:58.039 get an Anthony Davis game and you're like, oh, yeah, 1093 00:52:58.119 --> 00:53:01.360 that's why there were several people, well when he came 1094 00:53:01.400 --> 00:53:03.559 out of school, you know, that were tabbing him as 1095 00:53:03.559 --> 00:53:07.800 a generational city, generationally special player. And his deal has 1096 00:53:07.800 --> 00:53:10.440 always been availability. He was actually pretty healthy last year. 1097 00:53:10.480 --> 00:53:12.280 I just don't think he gets enough credit for it. 1098 00:53:12.519 --> 00:53:15.280 And obviously Lebron is still Lebron even at that age. 1099 00:53:15.320 --> 00:53:17.920 But three games under JJ Reddick and they're clean. How 1100 00:53:17.960 --> 00:53:19.119 real is this? In your opinion? 1101 00:53:21.039 --> 00:53:22.840 Have you seen the free throw totals in the NBA 1102 00:53:22.960 --> 00:53:23.360 this year? 1103 00:53:24.400 --> 00:53:26.840 I have not studied them as closely as somebody like you. 1104 00:53:26.920 --> 00:53:27.840 I can guarantee that. 1105 00:53:28.599 --> 00:53:29.079 Yeah. 1106 00:53:29.239 --> 00:53:32.159 John Hollinger wrote great piece at The Athletic today saying 1107 00:53:32.199 --> 00:53:36.039 that through five days in the NBA schedule, free throws 1108 00:53:36.039 --> 00:53:37.960 are up fifty All right, sorry, free throws are up 1109 00:53:37.960 --> 00:53:43.599 twenty plus percent. So you're adding, basically, you know, an 1110 00:53:43.639 --> 00:53:46.599 additional handful of free throws every game, and that was 1111 00:53:46.639 --> 00:53:49.400 something that they were pulling back last year. I covered 1112 00:53:49.400 --> 00:53:52.039 that at Tom Thefinder dot com that the NBA was 1113 00:53:52.079 --> 00:53:55.000 basically the referees were swallowing their whistle and letting a 1114 00:53:55.000 --> 00:53:58.280 lot of high contact go through and play on a 1115 00:53:58.320 --> 00:54:02.880 lot more physical in the playoffs. But Anthony Davis has 1116 00:54:02.960 --> 00:54:08.039 been a huge beneficiary of this. I guess easier whistle. 1117 00:54:08.119 --> 00:54:10.639 They're not swallowing it. They're blowing that whistle like crazy. 1118 00:54:10.639 --> 00:54:14.639 In the early season, he's averaging fifteen free throws per 1119 00:54:14.719 --> 00:54:17.840 game in his first three games. Now, that's a product 1120 00:54:17.840 --> 00:54:22.039 of the fact that guys can't stop them. Minnesota, Phoenix, Sacramento, 1121 00:54:22.079 --> 00:54:24.079 they haven't been able to stop them. Inside he is 1122 00:54:24.119 --> 00:54:27.440 attacking the rim and they have no choice but to fallum. Maybe, 1123 00:54:27.719 --> 00:54:30.400 but fifteen free throws a game is outrageous, And so 1124 00:54:31.000 --> 00:54:34.159 I don't know what how much longer this free throw 1125 00:54:35.239 --> 00:54:38.639 surge that we're seeing is gonna last. But Anthony Davis, 1126 00:54:38.719 --> 00:54:41.480 what he's doing right now is even like peak James 1127 00:54:41.519 --> 00:54:46.599 Harden levels of falvating. Fifteen free throws per game is outrageous. 1128 00:54:46.599 --> 00:54:48.880 And if he's going to be anywhere near there, you know, 1129 00:54:48.960 --> 00:54:51.480 in his career he's a route seven or eight free 1130 00:54:51.480 --> 00:54:54.719 throws a game, He's gonna be an MVP if he 1131 00:54:54.840 --> 00:54:57.960 maintained anywhere near ten, eleven, twelve free throws because that's 1132 00:54:58.000 --> 00:55:02.320 Joel Embiid's territory. So if he's Joel Embiid's territory and 1133 00:55:02.440 --> 00:55:04.199 getting to the free throw line, yeah. 1134 00:55:04.039 --> 00:55:06.159 He's going to be an MVP in today's NBA. 1135 00:55:06.199 --> 00:55:08.559 And JJ Reddick, I don't know what he said to him, 1136 00:55:08.920 --> 00:55:11.760 but this, this version of Ahany Davis for sure is 1137 00:55:11.760 --> 00:55:13.039 an MVP caliber player. 1138 00:55:13.440 --> 00:55:17.840 So are we witnessing maybe the end of a really 1139 00:55:17.880 --> 00:55:21.159 really special stretch in Denver? I mean, you know the 1140 00:55:21.199 --> 00:55:23.239 Westbrook thing. For me, he's going to take a lot 1141 00:55:23.280 --> 00:55:26.960 of heat and he's not, you know, the main impetus 1142 00:55:26.960 --> 00:55:29.199 for their two losses. I just don't love that fit. 1143 00:55:29.320 --> 00:55:31.199 I don't know that I would love to fit with 1144 00:55:31.320 --> 00:55:35.679 him anywhere anymore. And a former MVP certainly deserves respect 1145 00:55:35.679 --> 00:55:37.039 and he's probably gonna go to the Hall of Fame 1146 00:55:37.079 --> 00:55:40.079 and all that stuff. But you know, Jokic is such 1147 00:55:40.079 --> 00:55:42.360 a delight and a joy to watch that it kind 1148 00:55:42.360 --> 00:55:45.000 of feels a little Andrew Luck with the Colts ish, like, 1149 00:55:45.039 --> 00:55:48.119 are they going to waste the remaining time you know 1150 00:55:48.400 --> 00:55:50.079 of his prime? What do you make of the slow 1151 00:55:50.119 --> 00:55:52.000 start that we've seen from the Nuggets. 1152 00:55:52.719 --> 00:55:54.880 In Russell westbergus shooting two at eighteen. 1153 00:55:56.440 --> 00:55:57.079 Two of eighteen. 1154 00:55:57.639 --> 00:56:01.840 The offensive rating when he's on the floor is seventy, 1155 00:56:03.559 --> 00:56:06.679 which is by far the lowest. There's no one under 1156 00:56:06.760 --> 00:56:09.559 ninety points per one hundred possessions when a player's on 1157 00:56:09.559 --> 00:56:13.239 the floor minimum twenty minutes a game. Russell Westbrook is 1158 00:56:13.280 --> 00:56:15.880 the only player under ninety. When he's on the floor, 1159 00:56:15.960 --> 00:56:18.480 the offensive rating plummets to about seventy. 1160 00:56:18.840 --> 00:56:20.440 So think about that. 1161 00:56:21.079 --> 00:56:23.639 No other player when they're on the floor has an 1162 00:56:23.679 --> 00:56:27.159 offensive rating. The team's scoring rate is below ninety points 1163 00:56:27.159 --> 00:56:30.360 every one hundred possessions, and Russell Westbrook when he's on 1164 00:56:30.400 --> 00:56:34.000 the floor it's at about seventy. So that's how bad 1165 00:56:34.039 --> 00:56:36.719 it is so far through two games. I sent the 1166 00:56:36.760 --> 00:56:39.239 alarm bells. I rang the alarm bells in the preseason 1167 00:56:39.280 --> 00:56:41.480 when he was taking about eight threes per thirty six 1168 00:56:41.599 --> 00:56:44.679 minutes and he was making them. But the thing that 1169 00:56:44.800 --> 00:56:46.559 was worrisome was the volume. 1170 00:56:46.760 --> 00:56:48.000 I was like, what are they doing. 1171 00:56:48.599 --> 00:56:51.719 They can't have Russell Westbrook, who's the worst high volume 1172 00:56:51.840 --> 00:56:55.440 three point shooter in NBA history, taking threes like he's 1173 00:56:55.480 --> 00:56:56.320 Michael Porter junior. 1174 00:56:56.559 --> 00:56:57.280 But that's what was. 1175 00:56:57.239 --> 00:57:00.800 Happening, and they got drunk off of the idea that 1176 00:57:00.880 --> 00:57:04.280 he somehow had figured out this jump shot after an 1177 00:57:04.440 --> 00:57:06.760 entire careers worth of evidence that he's not a good 1178 00:57:06.760 --> 00:57:11.119 three point shooter. And this guy is, you know, just 1179 00:57:11.320 --> 00:57:14.920 bricking three point shots left and right. He's not finishing 1180 00:57:14.920 --> 00:57:16.320 at the rim. 1181 00:57:16.559 --> 00:57:17.199 He in the. 1182 00:57:17.119 --> 00:57:19.239 Preseason he wasn't either, And so I was like, Yo, 1183 00:57:19.840 --> 00:57:22.519 this Denver Nuggets experiment is going to go south quickly. 1184 00:57:22.920 --> 00:57:24.760 And even though they were a five star. 1185 00:57:25.199 --> 00:57:27.199 Title contender in my title tiers that I do every 1186 00:57:27.239 --> 00:57:29.760 week at the end of last season, I downgraded them 1187 00:57:29.800 --> 00:57:33.079 to three stars at the outset of the preseason because 1188 00:57:33.079 --> 00:57:35.920 of the rest of westbrook acquisition and performance on the preseason, 1189 00:57:36.320 --> 00:57:40.800 and I just this morning I downgraded them again to 1190 00:57:40.880 --> 00:57:42.920 a two star level title contender. 1191 00:57:43.360 --> 00:57:44.719 This is a crime. 1192 00:57:45.599 --> 00:57:48.760 You got Nikola Jokic in your prime and this is 1193 00:57:48.760 --> 00:57:52.119 your bench. This your anchor for your bench is Russell Westbrook. 1194 00:57:52.480 --> 00:57:55.360 But then you look around and you got Peyton Watson, 1195 00:57:56.079 --> 00:57:58.880 who's one for ten from the floor as a bench 1196 00:57:58.960 --> 00:58:02.760 player for UH, for the youth, for the Sorry the 1197 00:58:02.800 --> 00:58:05.800 Denver Nuggets. Kevin O'Connor just put out a tweet my 1198 00:58:06.119 --> 00:58:08.159 co host on the Kevin O'Connor show once a week 1199 00:58:08.159 --> 00:58:12.679 at Yahoo Sports. He was tweeting just how putrid the 1200 00:58:12.760 --> 00:58:15.320 offense is without Jokic on the floor. This is the 1201 00:58:15.440 --> 00:58:19.440 last the last stage of Jokic playing nice and not 1202 00:58:19.559 --> 00:58:22.519 being disgruntled as a superstar and saying I need better players. 1203 00:58:23.079 --> 00:58:25.800 He is the only MVP through his nine years in 1204 00:58:25.840 --> 00:58:29.119 the league, the only MVP in NBA history that has 1205 00:58:29.239 --> 00:58:32.320 never played with an All Star or an All NBA 1206 00:58:32.559 --> 00:58:36.239 or an All Defensive member on his team in nine years. 1207 00:58:36.599 --> 00:58:40.840 That is unconscionable from the organization. They need to get 1208 00:58:40.880 --> 00:58:43.400 him a co star befitting of his talents. He has 1209 00:58:43.440 --> 00:58:45.639 the weakest supporting cast up to this point in his 1210 00:58:45.679 --> 00:58:51.039 career of anybody, any MVP, and that's got to change 1211 00:58:51.079 --> 00:58:54.079 at some point if it continues like this. I suspect 1212 00:58:54.079 --> 00:58:56.639 that Jokic his nice guy. I just want to be 1213 00:58:56.679 --> 00:58:59.280 out there and play basketball. That whole thing. I think 1214 00:58:59.320 --> 00:58:59.679 it's going to. 1215 00:58:59.719 --> 00:59:02.119 End SI all right, Tom, before I say you loose, 1216 00:59:02.440 --> 00:59:05.639 I really am curious to see how Tom Thibodeau handles 1217 00:59:06.480 --> 00:59:09.679 this kind of new look roster at his disposal, what 1218 00:59:09.760 --> 00:59:11.679 the rotations look like, and whether or not he can 1219 00:59:11.719 --> 00:59:14.199 make it work, and you know, the Celtics just might 1220 00:59:14.239 --> 00:59:17.159 be historically special, like in an era of what is 1221 00:59:17.159 --> 00:59:19.840 supposed to be parody. Boston might just destroy it because 1222 00:59:19.840 --> 00:59:22.480 they're really, really that good. And then they got a 1223 00:59:22.519 --> 00:59:24.679 good win against the Pacer team that also early on 1224 00:59:24.760 --> 00:59:26.760 doesn't look very good. So before I say you loose 1225 00:59:26.800 --> 00:59:30.119 early returns two games New York Knicks, Kat, how do 1226 00:59:30.119 --> 00:59:30.760 you think it's looking. 1227 00:59:31.840 --> 00:59:35.000 Yeah, I wrote about it today. It's tomdfinder dot com. 1228 00:59:36.159 --> 00:59:40.000 They're zigging, well, everyone's zagging. I mean they are slowing 1229 00:59:40.239 --> 00:59:43.639 the ball down. They are playing at a nineties pace. 1230 00:59:43.679 --> 00:59:46.360 They're bringing back the nineties. I mean it is insane 1231 00:59:46.400 --> 00:59:50.440 what they're doing in terms of like the NBA's throwing 1232 00:59:50.519 --> 00:59:54.119 up threes. They're playing up tempo. That's the modern NBA. 1233 00:59:54.719 --> 00:59:58.599 Tom Thibodeau is getting in his DeLorean and going back 1234 00:59:59.239 --> 01:00:02.360 in time to nineties where he was an assistant under 1235 01:00:02.440 --> 01:00:05.320 Jeff Van Gundy, because right now they have the slowest 1236 01:00:05.320 --> 01:00:09.559 pace in the NBA. They are a team that goes 1237 01:00:09.599 --> 01:00:12.519 deep into the clock almost every time down the floor, 1238 01:00:13.280 --> 01:00:15.599 and they're not shooting a high volume of threes. Even 1239 01:00:15.639 --> 01:00:18.920 though they got Kat, who's the greatest three point shooting 1240 01:00:18.960 --> 01:00:22.119 big man in NBA history self proclaimed. By the way, 1241 01:00:22.679 --> 01:00:25.239 they're not getting up a ton of three pointers and 1242 01:00:25.320 --> 01:00:29.360 their roster depth is very thin. So maybe this team 1243 01:00:29.480 --> 01:00:34.039 is built for playoff basketball. But it's October and they 1244 01:00:34.039 --> 01:00:36.639 got to do eighty two games of this very slow, 1245 01:00:37.159 --> 01:00:41.440 very methodical offense and hope that they are healthy. That's 1246 01:00:41.480 --> 01:00:44.000 the thing, is, like they just got to make the playoffs, 1247 01:00:44.199 --> 01:00:47.039 and their team had their rosters very top heavy. They 1248 01:00:47.039 --> 01:00:50.159 got like six really good players. They just got to 1249 01:00:50.159 --> 01:00:53.719 stay healthy. Honestly, that's my main mission is Yet they're slow, 1250 01:00:54.079 --> 01:00:55.800 they don't chuck up a lot of threes like the 1251 01:00:55.800 --> 01:00:58.840 rest of the NBA. They play a throwback nineties basketball. 1252 01:00:59.519 --> 01:01:02.039 But they got the most important person on that staff 1253 01:01:02.480 --> 01:01:05.239 is not Karl Anthony Towns or Jalen Brunson or mckel 1254 01:01:05.320 --> 01:01:09.320 Bridges or Ognanov or Tom Thibodeau. It's their medical staff. 1255 01:01:09.360 --> 01:01:11.920 They gotta say healthy and they got to make sure 1256 01:01:11.920 --> 01:01:13.880 that they're ready for the playoffs, because that was the 1257 01:01:13.920 --> 01:01:16.079 biggest thing that kept them out of the Eastern Conference 1258 01:01:16.119 --> 01:01:19.440 finals last year is their health. And they gotta hope. 1259 01:01:19.440 --> 01:01:22.480 In Tom Thibodeau's long history of injury problems that that 1260 01:01:22.519 --> 01:01:25.280 does not the injury bug does not spike up again, 1261 01:01:25.360 --> 01:01:28.760 because that's the number one biggest factor in making sure 1262 01:01:28.800 --> 01:01:31.320 that they're going to reach their potential, to making sure 1263 01:01:31.360 --> 01:01:34.960 those top six guys, including Juce McBride, who's looks awesome, 1264 01:01:35.239 --> 01:01:38.360 are healthy come April and may I Tom. 1265 01:01:38.159 --> 01:01:40.360 Where can everybody go find all of your work? You 1266 01:01:40.400 --> 01:01:41.280 are a busy. 1267 01:01:41.039 --> 01:01:45.639 Boy, yeah, and a dad and a husband on top 1268 01:01:45.679 --> 01:01:49.280 of that. So Tomdfinder dot com is my substack. You 1269 01:01:49.280 --> 01:01:52.400 can read my columns at Yahoo sports dot com and 1270 01:01:52.440 --> 01:01:55.760 also catch The Big Number, my new podcast every Thursday 1271 01:01:55.760 --> 01:02:00.519 with Dan Devine, as well as the Trailblazers Analytics Insider everydcast. 1272 01:02:00.519 --> 01:02:03.800 If you want to catch us on League Pass, you should. 1273 01:02:03.920 --> 01:02:06.559 Scoot is very interesting as a comp for Keyance George 1274 01:02:06.559 --> 01:02:09.400 if you want to just watch how those two guys develop. 1275 01:02:09.079 --> 01:02:09.800 Going this season. 1276 01:02:10.800 --> 01:02:12.920 I am on the Blazers broadcast as well this year, 1277 01:02:12.960 --> 01:02:14.639 so you can catch me on there for the Sacramento 1278 01:02:14.719 --> 01:02:15.199 Kings game. 1279 01:02:15.440 --> 01:02:18.000 Thank you, my friend. Have a great week. Okay, you 1280 01:02:18.079 --> 01:02:18.440 got it? 1281 01:02:18.440 --> 01:02:18.920 Thanks Bett? 1282 01:02:18.920 --> 01:02:21.559 All right, the great Tom Havers Show every Monday dropping 1283 01:02:21.599 --> 01:02:24.599 some NBA Daily knowledge on us on the NBA Daily Assist. 1284 01:02:24.639 --> 01:02:28.039 Appreciate his time. Today, we're gonna do a little RSL 1285 01:02:28.119 --> 01:02:30.360 with Matt Crooks in the four o'clock hour, and then 1286 01:02:30.679 --> 01:02:33.960 we're gonna do Utah football. Scott Mitchell coming up next. 1287 01:02:33.960 --> 01:02:37.000 We're gonna give you our Big twelve Power Rankings. Yeah, 1288 01:02:37.400 --> 01:02:39.360 I'm sorry, we have to. It's it's a Monday. 1289 01:02:40.199 --> 01:02:41.440 It's Monday afternoon. 1290 01:02:41.519 --> 01:02:45.880 After another exciting college football weekend, settle in a Spence 1291 01:02:45.920 --> 01:02:49.280 gives you this week's edition of the Big Twelve Power Rankings, 1292 01:02:49.280 --> 01:02:51.760 brought to you by the Murdock Auto Group and Genesis 1293 01:02:51.760 --> 01:02:52.239 of Linden. 1294 01:02:55.199 --> 01:03:01.599 All right, well, buckle up, kids, drop in, lock in. 1295 01:03:02.079 --> 01:03:05.960 I appreciate Cavon's excitement in that sounder, but was it 1296 01:03:06.000 --> 01:03:09.800 really another exciting college football weekend for folks around these 1297 01:03:09.840 --> 01:03:14.400 parts or some? All right, well, I had to rank 1298 01:03:14.440 --> 01:03:17.360 all sixteen teams because you need space for the two 1299 01:03:17.400 --> 01:03:20.440 teams in our states that are in the Big twelve. 1300 01:03:21.159 --> 01:03:22.840 Did you go as deep as I did? Did you 1301 01:03:22.880 --> 01:03:25.840 go all the way to sixteen? I did not. I'll 1302 01:03:25.880 --> 01:03:27.559 leave that to you. I'll just do. 1303 01:03:27.840 --> 01:03:31.760 And there's a real line of delineation starting to appear 1304 01:03:31.800 --> 01:03:34.519 in the Big Twelve, which is kind of how things 1305 01:03:34.559 --> 01:03:37.199 play out the back half of the season. So I 1306 01:03:37.239 --> 01:03:40.920 at least ranked the nine team spence that have what 1307 01:03:41.119 --> 01:03:45.039 is really a mathematical opportunity to get to a Big 1308 01:03:45.039 --> 01:03:46.079 twelve championship game. 1309 01:03:46.199 --> 01:03:48.079 Well, fire away, young man, we'll let you lead off. 1310 01:03:48.119 --> 01:03:51.840 At the bottom of that list is West Virginia. Yeah, 1311 01:03:51.880 --> 01:03:55.320 they're fine. They're better than I thought they would be actually, 1312 01:03:56.000 --> 01:03:59.119 But they're at the bottom of this list at number nine. 1313 01:03:59.159 --> 01:04:02.840 ASU right there with them, they're five and two. There 1314 01:04:02.880 --> 01:04:05.079 are three and two in conference play. I just don't 1315 01:04:05.119 --> 01:04:07.920 see many scenarios where they're in it at the end. 1316 01:04:07.960 --> 01:04:11.639 That is also the case with Texas Tech and TCU, 1317 01:04:11.840 --> 01:04:15.239 as well as Cincinnati, who comes in at number five. 1318 01:04:15.679 --> 01:04:19.559 They are the bottom team that really does have an 1319 01:04:19.559 --> 01:04:22.599 opportunity to win it at the Big twelve level. It 1320 01:04:22.679 --> 01:04:26.039 is Cincinnati coming in at number five. I just those 1321 01:04:26.079 --> 01:04:28.840 are the team spence that are in the hunt, if 1322 01:04:28.880 --> 01:04:33.239 you will, without, in my opinion, a real shot at 1323 01:04:33.280 --> 01:04:37.159 winning the Big twelve at Cincinnati, TCU, Texas Tech, ASU 1324 01:04:37.320 --> 01:04:40.440 in West Virginia. After that you can get into what 1325 01:04:40.800 --> 01:04:43.559 I believe will be and as of today, the kind 1326 01:04:43.599 --> 01:04:47.880 of final four of the conference so far, Colorado coming 1327 01:04:47.920 --> 01:04:52.719 in at number four Obviously, what Dion has done in 1328 01:04:52.760 --> 01:04:55.320 a calendar year and a half almost two years at 1329 01:04:55.360 --> 01:04:59.199 Colorado is remarkable. I still think that there are some 1330 01:04:59.280 --> 01:05:04.639 issues with this stainability, with staying power with whatever Colorado 1331 01:05:04.679 --> 01:05:08.199 looks like without Deon Sanders. I think it's a conversation 1332 01:05:08.280 --> 01:05:10.599 that will need to be had in those offices in 1333 01:05:10.679 --> 01:05:13.000 the near future. But as of right now, they are 1334 01:05:13.400 --> 01:05:15.760 playing really good football. They come in at number four. 1335 01:05:15.800 --> 01:05:21.159 At number three, they just got over what shouldn't have 1336 01:05:21.159 --> 01:05:24.599 been a real tough matchup, but similarly to what BYU 1337 01:05:24.639 --> 01:05:28.400 will be facing in their next matchup, it's a rivalry game, 1338 01:05:28.440 --> 01:05:34.760 so it changes the the pressure that is on that game. 1339 01:05:35.119 --> 01:05:37.800 Kansas State gets over Kansas which I think was a 1340 01:05:37.840 --> 01:05:41.280 big hump on the remainder of their schedule, and coming 1341 01:05:41.280 --> 01:05:45.440 in at number three, it is Kansas State with one asterix. 1342 01:05:46.159 --> 01:05:47.920 I think Kansas State ends up playing in the Big 1343 01:05:47.920 --> 01:05:50.440 twelve title game, even though as of today they are 1344 01:05:50.519 --> 01:05:54.679 my number three team at number two. Only reason I 1345 01:05:54.679 --> 01:05:57.199 don't have them at number one is because of the 1346 01:05:57.239 --> 01:06:01.400 defense that I see in ames Iowa. Why you a 1347 01:06:01.519 --> 01:06:06.000 top ten team as of today? Spence in college football 1348 01:06:06.039 --> 01:06:09.880 and the Cougars control their own destiny going forward. 1349 01:06:09.519 --> 01:06:10.800 In Big Twelve play. 1350 01:06:11.159 --> 01:06:14.920 Of course, a big test coming into Rice Cycle Stadium 1351 01:06:15.280 --> 01:06:18.239 in a couple of weeks, but we'll a lot more 1352 01:06:18.280 --> 01:06:21.760 on that as the time comes along. And at number one, 1353 01:06:22.039 --> 01:06:24.599 I think it's the best defense in the Big Twelve. 1354 01:06:26.199 --> 01:06:28.760 I still think that there are questions that they need 1355 01:06:28.800 --> 01:06:32.000 to answer on the offensive side of the football. This 1356 01:06:32.079 --> 01:06:35.239 is an Iowa State team spence that I think had 1357 01:06:35.280 --> 01:06:39.960 a I don't want to say easier first half of 1358 01:06:40.000 --> 01:06:43.039 the schedule, but when you look at their slate, the 1359 01:06:43.119 --> 01:06:45.719 last month is when things really get tough for them. 1360 01:06:45.760 --> 01:06:48.159 They got to go on the road, they've got ranked matchups, 1361 01:06:48.159 --> 01:06:50.480 they've they've got all the big ones on the back 1362 01:06:50.519 --> 01:06:52.880 half of their schedule. The front half of their schedule, 1363 01:06:53.039 --> 01:06:55.239 it was kind of just getting over Iowa in that 1364 01:06:56.440 --> 01:06:58.880 rivalry game. They did that, they had a couple of 1365 01:06:58.920 --> 01:07:01.840 buys and they eight as of Week eight, Week nine, 1366 01:07:02.079 --> 01:07:06.119 are still unblemished in Big twelve play. Along with BYU, 1367 01:07:06.199 --> 01:07:09.039 they are the top two teams on my Power rankings today. 1368 01:07:09.079 --> 01:07:12.159 But again I mentioned I think Kansas State ends up 1369 01:07:12.199 --> 01:07:14.559 playing in that Big twelve title game. We'll see how 1370 01:07:14.559 --> 01:07:15.800 that plays out in the next calendar. 1371 01:07:15.880 --> 01:07:20.440 Month. So according to ESPN's Football Power Index, k State 1372 01:07:20.719 --> 01:07:22.800 right now is the best team of the Big Twelve. 1373 01:07:23.119 --> 01:07:26.079 That's kind of where I'm I'm basing my thoughts right 1374 01:07:26.079 --> 01:07:29.400 It's not only that, it's also how they looked against 1375 01:07:29.400 --> 01:07:32.440 BYU versus the final score of that game. That was 1376 01:07:32.480 --> 01:07:34.599 a much closer football games. You go back and watch 1377 01:07:34.639 --> 01:07:37.360 the tape in the trenches. It was a dogfight and 1378 01:07:37.880 --> 01:07:40.639 the final score did not end up looking like the 1379 01:07:40.639 --> 01:07:41.320 actual game did. 1380 01:07:41.440 --> 01:07:45.159 Yeah, it's interesting because the FPI doesn't necessarily reflect what 1381 01:07:45.280 --> 01:07:48.519 the standings reflect the FPI. For ESPN to win the 1382 01:07:48.519 --> 01:07:54.280 Big Twelve, it's k State one, Iowa State two, Colorado three, 1383 01:07:54.599 --> 01:07:58.199 and Brigham Young four. They have Utah all the way 1384 01:07:58.280 --> 01:08:03.400 down at four team excuse me, thirteen in the Big Twelve, 1385 01:08:03.679 --> 01:08:06.119 the FPI of the fifty fourth ranked team in the country. 1386 01:08:06.159 --> 01:08:09.760 So obviously it has been a really, really rough season 1387 01:08:09.760 --> 01:08:11.639 for coach Wit and the guys up on the hill. 1388 01:08:12.159 --> 01:08:14.119 I'll just run through mine real quick. I actually moved 1389 01:08:14.119 --> 01:08:16.880 BYU up to one going on the road. They've answered 1390 01:08:16.960 --> 01:08:20.159 every question that has been asked of them, So rise 1391 01:08:20.159 --> 01:08:24.159 and shout. The Cougars are out at number one atop 1392 01:08:24.239 --> 01:08:26.960 the table with the Big twelve Power rankings. I, like Porter, 1393 01:08:27.039 --> 01:08:30.399 has been very impressed with Iowa State and excited to see, 1394 01:08:30.920 --> 01:08:33.520 you know, that game coming up. I will see what's 1395 01:08:33.560 --> 01:08:36.640 at stake, if anything's at stake at all for Utah, 1396 01:08:36.720 --> 01:08:38.319 which I doubt at this point, there will you know, 1397 01:08:38.319 --> 01:08:41.520 there will be any ramifications, but there in town on 1398 01:08:41.760 --> 01:08:43.920 November the twenty third. It's the final home game for 1399 01:08:44.039 --> 01:08:46.680 Utah football this year. So I have iwas stated too 1400 01:08:47.159 --> 01:08:49.239 like Porter, I'm very impressed with Case State. I have 1401 01:08:49.279 --> 01:08:52.039 them at three, and you've got to give Dion coach 1402 01:08:52.119 --> 01:08:54.039 prim a ton of credit with what he's done down 1403 01:08:54.079 --> 01:08:56.520 in Boulder, and they continue to roll, you know, in 1404 01:08:56.600 --> 01:08:59.560 conference play. They got a home win over a pretty 1405 01:08:59.560 --> 01:09:04.159 solid Cincinnati team, and like Brigham Young, I think Colorado 1406 01:09:04.319 --> 01:09:06.680 has deserved some bragging rides here. I have them at four. 1407 01:09:07.039 --> 01:09:10.439 Aforementioned Cincinnati is five. Baylor has been a lot better. 1408 01:09:10.560 --> 01:09:13.520 David Random might have saved a job here. They rise 1409 01:09:13.600 --> 01:09:16.159 to six in my poll this week, TCUs at seven. 1410 01:09:16.640 --> 01:09:19.119 I have West Virginia at eight, Texas Tech at nine. 1411 01:09:19.640 --> 01:09:22.079 Arizona State had to buys, but I did move them 1412 01:09:22.119 --> 01:09:24.720 down to ten. Just kind of crowded in the middle here, 1413 01:09:25.079 --> 01:09:31.199 and then we move over to Texas Tech Arizona. Excuse me, UCF, 1414 01:09:31.199 --> 01:09:33.720 I moved them up a slot. They actually fired their 1415 01:09:33.720 --> 01:09:37.760 defensive coordinator after their loss to BYU Kansas. Is weird 1416 01:09:37.800 --> 01:09:41.119 because they've actually played in a ton of really close games. 1417 01:09:41.439 --> 01:09:41.600 You know. 1418 01:09:41.640 --> 01:09:43.439 It's kind of like the way we talked about BYU 1419 01:09:43.520 --> 01:09:45.119 last year in the Big Twelve. They had like four 1420 01:09:45.199 --> 01:09:48.600 or five one possession games late they didn't go their way, 1421 01:09:48.720 --> 01:09:51.199 you know, overtime losses and such. But you know, fact 1422 01:09:51.319 --> 01:09:53.000 matter is they're two and six, one and four and 1423 01:09:53.039 --> 01:09:56.279 Big Twelve play have them at twelve. I have Arizona 1424 01:09:56.319 --> 01:09:59.560 at thirteen, and I cannot believe I'm saying this. I 1425 01:09:59.640 --> 01:10:03.399 have Houston at fourteen, and then two of the three 1426 01:10:03.439 --> 01:10:06.520 favorites to win the Big Twelve are at the bottom 1427 01:10:07.000 --> 01:10:09.560 of the Big twelve power rankings. Today, I have Utah 1428 01:10:09.560 --> 01:10:13.199 at fifteen and Oklahoma State, who has not won a 1429 01:10:13.199 --> 01:10:17.319 conference game, at sixteen. I mean, Porter, I'll reiterate what 1430 01:10:17.359 --> 01:10:20.479 I said earlier during cross talk with Sean and trying 1431 01:10:20.479 --> 01:10:22.880 to get things rolling on the show today. I get 1432 01:10:22.880 --> 01:10:25.239 things wrong. It happens in the business. You know, you 1433 01:10:25.399 --> 01:10:28.319 like to be right but sometimes you're not. I don't 1434 01:10:28.359 --> 01:10:32.039 know that I've ever been more wrong about anything in 1435 01:10:32.079 --> 01:10:35.199 this business than I have been about Utah football this year. 1436 01:10:35.279 --> 01:10:37.279 I just I'm out of explanations. 1437 01:10:37.359 --> 01:10:41.079 It's perplexing, it is, but as you mentioned, there is 1438 01:10:41.239 --> 01:10:44.359 a lot of a lot of context around it, right, 1439 01:10:44.520 --> 01:10:46.479 it does seem like the wheels have fallen off, but 1440 01:10:46.800 --> 01:10:49.399 it just seems like a weird year in the conference 1441 01:10:49.439 --> 01:10:53.159 as well. It's not limited to just Utah. Oklahoma State 1442 01:10:53.239 --> 01:10:56.800 kind of dealing with a similar thing in Stillwater. And 1443 01:10:56.840 --> 01:10:58.880 these are two not only the two of the teams 1444 01:10:58.880 --> 01:11:01.680 that were picked to pete for the conference Spence, but 1445 01:11:01.760 --> 01:11:07.600 also the two most stable and long standing like programs 1446 01:11:07.720 --> 01:11:11.399 in the conference. Right, So it's surprising on a number 1447 01:11:11.439 --> 01:11:15.920 of fronts, including that one. And yeah, man, I don't 1448 01:11:15.960 --> 01:11:18.039 know where the youths to turn, where the youths have 1449 01:11:18.119 --> 01:11:21.680 to turn right now, because the answers to me aren't 1450 01:11:22.000 --> 01:11:24.640 there personnel wise, they're not on the roster. And what 1451 01:11:24.720 --> 01:11:28.079 you have to do then is well, recruit other players, 1452 01:11:28.279 --> 01:11:32.279 get other people on your staff, figure things out. Obviously 1453 01:11:33.000 --> 01:11:37.760 we've already seen some changes. Don't need to maybe be wholesale, 1454 01:11:38.600 --> 01:11:43.119 but something's got to happen between now and the next time. 1455 01:11:42.960 --> 01:11:44.199 Utah wins a football game. 1456 01:11:44.359 --> 01:11:47.800 Otherwise that's going to be a long time down the road. 1457 01:11:48.560 --> 01:11:53.279 The kick time has been announced for byu Utah. Unfortunately, 1458 01:11:53.479 --> 01:11:56.560 it is going to be at eight to fifteen November 1459 01:11:56.560 --> 01:11:59.119 the ninth, So you're gonna expect both teams healthy and 1460 01:11:59.119 --> 01:12:03.079 both teams ready to go. But man, it is really 1461 01:12:03.199 --> 01:12:05.760 everything is. As I said last week, it's like Seinfeld 1462 01:12:05.760 --> 01:12:09.039 bizarro world. Everything is, you know, the opposite of what 1463 01:12:09.079 --> 01:12:12.439 we were expecting all year. So we'll see. I don't 1464 01:12:12.439 --> 01:12:14.079 see if there are any changes. You know, we're gonna 1465 01:12:14.119 --> 01:12:16.279 do the song and dance now with the quarterback stuff 1466 01:12:16.319 --> 01:12:18.399 with Isaac Wilson and Brandon Rose. I'm sure it will 1467 01:12:18.399 --> 01:12:21.399 not be announced he b yu on their heels and 1468 01:12:21.439 --> 01:12:23.239 then we'll find out, you know, when they run out 1469 01:12:23.239 --> 01:12:25.760 to take the field. All right, let's welcome in my 1470 01:12:25.760 --> 01:12:28.760 guy Doug from Farmer and Chemist Doug. Happy Monday, sir. 1471 01:12:28.800 --> 01:12:32.560 How are you good afternoon? I'm doing well, Thank you. 1472 01:12:32.800 --> 01:12:35.560 I appreciate your time today. So let's start with what 1473 01:12:35.600 --> 01:12:37.439 you guys have helped me out with with some of 1474 01:12:37.439 --> 01:12:39.840 those gummies to help me get some rest. Now, as 1475 01:12:39.920 --> 01:12:42.800 I say, every time that you guys hop on, you know, 1476 01:12:42.840 --> 01:12:44.560 let's get you off some of those sleep meds that 1477 01:12:44.640 --> 01:12:47.880 have adverse effects and they're also addicting. This is not that. 1478 01:12:48.159 --> 01:12:49.720 So what can you tell us about how you can 1479 01:12:49.720 --> 01:12:50.800 help people find some sleep? 1480 01:12:52.079 --> 01:12:55.840 Yeah, absolutely, we like think about the ambiens, the xen access, 1481 01:12:55.840 --> 01:12:58.560 some of the other prescription drugs that folks used to sleep. 1482 01:12:58.640 --> 01:13:01.720 They're not amazing for long term use. They are addictive, 1483 01:13:01.720 --> 01:13:04.039 as you mentioned, and you think about some of the 1484 01:13:04.279 --> 01:13:07.920 non prescription items that you can buy over the counter. 1485 01:13:07.960 --> 01:13:11.119 They're also not great and have several side effects. So 1486 01:13:11.479 --> 01:13:15.319 best alternative that we found, and we're pharmacists is CBD 1487 01:13:16.199 --> 01:13:21.880 with another cannabinoid called CBN and enough THC to make 1488 01:13:21.920 --> 01:13:25.399 it all work really really well for a gummy that 1489 01:13:25.680 --> 01:13:29.720 provides a fantastic relaxation and a very good night's sleep. 1490 01:13:30.279 --> 01:13:33.640 Also, folks out there struggling with physical pain, which is 1491 01:13:33.680 --> 01:13:36.720 a real thing, and you know, as pat Riley had 1492 01:13:36.760 --> 01:13:40.239 this great saying back, pain will change your personality and 1493 01:13:40.439 --> 01:13:42.800 ultimately I know there are people out there suffering trying 1494 01:13:42.800 --> 01:13:45.760 to alleviate that pain with some meds that also have 1495 01:13:45.800 --> 01:13:48.479 adverse effects. How can you, DOUG help people that are 1496 01:13:48.479 --> 01:13:50.840 suffering with physical pain day to day. 1497 01:13:51.760 --> 01:13:54.760 Absolutely so pain. I think if we did a poll, 1498 01:13:54.880 --> 01:13:57.800 probably forty percent of the country has pain on Mondays 1499 01:13:57.800 --> 01:14:00.640 after painful weekends, like we watched this last last one, 1500 01:14:01.000 --> 01:14:03.159 we're all hurting a little bitter, most of us. So 1501 01:14:03.520 --> 01:14:08.119 getting over that pain. There's gummies that help with full 1502 01:14:08.199 --> 01:14:11.279 body pain relief, the aches and pains that are all over. 1503 01:14:11.319 --> 01:14:14.319 And if you're looking to target a specific area an 1504 01:14:14.520 --> 01:14:18.720 arm adjoined the leg and neck, back, then problem solved, 1505 01:14:19.039 --> 01:14:23.880 which is a topical CBD ointment with some CBG which 1506 01:14:23.920 --> 01:14:28.840 is an amazing anti inflammatory, and rub that on once 1507 01:14:28.920 --> 01:14:32.640 to twice a day and relief in literally five or 1508 01:14:32.760 --> 01:14:37.119 six minutes. That lasts anywhere from twelve to twenty four hours. 1509 01:14:37.119 --> 01:14:41.159 It's just amazing stuff. And everything is non prescription. It's 1510 01:14:41.199 --> 01:14:43.439 all over the counter. You don't need a card, you 1511 01:14:43.479 --> 01:14:45.159 don't have to go to your doctor, even just come 1512 01:14:45.199 --> 01:14:45.920 into our store. 1513 01:14:46.359 --> 01:14:49.279 What would you recommend, Doug for people to just get 1514 01:14:49.399 --> 01:14:51.640 educated a little bit, you know, get more information, and 1515 01:14:51.680 --> 01:14:55.000 then what's the special offer you for listeners? 1516 01:14:55.119 --> 01:15:00.640 Yeah, well, I like we have like everybody podcast, so 1517 01:15:00.680 --> 01:15:04.560 you can listen to you, me and CBD and that 1518 01:15:04.640 --> 01:15:07.560 will educate you on all the science we nerd out 1519 01:15:07.640 --> 01:15:12.520 on tons of different topics that teach people about CBD 1520 01:15:12.640 --> 01:15:15.319 in appropriate use. You can also come into our store 1521 01:15:15.359 --> 01:15:19.199 at seventy seven nineteen South Main Street in Midvale and 1522 01:15:19.680 --> 01:15:23.840 talk to us, or go online Farmerandchemist dot com and 1523 01:15:24.000 --> 01:15:26.279 for ESPN listeners if you're fans of the show that 1524 01:15:26.319 --> 01:15:30.119 you get twenty percent off if you mentioned ESPN seven 1525 01:15:30.239 --> 01:15:32.560 hundred in the store or use that on the promo 1526 01:15:32.640 --> 01:15:37.000 code ESPN seven hundred at Farmer and Chemist dot com. 1527 01:15:37.800 --> 01:15:40.960 We'll rainfalling in downtown Salt Lake earlier, but the sun 1528 01:15:41.119 --> 01:15:45.079 is shining now. It's tough Monday for a lot of 1529 01:15:45.720 --> 01:15:47.920 sports fans in our market because a lot of the 1530 01:15:47.960 --> 01:15:50.880 teams are not playing well and they're losing games. But 1531 01:15:51.039 --> 01:15:55.359 RSL is right now kind of our only hope BYU 1532 01:15:55.359 --> 01:15:58.680 football playing really well. But RSL they're back out of 1533 01:15:58.720 --> 01:16:01.560 coming up tomorrow hopefully starting what will look like a 1534 01:16:01.640 --> 01:16:04.199 very long playoff push. And our next guest friend of 1535 01:16:04.239 --> 01:16:06.840 the program, good to have Matt Crooks back on the drive. Matt, 1536 01:16:06.840 --> 01:16:09.680 Happy Monday, buddy. How are you doing hell. 1537 01:16:11.600 --> 01:16:11.720 Well? 1538 01:16:11.760 --> 01:16:13.640 I appreciate your time, so you guys chomping it the 1539 01:16:13.680 --> 01:16:15.000 bit you're ready to get out of tomorrow. 1540 01:16:16.439 --> 01:16:19.520 Yeah, we're excited. I guess this is where the season 1541 01:16:19.600 --> 01:16:23.840 really starts for us, and these games have come with 1542 01:16:23.840 --> 01:16:27.079 a bit more pressure now, but it's it's an exciting 1543 01:16:27.119 --> 01:16:31.800 time to be playing and just see what the future brings. 1544 01:16:32.079 --> 01:16:33.920 For sure, and you know, I want to start a 1545 01:16:34.000 --> 01:16:35.840 big picture and then we'll kind of hone in a 1546 01:16:35.880 --> 01:16:37.920 little bit in a vacuum. But now that you have 1547 01:16:38.520 --> 01:16:40.439 been here for a number of months and you've played 1548 01:16:40.439 --> 01:16:43.359 a number of matches for Pablo, I just wanted to 1549 01:16:43.439 --> 01:16:46.119 kind of revisit how your Utah experience has been, you know, 1550 01:16:46.159 --> 01:16:47.359 how you lik it around here. 1551 01:16:48.880 --> 01:16:50.399 Yeah, it's been great. You know, it's been a totally 1552 01:16:50.479 --> 01:16:54.640 new experience for me, totally different culture to I mess myself, 1553 01:16:54.680 --> 01:16:57.640 and I've tried to do that to the best of 1554 01:16:57.680 --> 01:17:02.479 my ability, of different nationalities to play with their own 1555 01:17:02.560 --> 01:17:05.640 kind of playing styles that have never been involved with before. 1556 01:17:05.680 --> 01:17:07.600 So no, it's been it's been a leven experience where 1557 01:17:07.600 --> 01:17:10.600 we have learned a lot about myself on and off 1558 01:17:10.600 --> 01:17:12.920 the pitch. I think. So now it's been it's been 1559 01:17:13.000 --> 01:17:15.279 valuable and I've enjoyed it. 1560 01:17:15.800 --> 01:17:18.479 So it feels like Pablo has gone out of his 1561 01:17:18.600 --> 01:17:22.439 way to really try to walk everybody through exactly how 1562 01:17:22.520 --> 01:17:25.880 much of a connector you are during some postgame media 1563 01:17:26.039 --> 01:17:27.760 or every time he has a chance to kind of 1564 01:17:27.800 --> 01:17:29.520 talk about the state of the team, and he joins 1565 01:17:29.600 --> 01:17:31.560 us on a weekly basis, and we always end up 1566 01:17:31.640 --> 01:17:34.720 talking about your work rate. And I'm sure you want 1567 01:17:34.760 --> 01:17:37.399 more than three goals and more than five assists, right Like, 1568 01:17:37.479 --> 01:17:39.560 I know you want the stats, but it does feel 1569 01:17:39.600 --> 01:17:43.079 like your contributions are ones that really can't be measured 1570 01:17:43.119 --> 01:17:44.600 with numbers. Is that fair to say? 1571 01:17:46.520 --> 01:17:48.720 Yeah, I mean, I'd love to have scored more goals 1572 01:17:48.760 --> 01:17:54.079 and had a few opportunities, But listen, it's not about 1573 01:17:54.079 --> 01:17:57.279 the individual, it's about the collective. And the team's done well. 1574 01:17:57.319 --> 01:17:59.760 We've finished third records points, so all got to the 1575 01:18:00.079 --> 01:18:03.760 look off Champions Cup, so that's that's the main objective. 1576 01:18:03.760 --> 01:18:04.039 Really. 1577 01:18:05.720 --> 01:18:07.600 I'm sure in time goals will come back for me 1578 01:18:07.680 --> 01:18:10.920 and I'll get opportunities, But if a team's performing, then 1579 01:18:10.920 --> 01:18:15.000 that's kind of my main concern. So yeah, I'm not 1580 01:18:15.079 --> 01:18:17.640 too I'm not too worried. I've scored goals on my career, 1581 01:18:17.720 --> 01:18:21.079 so I'm sure they'll come back to me. At some point. 1582 01:18:20.880 --> 01:18:23.920 But ultimately, Matt, it feels like the sentiment is, you know, 1583 01:18:24.279 --> 01:18:26.520 and again, I know you want the goals, I know 1584 01:18:26.560 --> 01:18:28.960 you want the assists, but a lot of what Pablo 1585 01:18:29.079 --> 01:18:31.880 is asking you to do is serve as a connector 1586 01:18:32.000 --> 01:18:34.560 right between like midfielders and maybe cheat you up top. 1587 01:18:34.600 --> 01:18:35.399 Does that make sense? 1588 01:18:36.640 --> 01:18:40.000 Yeah, yeah, definitely. I think naturally, I've always been more 1589 01:18:40.000 --> 01:18:42.680 of a midfield, like I'm a break I played that 1590 01:18:42.720 --> 01:18:46.399 positions of my career, so naturally for me, I'll probably 1591 01:18:46.439 --> 01:18:48.439 drop a little bit deeper and maybe a natural number 1592 01:18:48.439 --> 01:18:51.840 ten would and try and get on the ball a 1593 01:18:51.840 --> 01:18:55.720 little bit more than others. But yeah, I just try 1594 01:18:55.760 --> 01:18:57.800 and get the player, play my game, obviously to the 1595 01:18:58.560 --> 01:19:00.199 to the style that the team wants to play, but 1596 01:19:00.279 --> 01:19:03.800 play my own game with freedom and try and express 1597 01:19:03.800 --> 01:19:04.439 myself that way. 1598 01:19:05.359 --> 01:19:08.600 So how would you characterize Because I was at the 1599 01:19:08.760 --> 01:19:11.319 Vancouver game, you know, and so I was able to 1600 01:19:11.399 --> 01:19:14.520 chat with with Kurt and Jason and a lot of 1601 01:19:14.520 --> 01:19:17.880 people with the club. Because undefeated in five heading into 1602 01:19:17.880 --> 01:19:20.079 the playoffs, that's obviously a good thing. It feels like 1603 01:19:20.119 --> 01:19:24.039 some of the defensive miscues have been have been cleaned up, 1604 01:19:24.079 --> 01:19:26.960 and Pablo also talks a lot about defending as a 1605 01:19:27.000 --> 01:19:29.159 group and making sure this is a team thing, so 1606 01:19:29.199 --> 01:19:32.159 we're not just putting it on Gavin or Zach or whatever. 1607 01:19:32.279 --> 01:19:35.560 So unbeaten in five mad but entering the playoffs, how 1608 01:19:35.560 --> 01:19:38.439 would you characterize the form of RSL right now? 1609 01:19:39.840 --> 01:19:40.640 Well, it's been good. 1610 01:19:41.199 --> 01:19:43.079 I think a couple of those drugs for the win wins, 1611 01:19:43.079 --> 01:19:46.600 we dropped, dropped a couple of points in a couple 1612 01:19:46.600 --> 01:19:49.279 of those games where we have just closed out the game. 1613 01:19:49.640 --> 01:19:52.239 So really we put the disappinted that we didn't pick 1614 01:19:52.319 --> 01:19:54.800 up more points in the end, we're beaten in five. 1615 01:19:55.560 --> 01:19:58.359 Might you say, it's not just on the defenders the 1616 01:19:58.359 --> 01:20:00.800 defender it's a team thing. You see, all the best 1617 01:20:00.800 --> 01:20:02.800 teams in the world were the hardest off the ball 1618 01:20:02.880 --> 01:20:05.239 and then they get the rest with the ball. So 1619 01:20:05.720 --> 01:20:09.199 I think we need all eleven players in sync with that, 1620 01:20:09.319 --> 01:20:11.239 and that's what we've had the last last few games. 1621 01:20:11.800 --> 01:20:16.520 What are the challenges of the roster turnover situation? Obviously 1622 01:20:16.720 --> 01:20:20.319 On Dress was a big part of your early success. 1623 01:20:20.439 --> 01:20:23.800 He was he accounted for twenty two goals, thirteen goals, 1624 01:20:23.840 --> 01:20:27.960 nineteen assists, and you know they sell him. He moves 1625 01:20:27.960 --> 01:20:29.720 on to France, and of course it was a good 1626 01:20:29.720 --> 01:20:31.680 fee for the club, so I understand why they did it, 1627 01:20:31.920 --> 01:20:33.640 and then I could keep going. You know the deal. 1628 01:20:33.640 --> 01:20:35.520 You guys brought in five new players. What are the 1629 01:20:35.600 --> 01:20:40.720 challenges of trying to acclimate to new talent around you, Matt, Yeah. 1630 01:20:40.600 --> 01:20:43.920 Of course it's a new challenge. He's still trying to learn. 1631 01:20:44.199 --> 01:20:45.720 I mean, I was trying to learn what Undress was 1632 01:20:45.760 --> 01:20:49.000 doing still. And then I'll say he left and pushing 1633 01:20:49.039 --> 01:20:50.840 the best of looking friends and I scored his first 1634 01:20:50.880 --> 01:20:52.479 goal and he's a great kid, so wishing all the 1635 01:20:52.520 --> 01:20:54.840 best of there. But then Dom comes in. I think 1636 01:20:54.840 --> 01:20:57.800 he's settled in really well. But like you say, you've 1637 01:20:57.800 --> 01:20:59.960 still got to kind of get to know what move 1638 01:21:00.079 --> 01:21:02.119 was made, how they like to play, stuff like that. 1639 01:21:02.199 --> 01:21:04.960 So yeah, of course it covered it with its challenges, 1640 01:21:04.960 --> 01:21:07.640 but we're not complaining. We've passed over in the good position, 1641 01:21:07.720 --> 01:21:11.039 and like I said, it's playoffs now and it's all 1642 01:21:11.119 --> 01:21:12.760 to player for so we kind of just got quicker 1643 01:21:12.840 --> 01:21:13.079 with it. 1644 01:21:13.800 --> 01:21:16.800 So you referenced it, and I've been either with the 1645 01:21:16.880 --> 01:21:19.680 club or covering the club since the first day it 1646 01:21:19.760 --> 01:21:21.720 was broad here in two thousand and four, so I 1647 01:21:21.840 --> 01:21:24.920 was around for all of Jason's great teams and saw 1648 01:21:24.960 --> 01:21:27.039 that two thousand. I think it's the twenty twelve team 1649 01:21:27.079 --> 01:21:29.039 who set the record for points in a season and 1650 01:21:29.079 --> 01:21:31.000 you guys break that what I know you want to 1651 01:21:31.039 --> 01:21:33.119 lift trophies. Pablo talks about it all the time. I 1652 01:21:33.119 --> 01:21:35.600 know the goal is to make a run and hopefully 1653 01:21:35.680 --> 01:21:38.640 lift MLS Cup. But put us put it into perspective. 1654 01:21:38.680 --> 01:21:40.520 For us, what in the locker room does it mean 1655 01:21:40.600 --> 01:21:42.680 to break this single season, all the time record. 1656 01:21:44.479 --> 01:21:48.760 Of course, it's great, I think I think from my standpoint, 1657 01:21:48.760 --> 01:21:52.159 I'm obviously used to the European style with the league running, 1658 01:21:52.279 --> 01:21:56.399 so it's kind of like uh, less playoffs and more 1659 01:21:56.479 --> 01:21:58.279 like over the course of the season, how well you do. 1660 01:21:58.319 --> 01:22:00.520 And I think it shows consistency of how played. And 1661 01:22:01.039 --> 01:22:04.399 obviously there's dips and people go through dips and fall 1662 01:22:04.520 --> 01:22:07.600 and players have highs. But I think of the course 1663 01:22:07.640 --> 01:22:09.239 of the season it shows the strength of the group 1664 01:22:09.279 --> 01:22:10.640 and the players that we got on the talent that 1665 01:22:10.680 --> 01:22:13.199 there is, whether that's at the start of the season 1666 01:22:13.319 --> 01:22:16.800 or now. And it's obviously Britain home. I think it 1667 01:22:16.800 --> 01:22:20.279 was fifty nine points was a great achievement for us, 1668 01:22:20.279 --> 01:22:24.079 but we know and now that that's kind of irrelevant 1669 01:22:24.119 --> 01:22:26.720 and we've got some big games going up, so. 1670 01:22:26.920 --> 01:22:28.680 As you know, you know, you know, there was a 1671 01:22:28.680 --> 01:22:30.760 stretch there where it felt like if chie Jo only 1672 01:22:30.800 --> 01:22:33.479 scored one goal, he was having an off night because 1673 01:22:33.479 --> 01:22:36.199 he was so dominant as you guys, went fifteenth straight 1674 01:22:36.640 --> 01:22:40.000 without a loss. Now he hasn't scored since since back 1675 01:22:40.000 --> 01:22:43.520 in July. Help us understand, like, and ultimately, with a 1676 01:22:43.520 --> 01:22:45.359 guy like that, he gets one, it feels like the 1677 01:22:45.399 --> 01:22:48.840 floodgates will open. But is that a result of new teammates. 1678 01:22:48.880 --> 01:22:51.720 Is that a result of maybe a residual mental effect 1679 01:22:51.760 --> 01:22:54.560 from the suspension And are you seeing things in training 1680 01:22:54.640 --> 01:22:57.359 indicate that maybe the the bank account will be open 1681 01:22:57.439 --> 01:22:59.359 once again by chiech Sho during this playoff run. 1682 01:23:00.800 --> 01:23:02.760 Yeah, listen, I can't. I can't speak for future or 1683 01:23:02.760 --> 01:23:06.520 how his mental state is, but I wouldn't. Obviously he's 1684 01:23:06.520 --> 01:23:08.600 still like I went into two new players that we 1685 01:23:08.680 --> 01:23:11.800 all are. But this happens in football. Sometimes you go 1686 01:23:11.840 --> 01:23:15.119 through these periods where, well, maybe don't score as many 1687 01:23:15.119 --> 01:23:17.640 goals as you want. I've been doing it all season, really, 1688 01:23:17.640 --> 01:23:20.000 and it's you just got to keep going and keep 1689 01:23:20.039 --> 01:23:23.159 working hard, and then eventually if you do keep getting 1690 01:23:23.199 --> 01:23:26.399 those spots and the results will come. The goals will come. 1691 01:23:26.439 --> 01:23:31.119 So I've got full faith in him. The quality is there. 1692 01:23:31.720 --> 01:23:34.279 I know he's got full faith in himself, so I'm 1693 01:23:34.319 --> 01:23:38.640 not I'm not too worried about him not scoring recently, 1694 01:23:38.640 --> 01:23:40.279 and they'll come soon enough. 1695 01:23:40.800 --> 01:23:43.319 So as far as the way Pablo has decided to 1696 01:23:43.359 --> 01:23:45.199 implement some of the new players, I want to just 1697 01:23:45.279 --> 01:23:47.560 kind of break this down a little bit and help you. 1698 01:23:47.600 --> 01:23:49.680 Have you help me understand exactly what we're trying to 1699 01:23:49.680 --> 01:23:54.079 do here. So Diogo feels like a ten to me, Matt. 1700 01:23:54.119 --> 01:23:56.279 I'm not the coach, obviously, I'm not an expert, but 1701 01:23:56.720 --> 01:23:59.279 Pablo has moved him around a little bit out wide 1702 01:23:59.319 --> 01:24:02.199 to where where do you think diego and based off 1703 01:24:02.199 --> 01:24:03.600 of what you know about his skill, where do you 1704 01:24:03.600 --> 01:24:04.800 think the best spot is for him? 1705 01:24:06.039 --> 01:24:08.399 Probably tenure, I agree with He's probably. 1706 01:24:08.159 --> 01:24:12.319 A ten, so you like him more centralized, Yeah, I 1707 01:24:12.319 --> 01:24:12.920 think he's a ten. 1708 01:24:13.039 --> 01:24:17.000 I mean our ten doesn't really play as a central ten. 1709 01:24:19.359 --> 01:24:24.520 He's the more towards the right, so we don't really 1710 01:24:24.560 --> 01:24:30.039 play with a conventional number ten. But yeah, he's he's 1711 01:24:30.079 --> 01:24:33.560 definitely probably vying for the same as what I am, 1712 01:24:33.880 --> 01:24:36.600 but Diego has got a huge amounts of talent and 1713 01:24:37.439 --> 01:24:42.960 he's a really good guy, good professional. So listen, if 1714 01:24:42.960 --> 01:24:47.479 he plays an idol, then I can't complains. He's a 1715 01:24:47.479 --> 01:24:49.680 great player and he's got an abundance of talent. I 1716 01:24:49.760 --> 01:24:52.439 just have to keep working hard in training and show 1717 01:24:53.239 --> 01:24:54.960 show my worth, come come gain. 1718 01:24:55.800 --> 01:24:59.159 Certainly we had Diego on the show last week, just 1719 01:24:59.199 --> 01:25:02.239 a delightful ki and talk about a guy in form 1720 01:25:02.399 --> 01:25:04.119 right now. Yeah, I mean a couple of goals the 1721 01:25:04.199 --> 01:25:06.399 last few games, and I like to say it's the 1722 01:25:06.479 --> 01:25:08.199 luck of coming on the show, Matt, which means you're 1723 01:25:08.199 --> 01:25:11.000 gonna score tomorrow, just so you know. But what have 1724 01:25:11.079 --> 01:25:13.800 you What have you witnessed from Diego? Like why why 1725 01:25:13.800 --> 01:25:15.600 do you think he's up this game so much? I mean, 1726 01:25:15.640 --> 01:25:17.399 obviously has a ton of talent, but tell me what 1727 01:25:17.439 --> 01:25:18.880 you're seeing from him? 1728 01:25:19.640 --> 01:25:23.079 Yeah, Diego is a great kid as well. He's willing 1729 01:25:23.119 --> 01:25:25.079 to learn. He's got like like to say, he's got 1730 01:25:25.119 --> 01:25:29.520 great natural talent, but I think he he knows it 1731 01:25:29.560 --> 01:25:31.199 has to work on his game to kind of take 1732 01:25:31.199 --> 01:25:34.199 it to that next level. He's done really well this season, 1733 01:25:34.279 --> 01:25:37.439 but I think then for him is to kick them 1734 01:25:37.479 --> 01:25:42.680 even more and really progress. So I've tried directing in 1735 01:25:42.760 --> 01:25:44.359 the right ways every now and then and given them 1736 01:25:44.359 --> 01:25:46.880 a little well look as of information, whether he listens 1737 01:25:46.880 --> 01:25:50.319 to me or not, so different things. But now he's 1738 01:25:50.319 --> 01:25:52.439 a good kid that he's got he's got great ability, 1739 01:25:52.479 --> 01:25:54.840 and I'll look forward to what he does in the future. 1740 01:25:55.560 --> 01:25:57.840 So it does feel like Pablo is kind of leaning 1741 01:25:57.840 --> 01:25:59.680 on you as one of the leaders in the locker room. 1742 01:25:59.800 --> 01:26:01.880 Is that fair to say? And what what does that 1743 01:26:02.000 --> 01:26:03.079 role mean? Matt? 1744 01:26:04.920 --> 01:26:06.960 Yeah, I'm one of the older ones now. I still 1745 01:26:07.000 --> 01:26:11.239 feel twenty one in my head. But yeah, but I 1746 01:26:11.319 --> 01:26:13.720 was talking about yesterday, think about the third or fourth folder. 1747 01:26:15.520 --> 01:26:19.880 So yeah, I guess it's using my experience to kind 1748 01:26:19.880 --> 01:26:22.279 of I don't know, I don't feel like if I 1749 01:26:22.399 --> 01:26:24.399 want to speak to about stuff and I'll give them 1750 01:26:24.439 --> 01:26:28.800 my my thoughts on things, but kind of just doing 1751 01:26:29.039 --> 01:26:31.399 the right things day and day out of training. I 1752 01:26:31.399 --> 01:26:34.279 think that's that's where you're bos go and working on 1753 01:26:34.279 --> 01:26:38.560 the training ground, training, how you play, getting in early, 1754 01:26:38.640 --> 01:26:41.960 doing your work, doing your gym, eating right, just kind 1755 01:26:42.000 --> 01:26:44.439 of living your life like like you should be doing. 1756 01:26:44.479 --> 01:26:50.279 So yeah, that's I wouldn't say, like I'm really vocal 1757 01:26:50.399 --> 01:26:54.319 on the pitch, but try and lead in in my 1758 01:26:54.399 --> 01:26:56.800 own style, which is kind of doing just doing the 1759 01:26:56.840 --> 01:26:57.239 right thing. 1760 01:26:57.880 --> 01:27:00.279 So I've asked a number of your teammates this gonna 1761 01:27:00.279 --> 01:27:03.159 ask you the same question. Certainly as a leader, I 1762 01:27:03.159 --> 01:27:05.680 don't know what the approach is when something happens like 1763 01:27:05.720 --> 01:27:08.800 Brian Vera spitting in someone's face and for the second 1764 01:27:08.840 --> 01:27:11.920 straight year, really letting the club down. Uh, And look 1765 01:27:11.960 --> 01:27:14.520 he is, he's really good. And it's not just that 1766 01:27:14.720 --> 01:27:17.000 you're you. You're losing a center back. We know that 1767 01:27:17.039 --> 01:27:20.239 at times there are design set pieces to utilize that 1768 01:27:20.359 --> 01:27:22.760 cannon of the left leg he has. And I'm sure 1769 01:27:22.800 --> 01:27:25.560 he's gutted because it's not just a regular season game. 1770 01:27:25.640 --> 01:27:29.000 He's out tomorrow too. Tell us how you feel about 1771 01:27:29.039 --> 01:27:30.960 the Vera situation, how it was kind of handled, and 1772 01:27:31.079 --> 01:27:32.399 and how how he is doing. 1773 01:27:34.840 --> 01:27:39.920 Yeah, abouly that happened. You can't really control that. It's 1774 01:27:40.760 --> 01:27:42.880 one of those things in the moment that happened, and 1775 01:27:45.439 --> 01:27:47.000 it wasn't great. And I think Brian knows that. I 1776 01:27:47.039 --> 01:27:48.560 doesn't need any to tell him what he did was 1777 01:27:49.479 --> 01:27:52.680 It wasn't exactly the right thing to do. But listen, 1778 01:27:52.720 --> 01:27:54.359 we all want to stakes have to move past it, 1779 01:27:54.399 --> 01:27:56.720 and I'm sure the club maybe it's booked to him, 1780 01:27:56.720 --> 01:28:00.439 and just maybe try to refocus him now for the 1781 01:28:00.479 --> 01:28:04.119 games coming up, because we can't have anyone slocking or 1782 01:28:05.960 --> 01:28:07.840 feeling sorry for themselves. It's kind of we all got 1783 01:28:07.840 --> 01:28:10.520 we had together, so hopefully we can move forward. I'm 1784 01:28:10.520 --> 01:28:13.840 sure we are. I speak my very limited Spanish with Bryan, 1785 01:28:13.880 --> 01:28:19.119 and I think his actions weren't indication of who he 1786 01:28:19.159 --> 01:28:22.159 is as a person. What was in the air. Like 1787 01:28:22.199 --> 01:28:25.560 I said, we all met mists. None's perfect, and as 1788 01:28:25.600 --> 01:28:29.039 long as he kind of learns from it and makes 1789 01:28:29.079 --> 01:28:31.119 himself about a player in person, then that's all you. 1790 01:28:31.039 --> 01:28:34.520 Can ask for for sure. Well said. Unfortunately, it does 1791 01:28:35.000 --> 01:28:37.159 leave a little bit of a hole because now Philip 1792 01:28:37.199 --> 01:28:39.600 Quentin has been knocked up a little bit with an 1793 01:28:39.600 --> 01:28:42.840 injury that he picked up against Vancouver, and I'm not 1794 01:28:42.880 --> 01:28:44.760 really sure what that's going to look like. I think, 1795 01:28:44.920 --> 01:28:48.359 if I can recall correctly, Pablo decided to put a 1796 01:28:48.439 --> 01:28:52.239 Mecca right back, because Mecca did play right back last year. 1797 01:28:52.279 --> 01:28:56.119 He brought in Nelson and then he put Gervayane in 1798 01:28:56.239 --> 01:28:59.119 the middle next to Justin. I think that's what he did. Ye, 1799 01:28:59.479 --> 01:29:02.600 So you okay, okay, So do you think that's the plan? 1800 01:29:02.640 --> 01:29:05.239 I mean, because the center back depth right now, Matt 1801 01:29:05.319 --> 01:29:05.840 is not great. 1802 01:29:07.359 --> 01:29:09.680 I don't know. I've played the mcaree a few times, 1803 01:29:09.800 --> 01:29:12.640 all right. I'm tall enough, so you never know. You 1804 01:29:12.680 --> 01:29:15.800 might see me there tomorrow at the back. Now, listen, 1805 01:29:15.840 --> 01:29:17.720 We've got we've got a good, good depth in the squad. 1806 01:29:17.760 --> 01:29:20.800 And obviously it's unfortunate what happened with Quincy. I think 1807 01:29:20.920 --> 01:29:22.640 he's done really well when he's coming to the team, 1808 01:29:22.760 --> 01:29:27.319 is adding assurance and good with the ball, and obviously 1809 01:29:27.319 --> 01:29:30.520 defensively as well. So it's unfortunate for Phil, but this 1810 01:29:30.560 --> 01:29:32.600 is football. It happens. He knows that and he's trying 1811 01:29:32.720 --> 01:29:35.159 trying to get back as quick as possible. But I 1812 01:29:35.159 --> 01:29:37.840 thought you Bain was great sent a half, and like saying, 1813 01:29:37.880 --> 01:29:42.399 Mac has played right back before last season, so obviously 1814 01:29:42.479 --> 01:29:45.399 it's not it's not great timing. But as a squad 1815 01:29:45.399 --> 01:29:47.039 we have to kind of, like I've said so many 1816 01:29:47.039 --> 01:29:48.520 times already, have we have to kind of get on 1817 01:29:48.560 --> 01:29:50.920 with it and and play the game in front of us. 1818 01:29:50.920 --> 01:29:53.039 But if they for needs me to play center half, 1819 01:29:53.039 --> 01:29:54.079 and I'm ready. 1820 01:29:54.239 --> 01:29:56.000 I love it. I love that attitude. I'm going to 1821 01:29:56.039 --> 01:29:58.319 text Pablo and tell him that you you've offered to 1822 01:29:58.319 --> 01:30:03.279 play center back against Don't mind. I wonder how you 1823 01:30:03.279 --> 01:30:07.359 would characterize the defensive state of the club, because, like 1824 01:30:07.399 --> 01:30:10.319 I said on the intro, it does feel like some 1825 01:30:10.399 --> 01:30:13.359 of the defensive issues have been better as of late, 1826 01:30:13.479 --> 01:30:15.479 because for a while and there was some bad, you know, 1827 01:30:15.560 --> 01:30:18.920 mistakes by the keeper. But we certainly know that when 1828 01:30:18.960 --> 01:30:20.680 it comes to the way Pablo wants to play, it's 1829 01:30:20.720 --> 01:30:22.960 not all on one player, and I'm not pouring it 1830 01:30:23.000 --> 01:30:25.000 on either Zach or Gavin, but it does feel like 1831 01:30:25.039 --> 01:30:27.039 it's been better. Matt, do you would you agree with that? 1832 01:30:27.079 --> 01:30:31.399 And if so, why, Yeah, certainly, I certainly think so. 1833 01:30:31.520 --> 01:30:34.279 I think it's the same thing I said before. We've 1834 01:30:34.319 --> 01:30:35.760 all got to do it together. I think if one 1835 01:30:35.760 --> 01:30:38.880 person's out positioned or one person's not not doing what's 1836 01:30:38.880 --> 01:30:41.399 supposed to be doing, it kind of there was as 1837 01:30:41.600 --> 01:30:43.600 as strong as a weak slink, and if someone's not 1838 01:30:43.680 --> 01:30:46.079 doing it, then it's kind of easy to play through. 1839 01:30:46.159 --> 01:30:48.239 So we only do on the same page what we're 1840 01:30:48.279 --> 01:30:51.000 doing defensively, and and I think we've done that in 1841 01:30:51.039 --> 01:30:54.000 the last in the last few games. These game are 1842 01:30:54.039 --> 01:30:56.560 going to be tight, So keeping a clean sheet, he's 1843 01:30:56.560 --> 01:30:58.760 always going to be super helpful. 1844 01:30:59.239 --> 01:31:01.359 All right, man, before say you loose. And this is 1845 01:31:01.479 --> 01:31:03.319 just me saying this, okay, and I'm not trying to 1846 01:31:03.319 --> 01:31:03.880 get in trouble. 1847 01:31:03.960 --> 01:31:04.560 But from my. 1848 01:31:04.600 --> 01:31:09.439 Vantage point, Minnesota is like scared of engaging with you guys, 1849 01:31:09.479 --> 01:31:11.520 and I don't like that style. You know, you've had 1850 01:31:11.520 --> 01:31:14.600 a couple of games against them, scoreless, draw, one to 1851 01:31:14.640 --> 01:31:18.359 one draw. So if Minnesota rolls in tomorrow and if 1852 01:31:18.399 --> 01:31:21.159 they decide to utilize the stile, which I think they're 1853 01:31:21.239 --> 01:31:24.319 going to to try to grab a road result, what 1854 01:31:24.399 --> 01:31:26.720 are the biggest challenges Somebody like you scored a ton 1855 01:31:26.760 --> 01:31:29.039 of goal has always been an attacking player, like when 1856 01:31:29.039 --> 01:31:31.520 a team parks the bus. Sometimes it feels like it's 1857 01:31:31.560 --> 01:31:33.680 impossible to find the back of the net, like playing 1858 01:31:33.680 --> 01:31:36.479 a long ball and just pray or something. What What 1859 01:31:36.479 --> 01:31:38.960 What are the keys to breaking down a defensive unit 1860 01:31:39.159 --> 01:31:42.000 like Minnesota if they decide to basically track back the 1861 01:31:42.159 --> 01:31:42.680 entire game. 1862 01:31:44.199 --> 01:31:48.079 Yeah, listen, I don't know very well, but I know 1863 01:31:48.199 --> 01:31:50.520 that manager quite well. We have the same agent, So 1864 01:31:51.720 --> 01:31:53.319 I've been trying to text an agent to get some 1865 01:31:53.399 --> 01:31:56.760 information out of him. Book to no available but no, 1866 01:31:56.880 --> 01:31:58.680 they were very they were very good defensively in the 1867 01:31:58.720 --> 01:32:02.000 lost game. I think I have to move the ball quickly, 1868 01:32:02.640 --> 01:32:06.920 make a move tired obviously the altitude of facts for always, 1869 01:32:07.640 --> 01:32:10.239 but we have to try to penetrate and take risks 1870 01:32:10.520 --> 01:32:16.279 and and just the ruthless when the chances come, if 1871 01:32:16.279 --> 01:32:18.880 they do come. So yeah, I think just moving, moving 1872 01:32:18.920 --> 01:32:23.479 the ball quickly and being being prepared to take risks. 1873 01:32:23.520 --> 01:32:27.319 And when the ball does is given away, which it 1874 01:32:27.359 --> 01:32:29.159 will happen at that times, we're trying to take more 1875 01:32:29.199 --> 01:32:32.199 risks and right quickly to get the ball back. But 1876 01:32:33.279 --> 01:32:35.600 I think we've got enough starting the game, enough on 1877 01:32:35.640 --> 01:32:39.319 the bench to create chances and have our moments to 1878 01:32:39.560 --> 01:32:40.079 win the game. 1879 01:32:41.079 --> 01:32:43.359 Well, Matt, you should know Philip Quinton came on the 1880 01:32:43.359 --> 01:32:46.079 show the week before he scored. Diego came on the 1881 01:32:46.079 --> 01:32:48.199 show the week before he scored. So there's a little 1882 01:32:48.199 --> 01:32:50.640 pressure on you to capitalize on the radio luck here 1883 01:32:50.680 --> 01:32:51.520 to get a goal tomorrow. 1884 01:32:51.560 --> 01:32:55.520 Okay, bad, all right, Okay, I'll try my best way, Matte. 1885 01:32:55.560 --> 01:32:56.920 Thank you, sir, appreciate the time. 1886 01:32:58.359 --> 01:33:00.359 You're welcome. I speak to you all right. 1887 01:33:00.399 --> 01:33:04.640 Matt Crooks, midfielder for RSL. He has been really lauded 1888 01:33:05.000 --> 01:33:08.960 and supported by the club for just his work rate. Now, 1889 01:33:09.079 --> 01:33:12.600 as he referenced, all these guys want to score goals 1890 01:33:12.640 --> 01:33:15.680 and get assists. So on the season Matt Crooks with 1891 01:33:15.760 --> 01:33:19.000 three goals with five assists. He has played in twenty 1892 01:33:19.159 --> 01:33:22.159 nine games, he started twenty three of them. But really 1893 01:33:22.199 --> 01:33:24.880 he leads the team in past percentage. Matt's one with 1894 01:33:24.960 --> 01:33:29.239 eighty seven percent, Diego's two eighty five percent. Actually, excuse me, 1895 01:33:29.279 --> 01:33:31.239 Oheita and Ameca are both in the nineties. 1896 01:33:31.279 --> 01:33:31.640 Tease. 1897 01:33:32.119 --> 01:33:34.760 Those two central bids are pretty good. But you know, 1898 01:33:34.800 --> 01:33:37.720 Matt obviously has been applauded as a hard worker and 1899 01:33:37.760 --> 01:33:40.880 a connector. RSL is taken on a Minnesota team, as 1900 01:33:40.920 --> 01:33:43.199 I said, who has been at least in my opinion, 1901 01:33:43.239 --> 01:33:47.199 a little fraid to engage with RSL. Parking the bus 1902 01:33:47.239 --> 01:33:50.159 as they say in soccer, trying to get eleven behind 1903 01:33:50.159 --> 01:33:53.000 the ball and just slowing it down. And look, that 1904 01:33:53.119 --> 01:33:55.800 is tactically something that can be effective. RSL did that 1905 01:33:56.000 --> 01:33:58.800 against Seattle in the playoffs a couple of years ago 1906 01:33:58.840 --> 01:34:01.479 when they went on their Western Conference MLS playoff run 1907 01:34:01.520 --> 01:34:05.560 when nobody saw coming. But it's a challenge because goals 1908 01:34:05.600 --> 01:34:07.760 are hard man, And that's the deal with this sport. 1909 01:34:07.760 --> 01:34:10.319 That's why they're like a miracle. It's why it feels 1910 01:34:10.319 --> 01:34:15.119 like such a dramatic, uh spectator sport to watch. And 1911 01:34:15.319 --> 01:34:18.119 if Minnesota goes up early and they're simply parking the bus, 1912 01:34:18.199 --> 01:34:20.039 I'm not sure that that's gonna be something this fan 1913 01:34:20.079 --> 01:34:23.760 base is gonna enjoy. But tomorrow night, RSL back in action. 1914 01:34:23.960 --> 01:34:28.640 The playoffs are here. Fall soccer is awesome. Now Fall 1915 01:34:28.640 --> 01:34:30.399 football of course, top of mine. We're gonna bring in 1916 01:34:30.399 --> 01:34:33.520 Scott Mitchell coming up. But it is a six fifty 1917 01:34:33.800 --> 01:34:36.840 kicktime tomorrow night, and that game will be on Apple 1918 01:34:36.920 --> 01:34:39.439 TV or head over to RSL dot com. I don't 1919 01:34:39.479 --> 01:34:42.079 know if there are any tickets left. We've got Monday 1920 01:34:42.119 --> 01:34:45.439 at football coming your way in about ninety minutes from 1921 01:34:45.520 --> 01:34:47.720 right now after we say good night here on the 1922 01:34:47.760 --> 01:34:52.800 program Russell Wilson and Daniel Jones, and then on nine 1923 01:34:52.880 --> 01:34:55.720 to sixty is where you can find Game three of 1924 01:34:55.760 --> 01:34:59.439 the World Series between the Dodgers and the Yanks. Yanks 1925 01:34:59.479 --> 01:35:01.720 got to get one tonight, man, Eli's up to zero, 1926 01:35:02.039 --> 01:35:05.119 so keep that in mind. Joining us now on a 1927 01:35:05.159 --> 01:35:09.239 Monday afternoon, the legend himself, Scott Mitchell. Scott happy Monday, sir, 1928 01:35:09.239 --> 01:35:09.640 how are you? 1929 01:35:11.479 --> 01:35:15.079 Thank you? I'm good. There might be some folks up 1930 01:35:15.079 --> 01:35:16.920 on the hill that aren't good right now, but you 1931 01:35:16.960 --> 01:35:19.119 know life, I can't complain. I'm good. 1932 01:35:19.159 --> 01:35:22.000 There you go. I like that attitude. And look, last 1933 01:35:22.039 --> 01:35:25.039 week I was the guy that was holding on to 1934 01:35:25.119 --> 01:35:28.479 the final branch before we actually tumble out of the tree. 1935 01:35:29.000 --> 01:35:31.039 And now I'm face down in the mud, Scott. Now 1936 01:35:31.039 --> 01:35:34.439 I'm face down in the mud. I got nothing like 1937 01:35:34.600 --> 01:35:36.439 I get a lot of things wrong. You know, you've 1938 01:35:36.439 --> 01:35:38.159 done this job for a long time. You get some 1939 01:35:38.239 --> 01:35:40.720 things right, you get some things wrong. I've got plenty wrong. 1940 01:35:41.399 --> 01:35:44.159 I don't know. And I'm just speaking for me personally 1941 01:35:44.760 --> 01:35:49.000 that I've ever been so wrong about something as wrong 1942 01:35:49.039 --> 01:35:51.640 as I've been about this Utah football team all year. 1943 01:35:51.880 --> 01:35:52.720 I'm out of answers. 1944 01:35:52.720 --> 01:35:52.920 Man. 1945 01:35:53.000 --> 01:35:55.279 Just from a macro standpoint, where's Scott Mitchell on this? 1946 01:35:57.760 --> 01:36:01.680 Well? Oh, I feel your pain and I feel your 1947 01:36:01.960 --> 01:36:06.279 like bewilderment, because really, you think about the first part 1948 01:36:06.319 --> 01:36:08.920 of the season. You play SUU and it looks really good, 1949 01:36:08.920 --> 01:36:11.399 and Cam rising okay, he's back from his injury, and 1950 01:36:11.880 --> 01:36:14.560 Baylor starts out amazing and then he just runs into 1951 01:36:14.600 --> 01:36:17.560 the whatever he ran into and it just and and 1952 01:36:17.680 --> 01:36:20.560 there goes the season. And I know it's not just 1953 01:36:20.680 --> 01:36:25.319 on one player, but Cam Rising, when he was here 1954 01:36:25.359 --> 01:36:28.359 and he was healthy, he was one player that really 1955 01:36:28.479 --> 01:36:32.920 changed the whole trajectory of this program. I mean, playing 1956 01:36:33.000 --> 01:36:35.399 San Diego State and he comes in in the second 1957 01:36:35.479 --> 01:36:37.600 half of that game four or five years or seven, 1958 01:36:37.640 --> 01:36:39.199 eight nine, I don't know how many years he's been 1959 01:36:39.199 --> 01:36:41.960 at Utah, and he was electric, and he was different, 1960 01:36:41.960 --> 01:36:44.199 and he brought an attitude and he brought a belief 1961 01:36:45.800 --> 01:36:48.520 that there just wasn't there and he did some incredible 1962 01:36:48.520 --> 01:36:53.680 things and when to me, it's so much about you 1963 01:36:53.720 --> 01:36:58.319 look at college football and your fortunes really do in 1964 01:36:58.359 --> 01:37:02.279 a lot of way center around a really really good quarterback. 1965 01:37:02.319 --> 01:37:04.680 And all the good teams in the country have them, 1966 01:37:05.239 --> 01:37:09.159 and they all either a lot of them aren't homegrown, 1967 01:37:11.119 --> 01:37:13.760 hired these guns and and a lot of them have 1968 01:37:13.840 --> 01:37:15.800 worked out. I mean there's some that haven't, but a 1969 01:37:15.800 --> 01:37:19.479 lot of these quarterbacks in the transfer portal and have 1970 01:37:19.479 --> 01:37:23.159 have have panned out. And that that's really the biggest 1971 01:37:23.319 --> 01:37:26.880 kind of uh, you know, because the defense has played 1972 01:37:27.880 --> 01:37:30.279 well enough to win every single game that we've lost. 1973 01:37:30.600 --> 01:37:32.920 I mean, they really have, and and the offense just 1974 01:37:32.960 --> 01:37:37.720 has been anemic. And the way I look at it 1975 01:37:37.760 --> 01:37:41.760 is there's something really weird going on on the offensive 1976 01:37:41.800 --> 01:37:43.880 side of the ball, and it's and it's you know, 1977 01:37:43.920 --> 01:37:46.439 and it's probably they look they got a true freshman 1978 01:37:46.439 --> 01:37:49.520 who's been playing and he's just okay, and he's and 1979 01:37:49.560 --> 01:37:51.880 he's just you know, he hasn't improved as the year 1980 01:37:51.880 --> 01:37:55.840 has gone on, and and you're seeing the same performance 1981 01:37:55.920 --> 01:37:58.159 every single week when he when he's out there, it's 1982 01:37:58.199 --> 01:38:01.800 just very very pedestrial in and there's just not a 1983 01:38:01.840 --> 01:38:04.000 lot there. And it's not saying he can't get there 1984 01:38:04.000 --> 01:38:06.800 down the road, but right now he's just not ready 1985 01:38:06.800 --> 01:38:10.199 to play. And so you're just it. You've just been 1986 01:38:10.199 --> 01:38:14.119 in a tough situation with the quarterback there. But the 1987 01:38:14.199 --> 01:38:17.000 other thing you're seeing is you're seeing all side penalties. 1988 01:38:17.039 --> 01:38:20.840 You're seeing you're seeing guys drop balls, You're seeing guys 1989 01:38:20.880 --> 01:38:23.880 not come back to the football. You're seeing very inaccurate throws. 1990 01:38:24.359 --> 01:38:28.560 You're seeing a lot of fundamental things that if you're 1991 01:38:28.560 --> 01:38:31.399 going to be consistent offensively, you just can't have guys 1992 01:38:31.399 --> 01:38:34.279 shooting you in the foot right and left and that's 1993 01:38:34.279 --> 01:38:37.239 what's happening. It's not just a quarterback play. It's across 1994 01:38:37.279 --> 01:38:40.359 the board. Everyone play, and it's a mindset. It's a 1995 01:38:40.399 --> 01:38:43.880 mindset of being focused and being taking care of those 1996 01:38:43.920 --> 01:38:46.920 little details, because those little details that's really what the 1997 01:38:47.000 --> 01:38:51.359 difference is between winning and losing, and between having a 1998 01:38:51.399 --> 01:38:54.880 consistent performance offensively and not. You know, you can't just 1999 01:38:54.920 --> 01:38:57.399 go through the motions and practice and just run the place. 2000 01:38:57.479 --> 01:39:00.720 You have to run the place to a level of excellence. 2001 01:39:00.720 --> 01:39:02.800 And if you don't, when you get in the game, 2002 01:39:02.840 --> 01:39:04.760 it just it just doesn't show up. And so you 2003 01:39:04.880 --> 01:39:08.600 just see these things, these fundamental things across the board 2004 01:39:08.680 --> 01:39:12.720 not happening, and that's why this team's been really poor 2005 01:39:12.760 --> 01:39:15.800 and inconsistent offensive. Now, the good news to that sense 2006 01:39:16.479 --> 01:39:19.239 is it's all fixable. Like you have to you have 2007 01:39:19.319 --> 01:39:21.920 to change your focus, you have to change your practice habits, 2008 01:39:22.000 --> 01:39:24.680 you have to you have to have a commitment to 2009 01:39:24.840 --> 01:39:27.960 being excellent when you're out on the field, and you 2010 01:39:28.000 --> 01:39:31.279 can do that and whether you are perfect about it 2011 01:39:31.439 --> 01:39:35.159 not relevant. It's it's the approach and the attitude that's 2012 01:39:35.199 --> 01:39:38.199 the important thing. And I'm just not seeing that with 2013 01:39:38.640 --> 01:39:41.159 and it's really the offensive side of the ball from me. 2014 01:39:42.399 --> 01:39:44.800 Yeah, and we'll get over the defense in a moment, 2015 01:39:44.880 --> 01:39:47.319 because to your point, there are a lot of metrics 2016 01:39:47.319 --> 01:39:49.920 that indicate this is still a top shelf defense, but 2017 01:39:49.960 --> 01:39:52.199 they're not getting to the quarterback and they're not turning 2018 01:39:52.199 --> 01:39:54.000 the other team over. I mean, they're doing a lot 2019 01:39:54.000 --> 01:39:56.399 of things well, they're just not doing the things that 2020 01:39:56.439 --> 01:39:58.119 we're used to seeing them do well when they're head 2021 01:39:58.159 --> 01:39:59.720 coach is coach with But we'll get to that in 2022 01:39:59.760 --> 01:40:01.119 the mod because I do want to stay on the 2023 01:40:01.159 --> 01:40:04.720 offensive side of the ball. Now. We talked last week, 2024 01:40:04.800 --> 01:40:08.079 and this is not a knock. I just wonder aloud 2025 01:40:08.159 --> 01:40:11.119 what Mike Bijakian can find in an Andy Ludwig offense 2026 01:40:11.159 --> 01:40:14.000 and Andy Ludwig himself couldn't find. So, now that we 2027 01:40:14.079 --> 01:40:17.520 have one game, which is a really small sample size, 2028 01:40:17.560 --> 01:40:21.159 did anything different or unique stand out to you based 2029 01:40:21.199 --> 01:40:22.720 off of the different play caller? 2030 01:40:24.159 --> 01:40:26.600 Well, this isn't going to be a popular statement, Spence, 2031 01:40:26.680 --> 01:40:32.000 but this is what I saw, and that is shoot, 2032 01:40:32.920 --> 01:40:37.119 Brandon Rose actually looked pretty decent at quarterback. That was 2033 01:40:37.199 --> 01:40:39.840 the most positive thing that I saw out of that game, 2034 01:40:40.359 --> 01:40:43.319 and it was the decision on where to throw the ball. 2035 01:40:43.399 --> 01:40:47.680 He threw the ball accurately. The interception wasn't some just 2036 01:40:48.039 --> 01:40:50.439 what is hair brain? What are you thinking kind of throw. 2037 01:40:50.960 --> 01:40:53.359 He's trying to make a place third down. The receiver 2038 01:40:53.439 --> 01:40:56.520 needs to come back to him in that situation, and 2039 01:40:56.520 --> 01:40:58.800 I didn't really any and he had guys drop the 2040 01:40:58.800 --> 01:41:02.560 ball on him, and that through very accurately. He seemed 2041 01:41:02.600 --> 01:41:06.840 really poised. He ran, He ran with decisiveness, He played 2042 01:41:06.840 --> 01:41:10.119 with decisiveness, and and he you know, he's barely got 2043 01:41:10.159 --> 01:41:13.720 to play. The guy with the most experienced understanding this offense. 2044 01:41:14.279 --> 01:41:16.479 He's had the most reps at it, whether it's been 2045 01:41:16.520 --> 01:41:18.560 in practice or where and it's not been in a game, 2046 01:41:18.600 --> 01:41:22.239 but he's probably the most prepared and ready to play 2047 01:41:22.840 --> 01:41:28.520 from an experienced maturity understanding. And you know, if it's me, 2048 01:41:29.199 --> 01:41:30.760 and I think it was the right thing to do, 2049 01:41:30.880 --> 01:41:34.359 because that offense was going nowhere. Uh, it just wasn't. 2050 01:41:34.399 --> 01:41:39.079 It wasn't going anywhere with with with Isaac. And I'm 2051 01:41:39.119 --> 01:41:43.119 not I'm not. I'm not like, oh, Isaac's you know, 2052 01:41:44.880 --> 01:41:47.239 a bust or anything like that. As young he's just 2053 01:41:47.319 --> 01:41:49.640 a young kid that just needs to grow and mature 2054 01:41:49.720 --> 01:41:52.479 and and he's just not ready to play yet. Just 2055 01:41:52.560 --> 01:41:55.720 not and so if there was anything positive out of that, 2056 01:41:56.239 --> 01:42:00.880 maybe more of Brandon Rose executing this offense might might 2057 01:42:00.960 --> 01:42:02.039 work well for this team. 2058 01:42:02.800 --> 01:42:06.319 Huh interesting. So I guess I'll follow up and just 2059 01:42:06.399 --> 01:42:09.840 ask you if you because here we go again, Scott like, 2060 01:42:09.920 --> 01:42:12.000 we're gonna do the song and dance thing for the 2061 01:42:12.039 --> 01:42:15.399 next twelve days before BYU about who's it going to 2062 01:42:15.479 --> 01:42:18.520 be Isaac or Brandon like we're and you know there's 2063 01:42:18.560 --> 01:42:21.680 gonna be cooy messaging. We won't find out. Probably my 2064 01:42:21.760 --> 01:42:24.720 guess is up up until kick. But I guess I'll 2065 01:42:24.720 --> 01:42:26.920 just follow up and ask you, do you believe that 2066 01:42:27.079 --> 01:42:29.119 for the rest of the year, starting with Brighamy Young 2067 01:42:29.199 --> 01:42:31.640 in twelve days under center should be Brandon Rose. 2068 01:42:33.000 --> 01:42:36.640 If you're gonna make a change, it's a great time 2069 01:42:36.640 --> 01:42:38.800 to do it because he's gonna get all the practice reps. 2070 01:42:38.840 --> 01:42:41.800 He's gonna get two weeks of practice reps, and he's 2071 01:42:41.840 --> 01:42:43.880 gonna you know, he's gonna get a little bit of timing. 2072 01:42:45.039 --> 01:42:47.479 He threw the ball very well with with a limited 2073 01:42:48.079 --> 01:42:50.119 time he had in the game, he actually threw the 2074 01:42:50.199 --> 01:42:53.680 ball very well. So if you're gonna do it, it's 2075 01:42:53.680 --> 01:42:56.119 certainly it's certainly the right time to do it, and 2076 01:42:56.239 --> 01:42:59.600 sometimes that change, you know, can be a spark. I mean, 2077 01:42:59.760 --> 01:43:02.600 I mean everyone was like Charlie Brewer, you know, a 2078 01:43:02.600 --> 01:43:05.199 few years ago, and and he beat out Cam Rising, 2079 01:43:05.920 --> 01:43:10.239 like like he went the coaches. Everyone chose Charlie Brewer 2080 01:43:10.239 --> 01:43:13.800 to be the starter. And Charlie was running this offense 2081 01:43:13.880 --> 01:43:15.760 like a lot of these quarterbacks you've seen the last 2082 01:43:15.800 --> 01:43:17.880 couple of years run it. And then all of a sudden, 2083 01:43:17.920 --> 01:43:20.319 Cam Rising comes in and it's a whole different offense. 2084 01:43:21.039 --> 01:43:24.640 So maybe that's the situation where we're in here because 2085 01:43:24.680 --> 01:43:29.039 no one knows. No one knows what Rose can do 2086 01:43:29.600 --> 01:43:31.920 at this time. I mean because he never played, and 2087 01:43:31.920 --> 01:43:34.439 no one knew what Cam Rising could have done. And 2088 01:43:35.000 --> 01:43:37.439 I just saw a guy who wanted to play football 2089 01:43:38.560 --> 01:43:42.279 when Brandon Rose got out there and played. So you know, 2090 01:43:42.359 --> 01:43:44.520 you got to you gotta talk to Isaac Wilson off 2091 01:43:44.520 --> 01:43:46.239 the ledge, you know, because he's young, and you don't 2092 01:43:46.239 --> 01:43:48.039 want to you don't want to mess him up, but 2093 01:43:48.079 --> 01:43:49.760 it might be a good time for him to just 2094 01:43:49.880 --> 01:43:51.960 kind of take a seatback. I know a lot of 2095 01:43:51.960 --> 01:43:53.720 people are like, now, I'll throw him in there, give 2096 01:43:53.800 --> 01:43:56.840 him all of this experience and I'm I'm just not 2097 01:43:57.079 --> 01:44:02.000 seeing a lot of improvement right now from Isaac Wilson. 2098 01:44:02.920 --> 01:44:05.520 I'm and I'm a big fan of game reps and 2099 01:44:05.560 --> 01:44:10.079 all that stuff, but I'm seeing more regression with Isaac 2100 01:44:10.159 --> 01:44:11.199 than i am improvement. 2101 01:44:12.920 --> 01:44:14.760 Okay, well, I guess we'll see. I mean, look, I'm 2102 01:44:14.800 --> 01:44:17.479 not saying you're wrong. I'm kind of surprised, Scott, because 2103 01:44:18.479 --> 01:44:21.399 from my vantage point, I just figured at this point, 2104 01:44:22.039 --> 01:44:24.399 I mean, look, if we're honest, what really is on 2105 01:44:24.439 --> 01:44:27.720 the table, and if the only thing that you're playing 2106 01:44:27.720 --> 01:44:30.199 for is to play spoiler, that's a bad indicator of 2107 01:44:30.199 --> 01:44:33.039 where you're at as a program. So if you know, 2108 01:44:33.199 --> 01:44:35.760 look a couple more wins, you get to a throwaway bowl. 2109 01:44:36.199 --> 01:44:39.600 Obviously you like the bowl experience for the seniors upperclassmen. 2110 01:44:39.720 --> 01:44:43.520 We don't want to see anybody go out on a downturn. 2111 01:44:43.600 --> 01:44:45.520 And certainly, if this is Kyle's last year, which a 2112 01:44:45.560 --> 01:44:47.079 lot of people believe that it is, I have no 2113 01:44:47.159 --> 01:44:49.680 insight into that, you do want to go out with 2114 01:44:49.720 --> 01:44:51.560 a little bit more of a bang than you're doing 2115 01:44:51.640 --> 01:44:54.479 right now. But if there really isn't much on the 2116 01:44:54.520 --> 01:44:56.640 table as far as what we thought could be on 2117 01:44:56.680 --> 01:44:59.079 the table to start, the year. I just thought you 2118 01:44:59.159 --> 01:45:01.119 might as well let Isaac go through the growing pains, 2119 01:45:01.159 --> 01:45:03.600 right and just give them some reps. 2120 01:45:03.920 --> 01:45:06.560 And I've been a believer of that, and I am 2121 01:45:07.079 --> 01:45:10.479 a believer in that, but I'm also in a believer 2122 01:45:10.640 --> 01:45:16.159 of you know, there's sometimes guys just aren't ready to play. Yeah, 2123 01:45:16.479 --> 01:45:21.359 And and what I've seen is, you know, if my 2124 01:45:21.520 --> 01:45:26.760 freshman year at Utah had I played, I probably would 2125 01:45:26.800 --> 01:45:31.640 have been okay. But having you know, a maturity, just 2126 01:45:31.680 --> 01:45:36.319 being in the program, having some confidence in myself and 2127 01:45:36.399 --> 01:45:39.840 my ability, I was far far suited to start playing 2128 01:45:39.840 --> 01:45:43.039 the second year and then you know, and beyond. But 2129 01:45:44.199 --> 01:45:47.000 it's it's a tall order for a true freshman to 2130 01:45:47.039 --> 01:45:52.680 step in there and really really, you know, do well. 2131 01:45:52.760 --> 01:45:55.680 And what you don't want to do is you don't 2132 01:45:55.720 --> 01:45:58.479 want to put all these ghosts in a kid's closet 2133 01:45:58.640 --> 01:46:01.439 that come out later on in his career. You know, 2134 01:46:01.920 --> 01:46:03.680 if all he's learning when he goes out on the 2135 01:46:03.680 --> 01:46:07.359 field is is like these bad images, and you know 2136 01:46:07.439 --> 01:46:09.079 that you don't want to you don't want to put 2137 01:46:09.119 --> 01:46:11.560 that in a guy's mind either. And and there there 2138 01:46:11.640 --> 01:46:14.920 really is a time when some kids they're just they're 2139 01:46:14.960 --> 01:46:18.000 just not quite ready for it. They just aren't. And 2140 01:46:18.000 --> 01:46:20.000 and and it's okay. It doesn't mean it's the end 2141 01:46:20.079 --> 01:46:21.840 of him. It doesn't mean anything. It just means that 2142 01:46:21.920 --> 01:46:24.840 in this moment right now, it's probably best for you 2143 01:46:24.920 --> 01:46:27.800 to just take a step back. If I expence, if 2144 01:46:27.840 --> 01:46:31.079 I saw him like, Okay, you know, there's improvement, and 2145 01:46:31.439 --> 01:46:35.880 but I've kind of seen the same performance the last 2146 01:46:35.920 --> 01:46:38.239 four week, you know, pretty much since he's been in there. 2147 01:46:38.279 --> 01:46:41.159 I'm seeing it. I'm seeing a step forward with Isaac. 2148 01:46:40.880 --> 01:46:43.800 Wilson, Yeah, for sure. And I'm not saying you're wrong, 2149 01:46:43.880 --> 01:46:46.239 I you know, I'm I'm just kind of trying to 2150 01:46:46.279 --> 01:46:48.319 dig down a couple of different levels to understand what's 2151 01:46:48.319 --> 01:46:50.000 going on. I mean, look, I could run through all 2152 01:46:50.000 --> 01:46:53.800 the metrics. They're fifteenth in total, oh, they're leventh and rushing, 2153 01:46:53.840 --> 01:46:56.520 they're tenth and passing their fifteenth in efficiency, Like, by 2154 01:46:56.600 --> 01:46:59.039 any measurable metric, this is one of the bottom three 2155 01:46:59.119 --> 01:47:02.079 or four offense is in all of the Big twelve. 2156 01:47:02.079 --> 01:47:04.319 But let me go back to asking you once again 2157 01:47:04.359 --> 01:47:07.920 about the play calling away from either Brandon or Isaac. 2158 01:47:08.039 --> 01:47:11.239 Did you see anything from Mike in his first game 2159 01:47:11.319 --> 01:47:14.319 simply from calling plays that you it gives you some 2160 01:47:14.399 --> 01:47:16.720 hope that this might look different starting with b Yu. 2161 01:47:19.720 --> 01:47:22.279 I mean, honestly, no, I mean it's the same offense. 2162 01:47:22.359 --> 01:47:24.560 You know, I didn't I didn't see anything. I go, well, okay, 2163 01:47:24.600 --> 01:47:27.640 that's that's kind of creative. That's that's a little bit different. 2164 01:47:29.039 --> 01:47:33.600 They Utah was you know, clearly uh you know, trying 2165 01:47:33.600 --> 01:47:38.399 to establish the run pretty patiently. Uh And but there 2166 01:47:38.479 --> 01:47:42.640 wasn't any They weren't really running the ball, right. Uh. 2167 01:47:42.640 --> 01:47:46.359 They're also running against a front designed to stop the run. 2168 01:47:46.520 --> 01:47:50.039 And and and they've I've been seeing these same looks 2169 01:47:50.039 --> 01:47:53.399 from all the teams. They're they're just challenging Utah to 2170 01:47:53.399 --> 01:47:56.199 to throw the football and just say, your quarterback's gotta 2171 01:47:56.199 --> 01:47:58.439 beat us, and and and they haven't been able to 2172 01:47:58.479 --> 01:48:01.359 do that. And uh so you're when you are running it, 2173 01:48:01.479 --> 01:48:03.880 you're you're running with kind of your hand tied behind 2174 01:48:03.920 --> 01:48:06.359 your back a little bit. And so it's it's tough 2175 01:48:06.359 --> 01:48:11.399 sledding and and uh but you know, I think that's 2176 01:48:11.439 --> 01:48:13.560 the game plan. They said, Look, we're gonna we're gonna 2177 01:48:13.600 --> 01:48:15.479 run the ball. We're just going to you know, try 2178 01:48:15.520 --> 01:48:18.640 to you know, work off of that. And and I 2179 01:48:18.640 --> 01:48:21.239 don't think it worked. Very well for for Isaac in 2180 01:48:21.319 --> 01:48:24.479 the game. Uh moving forward, you know, I don't know 2181 01:48:24.520 --> 01:48:28.119 if they change that they do more, but yeah, the offense, 2182 01:48:28.439 --> 01:48:31.079 there wasn't anything to me that I go, well, okay, 2183 01:48:31.159 --> 01:48:34.359 that's that gives me a lot of excitement and hope 2184 01:48:34.640 --> 01:48:37.239 you Spence, you're talking to a guy that's been in 2185 01:48:37.279 --> 01:48:40.000 some of the greatest offenses in like the history of 2186 01:48:40.039 --> 01:48:43.840 the NFL. I'm not joking like I mean, I mean 2187 01:48:43.880 --> 01:48:45.800 the offense I had it so for me to watch 2188 01:48:45.840 --> 01:48:50.520 all of this from just the ground level forever, you know, really, look, 2189 01:48:51.279 --> 01:48:54.199 Kyle Whittingham's the defensive minded coach. It's not about playing 2190 01:48:54.239 --> 01:48:58.239 great offense. It never is. And and so you know, 2191 01:48:59.000 --> 01:49:01.039 I don't see where Mike Jaking's going to come in 2192 01:49:01.039 --> 01:49:02.199 and all of a sudden they're going to have a 2193 01:49:02.239 --> 01:49:02.880 great offense. 2194 01:49:03.720 --> 01:49:07.840 Yeah, I mean, look, I want honesty and truthful you know, 2195 01:49:07.920 --> 01:49:10.399 interactions on this show. So I appreciate you kind of 2196 01:49:10.399 --> 01:49:13.000 giving us the medicine because I certainly respect your eye 2197 01:49:13.000 --> 01:49:15.600 in a way that others probably can't see it because 2198 01:49:15.600 --> 01:49:18.000 you've played it at the highest of levels. I wonder 2199 01:49:18.039 --> 01:49:20.039 what your thoughts are, Scott. You know, after the game 2200 01:49:20.079 --> 01:49:22.720 Mackai Bernard essentially said, I know what's up. I'm just 2201 01:49:22.760 --> 01:49:25.319 not going to say it out loud now. If I 2202 01:49:25.319 --> 01:49:27.920 had to guess, it's simply the play of the quarterback position. 2203 01:49:28.119 --> 01:49:30.359 And you know, maybe Mackai doesn't want to throw anybody 2204 01:49:30.439 --> 01:49:32.760 under the bus. But that that led to a lot 2205 01:49:32.800 --> 01:49:37.279 of speculation about what exactly is going on behind closed doors. 2206 01:49:37.319 --> 01:49:38.439 What are your thoughts on that. 2207 01:49:40.640 --> 01:49:43.199 I'm sure that plays into it. I'm sure that there 2208 01:49:43.680 --> 01:49:47.159 may be you know, there's this there's a chemistry thing 2209 01:49:47.760 --> 01:49:51.039 with teams, and it's and it's not the culture of 2210 01:49:51.079 --> 01:49:55.000 the program, it's the chemistry of the players and how 2211 01:49:55.039 --> 01:49:57.520 they interact with each other because you look at the 2212 01:49:57.560 --> 01:49:59.600 body language and that that's what really what I was 2213 01:49:59.640 --> 01:50:04.279 alluding to earlier. When you see guys not focused in games, 2214 01:50:04.319 --> 01:50:07.720 something else is going on in their mind. They're they're 2215 01:50:08.119 --> 01:50:11.039 they're upset by maybe I didn't get the same kind 2216 01:50:11.079 --> 01:50:13.159 of money this guy did or whatever, you know, because 2217 01:50:13.199 --> 01:50:17.119 that's that's kind of creeping into college football and these players. 2218 01:50:17.159 --> 01:50:20.840 And and when you start getting those thoughts or those 2219 01:50:21.000 --> 01:50:25.119 your focus goes outside of Hey, your job every week 2220 01:50:25.199 --> 01:50:28.399 is to get yourself ready to play, and you don't 2221 01:50:28.439 --> 01:50:31.640 get yourself ready to play when you're wondering, is the 2222 01:50:31.680 --> 01:50:33.920 quarterback going to throw me the football? Is the coach 2223 01:50:34.000 --> 01:50:36.760 going to call a play for me? You know? Am 2224 01:50:36.800 --> 01:50:39.720 I you know I'm you know I'm not. I'm not 2225 01:50:39.920 --> 01:50:43.520 involved in the offense. What are you? Excuse me? You 2226 01:50:43.520 --> 01:50:48.920 you have this distraction and you have things that and 2227 01:50:48.960 --> 01:50:51.880 it impacts the way you play. And that's what I'm seeing. 2228 01:50:51.880 --> 01:50:56.760 I'm seeing guys not doing those fundamental things and they 2229 01:50:56.800 --> 01:50:58.720 should be and I know they're coach to do it, 2230 01:50:59.199 --> 01:51:01.920 but they're not doing it. And that's not just the quarterback. 2231 01:51:01.960 --> 01:51:05.079 It's and so these guys are distracted in some way. 2232 01:51:05.079 --> 01:51:07.319 They're not putting in the focus. They're not putting in 2233 01:51:07.359 --> 01:51:11.079 the time to mentally and physically prepare themselves to play. 2234 01:51:11.560 --> 01:51:13.560 Why why they're doing it? If they're upset that the 2235 01:51:13.600 --> 01:51:16.520 quarterback's not playing very well and and you go, well, 2236 01:51:16.520 --> 01:51:20.640 we got no shot to win the game anyways, you know, 2237 01:51:20.680 --> 01:51:26.039 it's it's it's uh, uh, it's it is impacting their play. 2238 01:51:26.119 --> 01:51:28.720 I mean, it just it just is. So they're uh, 2239 01:51:29.199 --> 01:51:33.199 there's something, some dynamics, some chemistry going on on that 2240 01:51:33.239 --> 01:51:37.560 team that's not conducive to production and winning. 2241 01:51:38.520 --> 01:51:41.960 Yeah, and and to your point, and just in order 2242 01:51:42.039 --> 01:51:45.199 to be fair, uh, let's move off the quarterback position 2243 01:51:45.319 --> 01:51:48.600 because we'll see what happens against BUYU, whether it's Isaac 2244 01:51:48.680 --> 01:51:51.479 or Brandon. But the truth is, there are not a lot, 2245 01:51:51.600 --> 01:51:53.119 not a lot of things that are working right now. 2246 01:51:53.399 --> 01:51:56.640 I mean, kicker miss a couple field goals, Brandon's interceptions 2247 01:51:56.640 --> 01:51:59.760 set up a game winning field goal, and the defense, Scott, 2248 01:52:00.319 --> 01:52:02.399 there are a lot of metrics that, like I said, 2249 01:52:02.439 --> 01:52:04.600 indicate that the defense is very good. They're second in 2250 01:52:04.640 --> 01:52:07.439 scoring D, they're number one in total D. They're number 2251 01:52:07.439 --> 01:52:09.600 three and rushing. They're number three in passing, their number 2252 01:52:09.640 --> 01:52:12.960 three in efficiency. But they are not getting to the quarterback. 2253 01:52:13.039 --> 01:52:14.840 They have not had a sack in three games. They're 2254 01:52:14.880 --> 01:52:17.920 eleventh in the conference in sacks. They're last in the 2255 01:52:17.960 --> 01:52:20.760 conference in fumbles forced, their second to last in the 2256 01:52:20.800 --> 01:52:24.840 conference in fumble's recovered, their ninth in interceptions. Like there 2257 01:52:24.920 --> 01:52:28.399 are metrics to indicate that the defense still clearly is 2258 01:52:28.439 --> 01:52:30.239 the strength of the team. That's not a hot take, 2259 01:52:30.319 --> 01:52:33.239 But what do you make of what I just perceived 2260 01:52:33.279 --> 01:52:36.560 to be? When a team is coached by Kyle Whittingham, 2261 01:52:36.600 --> 01:52:39.840 they get to the quarterback, they force turnovers, they play 2262 01:52:39.880 --> 01:52:42.880 that complimentary football. What do you most attribute to the 2263 01:52:42.960 --> 01:52:45.960 lack of pressure that Utah is being able to drum 2264 01:52:46.039 --> 01:52:47.680 up on the opposing team's quarterback. 2265 01:52:49.640 --> 01:52:52.720 I'm gonna throw it back on the offense, I am, 2266 01:52:52.920 --> 01:52:58.319 and I'll tell you why the offense has not performed well. 2267 01:52:58.439 --> 01:53:01.600 Hasn't driven the ball down the field, hasn't given the 2268 01:53:01.840 --> 01:53:05.720 defense time to rest in games. So as games progress 2269 01:53:05.760 --> 01:53:08.399 and go on, as defense gets tired, and they've been 2270 01:53:08.479 --> 01:53:11.840 down a couple of Conroe tool being out has hurt 2271 01:53:11.960 --> 01:53:14.720 them a lot. And and he kind of, you know, 2272 01:53:14.800 --> 01:53:17.439 gave him a good spark this last week when he 2273 01:53:17.479 --> 01:53:19.600 was in the game and he wasn't in there. You know, 2274 01:53:19.640 --> 01:53:22.960 I'm sure they're slowly kind of bringing him back to 2275 01:53:23.000 --> 01:53:27.239 the game. But Houston barely threw the football. A lot 2276 01:53:27.279 --> 01:53:29.520 of the teams, I mean, TCU, which throws the heck 2277 01:53:29.560 --> 01:53:32.359 out of the football, didn't and they got rid of 2278 01:53:32.359 --> 01:53:34.640 the ball really quick. They a lot of teams aren't 2279 01:53:34.680 --> 01:53:38.399 really giving Utah a chance. And and they don't have to. 2280 01:53:38.640 --> 01:53:41.119 And and you you saw a lot of patients with 2281 01:53:41.159 --> 01:53:43.359 the running game out of TCU a couple of weeks ago, 2282 01:53:43.359 --> 01:53:45.199 as a team that all they want to do is 2283 01:53:45.279 --> 01:53:50.600 throw it right like like they they you know, they 2284 01:53:50.680 --> 01:53:55.479 realized that the Utah offense is not very good and 2285 01:53:55.520 --> 01:53:57.760 that and that's the other thing. When you're not scoring, 2286 01:53:58.720 --> 01:54:00.880 when you're not you know, you're not getting any kind 2287 01:54:00.880 --> 01:54:04.359 of lead and you're always playing from behind, then there's 2288 01:54:04.399 --> 01:54:07.359 no pressure on the other offense. They don't have to 2289 01:54:07.399 --> 01:54:09.119 open it up, they don't have to throw the ball 2290 01:54:09.199 --> 01:54:12.079 as much. They don't, so there's not as many opportunities 2291 01:54:12.600 --> 01:54:16.079 for for the you know, the defense to really get sacks. 2292 01:54:16.239 --> 01:54:18.800 They're just there just haven't been it. I mean, teams 2293 01:54:18.800 --> 01:54:23.880 have really really focused on running the football against Utah. 2294 01:54:23.920 --> 01:54:27.239 I mean it's blatantly running the football. And then and 2295 01:54:27.319 --> 01:54:29.680 what happens the defense gets tired late in the game 2296 01:54:29.680 --> 01:54:32.039 because they've been out on the field all night, and 2297 01:54:32.079 --> 01:54:34.520 you get worn down and you get you know, and 2298 01:54:34.560 --> 01:54:37.880 then you start missing tackles and you start getting lazy 2299 01:54:37.920 --> 01:54:40.760 in your gap control, you know, at the line of scrimmage, 2300 01:54:40.880 --> 01:54:42.479 and then all of a sudden, boom, they just bust 2301 01:54:42.479 --> 01:54:45.399 a big run and that and that's that's really kind 2302 01:54:45.399 --> 01:54:49.319 of what's been happening, you know, with with a lot 2303 01:54:49.319 --> 01:54:52.760 of with a lot of these these defensive plays, and 2304 01:54:52.760 --> 01:54:58.880 and uh, and with with the limitations, with the the 2305 01:54:58.960 --> 01:55:02.720 excessive demand and that the defense has been asked to 2306 01:55:02.760 --> 01:55:05.880 do because the offense has not been producing. I really 2307 01:55:05.920 --> 01:55:10.279 believe outside of one thing, the defense has been playing 2308 01:55:10.359 --> 01:55:14.399 really well. And there's there's been a lot of mistackles. 2309 01:55:15.159 --> 01:55:18.439 And you can attribute mistackles to guys being tired. I mean, 2310 01:55:18.680 --> 01:55:20.199 and I know it's like, you know, just suck it 2311 01:55:20.319 --> 01:55:22.800 up and play, and I'm sure they think that way, 2312 01:55:23.239 --> 01:55:26.640 but your body doesn't necessarily react that way. You know, 2313 01:55:26.680 --> 01:55:28.840 when you're tired, you just and you may not even 2314 01:55:28.920 --> 01:55:33.279 realize it. But a lot of mistackles that I don't 2315 01:55:33.319 --> 01:55:36.520 normally see from the defense. That's the one thing to 2316 01:55:36.680 --> 01:55:40.840 me that's been more more of an issue than anything else. 2317 01:55:41.760 --> 01:55:46.319 So this simply leads us to what comes next, right 2318 01:55:46.479 --> 01:55:50.439 and BUYU. They have stayed clean. You know, they're undefeated, 2319 01:55:50.439 --> 01:55:53.119 their atop the conference, they're a top ten team, and 2320 01:55:53.159 --> 01:55:55.159 they've answered every question that's been thrown at them. I 2321 01:55:55.159 --> 01:55:57.880 don't think there's really anything left to wonder about whether 2322 01:55:57.960 --> 01:55:59.960 or not they're for real. They are and the number 2323 01:56:00.079 --> 01:56:03.079 or say that, the data says that, and Scott, you 2324 01:56:03.159 --> 01:56:06.760 know this better than anybody. They're gonna be smelling the 2325 01:56:06.840 --> 01:56:09.319 blood in the water and they're gonna come up here 2326 01:56:09.359 --> 01:56:11.279 to go for the jugular. You know, they know where 2327 01:56:11.399 --> 01:56:14.880 Utah's at. And after a generation of having their heads 2328 01:56:14.920 --> 01:56:17.439 kicked in and being made fun of for going independent 2329 01:56:17.520 --> 01:56:20.359 and not having a conference home like, they're gonna come 2330 01:56:20.439 --> 01:56:23.119 up here, you know, ready ready to roll. What what 2331 01:56:23.159 --> 01:56:26.680 do you hope to see between now and the BYU game? 2332 01:56:27.239 --> 01:56:27.359 Uh? 2333 01:56:27.479 --> 01:56:30.319 And then during the actual game to indicate to you 2334 01:56:30.600 --> 01:56:32.720 from your prism that maybe this thing is about to 2335 01:56:32.720 --> 01:56:33.439 be turned around. 2336 01:56:35.520 --> 01:56:40.119 Well, to start with, what really makes me nervous about 2337 01:56:40.159 --> 01:56:43.920 this Utah BYU game is this is a This is 2338 01:56:43.960 --> 01:56:47.800 a group of players at Utah that have grown up 2339 01:56:48.880 --> 01:56:52.039 without being a part of this rivalry. They don't understand it. 2340 01:56:52.079 --> 01:56:54.840 They've never played in a game. They don't realize the 2341 01:56:54.920 --> 01:56:58.239 significance of it. They don't think they they don't, they 2342 01:56:58.279 --> 01:57:02.239 don't they think, they don't think much of it. And 2343 01:57:02.319 --> 01:57:04.640 now the coaches do. The coaches understand it. But none 2344 01:57:04.680 --> 01:57:07.560 of these players has has has felt it, has been 2345 01:57:07.600 --> 01:57:11.000 in it. And even when Utah was in the Pac twelve, 2346 01:57:11.079 --> 01:57:15.119 it still wasn't the rivalry that it was before, and 2347 01:57:15.159 --> 01:57:18.479 so now this is this, this is a big deal. 2348 01:57:18.720 --> 01:57:22.239 This is gonna continue to be a big deal between 2349 01:57:22.279 --> 01:57:24.520 these two schools. And I'm just I'm a little nervous 2350 01:57:24.560 --> 01:57:29.159 to players don't at utah, I don't, I don't and 2351 01:57:29.439 --> 01:57:32.319 a team that's not really been fighting that hard anyways, 2352 01:57:32.720 --> 01:57:34.439 are they going to really all of a sudden step 2353 01:57:34.479 --> 01:57:36.640 it up and go, Okay, this is a rivalry game. 2354 01:57:37.039 --> 01:57:39.680 We got to really get into this one on the 2355 01:57:39.720 --> 01:57:41.760 other side of it. So that that's a concern. I'm 2356 01:57:41.800 --> 01:57:44.800 not saying it's it's gonna happen or whatever, but but 2357 01:57:44.880 --> 01:57:48.079 it would concern me. The other thing to me is 2358 01:57:50.159 --> 01:57:53.640 all the pressures on by U, Like you know, it's 2359 01:57:53.680 --> 01:57:56.680 it's it's that time of the year. It's that one 2360 01:57:56.760 --> 01:58:00.319 game where you know, the game gets started and and 2361 01:58:00.359 --> 01:58:02.800 you are a little bit maybe more jazzed up than 2362 01:58:02.840 --> 01:58:05.600 you normally would be because it is the rivalry. You 2363 01:58:05.640 --> 01:58:08.680 start pressing a little bit, you get a you get 2364 01:58:08.680 --> 01:58:11.800 an interception here there or a turnover, and it just 2365 01:58:11.840 --> 01:58:16.720 starts going downhill and uh, you know, so, so I 2366 01:58:16.760 --> 01:58:19.239 could see where it could be one of those weeks 2367 01:58:19.279 --> 01:58:22.760 where because there's a lot of pressure when you're nine 2368 01:58:22.800 --> 01:58:25.479 to zero and and a lot of pressure to keep 2369 01:58:25.479 --> 01:58:28.960 doing it. And and uh, rivalry games, funny things happen, 2370 01:58:29.199 --> 01:58:32.520 and not necessarily the best team always wins. So so 2371 01:58:33.000 --> 01:58:36.960 you know, I could see that scenario happening, and and 2372 01:58:36.960 --> 01:58:40.600 and it's a good time, uh, you know, to have 2373 01:58:40.640 --> 01:58:43.520 another bye week and to kind of maybe collect yourself 2374 01:58:43.560 --> 01:58:46.239 and and and I think, you know, there's gonna be 2375 01:58:46.279 --> 01:58:50.960 a lot of you know, pretty harsh talk about I 2376 01:58:51.000 --> 01:58:52.720 want to you know, we're going to play the guys 2377 01:58:52.760 --> 01:58:54.640 that really want to play and really want to be 2378 01:58:54.720 --> 01:58:56.399 here and really want to be out on the field, 2379 01:58:57.039 --> 01:58:59.800 and you and so you may see some changes in 2380 01:59:00.600 --> 01:59:03.600 what's happening with Utah. And you know, if there ever 2381 01:59:03.680 --> 01:59:06.720 is a moment, if there ever is something to play 2382 01:59:06.840 --> 01:59:09.520 for in your program and you're having a struggling year, 2383 01:59:10.119 --> 01:59:14.119 it's a rivalry game, It really is. It can you know, 2384 01:59:14.680 --> 01:59:16.479 it's not going to take the sting of the huge 2385 01:59:16.479 --> 01:59:20.039 disappointment this season is, but it can take some of 2386 01:59:20.079 --> 01:59:24.760 it away from what, you know, what's been a really 2387 01:59:24.800 --> 01:59:25.600 abysmal year. 2388 01:59:25.840 --> 01:59:30.239 So how much of this scot is fixable and coachable, 2389 01:59:30.439 --> 01:59:32.439 How much of it is on the coaches, How much 2390 01:59:32.479 --> 01:59:36.039 of it's on the players. And then then simply put, 2391 01:59:36.119 --> 01:59:38.239 as a guy that played it at the highest level, 2392 01:59:38.359 --> 01:59:42.159 how do you turn a train? It feels like it's 2393 01:59:42.199 --> 01:59:45.279 so far off the track around in just twelve days, 2394 01:59:45.319 --> 01:59:46.880 like dissect that for me. 2395 01:59:48.399 --> 01:59:51.000 Well, a lot of those things that I told you 2396 01:59:51.079 --> 01:59:54.520 about coming back to the football and focusing and not 2397 01:59:54.800 --> 01:59:58.960 going off sides and better ball location and throws, all 2398 01:59:58.960 --> 02:00:02.039 of that stuff is fixed. And it's all of these 2399 02:00:02.079 --> 02:00:06.520 fundamental things. And you know, coach Ula made us tackle 2400 02:00:06.680 --> 02:00:09.239 form tackle every every day. First thing we did in 2401 02:00:09.279 --> 02:00:11.800 practice of the quarterback, you're not tackling Dan Marino. Well, 2402 02:00:11.840 --> 02:00:13.920 I didn't get to tackle him. He said, don't care, 2403 02:00:13.960 --> 02:00:16.279 you're not tackling me. I'll tackle you, but you're not 2404 02:00:16.359 --> 02:00:19.560 tackling me. And it was all about the fundamentals, and 2405 02:00:20.079 --> 02:00:23.840 the fundamentals of football were driven into us every single day. 2406 02:00:24.319 --> 02:00:27.680 And when you get into a weird situation nineteen ninety five, 2407 02:00:27.720 --> 02:00:29.800 we started zero three and it could have fallen off 2408 02:00:29.840 --> 02:00:32.479 a cliff. We really just circle the wagons and it 2409 02:00:32.520 --> 02:00:34.760 was even a bye week, and we focused back on 2410 02:00:34.920 --> 02:00:39.720 those fundamental things of football and really re emphasized all 2411 02:00:39.720 --> 02:00:43.039 of it and and really looked at the personnel we 2412 02:00:43.119 --> 02:00:45.520 had and said, how do they best work? And let's 2413 02:00:45.640 --> 02:00:47.920 let's not try to do everything. Let's just try to 2414 02:00:47.920 --> 02:00:51.039 do the things that we can do well. And that's 2415 02:00:51.039 --> 02:00:54.159 what I see happening now. You can't fix a freshman quarterback. 2416 02:00:54.520 --> 02:00:56.640 He's still a freshman, but there's a lot of other 2417 02:00:56.680 --> 02:01:00.720 things you can fix around it and might be sitting 2418 02:01:00.720 --> 02:01:02.560 in for a little while, might not not be a 2419 02:01:02.600 --> 02:01:06.000 bad thing. But one hundred percent of this is fixable. 2420 02:01:06.640 --> 02:01:09.319 And really it's all in your brain, Spence. I mean, 2421 02:01:09.560 --> 02:01:12.199 it's just it's a mindset. It's a mindset about how 2422 02:01:12.239 --> 02:01:15.439 you prepare and that's that's the thing that has to 2423 02:01:15.479 --> 02:01:16.039 be fixed. 2424 02:01:17.359 --> 02:01:20.359 Well, I'll tell you what. We'll end on this from 2425 02:01:20.479 --> 02:01:24.199 your perspective, because for me and we all just kind 2426 02:01:24.199 --> 02:01:27.640 of react off our own inner circle. And I'm sure 2427 02:01:27.680 --> 02:01:31.039 some of this is cognitive dissonance and echo chamber based 2428 02:01:31.039 --> 02:01:33.560 off of who I interact with. And you know, I 2429 02:01:33.600 --> 02:01:35.600 have a lot of friends who are boosters and season 2430 02:01:35.640 --> 02:01:38.680 ticket holders and donors, and obviously is an alum y'ar 2431 02:01:38.680 --> 02:01:42.319 connecting the community. I don't recall a time where I 2432 02:01:42.319 --> 02:01:45.359 feel like the fan base has been so down about 2433 02:01:45.359 --> 02:01:49.680 a season, and part of this probably was unrealistic expectations 2434 02:01:49.680 --> 02:01:52.520 in retrospect. I mean, for me, and I'm sure you 2435 02:01:52.600 --> 02:01:56.600 did the same. I always prefaced any ute projection with 2436 02:01:56.840 --> 02:02:00.279 if Cameron's under center and healthy, and obviously that that 2437 02:02:00.319 --> 02:02:02.600 hasn't been the case. I don't think we can be 2438 02:02:02.720 --> 02:02:04.960 so reductive as just to say this is a Cam 2439 02:02:05.039 --> 02:02:08.359 thing anymore, because certainly that's probably the biggest piece of it, 2440 02:02:08.399 --> 02:02:11.399 but there are other pieces as well. When's the last 2441 02:02:11.399 --> 02:02:14.520 time from your vantage point, it felt as dire as 2442 02:02:14.560 --> 02:02:17.680 it seems like it feels right now surrounding this team. 2443 02:02:20.079 --> 02:02:22.439 It might be back when I was playing here, I 2444 02:02:22.439 --> 02:02:26.319 mean in the eighties, you know. I mean it's it's 2445 02:02:26.840 --> 02:02:30.760 it's there's a bad feeling and it's look, it's accentuated 2446 02:02:30.760 --> 02:02:33.520 because BYU's doing so well. It just makes it worse. 2447 02:02:33.920 --> 02:02:38.640 It just does you know? Can you turn around the 2448 02:02:38.720 --> 02:02:40.920 last four games of the season, You sure hope. So. 2449 02:02:41.800 --> 02:02:44.399 I think the thing that's shocking to me is I 2450 02:02:44.479 --> 02:02:48.359 felt like Utah was a really solid team and every 2451 02:02:48.359 --> 02:02:51.760 position and solid with the depth, and because depth is 2452 02:02:51.800 --> 02:02:55.039 such an important part, because you're gonna have attrition and 2453 02:02:55.439 --> 02:02:58.920 having guys come in and You've seen some injuries, and 2454 02:02:58.960 --> 02:03:01.680 some guys have really stepped up at a lot of 2455 02:03:01.720 --> 02:03:05.600 different positions and played and and and yet that quarterback 2456 02:03:05.640 --> 02:03:08.239 position is just such a such a bugaboo. If you're 2457 02:03:08.279 --> 02:03:10.399 if you're going to have a great year, well you 2458 02:03:10.520 --> 02:03:12.840 got to get a guy under center who stays healthy 2459 02:03:12.880 --> 02:03:16.600 and performs at a high level. But for me, you know, 2460 02:03:16.720 --> 02:03:19.079 I was I was trying to be super objective and 2461 02:03:19.079 --> 02:03:20.640 just say, Okay, I'm going to look at it. I'm 2462 02:03:20.640 --> 02:03:23.079 not gonna try to be the ute fan. And I 2463 02:03:23.319 --> 02:03:25.520 just I just said, this is a deep team, this 2464 02:03:25.640 --> 02:03:28.800 is a good team. The problem is is you still 2465 02:03:28.800 --> 02:03:32.159 have to play and and and there have been some positions, 2466 02:03:32.560 --> 02:03:36.800 the tight end position massively underperforming, the wide receiver position 2467 02:03:36.920 --> 02:03:41.600 massively underperforming. McKay Bernard's been phenomenal, but who's is there 2468 02:03:41.640 --> 02:03:44.960 any other running back there? The offensive line is actually 2469 02:03:45.000 --> 02:03:49.680 performed fairly decent. You know, quarterback position has been you know, 2470 02:03:49.880 --> 02:03:54.920 C minus ish or even lower. Uh And and so yeah, 2471 02:03:55.880 --> 02:03:57.720 you always know the season is not going to end 2472 02:03:57.760 --> 02:04:00.800 the way you think it is or play out because 2473 02:04:00.880 --> 02:04:03.399 guys have to perform and they have to play, and 2474 02:04:03.399 --> 02:04:06.560 and it's it's just you know, the worst possible things 2475 02:04:06.600 --> 02:04:10.239 I think could happen this year have happened, and and uh, 2476 02:04:10.479 --> 02:04:12.600 and it's it's a tough one. It's a tough one 2477 02:04:12.600 --> 02:04:16.279 to swallow. And and you just the one thing you 2478 02:04:16.359 --> 02:04:19.840 know is you can change. You can change things quickly, 2479 02:04:20.640 --> 02:04:23.199 and you can because of the NIL and because of 2480 02:04:23.239 --> 02:04:26.319 the transfer portal, and so you're not you're not stuck 2481 02:04:26.359 --> 02:04:32.079 in this challenge forever. You can have quick turnarounds. And 2482 02:04:32.079 --> 02:04:33.920 and there are probably some things that are gonna have 2483 02:04:34.000 --> 02:04:35.840 to change. There's some players that are going to need 2484 02:04:35.880 --> 02:04:37.560 to get in here. If this if this is really 2485 02:04:37.560 --> 02:04:40.079 gonna if it's really going to get back on track. 2486 02:04:40.479 --> 02:04:42.079 I lied to you, Scott, to have one more because 2487 02:04:42.119 --> 02:04:44.359 I wanted to get your thoughts on. I wanted to 2488 02:04:44.359 --> 02:04:46.760 get your thoughts on just a dynamic that I was 2489 02:04:46.800 --> 02:04:52.000 wondering aloud about earlier. Morgan Morgan Scaley, who is in 2490 02:04:52.039 --> 02:04:54.319 line to take over for Kyle and Kyle the size 2491 02:04:54.359 --> 02:04:56.880 that he's done. And like I can continue to say, 2492 02:04:56.960 --> 02:04:59.319 I have no insight there, but people that know in 2493 02:04:59.359 --> 02:05:02.079 a way that I wouldn't have wondered loud if this 2494 02:05:02.119 --> 02:05:04.319 is it for coach? Wait, what do you think is 2495 02:05:04.359 --> 02:05:06.520 going through Morgan said, because there's actually a way to 2496 02:05:06.520 --> 02:05:09.680 spin this in a positive direction. It's always tough to 2497 02:05:09.720 --> 02:05:12.840 take over for a legend, ask Kalin de Bore. But 2498 02:05:13.000 --> 02:05:15.039 if this track, if this train continues to go in 2499 02:05:15.039 --> 02:05:17.560 the wrong direction and Morgan is able to get it 2500 02:05:17.600 --> 02:05:20.199 back on track next year, maybe it will inspire some 2501 02:05:20.239 --> 02:05:24.359 confidence that Utah's made the right succession planned decision. How 2502 02:05:24.399 --> 02:05:26.800 do you think Morgan's digesting all this right now? 2503 02:05:28.560 --> 02:05:32.960 I think that whole dynamic spense is hard. When it 2504 02:05:33.000 --> 02:05:36.079 was announced, I get why they announced that it's for recruits. 2505 02:05:36.479 --> 02:05:39.279 It's to show continuity in the program. It's also the 2506 02:05:40.479 --> 02:05:44.760 people were courting Morgan to leave. I know specifically, USC 2507 02:05:44.960 --> 02:05:46.680 was going to pay him a lot of money to leave, 2508 02:05:47.439 --> 02:05:49.399 so it was a way to kind of ensure that 2509 02:05:49.479 --> 02:05:53.319 he sticks in the program. But the thing is is 2510 02:05:54.520 --> 02:05:58.399 it's a funky dynamic because as a player, you go, well, 2511 02:05:58.439 --> 02:06:00.960 I know Coach WIT's going to leave some time, and 2512 02:06:01.079 --> 02:06:04.239 so I think you could get to where, you know, 2513 02:06:04.319 --> 02:06:07.119 I'm not really following coach Whittingham anymore because he's not 2514 02:06:07.159 --> 02:06:09.000 going to be around. You know, he's really kind of 2515 02:06:09.199 --> 02:06:10.760 he's kind of the guy, but he's kind of not 2516 02:06:10.800 --> 02:06:14.920 the guy. You know, it's it's it's uh, it can 2517 02:06:15.000 --> 02:06:17.680 get I think it could get kind of odd. And 2518 02:06:17.920 --> 02:06:20.600 I mean I thought of this scenario. You know, maybe 2519 02:06:20.760 --> 02:06:23.520 maybe maybe Morgan went to Kyle and said, hey, look, 2520 02:06:23.560 --> 02:06:26.720 I don't think I want Andy as the coordinator. I mean, 2521 02:06:26.840 --> 02:06:28.600 I mean, there's there's a lot of different you know, 2522 02:06:28.680 --> 02:06:31.880 so so let's let's get rid of him now. And uh, 2523 02:06:31.920 --> 02:06:34.119 and I'll move into different And I'm just speculating here. 2524 02:06:34.159 --> 02:06:36.479 I'm just saying there's just a lot of a lot 2525 02:06:36.479 --> 02:06:39.600 of scenarios that could play out. The bottom line, Coach 2526 02:06:39.640 --> 02:06:42.399 Whittingham is a really good coach that done a phenomenal 2527 02:06:42.520 --> 02:06:47.560 job at Utah. Morgan has been an outstanding coach player. 2528 02:06:48.760 --> 02:06:51.760 You know, if there's anyone that's should be the coach 2529 02:06:51.760 --> 02:06:55.000 at Utah should be Morgan. And and when you go 2530 02:06:55.119 --> 02:06:58.119 into a situation, you believe you or you have all 2531 02:06:58.119 --> 02:07:01.159 the answers. And I guarantee you Morgan scali believes he 2532 02:07:01.199 --> 02:07:03.880 has all the answers, and I guarantee you that he'll 2533 02:07:03.960 --> 02:07:08.119 take from Coach Whittingham what he likes. But he's also 2534 02:07:08.199 --> 02:07:10.800 going to be Morgan Scalley and who he really is. 2535 02:07:11.520 --> 02:07:13.680 And and uh, and and it's and it's proven to 2536 02:07:13.720 --> 02:07:17.000 be a really a really good coach and that's not 2537 02:07:17.039 --> 02:07:19.800 a bad thing, you know. Uh, Kyle learned from people, 2538 02:07:19.960 --> 02:07:22.159 and you know, he wasn't Urban Meyer, but he learned 2539 02:07:22.199 --> 02:07:24.840 a lot of things from Irbyn or coach Mack. And 2540 02:07:24.920 --> 02:07:29.800 so I think Morgan is really feeling like, Man, I 2541 02:07:29.840 --> 02:07:32.640 can't wait to get my hands on the steering wheel here. 2542 02:07:32.680 --> 02:07:35.279 I can't wait to be the guy because I'm sure 2543 02:07:35.319 --> 02:07:37.119 he's very ready for this, and I'm sure he has 2544 02:07:37.159 --> 02:07:40.640 his own ideas and his own thoughts and and but 2545 02:07:40.720 --> 02:07:42.560 I do think it would be hard right now to 2546 02:07:42.720 --> 02:07:46.319 kind of, look, you kill him a program here that 2547 02:07:46.399 --> 02:07:48.279 I'm getting in there, you know, I mean, I mean 2548 02:07:48.319 --> 02:07:51.319 I could see that, you know, being being kind of 2549 02:07:51.359 --> 02:07:54.319 a sticky point between between the two of them as 2550 02:07:54.359 --> 02:07:57.520 as they're kind of waiting for Kyle to decide to end. 2551 02:07:58.159 --> 02:08:00.439 All right, Scott, Well, good stuff today, man, I've appreciate 2552 02:08:00.479 --> 02:08:02.000 the time, and we'll see if they can get it 2553 02:08:02.000 --> 02:08:02.479 turned around. 2554 02:08:02.560 --> 02:08:05.239 Have a good day, okay, all right, thanks appreciate. 2555 02:08:04.880 --> 02:08:08.840 Its Scott Mitchell. Yeah, it's it's not great, not great. 2556 02:08:08.880 --> 02:08:09.119 Bob