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<v Speaker 1>Right now, though, we're going to talk to none other

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<v Speaker 1>than the namesake of this program, Spence Check. Its joins

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<v Speaker 1>us from places unknown, Spence. Welcome to the Drive with

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<v Speaker 1>spence Check. Its How you doing?

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<v Speaker 2>You call me minister Spence as I'm preparing to officiate

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<v Speaker 2>a wedding.

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<v Speaker 3>Really very centered.

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<v Speaker 4>Thank you, Scott, Oh, very nice. Congratulations. Good for you.

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<v Speaker 3>I like that, Thank you, sir. I've done this before. Man,

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<v Speaker 3>I'm pretty nervous. Not a lot.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, you just say do you do and do you do?

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<v Speaker 1>And then we all do and it's all good. So

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<v Speaker 1>it's it's it's pretty simple. You'll do fine.

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<v Speaker 3>Good advice, Scott.

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<v Speaker 4>Oh boy.

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<v Speaker 1>There's some some some very interesting things happening, uh in

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<v Speaker 1>the basketball world. Uh you've got the Summer League going on,

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<v Speaker 1>and of course the passing of uh legendary coach and uh,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, executive for the Utah Jazz Frank Laden.

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<v Speaker 4>I know that.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sure you've had have a ton of stories about

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<v Speaker 1>coach and you know, just in general your thoughts about

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<v Speaker 1>Coach Layden kind of what he meant to this jazz

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<v Speaker 1>organization and just kind of your personal interaction with him.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I mean, you know, we talked about Frank for hours.

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<v Speaker 2>One of the real bummers about the timing of the

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<v Speaker 2>whole thing is that I'm out of town and I

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<v Speaker 2>very much wanted to be on air today to talk

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<v Speaker 2>about him and bring on guests. And I'm I'm surprising

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<v Speaker 2>border with what I'm about to say, But I'm working

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<v Speaker 2>on a show on Monday that we'll all be Frank.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm hoping to have all of his children on the show,

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<v Speaker 2>working on maybe Hub Brown, my father, other people that

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<v Speaker 2>knew him across.

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<v Speaker 3>The landscape of the league.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know, part of it is a bit of

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<v Speaker 2>a blessing. I think his information trickles out. People will

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<v Speaker 2>start to learn that Frank has not been well for

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<v Speaker 2>a number of months, if not, you know, maybe a

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<v Speaker 2>year or two, and the last few months of his

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<v Speaker 2>life were not comfortable for him.

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<v Speaker 3>So great that he's not.

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<v Speaker 2>Suffering, grateful that he's out of his misery and pain,

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<v Speaker 2>but sad that a hero, a mentor almost like a

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<v Speaker 2>second father of mine, has passed.

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<v Speaker 3>I will miss him.

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<v Speaker 2>I will miss his counsel, i will miss his smile,

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<v Speaker 2>i will miss his advice, I'll miss his guidance, and

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<v Speaker 2>I'll miss his zest for life. You know, I think

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<v Speaker 2>the hardest thing for people around Frank over the final

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<v Speaker 2>few years of his life is that zest was taken

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<v Speaker 2>as a result of health issues. So as far as

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<v Speaker 2>his impact in the community, I don't think it can

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<v Speaker 2>be measured. I don't think it really can accurately be

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<v Speaker 2>articulated by me or anybody else. It's not hyperbolic to

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<v Speaker 2>say without Frank Layton there is no Utah Jazz. It's

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<v Speaker 2>not hyperbolic to say that he probably is the most

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<v Speaker 2>singular important figure in the history of the Jazz. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>without Frank, there's no John and Carl. Without Frank, there's.

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<v Speaker 3>No Jerry Sloan.

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<v Speaker 2>Without Frank, there's probably no Utah Jazz, quite honestly, and

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<v Speaker 2>that's a sliver of what he men.

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<v Speaker 3>To the community.

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<v Speaker 2>After he left the Jazz, he stayed tight with all

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<v Speaker 2>of our local teams constantly a figure that could be

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<v Speaker 2>seen at these games singing the you know, take me

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<v Speaker 2>out to the ball game, seventh inning stretch, Utah Football, basketball,

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<v Speaker 2>b y U Utah.

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<v Speaker 3>State, we were you name it.

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<v Speaker 2>You're not going to find anybody in our ecosystem, Scott

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<v Speaker 2>that hasn't been touched in a positive way by Frank Layton.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, you know, I've I've said these things today and uh,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, and I had a lot of interaction with

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<v Speaker 1>coach over the years, and you know, I was I

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<v Speaker 1>was here when the jazz showed up and and the

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<v Speaker 1>lean years, and and just the the you know, bigger

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<v Speaker 1>than life personality that Frank Laydon was was and just

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<v Speaker 1>how he sold people on the Utah Jazz and just

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<v Speaker 1>uh and we got a chance to talk to Thorow

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<v Speaker 1>Bailey earlier, and just just he was just a tremendous

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<v Speaker 1>human being and in the times that I actually interviewed him,

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<v Speaker 1>just just fascinating.

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<v Speaker 4>Iman.

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<v Speaker 1>I could just uh, you know, these interviews, I could

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<v Speaker 1>just go on for hours and hours, and a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of it was I think that shocked me is yes,

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<v Speaker 1>he has a personality, and yes he's just you know,

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<v Speaker 1>one of those top three funniest people you ever meet,

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<v Speaker 1>if not the funniest person you've ever met. But he

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<v Speaker 1>was really a passionate guy about basketball and really knew basketball.

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<v Speaker 4>And had an.

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<v Speaker 1>Association with so many I mean, just the people he

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<v Speaker 1>knew in basketball and his and just how he was

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<v Speaker 1>respected and thought of was just a very very impressive thing.

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<v Speaker 1>I said that thorough. I said, I think it would

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<v Speaker 1>like how hard, how hard was it to play for him?

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<v Speaker 1>Because you know when because he was such a jokester,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, and it's like, okay, when when is coach serious?

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<v Speaker 4>Now? Is this a joke? You know?

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<v Speaker 1>I think it would be hard to kind of figure

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<v Speaker 1>out where that line was at time.

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<v Speaker 2>But I think Scott, you touched on something that we

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<v Speaker 2>should underscore that most people probably won't.

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<v Speaker 3>Land on initially talking about Frank.

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<v Speaker 2>That is he was a brilliant basketball coach. He was

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<v Speaker 2>a brilliant basketball coach.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, you know, he.

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<v Speaker 2>Saw things in John and Carl and Mark Eaton and

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<v Speaker 2>Thurrell himself and others that nobody else saw.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, the Mark Eaton story is great.

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<v Speaker 2>Mark sent Frank a VHS tape of his highlight videos

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<v Speaker 2>and it was Mark g just swatty and everybody's shots.

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<v Speaker 2>And later on Frank found out that was Mark against

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<v Speaker 2>high school kids, but still but still took a shot

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<v Speaker 2>on him. How do the UCLA? I think it was

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<v Speaker 2>the fourth round and Mark Hall of Famer, May he

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<v Speaker 2>rest in peace.

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<v Speaker 3>Defensive Player of the Year, Jersey and the Rafters.

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<v Speaker 2>And the system that ultimately Jerry Sloan deserved league. It's

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of credit for was implemented by Frank so

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<v Speaker 2>because he was such a bombastic, front facing, funny guy

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, did dazzling dunks and basketball bloopers with

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<v Speaker 2>Marv Albert for the old school NBA fans because he

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<v Speaker 2>was constantly joking.

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<v Speaker 5>And you know that lady I don't remember, but the

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<v Speaker 5>lady that used to be at the Forum that would

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<v Speaker 5>run out with a low cut shirt on and she

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<v Speaker 5>was very well endowed to leave that there and she

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<v Speaker 5>would kiss Frank and he would faint, and he would

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<v Speaker 5>have these funny interactions with fans, and he would have funny.

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<v Speaker 2>Interactions with refs and all of that.

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<v Speaker 3>Really, in a way, Scott.

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<v Speaker 2>Was to draw attension to the Utah Jazz and become

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<v Speaker 2>this characature that people can latch onto, like, oh, you see,

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<v Speaker 2>back in the eighties, you thought Utah Jazz. You thought

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<v Speaker 2>Frank Layton before you thought John Carl, before you thought Jerry.

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<v Speaker 3>You thought Frank Layton. But all of that is what

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<v Speaker 3>people land on first.

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<v Speaker 2>And so I'm glad that you and Thurrell were able

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<v Speaker 2>to talk about. Really who he was as a coach

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<v Speaker 2>was a brilliant basketball coach.

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<v Speaker 3>That was his first love.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know that he ever wanted to run a business.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know that he ever wanted to be the

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<v Speaker 2>president of the team. I think he just wanted to

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<v Speaker 2>coach basketball and.

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<v Speaker 3>Then ultimately the other thing.

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<v Speaker 2>Frank needs to get a lot of flowers for, as

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<v Speaker 2>the kids would say, because if you look back in

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<v Speaker 2>the history of the the list might include one name,

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<v Speaker 2>and the name might be Frank Layden, who had a

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<v Speaker 2>good basketball team that he had built up and decided

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<v Speaker 2>that he wanted to spend more time with his family

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<v Speaker 2>and so walked away and handed the reins to Jerry Sloan.

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<v Speaker 3>Now, Frank would.

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<v Speaker 2>Joke later on in his life if he knew coaches

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<v Speaker 2>were going to start being paid three four, five six

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<v Speaker 2>million dollars.

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<v Speaker 3>A year, he never would have done it. But he

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<v Speaker 3>built the team, he.

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<v Speaker 2>Drafted the players, he implemented the system, He hired Jerry Sloan,

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<v Speaker 2>and then walked away.

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<v Speaker 3>Before that team was even close to its prime. Scott

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<v Speaker 3>nobody does that.

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<v Speaker 2>So there are several things about Frank that are much

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<v Speaker 2>more rooted in substance as opposed to his front facing

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<v Speaker 2>comedic personality, which is what most people know him for,

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<v Speaker 2>which is fine because that was part of his character.

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<v Speaker 1>As you were talking about some of those players, I

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<v Speaker 1>couldn't help but be struck by how unique they all are.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean Marky, like he took a shot on Mark

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<v Speaker 1>Marky Gouden was certainly unconventional.

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<v Speaker 4>But he saw the value.

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<v Speaker 1>He saw how how Mark Mark Eaton could make a

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<v Speaker 1>significant contribution to to the success of a team just

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<v Speaker 1>by his mere presence, and uh and and and that

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<v Speaker 1>was unconventional. And and in some regards you might say

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<v Speaker 1>that's a risk, that's you know a lot of people

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<v Speaker 1>might not have seen the value of a of a

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<v Speaker 1>Mark Eaton or you you know, John Stockton, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I don't think he's the prototypical doesn't look like Michael

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<v Speaker 1>Jordan kind of guard or or some of these you know,

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<v Speaker 1>great guards that.

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<v Speaker 4>Have been in the n b A.

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<v Speaker 1>And and uh, you know it comes from a college,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I don't know many people knew where it was,

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<v Speaker 1>what even was at the time, and and and and

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<v Speaker 1>that was very unconventional and and these moves proved to

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<v Speaker 1>be brilliant and and and he saw the greatness in

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<v Speaker 1>uh these players, And I know it wasn't just him alone,

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<v Speaker 1>but he certainly had a significant but part of that

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<v Speaker 1>and and it and in a lot of ways, it's

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<v Speaker 1>kind of like Utah, you know, where he saw that, hey,

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<v Speaker 1>basketball can flourish here in the state of Utah, professional basketball,

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<v Speaker 1>the NBA can flourish here. And he was just a

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<v Speaker 1>brilliant salesman on what that could be. And you know,

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<v Speaker 1>putting together you almost could say a land of misfit

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<v Speaker 1>toys into something pretty remarkable. I think speaks volumes to

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<v Speaker 1>maybe his brilliance as a as a coach and as

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<v Speaker 1>a visionary and someone who loved basketball.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, you know the other thing that should be underscored.

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<v Speaker 2>And as Frank, you know, Aged, I made sure to,

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<v Speaker 2>I mean importable, will tell you.

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<v Speaker 3>I had him on my show as much as I.

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<v Speaker 2>Could, as much as he was able, and I always

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<v Speaker 2>just wanted to give him space to tell stories. And

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<v Speaker 2>it's Frank kind of aged a little bit. I think

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<v Speaker 2>there was a little bit of a softening and he

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<v Speaker 2>would share stories about the John Drews of the world.

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<v Speaker 2>John Drew was a tremendous John Drew had more talent

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<v Speaker 2>in his little finger than probably John N. Carl quite Frankly, yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>or a Kerrie Scurry, you know, some of these older

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<v Speaker 2>older jazz players that most fans don't know but had

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of off core problems.

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<v Speaker 3>And I'm paraphrasing here.

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<v Speaker 2>I think I'll probably ask Smitty or you know, somebody

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<v Speaker 2>else to share the story in its entirety. But for

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<v Speaker 2>my recollection, Frank told a story about John Drew something

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<v Speaker 2>along the lines of it, and Scott, you might be

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<v Speaker 2>familiar with this dynamic. I don't know that this is

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<v Speaker 2>even legal or allowed anymore, but John Drew I believe

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<v Speaker 2>he played long enough to get a pension in the league,

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<v Speaker 2>but some agent or some CD shady businessman struck some deal.

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<v Speaker 3>John needed cash.

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<v Speaker 2>He had a terrible drug addiction, and he signed away

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<v Speaker 2>his pension in the name of you know, a few

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<v Speaker 2>thousand dollars in the moment because he you know, he

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<v Speaker 2>was just in such a bad spot with his addiction issues.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know, as as Frank is walking me through

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<v Speaker 2>the story and tell me how, you know, he just.

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<v Speaker 3>Did everything he could to help John.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, if you play long enough in the NFL

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<v Speaker 2>or the NBA, you're in your pension, you should at

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<v Speaker 2>least be able to live semi comfortable life the rest

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<v Speaker 2>of your days, and similar stories with other players that

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<v Speaker 2>had off court issues. You know, Frank genuinely cared about

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<v Speaker 2>the Utah Jazz family and the Utah Jazz people and

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<v Speaker 2>the Utah Jazz not just players, but anybody involved with

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<v Speaker 2>the staff, PR taketing community relations, and Jerry carried this

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<v Speaker 2>on brilliantly. Jerry was the same way with everybody involved

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<v Speaker 2>with Utah Jazz. You know, there's Frank to measure of

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<v Speaker 2>the man as a caricature, there's Frank to measure of

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<v Speaker 2>the man as a basketball coach. Then there's Frank the

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<v Speaker 2>measure of the man. It's just somebody who cared about people.

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<v Speaker 2>And he would always talk about that throughout the course

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<v Speaker 2>of the final ten to fifteen years of his life.

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<v Speaker 2>Because I've been on air twenty years, and as soon

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<v Speaker 2>as I tracked the life, I'm like, Frank's going to

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<v Speaker 2>be part of whatever I do as long as I

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<v Speaker 2>do it, as long as he's willing to, because he's

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<v Speaker 2>got great stories.

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<v Speaker 3>He's such a great.

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<v Speaker 2>Man, and he just cares about the Utah Jazz family.

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<v Speaker 2>And I believe cared about the Utah Jazz family throughout

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<v Speaker 2>the course of the final days of his life. I

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<v Speaker 2>have no frame of reference for what his relationship is

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<v Speaker 2>with the new ownership group or front office or coaching staff.

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<v Speaker 4>You know.

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<v Speaker 2>I know he didn't know Quinn well.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, Quinn was kind of an interesting guy.

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<v Speaker 2>When Jerry passed, I actually asked Quinn to join the show,

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<v Speaker 2>and he declined because he said he had only met

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<v Speaker 2>him a couple of times.

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<v Speaker 3>So I don't know what Frank's currently.

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<v Speaker 2>I know Frank was very close obviously with the Millers,

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<v Speaker 2>with Steve Starks, with the old iteration of the jazz

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<v Speaker 2>ownership in front office. But I can't speak to his

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<v Speaker 2>relationship with Danny Ainge or Justin zanderk.

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<v Speaker 3>Everybody knows Frank, but he.

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<v Speaker 2>Always talked about the Utah jazz family. And you would

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<v Speaker 2>tell me you are a part of this family.

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<v Speaker 3>You worked over there, your dad worked over there. If

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<v Speaker 3>you're ever a part of the jazz family, you're part

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<v Speaker 3>of the jazz family forever.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's kind of like Frank was all of our patriarchs,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, he just was.

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<v Speaker 3>He was that guy for anybody that's ever been a

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<v Speaker 3>part of the jazz fabric.

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<v Speaker 4>You know. Yeah, it's funny you say that.

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<v Speaker 1>So when I was at in college at the University

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<v Speaker 1>of Utah, I played on on the Jazz this summer

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<v Speaker 1>basketball team or softball team, so Smitty and all those

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<v Speaker 1>guys and and so uh so I got to know

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<v Speaker 1>and and and and Frank was that way with me,

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<v Speaker 1>and I I wasn't you know, I don't make any

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<v Speaker 1>claims to be a part of the Utah Jazz or

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<v Speaker 1>any part of it, but I had a small connection

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<v Speaker 1>to them, uh through through that and and they were

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<v Speaker 1>great to me. And and Frank was was great to me,

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<v Speaker 1>always has been great to me. And uh, you know

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<v Speaker 1>thorough that you know, that's what he spoke most of

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<v Speaker 1>he said. He said, Uh, Frank was just so good

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<v Speaker 1>at uh at staying in touch with and and and

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<v Speaker 1>having that connection, uh even way past when you were

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<v Speaker 1>done playing and and and you and you really were

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<v Speaker 1>a part of his of his family, and he truly

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<v Speaker 1>truly did care uh for people. So really really sad

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<v Speaker 1>to see him go. And I'm really glad that, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we got a chance to spend a little bit of

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<v Speaker 1>time here and chat about him. And I really appreciate

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<v Speaker 1>your time coming on your show. I know you've got

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<v Speaker 1>a lot going on, and of course you know, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>really glad that you got a chance to talk about

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<v Speaker 1>and share some thoughts about coach Laden.

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<v Speaker 3>So thank you for sure.

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<v Speaker 2>One more thing, because I have to share this before

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<v Speaker 2>I go. Ultimately, my career in no small part is

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<v Speaker 2>because of the advice Frank gave me.

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<v Speaker 3>So real quick Scott, before I let you get back there.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, please please do show.

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<v Speaker 2>When I was I was twenty three years old. My

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<v Speaker 2>first job out of college after the U I was

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<v Speaker 2>I worked for the Olympics.

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<v Speaker 3>I was a venue manager for the.

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<v Speaker 2>Solid Ice Center, which was a great job, but it

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<v Speaker 2>had a natural expiration date after two thousand and two.

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<v Speaker 2>You got to find a new job, right So the

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<v Speaker 2>game's ends, and I didn't know what I was going

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<v Speaker 2>to do. I wanted to stay around sports. I was

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<v Speaker 2>not a pro like you were. My career ended essentially.

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<v Speaker 3>At the age of Night Team.

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<v Speaker 2>I was not a professional basketball player. I was good

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<v Speaker 2>enough to maybe play college. I was about it, so

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<v Speaker 2>I thought maybe I'd look into coaching, and my high

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<v Speaker 2>school coach taught Win that I was kind of interested

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<v Speaker 2>in maybe exploring the space, and so he offered me

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<v Speaker 2>the chance to be his lead assistant.

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<v Speaker 3>And he said, I'm retiring in two years, done everything

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<v Speaker 3>I want to do, retiring in two years.

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<v Speaker 2>Come here, you'll be my lead assistant and you'll get

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<v Speaker 2>the job in two years. So I would have been

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<v Speaker 2>a head high school coach at twenty five. And that's

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<v Speaker 2>young enough that you know, you work your way up.

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<v Speaker 3>Who knows what happens. Maybe at some point I can

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<v Speaker 3>make a living doing it.

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<v Speaker 2>And I called my father for advice, and he says

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<v Speaker 2>to me, he says, call Frank first. It's the only hit,

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<v Speaker 2>he say, said called Frank. So I called Frank, and

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<v Speaker 2>that great Brooklyn.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, pretty accent. Let's go to lunch, you know.

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<v Speaker 3>So we met over at the Old Iggys.

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<v Speaker 2>With Frank love all the time. And this is when

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<v Speaker 2>Frank had lost all that weight. He was eating very

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<v Speaker 2>healthy salads, waters, you know, all that stuff.

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<v Speaker 3>And I walk him through the scenario.

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<v Speaker 2>I said, look, if I take this job, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>a coach with my high school coach two years and

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<v Speaker 2>I'll get the head job, and then who knows what

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<v Speaker 2>happens from there.

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<v Speaker 3>And he sits back and I'll never forget what he said.

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<v Speaker 4>Don't do it, He.

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<v Speaker 3>Said, you know, don't do it. Don't get into coach.

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<v Speaker 3>And he said to me, have you ever thought of broadcasting?

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<v Speaker 3>And I hadn't.

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't take journalism classes in college. I didn't take

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<v Speaker 2>broadcasting classes in college. I was a business marketing major.

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<v Speaker 3>He said, you have the personality, you have the delivery,

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<v Speaker 3>you have the voice. Let's find a way to see

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<v Speaker 3>if you can do this. And he was the first

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<v Speaker 3>person to kind of let me know that maybe this

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<v Speaker 3>was something I could do with my life.

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<v Speaker 2>And twenty years later, it's become my career in no

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<v Speaker 2>small part because of the advice he gave me.

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<v Speaker 3>I'll miss him, Scott, I'll miss him badly for sure.

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<v Speaker 4>Well it paid off. Well, he knew what he was

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<v Speaker 4>talking about.

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<v Speaker 1>So there you go, all right, enjoy your time away

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<v Speaker 1>and we'll keep things going here while you're gone.

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<v Speaker 4>So thanks, thanks, good buddy, good.

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<v Speaker 3>Go ahead.