WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:01.520 Right, what is going on? 2 00:00:01.639 --> 00:00:04.719 It is drivetime, it's a Wednesday, It's about ten minutes 3 00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:08.800 past the hour of two o'clock. Little chili, getting chili outside, 4 00:00:08.839 --> 00:00:12.080 getting ready for essentially our first cold front of the fall. 5 00:00:12.119 --> 00:00:15.279 We've had such a mild, warm fall that we are 6 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:20.879 about two get our first snowstorm. It looks like up 7 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:23.079 in the mountains. Not sure we'll be affected here down 8 00:00:23.079 --> 00:00:25.399 in the benches, but it's about to get cold over 9 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:26.320 the next couple of days. 10 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:27.440 Going to be a chili weekend. 11 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:31.879 Should be a chili night in Provo on Friday night 12 00:00:32.039 --> 00:00:33.079 for Oklahoma State. 13 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:34.320 Should be a chili night. 14 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:39.719 On Saturday night for Utah as they welcome in TCU. So, 15 00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:43.600 of course, college football top of mind this week, college 16 00:00:43.640 --> 00:00:46.439 football top of mine this time of year. Utah is 17 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:49.840 going to try to get right against Texas Christian Saturday 18 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:52.880 night at eight thirty Rice ecl Stadium here in Salt 19 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:56.119 Lake City. Our pregame coverage on the radio side will 20 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:59.039 begin four hours prior to kick, as it always does, 21 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:03.399 will have you taken care of starting at four thirty 22 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:05.359 on Saturday. 23 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:06.680 So we'll get you ready for that game. 24 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:08.359 Wednesday is kind of the day where we get you 25 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:10.239 halfway through your work week, we get you one day 26 00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:12.760 closer to the weekend, and we kind of turned the 27 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:15.560 page into what happened a week ago, and we start 28 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:17.599 to look out to the weekend and talk about kind 29 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:20.159 of what's at stake now for BYU. They put themselves 30 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:23.200 in a fantastic spot. They're a top the Big Twelve 31 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:26.560 conference standings right now. They have not lost a football game. 32 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:30.480 They're three to zero conference, they're six to oh overall, 33 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:33.480 and right now that line has moved a couple of 34 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:36.000 times towards the way the BYU Cougars. As of right now, 35 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:40.000 they're a nine point five point favorite in provo over 36 00:01:40.040 --> 00:01:44.799 the reeling Oklahoma State Sooners, who at this excuse me, Cowboys, 37 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:47.439 who at this point have probably been the most disappointing 38 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:50.439 team in the entire Big Twelve. I think youth fans 39 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:53.280 who probably say Utah has been but Oklahoma State who 40 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:56.239 was picked to finish well. Some people pick them to 41 00:01:56.280 --> 00:01:58.439 win the whole conference. I think the media picked them 42 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:02.200 to finish third in Kansas State and Utah, and the 43 00:02:02.280 --> 00:02:06.040 Vegas odds had Utah one, Kansas State two, and Oklahoma 44 00:02:06.120 --> 00:02:07.439 State at three. 45 00:02:07.799 --> 00:02:09.919 And Mike Gundhy is fighting. 46 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:13.240 Off rumors in Stillwater that his days may be numbered 47 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:15.719 and they're trying to get bull eligible. So it's a 48 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:19.080 big weekend of local college football and a big weekend 49 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:21.319 of course national college football, as well. 50 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:22.840 A lot of ranked matchups. 51 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:25.879 This time of year, most of the Dog games are 52 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:29.000 behind us until later on in the season when the 53 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:31.800 SEC team schedule a bunch of cakewalks as they always do. 54 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:34.919 But we'll get ready for a big game down in Austin, 55 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:39.159 Georgia and Texas Top five matchup at dk R Texas 56 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:43.439 Memorial Stadium. So there's a bunch of big time college 57 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:44.439 football games. 58 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:45.840 Of course, both locally and nationally. 59 00:02:46.439 --> 00:02:49.159 Big twelve continues to try to sort itself out where 60 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:53.319 the pretenders are being revealed and the contenders are left standing. 61 00:02:53.719 --> 00:02:57.479 Iowa State's a fourteen point favorite over UCF and ames 62 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:03.439 kind of the sneaky interest game in Morgantown, as Kansas 63 00:03:03.479 --> 00:03:06.159 State is going to be taken on West Virginia and 64 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:08.560 Kansas State is only a three point favorite. West Virginia 65 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:11.280 is a pretty decent football team this year, They've only 66 00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:14.800 lost to teams that are undefeated. Actually, Colorado will be 67 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:19.599 down in Tucson at Arizona Stadiums take on of course Arizona. 68 00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:22.680 We have Houston, Kansas, and another kind of sneaky big 69 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:26.319 game in Cincinnati Nippert Stadium, Arizona State Cincinnati. Cincinnati is 70 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:30.000 actually a six point five point favorite over Kenny Dillingham. 71 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:34.439 Surprise Arizona State Sun Devil. So exciting week of college 72 00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:37.280 football ahead and we'll get you ready for that on 73 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:44.280 the show today. A couple of unusual NFL transactions with 74 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:47.479 some wide, really good wide receivers on the move, as 75 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:50.199 DeVante Adams is expected to play for the New York 76 00:03:50.280 --> 00:03:53.560 Jets on Sunday against the Steelers, and Amari Cooper is 77 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:55.159 going to go play for the Buffalo Bills. 78 00:03:55.800 --> 00:03:56.240 A lot of. 79 00:03:56.240 --> 00:03:59.039 Injury news, unfortunately, we'll get to some of that. On 80 00:03:59.080 --> 00:04:00.919 the pro football side. Get you ready for your pro 81 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:04.199 football weekend that will be in on Thursday night as 82 00:04:04.280 --> 00:04:06.840 Denver is in the Big Easy to take on the Saints. 83 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:09.919 You can hear that game on our radio station after 84 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:15.560 this show finishes at six o'clock. We have RSL back 85 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:17.480 on the pitch this weekend after a little bit of 86 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:20.000 a restpit, little bit of a break. It's the final 87 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:24.000 match of the regular season. And Demir Krylock and Vancouver 88 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:26.199 are in town. The white Caps are in town to 89 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:29.079 take on RSL coming up at seven o'clock on Saturday. 90 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:31.800 With a win, ray Al saw Lake will set a 91 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:36.800 single season point record for the club. And that's not nothing. Man, 92 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:39.800 Jason Christ had four or five real elite years here 93 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:42.720 when he was the manager, So of course pulling for RSL. 94 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:46.519 They've already locked in a home playoff match and they 95 00:04:46.519 --> 00:04:49.279 are trying to potentially move up depending on some results 96 00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:51.759 ahead of them, as it will be the final day 97 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:55.399 of the MLS regular season. The Utah Hockey Club, after 98 00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:58.600 suffering their first loss to the Devils, are back at 99 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:01.000 it tonight to fly cross country. 100 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:03.879 They're to take on the Ducks in Anaheim. 101 00:05:04.439 --> 00:05:06.759 That's gonna be an eight o'clock the puckle drop at 102 00:05:06.759 --> 00:05:09.040 eight o'clock and Anaheim. We're gonna talk some Utah Hockey 103 00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:13.120 Club on the show today. And the Utah Jazz continue 104 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:16.720 their preseason action as we're getting ready for the regular 105 00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:18.120 season coming up next week. 106 00:05:18.680 --> 00:05:20.959 The Jazz are gonna have one more preseason game. 107 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:24.560 It's at Portland coming up on Friday, and they beat 108 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:25.560 Sacramento last night. 109 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:26.519 At this point, they're four to. 110 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:29.439 One of the preseason, which doesn't mean anything but watching 111 00:05:29.560 --> 00:05:32.959 some of the preseason stuff, trying to learn what Will 112 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:35.480 has in mind with some of his rotations, and get 113 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:37.079 to know some of these new players, some of these 114 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:39.160 young players they're gonna be watching that we're gonna be 115 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:42.879 watching for the Utah Jazz all year long. So it 116 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:45.879 is the great time of year where we can talk 117 00:05:45.959 --> 00:05:50.519 a little bit of everything college football, Pro football, RSL soccer, 118 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:54.720 Utah Hockey Club, Jazz basketball as well. And we've got 119 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:57.360 guests to talk about all of that as we are 120 00:05:57.399 --> 00:05:59.920 out and about today. We are at beer bar. Okay, 121 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:02.399 So here's what we have and we don't usually have these, 122 00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:05.120 so you guys should take advantage of it. If you've 123 00:06:05.160 --> 00:06:08.720 never checked out our tailgate, our ESPN seven hundred tailgate, 124 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:10.560 highly recommend it. 125 00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:12.439 Okay, So we're. 126 00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:15.120 Gonna have a tailgate prior to the TCU game, and 127 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:17.560 we are located right by the Smith's tailgate, like the 128 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:20.959 massive setup where like Bill and Sly and Scott kind 129 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:23.800 of do some pregame stuff before the walk. We've got 130 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:28.439 free food from Wingers, we have spirits from our friends 131 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:31.920 down at the clear Water Distillery, in Utah County. 132 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:32.600 They roll up and. 133 00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:36.120 Provide the spirits. So come on by beer bar and 134 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:39.480 say what's up. I'll limit it to two per person, 135 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:42.040 but I do have about ten and might even have 136 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:43.879 a little bit more. So if you're looking for something 137 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:46.959 to do prior to kick on Saturday before the Utah 138 00:06:47.079 --> 00:06:49.920 TCU game, obviously a massive game for a lot of reasons, 139 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:52.079 come on by beer bar, say what's up. 140 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:54.240 ESPN seven hundred van is right out front. 141 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:58.000 Come on in and say hello, and we will hook 142 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.600 you up with a couple of passes for our tailgates 143 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:05.240 prior to Utah TCU on Saturday. Again, it's gonna be chili, 144 00:07:05.319 --> 00:07:07.519 but we have warm food. We have some craft cocktails 145 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:09.319 from clear Water. If you're not a drinker, there are 146 00:07:09.319 --> 00:07:11.360 plenty of soda and water options as well. 147 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:13.120 So that's where we're at today. Beer Bar. 148 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:16.720 It's one sixty twenties two hundred south right downtown in 149 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:17.879 Salt Lake City, Utah. 150 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:20.319 Over one hundred beers with thirty of them on tap. 151 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:23.800 They've got great burgers and brought side of fries, salad, soups, 152 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:26.199 so made sourdo Brett as well. So located in the 153 00:07:26.199 --> 00:07:29.680 heart of downtown at one sixty Oneies two hundred south. 154 00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:32.959 The ESPN seven hundred van is right out front. 155 00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:35.279 All right, Our first guest on this Wednesday afternoon is 156 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:39.600 gonna be Kyle Bonnagerro. Kyle joins us from time to 157 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:42.560 time on a pretty consistent basis the top college football 158 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:45.639 Big twelve football Utah Football. Will get to some BYU 159 00:07:45.639 --> 00:07:48.439 stuff with Kyle as well. If time allows, we'll maybe 160 00:07:48.439 --> 00:07:51.439 do a little RSL MLS with Kyle today. Neil Smith 161 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:55.160 or his weekly behind the Glass visit to TAK Hockey 162 00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:57.240 Tak NHL Hockey Utah Hockey Club. 163 00:07:57.759 --> 00:07:59.560 Then Pablo mash twenty. You haven't chatted with. 164 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:01.240 Pablo on a while, they've been off for a minute, 165 00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:04.079 But we'll get ready for the RSL Vancouver match coming up. 166 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:07.199 And then our buddy Andy Larson. Maybe we'll convince Andy 167 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:10.319 to roll on down live on site here at beer Bar, 168 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:12.839 talk a little jazz, talk a little RSL. So Kyle 169 00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:16.720 Bonnagera and Neil Smith, Pablo mashr Winny, Andy Larson, Me 170 00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:19.319 Spence checkets live at beer Bar, Beer Bar, excuse me, 171 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:21.920 all of you, the great listeners, and just if a 172 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:24.439 few blocks away, we're pretty close to each other downtown 173 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:28.240 Salt Lake. Is Porter Larson, the producer of this program, 174 00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:30.399 Happy Wednesday, how's your Wednesday pout? 175 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:34.159 Happy hum day to you Spencer of course, halfway through 176 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:38.159 the week and yeah closer to hopefully, as you've talked 177 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:40.440 about throughout the week, a little bit of a get. 178 00:08:40.279 --> 00:08:42.320 Right game for the you. 179 00:08:42.519 --> 00:08:45.399 It's a bunch of other exciting Big twelve stuff RSL 180 00:08:45.960 --> 00:08:49.559 Hockey Club, Jazz A lot to get to and yeah, 181 00:08:49.559 --> 00:08:51.639 a little jealous that you're at Beer Bark per usual. 182 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:54.360 It is a great spot. They are decorated for Halloween. 183 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:56.480 They've got the beers on taff and I can smell 184 00:08:56.519 --> 00:08:58.559 those brats and burgers. So if you want to come 185 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:01.120 hang out with us at the tailgate, Porter's gonna be 186 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:02.200 doing the pregame show. 187 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:04.559 Live up there and I'll roll through as well. 188 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:07.039 Prior to kick for utah TCU just come on down 189 00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:09.600 a beer bar, grab yourself an afternoon beer, or if 190 00:09:09.639 --> 00:09:11.679 you're not a drinker, they've got soda and water, They've 191 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:13.480 got great food and come. 192 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:13.840 Say what's up. 193 00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:16.559 Hook he up with a couple of passes for our 194 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:18.600 tailgate lot prior to utah TC. 195 00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:20.039 It's a fun way to meet people. 196 00:09:20.039 --> 00:09:21.600 It's a fun way to get ready for the game, 197 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:24.080 and if you haven't checked it out, it's definitely worth it. 198 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:24.639 All right. 199 00:09:24.679 --> 00:09:26.840 Our first guest right out of the gates tsat College 200 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:29.279 Football will be Kyle Bonnagurro. But before we get to 201 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:32.200 Kyle Curtsey about our good friends, you're good friends too. 202 00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:35.039 It's Standard Restaurant Supply. It's your one stop shop for 203 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:37.519 all of your tailgate needs. You can check them out 204 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:41.360 online or at their convenience Salt Lake location. Three Utah 205 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:43.799 football games left. Make sure your tailgates dialed in. It's 206 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:47.039 Standard Restaurants Supply. It's time now for your opening tip. 207 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:50.519 Welcome to the Drive with Spence Check. It's on Utah's 208 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:54.200 number one sports talk. Now into the studio of ESPN 209 00:09:54.279 --> 00:09:57.159 seven hundred to set the scene for the show. The 210 00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:59.159 opening tip of the Drive is brought to you by 211 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:02.519 Standard Restaurant Supply, your one stop shop to build the 212 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:07.240 best tailgate in town. Standard Restaurant Supply thirty five hundred, 213 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:08.240 south West Temple. 214 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:11.840 So, as we look ahead to the weekend, a couple 215 00:10:11.879 --> 00:10:15.360 of very interesting games for our local teams, both kind 216 00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:19.519 of playing for different things as far as where BYU 217 00:10:19.559 --> 00:10:23.080 and Utah position themselves, and it continues to be a 218 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:27.399 real lesson in predictions, continues to be a real lesson 219 00:10:27.399 --> 00:10:28.519 And what does the media know? 220 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:30.799 Anyway? You know most of the. 221 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:33.639 Preseason stuff if you listen to BYU coaches and players, 222 00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:36.279 certainly Kalani, who he had on the show twice actually 223 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:39.279 Big twelve Media Day and then a couple of weeks 224 00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:41.639 after that prior to the season, he hopped on a 225 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:44.759 rods hopped on a couple of times, and they all 226 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:48.480 And this is kind of interesting because every single coach 227 00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:51.200 it's kind of like my old take on signing day. 228 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:54.320 Now signing day is a different carries a different way 229 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:56.240 to a different tone in tent or the transfer portal 230 00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:57.960 has made it not a moot point but not near 231 00:10:57.960 --> 00:10:58.799 as important. 232 00:10:58.480 --> 00:10:59.120 As it used to be. 233 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:02.600 But you would listen to a coach whose recruiting class 234 00:11:02.679 --> 00:11:04.879 was ranked like seventy seventh, he's like, we got everyone 235 00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:07.080 we wanted, Like, well, did you did you get everyone 236 00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:09.320 you wanted? Because according to the rankings, you have one 237 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:12.240 of the worst recruiting classes in the country. And prior 238 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:15.320 to the season, every coach is going to give lip 239 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:18.320 service to the fan base and to the media about 240 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:20.080 what they have as far as the hand they've been 241 00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:21.679 dealt and how confident. 242 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:23.679 They are that they can shock people. 243 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:27.000 And Amy Donaldson hopped on yesterday and we talked about 244 00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:28.960 this thing that happens in our state, and it really 245 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:31.480 happens with all of our teams if you think about it, 246 00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:34.639 and it's kind of a microcosm of the attitude that 247 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:36.720 we have here in the state. There's like this weird 248 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:39.720 inferiority complex where we want people to like us a lot, 249 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:41.799 and we don't like it that maybe people think we're 250 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:43.679 odd from the outside looking in, so we want to 251 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:46.840 prove you wrong. We want you to like us. We 252 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:49.879 want you to think that we're cool. It's why jazz fans, 253 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:54.080 you know, they basically lather themselves in joy. Whenever a 254 00:11:54.200 --> 00:11:57.480 jazz player just implies that he likes living here, it's like, 255 00:11:57.480 --> 00:11:58.200 did you hear Lowry? 256 00:11:58.200 --> 00:11:59.799 He likes it here? Hey, did you guys hear this? 257 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:03.159 Check out this hand by Lowry Marketing likes Utah, We're 258 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:04.559 not weird. Lowry likes us. 259 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:09.360 And it's this dynamic where, even if the team is 260 00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:12.919 really good, we played the underdog role and play the 261 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:15.519 underdog card and say, well, nobody believe. Nobody believes in 262 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:16.759 the Jazz. They're gonna shock the world. 263 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:19.279 Nobody believes in the Utes, nobody believes in the Cougars. 264 00:12:19.879 --> 00:12:23.559 It really is permeating and has been throughout the DNA 265 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:25.759 of what the soccer club was built on. 266 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:27.360 And how RSL used itself. 267 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:30.360 RSL against Everybody was their playoff shirt they printed a 268 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:33.159 couple of years ago. It's the same thing for BYU, 269 00:12:33.320 --> 00:12:35.960 same thing for Utah, same thing for the Jazz. And 270 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:38.960 this little hockey club now with all these young players, like, oh, 271 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:41.080 you think that just because we're a new franchise we 272 00:12:41.080 --> 00:12:44.039 can't compete. We went into the garden and beat the Rangers. 273 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:47.519 We like that stuff. And Kalaie seems to have done 274 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:51.080 a real masterful, masterful job. And I listened to his 275 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:55.679 Monday presser every week after their games at both convincing 276 00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:58.600 his group that nobody believed in them and also keeping 277 00:12:58.600 --> 00:13:01.720 them humble and hungry to make where they continue just 278 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:04.320 to focus on one game in one week at a time. 279 00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:06.759 He says it every single Monday. Now, we want to 280 00:13:06.759 --> 00:13:09.240 make just our sixth statement, which they did last week. 281 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:11.600 Now they want to make their seventh statement against Oklahoma 282 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:15.879 State in provo coming up on Friday night, and Kialani 283 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:18.360 has really played this thing well because you can tell 284 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:21.399 that these kids are playing with that proverbial state of 285 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:25.519 Utah BYU football chip on your shoulder. The basketball team 286 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:27.919 last year was picked to finish what thirteenth and I 287 00:13:27.960 --> 00:13:31.000 think they finished sixth, So you. 288 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:34.279 Feed off of it, and BYU is fed off of it. 289 00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:36.559 Kilani and his group they fed off the fact that 290 00:13:36.600 --> 00:13:40.480 the media picked them basically near the bottom, I think, 291 00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:43.440 thirteenth in the Big Twelve. They fed off the fact 292 00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:45.840 that Vegas said four and a half wins, that's your line. 293 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:48.720 They've already surpassed their four and a half, their Bowl eligible, 294 00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:52.600 they're cleaning conference and they're unefeated, and you have to 295 00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:54.559 give them a ton of credit. It doesn't matter the 296 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:58.320 way you as far as what your feelings are about BYU. 297 00:13:58.440 --> 00:14:01.080 Maybe a BYU fan has been mean you online because 298 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:01.840 the internet is. 299 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:03.039 Where cowards go to field brave. 300 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:06.759 All right, that's fine, you know, certainly the cesspool of 301 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:09.519 online back and forth of the rivalry fan bases is 302 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:10.879 something I'm not interested in. 303 00:14:10.919 --> 00:14:11.440 But you do. 304 00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:14.120 You But if you remove that and just look at 305 00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:17.399 what they've done. There's no way you can be anything 306 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:20.320 other than wildly impressed with Kilanne and the job that 307 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.840 that staff is staff has done so far through six 308 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:26.320 games in the Big Twelve. Now Oklahoma State, I think 309 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:29.519 is the biggest disappointment in conference. They roll in a 310 00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:32.399 Provo without a conference win. They're five hundred. They're going 311 00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:33.840 to be fighting for their bowl lives. 312 00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:35.519 And this was a team that. 313 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:38.279 Some people pick to win the conference, and certainly if 314 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:40.960 you looked at most of the preseason prognostications, they were 315 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:43.679 definitely top three, at least from what I saw. They've 316 00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:46.360 lost three straight to at home and they never lose 317 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:47.039 in Stillwater. 318 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:48.600 Of course, they lost to the Utes. 319 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:50.840 Then they went to k State and they got run 320 00:14:51.399 --> 00:14:54.519 and West Virginia dog walked them thirty eight to fourteen 321 00:14:54.600 --> 00:14:57.720 in Stillwater. So they come in limping. There are rumors 322 00:14:57.759 --> 00:14:59.679 about who's going to start a quarterback. I'm not sure 323 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:00.360 they know. 324 00:15:01.080 --> 00:15:03.679 And this feels like it's going to be another BYU. 325 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:05.559 Win on Friday night in Provo, and my guess is 326 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:08.360 BYU as of next week could potentially be a top 327 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:11.440 ten team depending on what happens in front of them. 328 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.240 Now up here and saw a Lake, a different tone 329 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:18.120 and tenor and a different dynamic as it pertains to 330 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:22.200 what's at stake here on Saturday night. Essentially every game 331 00:15:22.360 --> 00:15:25.240 from here on out for the Utes is more or 332 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:27.000 less a Big Twelve elimination game. 333 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:27.320 All right. 334 00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:31.000 I do think there's a world because this conference, and 335 00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:33.399 I was hoping this wouldn't be the case. I talked 336 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:36.679 about a preseason, but everybody you said the Big Twelve 337 00:15:36.759 --> 00:15:39.320 was going to cannibalize itself this year appears to be correct. 338 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:42.399 My hope was there would be a couple. 339 00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:45.080 Of elite teams that separated themselves, and obviously we thought 340 00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:48.480 Utah would be one of them to potentially allow for 341 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:51.919 more than one inclusion in the CFP at this point. 342 00:15:51.960 --> 00:15:57.279 Last night, ESPN did their first twelve team CFP prediction show. 343 00:15:57.840 --> 00:15:59.919 The only Big Twelve team they had in the CFP 344 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:00.799 was Iowa State. 345 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:03.080 Their model has Iowa State winning the Big Twelve. 346 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:06.440 But my hope was maybe a Utah in an Iowa State, 347 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:09.679 or a Utah and a BYU or a k State 348 00:16:09.720 --> 00:16:12.639 and a Utah, two really good teams would separate themselves. 349 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:15.159 Then we'd have two teams in the Big Twelve championship game. 350 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:20.320 Maybe with one loss or maybe clean, therefore allowing access 351 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:21.480 to two Big Twelve teams. 352 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:23.159 It doesn't look like that's going to happen. 353 00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:27.279 So there is a legitimate possibility that one or both 354 00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:29.879 of the teams in the Big Twelve Championship game will 355 00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:31.000 have multiple losses. 356 00:16:31.399 --> 00:16:34.039 But I don't think three will get you in. 357 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:37.279 I think two could because BYU and Iowa State have 358 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:40.200 separated themselves, and Tech is still clean as well. Texas 359 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:42.879 Tech is still clean as well. So if you're Utah, 360 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:46.039 you're asking a lot for those three teams to lose 361 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:48.720 more than two games each. But I don't think it's 362 00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:51.679 impossible for that to happen. I do think it's impossible 363 00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:52.440 for all three of. 364 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:54.279 Those to lose three. 365 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:57.679 So if you're Utah, essentially, if you still want to 366 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:00.320 have something to say about the Big Twelve Championship, still 367 00:17:00.360 --> 00:17:03.120 could that's still on the table. Every game from here 368 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:06.240 on out essentially is an elimination game, and if you 369 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:09.359 lose on Saturday, you're kind of playing for what Utah 370 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:11.200 football used to play for back when I was a. 371 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:13.160 Kid, and that is maybe you beat BYU and go 372 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:13.680 to a bowl. 373 00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:17.200 That was kind of the deal, right, Maybe somehow you 374 00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:19.880 beat BYU and go to a bowl game and ultimately 375 00:17:20.039 --> 00:17:23.480 the separation. The season of the two programs has been 376 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:27.680 interesting to watch because from my vantage point, you know, 377 00:17:28.119 --> 00:17:30.960 I grew up in a generation of Lavelle Edwards BYU 378 00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:34.519 football dominance. My son has grown up in a Kyle 379 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:38.480 Whittingham Utah football generation of dominance, and it's been a 380 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:41.640 generation of Utah football dominance. They've been the better program 381 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:45.160 than BYU for a generation for a long time. But 382 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:48.599 there's always this underlying fear with the Ute fan base 383 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:50.640 that things are going to go back to the way 384 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:53.119 they were when Lavelle went well like twenty one and 385 00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:56.440 two or something like that against the Utes. And there's 386 00:17:56.480 --> 00:18:00.400 this underlying fear that with the way BYU has played 387 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:02.599 this year and the way Utah has fallen flat on 388 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:06.960 their face, are we in the beginning stages of a 389 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:09.880 process where we're going back to what it was like 390 00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:11.759 before Witt took over Utah. 391 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:14.119 That's hyperbolic, that's dramatic. 392 00:18:14.119 --> 00:18:16.039 I don't think that's the case, but there are legitimate 393 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:18.119 questions to be asked. Because there are more than a 394 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:21.039 few people that I've talked to they would definitely know 395 00:18:21.880 --> 00:18:24.279 that believe this could be it for Kyle Now. 396 00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:26.400 I don't know if it matters. 397 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:29.480 We talked about this yesterday, like if Utah Max Chadwick 398 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:32.319 hopped on he covers college football for PFF. 399 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:35.039 He has Utah now as a seven win team. 400 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:38.599 So if Utah wins seven games and goes to some 401 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:42.160 throwaway bowl, does that motivate Kyle to comeback for one 402 00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:45.480 more try. I don't know if it matters one way 403 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:47.480 or the other. When he's done, he's probably gonna be done. 404 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:50.119 But this is certainly not the way he wanted to 405 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:53.839 go out. And what does the program look like once 406 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:56.160 they're head coach? One of the most respected head coaches 407 00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:58.240 and all the college football decides he wants to do 408 00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:02.440 other things with his time. Klanie's young. Klanie's not even 409 00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:05.559 fifty yet. I think he just turned forty nine, forty eight. 410 00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:08.200 I mean, if Kilanie really has built this thing up 411 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:10.400 and he's going to be the BYU coach for the 412 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:14.519 next fifteen to twenty years like Lavelle was, there are 413 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:17.720 now serious questions to be asked about whether or not 414 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:19.920 we are running into a tipping point and whether or 415 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:23.000 not this generation of you football dominance has come to 416 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:26.039 an end. Now I'm not there yet, but I definitely 417 00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:27.759 hear a lot of people talking about that, and they 418 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:30.880 wonder if after a generation of Utah football dominance, are 419 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:34.319 we now seeing the penduluance swift or excuse me, you know, 420 00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:39.160 basically shift to the other side. Because these things are cyclical. 421 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.119 There was no way Utah was going to continue to 422 00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:42.880 be byu every single year. 423 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:44.559 Sports are cyclical. 424 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:49.000 You know, a coach figures it out, you would adjust 425 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:50.960 and adapt to the new world of college football with 426 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:53.680 a transfer portal and nil. Maybe you figure something out 427 00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:57.200 he hadn't figured out before, and all this time, maybe 428 00:19:57.240 --> 00:19:59.359 Kilani has been going about this the right way because 429 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:01.480 as of right now, there's no doubt that so far 430 00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:04.440 this year, the best team in the state plays their 431 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:09.480 football about forty miles down south in Provo. Big weekend 432 00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:12.079 of college football locally and nationally. Our next guest, Joins 433 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:14.640 is consistently to break it down. Kyle Bonta Gera on 434 00:20:14.680 --> 00:20:16.880 a Wednesday. Kyle, Happy Wednesday, sir, How are you. 435 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:18.680 I'm doing good, sirs. 436 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:20.720 Thank you for the time. Kyle. 437 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:25.319 Now we are here today sitting in a very similar 438 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:28.000 situation as to where we were all of last season 439 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:32.279 and you fans with some PTSD your reaction to the 440 00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:34.720 news that broke since you and I last spoke that 441 00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:37.839 Camon Rising is now done for the year for the 442 00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:38.799 second straight season. 443 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:45.680 Yeah, I mean it's incredibly deflating again, right, especially because 444 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:49.440 of everything that happened last season. I think when youth 445 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:53.079 fans are going to dealing with it in twenty twenty three, 446 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:56.240 it's like, Okay, at least we have twenty twenty four. 447 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:59.079 Cam will be back, we can move in conferences and 448 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:02.359 that'll be there's still that kind of to look forward to. 449 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:07.039 It feels a lot different now, right It's it's you 450 00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:11.000 have Isaac Wilson, who's, you know, a true freshman, and 451 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:13.839 he's talented and all that, But I don't know, like 452 00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:17.160 at the same level of optimism probably doesn't exist as 453 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:18.920 it would have a year ago when you're just kind 454 00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:21.720 of looking out into the future. And yeah, after watching 455 00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:25.079 CAM last week against Arizona State, I mean, I can't 456 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:28.680 say that I'm surprised here today that in the past 457 00:21:28.680 --> 00:21:31.160 couple of days this is the news we all received. 458 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:35.359 Disappointing of course for a number of reasons then, but 459 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:37.880 I do think it kind of allows everyone to kind 460 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:40.000 of move on it, and Kyle hinted at the possibility 461 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:42.440 of Cam coming back for an eighth year, but man, 462 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:45.640 it just feels like it's it's probably best not to 463 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:46.359 even consider that. 464 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:50.279 Yeah, and that's where I wanted to follow up with 465 00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:53.279 with you today. I mean, ultimately, I'm a little bit 466 00:21:53.319 --> 00:21:57.920 conflicted with this because I would completely understand, like we 467 00:21:57.960 --> 00:22:00.200 all we all went to college to try to find 468 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:02.319 a career. We all went to college to try to 469 00:22:02.359 --> 00:22:04.279 figure out what we wanted to do with our lives. 470 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:08.119 And certainly, if I had the opportunity to, i don't know, 471 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:11.160 make a million million bucks one point five mil and 472 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:13.160 come back to school for another year and do something 473 00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:13.839 I very much. 474 00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:15.720 Enjoyed doing, I would probably do that. 475 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:20.640 But the question is, you know, does Utah have interest 476 00:22:20.920 --> 00:22:24.960 in having Cameron back and attendant to that, will the 477 00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:27.519 nil money still be there? Because there are a lot 478 00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:29.759 of boosters, the people that are writing the checks that 479 00:22:29.880 --> 00:22:33.519 essentially go to the players that have fatigue because he 480 00:22:33.559 --> 00:22:36.039 hasn't been playing, and of course he's been hurt. I mean, 481 00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:38.759 my heart just goes out to the kid. But the 482 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:41.319 dynamic of him coming back for an eighth year is 483 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:45.240 a really interesting thing to consider. What do you think 484 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:48.400 from CAMS side, from Utah side, from the NIL side 485 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:49.519 about that possibility? 486 00:22:50.200 --> 00:22:53.079 Yeah, I mean that's why it's so fascinating, right is it. Look, Look, 487 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:56.279 if I could totally understand all the angles here, if 488 00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:57.960 you can't rise, like you said, if you can make 489 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:00.799 big money to come back again, and like, yeah, like 490 00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:03.519 I could totally see him being interested in doing that. 491 00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:05.759 Like it's considering the way he's gone out right, you 492 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:08.519 don't these last two years, no one, I'd imagine no 493 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:11.920 one's more frustrated than him with the way things have progressed, right, 494 00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:14.680 And so if you have a chance to correct that, Yeah, 495 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:16.799 that that's really appealing, especially if you're gonna make money 496 00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:19.160 on top of it. But if you, like, if you're 497 00:23:19.400 --> 00:23:22.960 Utah or the people responsible for funding the NIL program, like, 498 00:23:23.079 --> 00:23:25.200 are you do you really want to invest in another 499 00:23:25.319 --> 00:23:29.000 year of Cam rising? With with the injury industry right now, 500 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:31.359 it's it's not just like a fluky thing at this point. 501 00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:35.880 There's been one injury after another over a few years, 502 00:23:36.119 --> 00:23:38.240 and so you're certainly not going to be confident that 503 00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:40.759 he can make it through and scathe and even you know, 504 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:42.640 at that point, it's like, okay, and that'll have been 505 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:45.799 you know, more than two years, and he's played competitive football, 506 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:48.240 you know, for more than a few quarters at a time. Like, 507 00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:51.079 even if he comes back healthy, is he the same player? Right? 508 00:23:51.319 --> 00:23:54.160 You don't really know what you would be getting. Maybe 509 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:55.759 even getting a great player, that's certainly one of the 510 00:23:55.880 --> 00:23:59.279 variables that is out there, but you know, it would 511 00:23:59.319 --> 00:24:03.400 be a gamble. And then there's the compliance part of it. 512 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:07.079 I mean, I honestly don't even understand how it would work, 513 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:08.759 and I reached out to Utah to try to get 514 00:24:08.839 --> 00:24:11.039 some clarification on that. I think they're kind of trying 515 00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:13.000 to sort through that right now as well as to 516 00:24:13.079 --> 00:24:15.920 kind of even understand what the options are. Because here's 517 00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:17.759 the guy whose first year on a college campus on 518 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:20.880 a roster was twenty eighteen. And so if you're kind 519 00:24:20.920 --> 00:24:23.599 of kind to go through it, okay, red shirt at Texas, 520 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:25.720 then he sits out the year with the transfer year, 521 00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:28.480 then he gets the COVID year, plays two years, and 522 00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:33.400 then misses two years with injuries like he would certainly likes. 523 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:36.480 It's possible, I guess, because the NCAA could just decide, yeah, 524 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:38.960 like he gets another year for however they want to 525 00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:42.480 justify that, but it would take them making the decision 526 00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:45.279 to give him that extra year. And so yeah, I 527 00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:49.440 mean that's what There's a lot to consider there. And 528 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:53.920 so I mean it's just unprecedented, right to have this 529 00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:56.680 many moving pieces with a player who's dis important in 530 00:24:56.759 --> 00:24:58.920 for a program that has high aspirations and it has 531 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:01.240 been frustrated by how everything's played out. 532 00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:02.519 How do you think? 533 00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:05.519 And this is going to sound silly, and I admit 534 00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:07.440 that it's the question is going to sound a little silly. 535 00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:10.400 But if this is it for Cam, and it feels 536 00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:11.880 like it is, to be honest with you, I. 537 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:13.400 Don't think you know. 538 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:17.000 We had Eric Weddle on the show on Monday, and 539 00:25:17.079 --> 00:25:20.039 I asked Eric about the potential of Cam coming back 540 00:25:20.039 --> 00:25:20.720 for an eighth year. 541 00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:22.960 He was pretty adamant that that was a bad idea. 542 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:28.200 We've seen other alumni on social media speak out against 543 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:29.839 the possibility of him coming back. 544 00:25:29.880 --> 00:25:32.119 So it does feel like Kyle that this is it 545 00:25:32.200 --> 00:25:32.920 for him. 546 00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:35.839 So if it is, and as he walks out the door, 547 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:38.599 how should he be remembered by this fan base? 548 00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:42.720 Yeah, I think time will heal a lot of this, right, 549 00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:44.799 I mean, here's the guy who led the program to 550 00:25:44.839 --> 00:25:49.200 two Pac twelve titles. He was the first team All 551 00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:51.880 Pack twelve quarterback in what twenty twenty one, I believe, 552 00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:57.720 So I think it's best to remember him for those years, 553 00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:01.240 and I think that trump's anything that happened since, because 554 00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:04.279 there's only you know, so many guys who have led 555 00:26:05.599 --> 00:26:08.599 any power you know, then power Fyve program to multiple 556 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:10.960 conference titles. Right, it's a pretty I mean, there's a 557 00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:12.240 number of guys who have done it, but it's a 558 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:15.839 pretty select group of quarterbacks all the time, and just 559 00:26:15.880 --> 00:26:19.440 about all of them are are widely celebrated and remembered 560 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:22.200 it positively. So I think Cam deserves that, right. It's 561 00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:23.960 not like he quit on the team and he had 562 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:26.119 a major knee surgery that kept him up for an 563 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:29.359 entire season and then you know these are you know, 564 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:32.799 this is another injury situation that's keeping him sidelined. Right, Like, 565 00:26:33.079 --> 00:26:35.759 no one, no one honestly believes that the came rising 566 00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:38.839 is especially after Washing got his way through the game 567 00:26:38.839 --> 00:26:41.240 against Arizona State, doesn't believe he doesn't you know that 568 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:43.359 it's this is his choice, right, I Mean, he was 569 00:26:43.400 --> 00:26:46.480 clearly slowed by injury and and you know the case, 570 00:26:46.680 --> 00:26:48.759 you know, I think was made fairly by quite a 571 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:50.680 few people that he probably shouldn't have even been finished 572 00:26:50.680 --> 00:26:54.559 the game because he just wasn't physically there, right and 573 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:56.960 if he had pulled himself out, like he could have 574 00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:59.559 certainly made that decision, but he made the like like 575 00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:01.920 the other choice, and that was to stay in the game. 576 00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:05.079 And so yeah, I think it's frustrating and certainly in 577 00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:07.119 the moment, but like two three years done lying or 578 00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:09.640 even maybe even tomorrow, right, like cam Risen should be 579 00:27:09.640 --> 00:27:13.559 remembered for the success that he had on the field, for. 580 00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:15.599 Sure, No, I agree with and honestly, I do think 581 00:27:15.640 --> 00:27:18.440 most people around here will remember him that way. To 582 00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:21.640 your point, you know, some time in between probably will 583 00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:23.240 help because there's a lot of frustration. 584 00:27:23.880 --> 00:27:24.079 Now. 585 00:27:24.200 --> 00:27:27.960 Ultimately, we find ourselves in a very interesting spot because 586 00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:31.160 you predicted this, A lot of people who cover college 587 00:27:31.160 --> 00:27:34.799 football predicted this. I was hoping that we wouldn't have 588 00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:38.359 this cannibalized situation in the Big Twelve. I was hoping, 589 00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:42.599 and look, maybe BYU and Iowa State are elites, and 590 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:45.640 maybe they continue to separate themselves as the two elite teams, 591 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:48.559 but if I had to guess today, Kyle, one of, 592 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:50.599 if not both, of the teams in the Big Twelve 593 00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:54.720 Championship Game, we'll probably have multiple losses, but I don't 594 00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:58.039 know that they'll have three. So that leaves Utah with 595 00:27:58.160 --> 00:28:00.200 a very thin margin of era of the rest to 596 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:02.960 the way with a semi manageable schedule. 597 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:05.079 The BYU game here in Salt. 598 00:28:04.920 --> 00:28:07.680 Lake is going to be much more difficult than anybody 599 00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:11.599 initially anticipated, but that's a rivalry game and crazy things 600 00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:12.559 happen all the time. 601 00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:13.519 The trip to. 602 00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:16.440 Boulder is harder today than it feels like we thought 603 00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:18.839 it would be about a month ago. Iowa State comes 604 00:28:18.839 --> 00:28:23.279 to Salt Lake too, so there are some complications. 605 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:23.880 Ahead as far as the schedule goes. 606 00:28:24.279 --> 00:28:28.400 But ultimately, if they do finish strong, they might have 607 00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:32.000 something to say about who plays in the Big Twelve 608 00:28:32.039 --> 00:28:32.799 Championship Game. 609 00:28:32.839 --> 00:28:33.640 Do you think there's. 610 00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:37.039 A small chance that this team is still going to 611 00:28:37.079 --> 00:28:39.240 have something to say about the Big Twelve Championship Game 612 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.319 at the end of things. 613 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:46.359 I don't. I mean, you can make the case for 614 00:28:46.440 --> 00:28:48.559 it for sure, and like it's certainly the mathemath. You 615 00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:51.279 know they're still in it mathematically, but just the way 616 00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:54.559 the offensive has been so ineffective over the last several 617 00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:59.880 for several weeks. I'm just not confident that there'll be 618 00:28:59.880 --> 00:29:02.880 a to change, like improve enough to where they'll be 619 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:05.559 that relevant. I mean, you've got three three and oh 620 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:07.319 teams in the league. You've got a number of one 621 00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:09.680 lost teams in the league, but there's just so many 622 00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:12.319 other you know, you could finish with three, you know, 623 00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:14.079 are they gonna run like they would basically have to 624 00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:16.200 run the table from here on our right, And like, 625 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:21.000 for me, that just doesn't seem possible given everything that 626 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:22.839 we've watched, Like even in the games that they've won 627 00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:25.960 this year, they haven't looked great in those games, right, 628 00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:29.079 there hasn't been especially when you look at maybe early 629 00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:31.759 in Oklahoma State, you're like, okay, maybe they got something here, 630 00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:34.759 they got things rolling. But now that Oklahoma State's oh 631 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:37.079 and three in the league and and you kind of 632 00:29:37.400 --> 00:29:40.000 merely gave that one they away at the end. I 633 00:29:40.039 --> 00:29:42.920 mean the Arizona State loss, it's even worse now after 634 00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:45.599 Arizona State got punk pretty good by BYU. I mean, 635 00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:50.200 they're like, none of the performances today look better than 636 00:29:50.359 --> 00:29:52.720 at the time. Right, They've all kind of looked worse 637 00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:55.519 with the benefit of hindsight, right, Baylor's oh in three 638 00:29:55.559 --> 00:29:58.319 and I was a not a very impressive performance. So like, 639 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:01.680 it's just there's not a there's not a data point 640 00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:03.680 here other than look, ky Woody Handle over the course 641 00:30:03.720 --> 00:30:05.279 of his career has has won a lot of games, 642 00:30:05.279 --> 00:30:08.480 and you kind of he deserves the benefit of the 643 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:10.480 doubt most most of the time. But as far as 644 00:30:10.519 --> 00:30:12.400 like the performance of this team, like it just doesn't 645 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:14.039 look like a team that's con factoring for me. 646 00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:17.759 Yeah, it's and you know it's, uh, it's hard to 647 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:21.480 push back on that altogether, do you think And look, 648 00:30:21.640 --> 00:30:25.880 I'm reaching here. So we've seen Isaac Wilson under center certainly, 649 00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:29.599 and it's looked okay, at times it looks it's at 650 00:30:29.640 --> 00:30:31.720 other times it's looked like an eighteen year old who 651 00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:34.559 enrolled in April, and you know he is a true freshman. 652 00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:36.799 Wanted to get your thoughts on the potential of maybe 653 00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:40.319 seeing a different Isaac Wilson under center now that he 654 00:30:40.440 --> 00:30:41.519 knows that the job is his. 655 00:30:43.400 --> 00:30:46.880 Yeah, I think what's been interesting about Isaac, right is 656 00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:48.519 that there and you said it was that there have 657 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:50.599 been some moments where he looks really good, right, And 658 00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:53.920 I think that's encouraging because it was always going to 659 00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:56.559 be unfair for him to step into this job, especially 660 00:30:56.599 --> 00:30:59.720 with the expectations of Cam being the guy right, to 661 00:30:59.799 --> 00:31:02.880 have not a whole lot of time to prepare expecting 662 00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:04.799 to be the starter. So physically, I think he has 663 00:31:04.839 --> 00:31:07.880 all the tools, you know, certainly steps into the steps 664 00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:10.279 into the ball, steps into the throw. He can deliver 665 00:31:10.359 --> 00:31:10.839 a good ball. 666 00:31:10.960 --> 00:31:11.079 Right. 667 00:31:11.160 --> 00:31:13.400 He's a highly recruited guy, So I mean, I think 668 00:31:13.400 --> 00:31:16.359 that the potential is clearly there. The problem is a 669 00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:19.599 true freshman, he's eight eighteen year old kid, and there's 670 00:31:19.640 --> 00:31:22.160 a learning curve that comes there with that, right, And 671 00:31:22.200 --> 00:31:24.759 so is it going to result to, you know, in 672 00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:28.279 success right away this season? You're probably not, right, not 673 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:30.839 at the level that Utah fans are expecting, but I 674 00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:32.880 certainly think it lays the ground where for him to 675 00:31:33.400 --> 00:31:34.839 you know, have success down launch. 676 00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:38.920 All right, So Friday night interesting game down in Provo, 677 00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:40.480 because if I told you at the start of the 678 00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:43.759 season b YU would nearly be a double digit favorite 679 00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:46.200 to beat Oklahoma State, you would have told me I 680 00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:48.960 was crazy. But they're nine point five point favorite Friday 681 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:50.599 Night in Provo. 682 00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:52.759 And when BYU was good. 683 00:31:52.839 --> 00:31:57.440 Lavelle Edwards Stadium is a challenging place to play. I mean, 684 00:31:57.519 --> 00:31:59.200 they do a great job with their game ops, it 685 00:31:59.240 --> 00:32:03.920 gets loud, and Oklahoma State is youth fans would tell 686 00:32:03.960 --> 00:32:06.440 you that Utah might be the most disappointing team in 687 00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:08.599 the Big Twelve. For me, it's Oklahoma State, who most 688 00:32:08.599 --> 00:32:11.440 people picked to finish in the top three and some 689 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:14.240 people picked to win the conference. Out right, So what 690 00:32:14.279 --> 00:32:16.720 do you think happens down in Provos b yu welcomes 691 00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:17.599 in Oklahoma State? 692 00:32:18.839 --> 00:32:20.440 Yeah, I was just gonna make the same point about 693 00:32:21.480 --> 00:32:23.240 it could be worse. You could be Oklahoma State and 694 00:32:23.319 --> 00:32:25.799 sure you could be winless in the conference, and a 695 00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:28.799 lot of the same elements, right, seventh year quarterback, veteran coach. 696 00:32:29.079 --> 00:32:30.759 And on top of that, they have a guy. 697 00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:32.920 Who you know, might have been a first round pick 698 00:32:33.000 --> 00:32:35.240 as a running back coming out last year and comes 699 00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:37.799 back to be a part of this disaster. So yeah, 700 00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:39.920 I mean, look, you I's got to be feeling really 701 00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:42.640 good about where they're at headed into that one. To 702 00:32:43.559 --> 00:32:45.359 be that big of a favorite, I think speaks to 703 00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:46.880 where both teams. 704 00:32:46.599 --> 00:32:47.079 Are, right. 705 00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:49.559 I think the uius you know, they had the big 706 00:32:49.559 --> 00:32:51.240 win against Kansas State, but that was a little bit 707 00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:53.400 of a funky game, right I think the Arizona win 708 00:32:53.960 --> 00:32:55.920 for IMMED at least felt a little bit more complete. 709 00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:57.519 I didn't watch the whole thing start to finish, but 710 00:32:57.559 --> 00:32:59.880 I saw enough of it to come away thinking that 711 00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:02.359 not only is BYU good, but they're like they're getting 712 00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:04.319 better week to week. It feels like two and so 713 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:06.720 they're really seems to be finding something there. So yeah, 714 00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:08.880 I mean, look, I think b YU right now is 715 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:11.920 this is a team that is the favorite in the conference. 716 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:13.839 I mean Iowa States right there as well, and we'll 717 00:33:14.119 --> 00:33:15.799 kind of have to wait to see if they match 718 00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:18.839 up at the conference title game, but you know, for 719 00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:22.680 them to be taking playoff right now, yeah, it's a 720 00:33:22.680 --> 00:33:24.759 good time to be a bye fan. 721 00:33:25.400 --> 00:33:25.759 For sure. 722 00:33:25.799 --> 00:33:26.039 It is. 723 00:33:26.119 --> 00:33:28.000 Klanie's done a hell of a job. Before I say 724 00:33:28.039 --> 00:33:28.519 you lose. 725 00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:33.200 The ESPN did last night, they did their first twelve 726 00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:37.200 team CFP per you know, prediction show. They had Iowa 727 00:33:37.319 --> 00:33:40.359 State in as the Big twelve champ and BYU was 728 00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:43.240 one of the first two teams out with Notre Dame. 729 00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:46.960 Does it feel like and we talked about this and 730 00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:49.279 maybe it'll change. But as of today, does it feel 731 00:33:49.319 --> 00:33:52.400 like if you're a Big twelve fan you can essentially 732 00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:54.799 count on your champ to get in and that's it, 733 00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:56.799 or is there an outside shot they could at least 734 00:33:56.839 --> 00:33:57.680 get two teams in? 735 00:33:59.119 --> 00:34:02.119 So yeah, I mean this is all tough, right. I 736 00:34:02.160 --> 00:34:04.720 mean when I do the Bowl projections every week, you know, 737 00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:07.480 I kind of like do this exercise to figure out 738 00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:10.119 how to pick these teams, and it's just impossible to 739 00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:11.880 do with any sort of accuracy or like in the 740 00:34:11.880 --> 00:34:14.119 middle of October, but like I had Iowa State and 741 00:34:14.199 --> 00:34:17.079 buy you both then right now, I mean I think 742 00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:19.719 if part of that is like the ground defeated, you 743 00:34:19.719 --> 00:34:22.400 know that that that's something. And then like if you 744 00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:23.960 look at the SEC, those teams are going to keep 745 00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:25.880 beating each other, and so I think if you're like 746 00:34:25.880 --> 00:34:27.599 a one loss, two loss, even if you're a two 747 00:34:27.599 --> 00:34:30.519 loss Big twelve team, you still have you still have 748 00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:34.000 a chance to be considered. I mean, it's just because 749 00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:36.119 if you're there's a case here where something the like 750 00:34:36.199 --> 00:34:38.800 fourth best team in the SEC might end up with 751 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:40.480 with four losses at the end of the year. So 752 00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:42.800 if you're sitting there at you know, eleven and two, 753 00:34:43.159 --> 00:34:46.000 and you're not the Big twelve champ, right, So you 754 00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:49.480 say you finished with one loss, you know, two losses 755 00:34:49.480 --> 00:34:51.159 in the regular season to win it, or if you're 756 00:34:51.400 --> 00:34:53.880 you know, one loss and then you lose in the 757 00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:56.280 conference title game, you're still going to have a really 758 00:34:56.280 --> 00:34:58.480 good resume at the end of the year. And so 759 00:34:59.400 --> 00:35:02.440 you know, for me, it really feels like the cover 760 00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:05.960 still could get to But these are all these are 761 00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:09.199 all hypotheticals, right, and so I wouldn't I certainly wouldn't 762 00:35:09.840 --> 00:35:12.400 feel strongly about it being a one or two or 763 00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:14.920 whatever league at this point. There's just so many variables 764 00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:16.280 that so they need to be sorted out. 765 00:35:17.199 --> 00:35:19.559 Kyle, thanks for the time, buddy, have a great week ahead, 766 00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:21.079 enjoy a little college football. 767 00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:22.239 We'll catch up next week. 768 00:35:22.800 --> 00:35:24.480 All right, sounds good, Thanks Kyle. 769 00:35:24.480 --> 00:35:27.239 Bonna Girl covers college football, does a little soccer two 770 00:35:27.239 --> 00:35:31.000 for ESPN. You can find him on social media at Bonnagura. 771 00:35:31.360 --> 00:35:34.519 ESPN is where you get him. Really good talented rider 772 00:35:34.559 --> 00:35:37.280 does a lot of their bull projections and yeah, last 773 00:35:37.360 --> 00:35:41.239 night ESPN did their first projection show for the twelve 774 00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:45.440 team expanded CFP and their model has Iowa State winning 775 00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:48.840 the Big Twelve and therefore going to the CFP, and 776 00:35:48.880 --> 00:35:50.840 then they had BYU and Notre Dame as the first 777 00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:54.400 two teams out of the bracket. But those are just projections, 778 00:35:54.400 --> 00:35:57.239 as Kyle said, and only time will tell where we 779 00:35:57.320 --> 00:35:57.800 go from here. 780 00:35:58.880 --> 00:35:59.800 Getting back to some. 781 00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:03.039 College football conversation coming up in just a little bit, 782 00:36:03.119 --> 00:36:04.519 we also are going to get you ready for a 783 00:36:04.519 --> 00:36:09.199 busy weekend ahead for both the Jazz and RSL. The 784 00:36:09.280 --> 00:36:13.039 Jazz continue their preseason action on Friday in Portland. RSL 785 00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:16.280 is back at action on Saturday, it's Vancouver. But the 786 00:36:16.360 --> 00:36:18.840 Utah Hockey Club is off to a great start. 787 00:36:18.920 --> 00:36:20.840 Now. They did have their first loss. 788 00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:23.119 Against New Jersey, but they've started off three and one 789 00:36:23.679 --> 00:36:26.639 and they are leading the NHL and goal scored as 790 00:36:26.639 --> 00:36:29.719 a team. Dylan Gunter leads the NHL and goal scored 791 00:36:29.800 --> 00:36:32.920 period and Neil Smith time for all behind the Glass 792 00:36:32.920 --> 00:36:35.400 segment that we do weekly with the former general manager 793 00:36:35.400 --> 00:36:37.440 of the Rangers, Stanley Cup winner. 794 00:36:37.920 --> 00:36:40.400 On a Wednesday afternoon. Neil, Happy Wednesday, sir. 795 00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:42.559 How are you happy Wednesday? 796 00:36:42.599 --> 00:36:42.760 To you? 797 00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:45.960 I'm doing great, Thank you, appreciate the time. 798 00:36:46.039 --> 00:36:47.119 So three and one. 799 00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:49.320 You know what stands out most to you about this 800 00:36:49.440 --> 00:36:51.960 hot start? For our new hockey club here in Salt 801 00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:52.519 Lake City. 802 00:36:53.800 --> 00:36:58.400 Well, what stands out is Dylan Gunter being NHL's first 803 00:36:58.559 --> 00:37:00.559 Star of the Week in the first week of the 804 00:37:00.599 --> 00:37:04.239 season is pretty impressive, and he's a pretty impressive young man. 805 00:37:04.760 --> 00:37:06.440 And then they've got other guys that have been pretty 806 00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:11.400 impressive too with Keller and Cooley. And getting those two 807 00:37:11.440 --> 00:37:15.480 wins in New York was great. Unfortunately got shut out 808 00:37:15.519 --> 00:37:20.800 in New Jersey. But now they go tonight to Anaheim 809 00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:23.360 and I would expect that they'll do pretty well there 810 00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:28.679 against a rebuilding Anaheim team. So they're taking the league 811 00:37:28.719 --> 00:37:31.760 a little bit by surprise right now. You know, people 812 00:37:32.239 --> 00:37:35.559 don't really know how good Utah is, but they're finding out. 813 00:37:36.719 --> 00:37:39.960 So how long, Neil, because look it's only four games, 814 00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:44.039 right and so you know it is early in the season, 815 00:37:44.199 --> 00:37:46.199 and this is a team that does have a lot 816 00:37:46.239 --> 00:37:49.079 of young players and some new pieces that we're learning. 817 00:37:48.760 --> 00:37:49.719 A little bit more about. 818 00:37:50.360 --> 00:37:53.559 And the Blackhawks game, you know, they really fed off 819 00:37:53.599 --> 00:37:56.079 a great crowd here in Salt Lake and then as 820 00:37:56.079 --> 00:38:00.880 you reference, they get two overtime wins in New York 821 00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:04.480 over the Islanders and the Rangers, and then shut out 822 00:38:04.480 --> 00:38:07.519 against the Devils how long would you say to this 823 00:38:07.639 --> 00:38:12.119 fan base is a big enough sample size to maybe 824 00:38:12.239 --> 00:38:14.639 accurately analyze whether or not we actually have a really 825 00:38:14.679 --> 00:38:16.400 special team here in Salt Lake. 826 00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:20.320 You know, I think you should judge the team at 827 00:38:20.320 --> 00:38:22.960 the twenty game mark. That's a quarter of the way 828 00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:28.199 through the season. And I don't mean that that necessarily 829 00:38:28.280 --> 00:38:29.639 is going to be the way it's going to stay 830 00:38:29.639 --> 00:38:32.639 for the last sixty two games, But twenty games is 831 00:38:32.679 --> 00:38:36.440 a pretty good benchmark of where you're at with the competition. 832 00:38:37.320 --> 00:38:41.119 And you know, Utah will get to play Anaheim tonight 833 00:38:41.679 --> 00:38:45.360 and then come home for three, go to LA for one, 834 00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:48.480 and then come home for another two, So they could 835 00:38:48.960 --> 00:38:50.960 pile up a lot of points if they can do 836 00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:55.320 well at home during that, you know, basically a five 837 00:38:55.400 --> 00:38:56.760 game Homestand. 838 00:38:57.719 --> 00:39:01.719 So what what can go on the road and getting 839 00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:06.519 results due for a young team, you know, a group 840 00:39:06.559 --> 00:39:09.280 of players that are living in a new place, a 841 00:39:09.320 --> 00:39:12.320 group of players that are getting used to new teammates, 842 00:39:12.320 --> 00:39:14.519 a group of players that are getting used to each other. 843 00:39:15.039 --> 00:39:17.280 And yes they lost to New Jersey, but those two 844 00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:19.679 wins in New York what what sort of camaradie, what 845 00:39:19.800 --> 00:39:22.559 sort of team chemistry can be created with those road 846 00:39:22.559 --> 00:39:25.159 trips when you actually do have some success. 847 00:39:25.920 --> 00:39:28.239 Well, what's great about playing on the road and winning 848 00:39:28.280 --> 00:39:30.280 on the road is that you're there all by yourself. 849 00:39:30.320 --> 00:39:34.000 So there's a group of thirty let's say, including staff 850 00:39:34.039 --> 00:39:37.360 and everything, or thirty five that's all that's in that 851 00:39:37.400 --> 00:39:40.960 building out of twenty thousand people. So you know, you 852 00:39:41.519 --> 00:39:44.400 feel a tight bond to each other. And when you 853 00:39:44.440 --> 00:39:46.280 win and you turn the music on in the locker 854 00:39:46.360 --> 00:39:48.880 room after the game and you're all happy, and you 855 00:39:48.920 --> 00:39:51.760 get on the bus and you're all excited, there's nothing 856 00:39:51.880 --> 00:39:54.199 like it for bonding. I mean, it's different than a 857 00:39:54.199 --> 00:39:57.039 home game. Home games are great. You win a home game, 858 00:39:57.440 --> 00:39:59.880 you meet your wife, your girlfriend, your parents, who have 859 00:40:00.119 --> 00:40:01.440 it is, and then you get in your car and 860 00:40:01.480 --> 00:40:04.480 you drive home and it's that's good too. When you're 861 00:40:04.519 --> 00:40:08.239 on the road, it's just the guys, and there is 862 00:40:08.280 --> 00:40:09.719 a special feeling about that. 863 00:40:10.920 --> 00:40:12.559 So let's go back to Dylan Gunther. 864 00:40:12.920 --> 00:40:15.280 And you know Clayton Keller, as you reference, he leads 865 00:40:15.320 --> 00:40:17.679 the team in points with three goals and three assists, 866 00:40:17.719 --> 00:40:20.440 but Dylan Gunther has started the season on fires. 867 00:40:20.440 --> 00:40:22.400 You referenced the first Star of. 868 00:40:22.400 --> 00:40:26.679 The Week in the NHL probably didn't get as much 869 00:40:26.800 --> 00:40:29.599 preseason love as Clayton, who's the captain and was the 870 00:40:29.639 --> 00:40:32.480 leading scorer from a year ago. What stands out most 871 00:40:32.480 --> 00:40:35.079 to you about the type of player he is and 872 00:40:35.159 --> 00:40:36.280 can he keep this up? 873 00:40:36.320 --> 00:40:37.400 I mean, he's not. 874 00:40:37.320 --> 00:40:39.719 Going to continue to score multiple goals every game, but 875 00:40:39.800 --> 00:40:43.400 Kenny Ken, is this a kid that could potentially be 876 00:40:43.719 --> 00:40:46.360 in for maybe an All Star selection with the hot 877 00:40:46.360 --> 00:40:47.719 start that he's had so far. 878 00:40:48.760 --> 00:40:51.840 Well, he could very well be. You know, time will tell. 879 00:40:51.920 --> 00:40:54.039 But the one thing about this kid is he scored 880 00:40:54.079 --> 00:40:58.159 everywhere he's played, So this isn't new that he started 881 00:40:58.159 --> 00:41:01.440 to score now in the NHL. He's been scoring right 882 00:41:01.480 --> 00:41:05.760 from junior on and that's what led Utah or sorry 883 00:41:06.039 --> 00:41:10.400 Phoenix or Arizona getting the names wrong, to take him 884 00:41:10.400 --> 00:41:13.480 in the first round, very high in the draft. So 885 00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:16.880 I think you're going to see more of what we've 886 00:41:16.880 --> 00:41:20.079 already seen, which is a very quick release. That goal 887 00:41:20.119 --> 00:41:24.719 that he got against Chicago, the first goal of Utah franchise, 888 00:41:25.480 --> 00:41:28.599 went off of his stick in a skinny little second 889 00:41:29.119 --> 00:41:31.239 after he received that pass. And that's what the goal 890 00:41:31.280 --> 00:41:35.840 scorers can do. They can release really lightning quick and 891 00:41:35.880 --> 00:41:37.639 from what I can see a gun or he can 892 00:41:37.719 --> 00:41:40.239 do that. So I think you're in for some real 893 00:41:41.199 --> 00:41:43.159 fun with this guy, especially on the power play. 894 00:41:43.840 --> 00:41:46.559 And of course Clayton Keller, as I referenced, you know, 895 00:41:46.719 --> 00:41:49.400 three goals, three assists, six points on the season. 896 00:41:50.360 --> 00:41:51.599 You know, so he's showing the. 897 00:41:51.480 --> 00:41:55.159 Ability to find his teammates and also finish with his 898 00:41:55.199 --> 00:41:57.519 own accord. We've talked about him before, but he's off 899 00:41:57.519 --> 00:41:59.559 to another hard start, hot start as well. 900 00:41:59.559 --> 00:42:01.280 What do you think think our. 901 00:42:01.400 --> 00:42:03.639 Utah hockey fans here in the market are in for 902 00:42:03.880 --> 00:42:05.320 all year long with Clayton Keller. 903 00:42:06.400 --> 00:42:08.800 Well, Clayton Keller has been a great offensive player his 904 00:42:08.840 --> 00:42:11.639 whole career, all the years he was in Arizona, he 905 00:42:12.119 --> 00:42:15.039 proved that. I think he's going to be even better 906 00:42:15.079 --> 00:42:17.239 this year now that he's been named captain and he's 907 00:42:17.239 --> 00:42:19.800 got you know, he's got a hold of that. I 908 00:42:19.840 --> 00:42:23.719 think that he's going to do well with that. I 909 00:42:24.039 --> 00:42:26.639 said that early before the season started that I thought 910 00:42:26.639 --> 00:42:29.360 that was the right guy to make captain because I 911 00:42:29.400 --> 00:42:31.760 think he is their best player. Another guy that we 912 00:42:31.800 --> 00:42:34.360 haven't talked about, but Logan Cooley I think is having 913 00:42:34.679 --> 00:42:36.679 a great start to his season, leading the team and 914 00:42:36.760 --> 00:42:40.800 assists and is another extremely high draft pick. The one 915 00:42:40.840 --> 00:42:44.719 thing you got to say about Bill Armstrong and his 916 00:42:44.840 --> 00:42:48.360 staff when they had a high pick, they picked right. 917 00:42:49.239 --> 00:42:52.519 They didn't blow it. And sometimes you can blow it 918 00:42:52.639 --> 00:42:55.800 even though you're picking three, four, five, six, seven, You 919 00:42:55.800 --> 00:42:58.679 know what you get is not what you saw when 920 00:42:58.679 --> 00:43:01.360 they were playing junior. So and give them credit. They 921 00:43:01.480 --> 00:43:06.039 got those three guys that I just mentioned, Gunther Cooley 922 00:43:06.559 --> 00:43:09.960 and Clayton Keller. They're all extremely high picks and they're 923 00:43:10.000 --> 00:43:13.320 all doing extremely well for Utah. 924 00:43:13.400 --> 00:43:17.000 So against the Devils, and I will not make a 925 00:43:17.039 --> 00:43:20.239 Seinfeld face painting joke, although I want to, But against 926 00:43:20.400 --> 00:43:24.360 against the Devils, Neil, they struggled to score on the 927 00:43:24.400 --> 00:43:26.960 power play when they Rozer for four, and they struggled 928 00:43:27.000 --> 00:43:29.320 to stop New Jersey on the power play, who scored 929 00:43:29.360 --> 00:43:29.920 I believe. 930 00:43:29.719 --> 00:43:32.119 Three power play goals last year. 931 00:43:32.320 --> 00:43:34.639 They were decent on the power play, but they were 932 00:43:34.679 --> 00:43:38.880 really bad at killing power plays. So like the special teams, 933 00:43:39.280 --> 00:43:41.719 at least against the Devils kind of reverted back to 934 00:43:41.760 --> 00:43:44.280 a little bit of what we saw last year. In 935 00:43:44.440 --> 00:43:46.519 order for them to make the playoffs, they're probably gonna 936 00:43:46.519 --> 00:43:48.239 have to be a little bit better on special teams 937 00:43:48.280 --> 00:43:51.239 do you is there anything you're seeing as far as 938 00:43:51.360 --> 00:43:55.199 line changes, you know who coach Torney is electing to 939 00:43:55.239 --> 00:43:58.159 play on special teams that you think they could adjust 940 00:43:58.159 --> 00:44:00.480 to be better on this moving for order. Do you 941 00:44:00.519 --> 00:44:03.119 have confidence in overtime their special teams will level out 942 00:44:03.119 --> 00:44:03.599 a little bit? 943 00:44:05.000 --> 00:44:07.159 No, I have confidence. I want to speak a little 944 00:44:07.159 --> 00:44:09.840 bit about the New Jersey Devils because they deserve a 945 00:44:09.880 --> 00:44:14.760 lot of credit. It's not just that Utah, you know, 946 00:44:14.880 --> 00:44:17.199 couldn't score in the power play and wasn't able to 947 00:44:17.199 --> 00:44:20.280 stop New Jersey. It's more that New Jersey played a 948 00:44:20.320 --> 00:44:24.679 great game at home, get everything right. Their power play 949 00:44:24.760 --> 00:44:27.320 was going, their penalty killing was going, and they're a 950 00:44:27.440 --> 00:44:29.800 much improved team from last year. The stuff that they 951 00:44:29.800 --> 00:44:32.320 did in the offseason. The biggest thing was they got 952 00:44:32.880 --> 00:44:35.920 Jacob Marx from the goaltender from Calgary in a trade 953 00:44:36.400 --> 00:44:39.960 and he's been real good for them. So I don't 954 00:44:40.000 --> 00:44:42.159 think that Utah has really got a lot of worries 955 00:44:42.199 --> 00:44:44.840 there because of that game. I think that they will 956 00:44:44.880 --> 00:44:47.320 get their power play goals, and I think they have 957 00:44:47.440 --> 00:44:50.079 improved their defense, and I think they're going to be 958 00:44:50.079 --> 00:44:54.639 better on special teams, especially on the MPK, And I 959 00:44:54.679 --> 00:44:57.599 really don't see a big worry now as far as 960 00:44:57.639 --> 00:45:02.199 scoring goals. They got eleven goals in those two games 961 00:45:02.199 --> 00:45:05.920 in New York, which is pretty phenomenal. And they played 962 00:45:07.000 --> 00:45:09.719 you know, road runner hockey with the Rangers in that 963 00:45:09.760 --> 00:45:11.960 game at the Garden. I mean, they kept going back 964 00:45:12.000 --> 00:45:14.480 and forth and back and forth, one team would scoring 965 00:45:14.559 --> 00:45:17.360 in the other team. So you can't play like that 966 00:45:17.519 --> 00:45:21.920 and be successful all the time. But there's not going 967 00:45:22.000 --> 00:45:24.320 to be any worry about this team being able to score. 968 00:45:24.800 --> 00:45:28.320 It is this team going to be able to be 969 00:45:29.400 --> 00:45:33.480 defensively sound enough that their offense can carry them all 970 00:45:33.519 --> 00:45:33.960 the time. 971 00:45:34.519 --> 00:45:36.360 And that's where I wanted to go next because it 972 00:45:36.440 --> 00:45:39.559 is a good point. And you know, last year, based 973 00:45:39.559 --> 00:45:41.880 off of some of the things I read to kind 974 00:45:41.920 --> 00:45:44.119 of learn about the team a little bit, it felt 975 00:45:44.159 --> 00:45:46.480 like Connor Ingram was asked to stand on his head 976 00:45:46.480 --> 00:45:49.760 a lot, and he is a good young goaltender. But 977 00:45:49.800 --> 00:45:52.719 they did make some additions, you know, namely Mikhel Sergachev. 978 00:45:53.239 --> 00:45:55.679 They did lose Sean Jersey Neil looks like he's going 979 00:45:55.760 --> 00:45:57.559 to be out for a while. Bill Armstrong said he's 980 00:45:57.599 --> 00:45:59.239 heard he's going to be out for a while, So that's. 981 00:45:59.119 --> 00:45:59.800 A big blow. 982 00:46:00.360 --> 00:46:03.760 But are you seeing incremental improvements from the defense so 983 00:46:03.840 --> 00:46:06.519 that Connor doesn't have to make miracles happen. And how 984 00:46:06.559 --> 00:46:08.280 do you think they're going to replace Seon Jersey? 985 00:46:08.280 --> 00:46:10.159 Now? That looks like he's going to miss significant time. 986 00:46:11.519 --> 00:46:14.639 Yeah, it does look like he's going to miss significant time. 987 00:46:14.840 --> 00:46:21.440 And the manager, Bill Armstrong did say that of the 988 00:46:21.519 --> 00:46:24.159 guys that he felt that there was a couple of 989 00:46:24.280 --> 00:46:26.119 names that he felt were he was going to they 990 00:46:26.159 --> 00:46:28.360 were going to give a chance to come up and 991 00:46:28.480 --> 00:46:33.000 kill in But you know, Dursey is a loss. It 992 00:46:33.199 --> 00:46:35.480 sounded like he's going to be out for you know, 993 00:46:35.519 --> 00:46:39.840 a few weeks the lower body injury. They already have 994 00:46:40.599 --> 00:46:44.280 Marino out with a lower body injury already, So they're 995 00:46:44.320 --> 00:46:47.039 going to have to dip into their depth now and 996 00:46:47.719 --> 00:46:50.199 try to get by. But that's the National Hockey League 997 00:46:50.199 --> 00:46:53.199 and that's what happens during the regular season. You know, 998 00:46:53.239 --> 00:46:56.199 you get injuries and you've got to deal with them, 999 00:46:56.719 --> 00:46:59.159 and you've got that's where you hope that the management 1000 00:46:59.239 --> 00:47:04.400 has strong enough replacement. People don't forget that they signed 1001 00:47:04.440 --> 00:47:07.639 Robert Bartuso in the offseason, who played for the Islanders 1002 00:47:07.679 --> 00:47:11.320 last year. He won a Stanley Cup with Saint Louis, 1003 00:47:11.840 --> 00:47:14.599 so he's more than capable of playing in the National 1004 00:47:14.599 --> 00:47:18.039 Hockey League and and filling in. They've also got a 1005 00:47:18.079 --> 00:47:24.760 couple of young kids and Zueber and coach, so those 1006 00:47:24.800 --> 00:47:27.360 are young guys that they're not sure where they fit 1007 00:47:27.480 --> 00:47:29.519 on the whole thing, but they're going to probably be 1008 00:47:29.599 --> 00:47:31.840 given a chance to come up now that they've got 1009 00:47:31.880 --> 00:47:34.719 both Marino and Dersey out of the lineup. 1010 00:47:35.440 --> 00:47:38.519 So I'm honestly asking this just to ask because I 1011 00:47:38.519 --> 00:47:41.079 don't know if this is the case. But from my 1012 00:47:41.280 --> 00:47:44.880 vantish point, watching them play through four games, they don't 1013 00:47:44.960 --> 00:47:48.280 look as big and physical as some of the other 1014 00:47:48.280 --> 00:47:49.400 teams they've played. 1015 00:47:49.719 --> 00:47:51.280 I mean it look they're. 1016 00:47:51.119 --> 00:47:53.119 They're very skilled, as you've referenced, they are going to 1017 00:47:53.159 --> 00:47:54.079 score a lot of goals. 1018 00:47:54.119 --> 00:47:55.840 They're very entertaining on the attack. 1019 00:47:55.880 --> 00:47:58.800 But do they have the strength, the force, the physicality 1020 00:47:59.239 --> 00:48:02.760 that some of these other NHL teams have. It feels 1021 00:48:02.760 --> 00:48:04.920 like maybe if they're lacking in one area it is 1022 00:48:05.000 --> 00:48:06.880 simply size, strength and physicality. 1023 00:48:06.920 --> 00:48:08.079 Is that a fair assessment? 1024 00:48:09.400 --> 00:48:12.199 Well, I don't think that's unfair. I think that that's fair, 1025 00:48:12.239 --> 00:48:17.159 but that doesn't always necessarily mean that that they're not 1026 00:48:17.239 --> 00:48:20.000 going to be extremely competitive this This is a team 1027 00:48:20.079 --> 00:48:23.119 that's climbing the ladder, as we've talked about in the offseason, 1028 00:48:23.519 --> 00:48:26.440 and that's going to get better as you go along, 1029 00:48:26.519 --> 00:48:28.480 and they're going to fill parts in. They can't be 1030 00:48:29.280 --> 00:48:31.880 they can't be everything. You know, they can't be skilled, 1031 00:48:32.239 --> 00:48:35.119 great defensively, score a lot of goals, and be big 1032 00:48:35.159 --> 00:48:37.519 and tough all at the same time. When you get 1033 00:48:37.559 --> 00:48:40.079 to that point with their team, you know, you're knocking 1034 00:48:40.119 --> 00:48:42.519 on the door for Stanley Cup. And I don't think 1035 00:48:42.599 --> 00:48:44.679 Utah is knocking on the door for Stanley Cupp. But 1036 00:48:44.719 --> 00:48:46.920 I do think that they're knocking on the door to 1037 00:48:46.960 --> 00:48:52.119 be in the playoffs and maybe win around So you know, 1038 00:48:52.159 --> 00:48:55.039 I yeah, they may not be as big and physical. 1039 00:48:55.400 --> 00:48:57.639 I don't think that that's a real detriment though to 1040 00:48:57.679 --> 00:48:58.840 where they're going this year. 1041 00:48:59.320 --> 00:49:03.000 So they have about eight point five million dollars I believe, 1042 00:49:03.039 --> 00:49:06.000 according to what I'm reading that they can spend on 1043 00:49:06.119 --> 00:49:10.199 other players. They also have a great pipeline ESPN. Their 1044 00:49:10.239 --> 00:49:11.239 hockey covers. 1045 00:49:10.960 --> 00:49:14.159 Today ranked all the NHL teams. 1046 00:49:14.159 --> 00:49:17.199 As far as their prospects go, Utah Hockey Club is 1047 00:49:17.280 --> 00:49:19.920 ranked number nine and we've talked to you about, you know, 1048 00:49:20.039 --> 00:49:23.639 Tez Againla, who's now you know, in the pipeline, as 1049 00:49:23.679 --> 00:49:26.679 well as some other really talented young players. Do you 1050 00:49:26.760 --> 00:49:29.199 think at some point Bill's gonna look at this and 1051 00:49:29.639 --> 00:49:33.079 decide to maybe make some additions to utilize their prospects 1052 00:49:33.119 --> 00:49:35.360 and utilize the cash they have. And if he does 1053 00:49:35.440 --> 00:49:38.840 make additions, Neil, where do you think he does make them? 1054 00:49:39.239 --> 00:49:42.599 Well? I think that if he does make additions later 1055 00:49:42.639 --> 00:49:46.000 in the season, it'll be in the in the probably 1056 00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:49.119 in the veterans who have been around for a while, 1057 00:49:49.280 --> 00:49:52.960 some players that have either won or have been you know, 1058 00:49:53.280 --> 00:49:55.400 close to winning and have been around so that they 1059 00:49:55.440 --> 00:49:57.800 can supplement all these good young players that they got. 1060 00:49:58.880 --> 00:50:01.519 That's normally what you would do it at that point 1061 00:50:01.519 --> 00:50:03.760 in the season. I don't think you're going to see 1062 00:50:03.800 --> 00:50:07.239 him trading for another young player because they're okay there 1063 00:50:07.239 --> 00:50:09.360 and they've done really well. As I mentioned earlier in 1064 00:50:09.360 --> 00:50:13.400 the conversation, they did really well in the draft. That's 1065 00:50:13.440 --> 00:50:16.800 why they're ranked so high. But in fairness to everybody else, 1066 00:50:17.119 --> 00:50:19.000 they've had a lot of high picks over the years 1067 00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:22.039 because they haven't been in the playoffs. So I think 1068 00:50:22.079 --> 00:50:24.840 now it's time that they are going to take that 1069 00:50:24.920 --> 00:50:28.719 next step, and Bill Arnstrong may decide as he watches 1070 00:50:28.760 --> 00:50:32.639 this team get closer to the deadline, Hey, we've really 1071 00:50:32.639 --> 00:50:37.280 got a real shot here to either make the playoffs 1072 00:50:37.400 --> 00:50:40.159 or you know, whatever the case may be. There's a 1073 00:50:40.159 --> 00:50:43.440 lot of different benchmarks, and that'll be how much you'd 1074 00:50:43.440 --> 00:50:45.239 spend at the time. You're not going to spend a 1075 00:50:45.280 --> 00:50:48.719 lot to get a player to simply make the playoffs 1076 00:50:48.800 --> 00:50:50.800 and then lose the player in the offseason. That would 1077 00:50:50.800 --> 00:50:53.199 be foolish, So they won't do that. But it'll be 1078 00:50:53.239 --> 00:50:56.559 interesting to see how he supplements his team before. 1079 00:50:56.360 --> 00:50:58.800 We move on to some other big picture of NHL topics. 1080 00:50:58.840 --> 00:51:02.519 Tell us about Anahi, the team that Utah will play tonight, 1081 00:51:03.079 --> 00:51:05.000 as it is a match day, a game day for 1082 00:51:05.039 --> 00:51:08.800 the Utah Hockey Club, Vegas has Utah as the favorite 1083 00:51:08.800 --> 00:51:10.440 to win the game, even though it's on the road. 1084 00:51:10.480 --> 00:51:12.760 What should we know about the hockey club's opponent tonight 1085 00:51:13.119 --> 00:51:15.800 eight o'clock on ESPN Plus. 1086 00:51:16.320 --> 00:51:19.719 Well, you should know that they're in a big rebuild. 1087 00:51:19.760 --> 00:51:23.320 They are not a team that I don't think is 1088 00:51:23.400 --> 00:51:27.159 knocking on the door for to make the playoffs. They 1089 00:51:27.199 --> 00:51:29.719 know where they are and they're rebuilding. They didn't do 1090 00:51:29.840 --> 00:51:33.599 much in the offseason. They're going to depend on young 1091 00:51:33.639 --> 00:51:36.639 players coming up. They're going to depend on developing their 1092 00:51:36.679 --> 00:51:39.760 own young players. The one thing that's interesting, that's a 1093 00:51:39.880 --> 00:51:44.719 side note, is they change their uniforms. They wear orange now. 1094 00:51:45.559 --> 00:51:49.639 They obviously were always in a brown color. And they've 1095 00:51:49.639 --> 00:51:53.679 gone back to the logo that they had in their 1096 00:51:53.840 --> 00:51:57.599 original days of being the Mighty Ducks. They've got the 1097 00:51:57.679 --> 00:52:00.480 Mighty Duck logo on the front. So they've got some 1098 00:52:00.519 --> 00:52:04.320 real good players, I mean, some good young guys that 1099 00:52:04.400 --> 00:52:10.480 you can watch out for. You know, Trevor Troy Carey sorry, 1100 00:52:10.840 --> 00:52:14.400 is a real good player. Trevor Ziegris is a really 1101 00:52:14.480 --> 00:52:18.199 talented young player. Cam Fowler, a veteran on defense, is 1102 00:52:18.239 --> 00:52:20.800 a good player. Those are all guys that you can 1103 00:52:20.840 --> 00:52:26.320 look for and you know, and Ryan strom is another 1104 00:52:26.639 --> 00:52:30.280 veteran that's been there for a while. Jason mccavish. They've 1105 00:52:30.280 --> 00:52:32.639 got some They've got some real good young players. But 1106 00:52:32.760 --> 00:52:36.119 again they're in an early stages of a rebuild. I'd 1107 00:52:36.159 --> 00:52:40.159 say they are where Arizona was two or three years ago. 1108 00:52:41.280 --> 00:52:43.760 So we find ourselves in the Central Division of the 1109 00:52:43.760 --> 00:52:47.239 Western Conference. So let's talk about some of the other 1110 00:52:47.360 --> 00:52:49.880 teams that we need to be watching out for, but 1111 00:52:49.960 --> 00:52:52.800 let's start with a team that I think most people well, look, 1112 00:52:52.840 --> 00:52:55.039 it's only three or four games, so let's not get weird. 1113 00:52:55.079 --> 00:52:58.400 But Colorado has not won yet, and they are a 1114 00:52:58.480 --> 00:53:01.239 sieve on defense. They've allowed twenty goals, which is worse 1115 00:53:01.320 --> 00:53:04.360 in the NHL, and they've scored ten, which is about 1116 00:53:04.400 --> 00:53:06.920 mid table but not great. So I think a lot 1117 00:53:06.960 --> 00:53:09.239 of people expect them to be just fine, but they 1118 00:53:09.280 --> 00:53:10.960 are in our division out here. 1119 00:53:11.000 --> 00:53:13.679 What do you make of the slow start for the Avalanche. 1120 00:53:14.519 --> 00:53:17.920 Well, I'm surprised. They've got some real superstars on that team, 1121 00:53:17.960 --> 00:53:21.480 and obviously and Nate McKinnon, the reigning MVP of the league. 1122 00:53:21.519 --> 00:53:24.559 And they've got Cal mccarr who's any team would be 1123 00:53:24.920 --> 00:53:27.119 just licking their lips to be able to get a 1124 00:53:27.239 --> 00:53:31.079 defenseman like him. They've had a tough start. Their goalpending 1125 00:53:31.159 --> 00:53:35.480 hasn't been good. Georgia, who they traded for from the Rangers, 1126 00:53:36.159 --> 00:53:38.079 has been there. I think this is his third year. 1127 00:53:38.880 --> 00:53:40.840 He came in after the year after they'd won the 1128 00:53:40.880 --> 00:53:44.599 Stanley Cup. He hasn't delivered the way that they would 1129 00:53:44.599 --> 00:53:50.199 have hoped for. They went out and got Capocacko off 1130 00:53:50.280 --> 00:53:54.679 of waivers from the Winnipeg Jets to be to supplement 1131 00:53:54.760 --> 00:53:57.800 their goaltenders. In the backup is a kid named Ananin. 1132 00:53:59.199 --> 00:54:02.360 They hadn't been good goal but cal mccarr said after 1133 00:54:02.400 --> 00:54:06.840 the Islander game, which was a loss at home, that 1134 00:54:07.559 --> 00:54:11.559 childish mistakes cost us childish mistakes in that game, So 1135 00:54:13.000 --> 00:54:15.400 we'll see. I think they're too good to say where 1136 00:54:15.400 --> 00:54:17.880 they are. I think they're going to rebound. 1137 00:54:19.239 --> 00:54:22.440 So Dallas has not lost. Dallas through four games, has 1138 00:54:22.480 --> 00:54:26.239 stayed clean twelve goals scored, only five allowed, and they 1139 00:54:26.239 --> 00:54:27.639 have not lost through four games. 1140 00:54:27.639 --> 00:54:29.400 What do you make of the stars hot start. 1141 00:54:30.280 --> 00:54:33.199 Well, they're a team that everybody's talked about as a 1142 00:54:33.239 --> 00:54:36.239 Cup contender. It's not surprising to me that they've got 1143 00:54:36.239 --> 00:54:39.119 that start. The team that is surprising to jump down 1144 00:54:39.119 --> 00:54:42.400 one is Winnipeg, who's hasn't lost at all. They're three 1145 00:54:42.440 --> 00:54:45.480 and zero and they've only had two goals scored against 1146 00:54:45.519 --> 00:54:49.639 them three games. So that's sort of surprising to me. 1147 00:54:49.760 --> 00:54:51.719 Not that I thought that they weren't a playoff team, 1148 00:54:51.719 --> 00:54:53.360 but that I didn't think they were going to be 1149 00:54:53.360 --> 00:54:58.480 a dominant team. Another team in the conference for Utah. 1150 00:54:58.679 --> 00:55:01.760 That's shocking everybody is Calgary start. They're four and oh 1151 00:55:02.239 --> 00:55:04.239 when people thought that they were going to be down 1152 00:55:04.719 --> 00:55:08.800 with the Anaheims of the of the conference, and they've 1153 00:55:08.800 --> 00:55:12.840 turned around and they've even beaten the mighty Edmondson Oilers 1154 00:55:12.840 --> 00:55:19.320 there there across province rival in Edmonton. So there's some 1155 00:55:19.400 --> 00:55:23.239 real surprises going on in the Western Conference especially. 1156 00:55:24.960 --> 00:55:27.480 I got to ask you about the Rangers since since 1157 00:55:27.639 --> 00:55:30.480 you know that's my that's my childhood team, and watching 1158 00:55:30.800 --> 00:55:33.960 it was surreal turning on the TV and watching a 1159 00:55:34.000 --> 00:55:37.239 hockey club with Utah on their chest play in Madison 1160 00:55:37.239 --> 00:55:37.960 Square Garden. 1161 00:55:38.840 --> 00:55:41.119 You know, obviously a great run last year. 1162 00:55:41.599 --> 00:55:44.320 Uh you know they've got so far through three games, 1163 00:55:44.320 --> 00:55:45.239 two wins, one. 1164 00:55:45.079 --> 00:55:46.920 Loss that lost to the Utah Hockey Club. 1165 00:55:47.559 --> 00:55:49.800 Everything I read indicates they're gonna have something to say 1166 00:55:49.800 --> 00:55:52.000 about the East at the end of the day. Do 1167 00:55:52.039 --> 00:55:54.199 you do you believe that with with the Rangers back 1168 00:55:54.199 --> 00:55:54.440 in New. 1169 00:55:54.440 --> 00:55:57.239 York, Yeah, I think they're going to I don't I 1170 00:55:57.280 --> 00:55:59.599 don't know that they're going to win the President's Trophy again, 1171 00:55:59.639 --> 00:56:01.800 which to the team that's got the best record in 1172 00:56:01.840 --> 00:56:04.719 the entire league. But I do think they're going to 1173 00:56:04.760 --> 00:56:07.480 be a team that's going to be hanging around first 1174 00:56:07.480 --> 00:56:10.679 place in the Metro all year. They've got some stiff 1175 00:56:10.719 --> 00:56:13.719 competition this year with the Devils, and the Devils and 1176 00:56:13.760 --> 00:56:15.719 the Rangers I think are going to be the class 1177 00:56:15.920 --> 00:56:21.960 of the Metropolitan Division. I think the Atlantic Division with 1178 00:56:22.079 --> 00:56:26.440 Florida and Tampa and Toronto and Boston is a lot 1179 00:56:26.559 --> 00:56:31.840 stronger than the Metro Division. And to answer your question, yeah, 1180 00:56:31.880 --> 00:56:35.159 I think the Rangers should be right there on top 1181 00:56:35.199 --> 00:56:37.840 of the Metro or fighting for it, and the same 1182 00:56:37.880 --> 00:56:39.519 way with the whole Eastern Conference. 1183 00:56:40.639 --> 00:56:43.039 All right, Neil, before I set you loose, Obviously, we 1184 00:56:43.079 --> 00:56:46.159 have a lot of new hockey fans around here. I 1185 00:56:46.239 --> 00:56:49.840 wonder if you could share your podcast where people could 1186 00:56:49.880 --> 00:56:52.039 find it because a lot of people still wanting to 1187 00:56:52.159 --> 00:56:54.159 learn about this new team. 1188 00:56:54.480 --> 00:56:56.760 Then the league as a whole, Where can I find 1189 00:56:56.800 --> 00:56:57.360 the podcast? 1190 00:56:58.119 --> 00:57:00.920 Well, they can find it anyhl Rapp. It's on every 1191 00:57:00.960 --> 00:57:04.440 platform that you get podcasts on it. Today, Spence, we 1192 00:57:04.480 --> 00:57:07.960 did what we call Short Shifts Show. We're going to 1193 00:57:07.960 --> 00:57:09.920 do it twice a week where it's just fifteen minutes 1194 00:57:09.920 --> 00:57:13.079 and we bring everybody up to date on what's been 1195 00:57:13.079 --> 00:57:15.599 going on in the last few days and so that 1196 00:57:15.719 --> 00:57:18.199 was a lot of fun to do. And I mentioned 1197 00:57:18.280 --> 00:57:20.840 Utah in that show being one of the teams that 1198 00:57:21.800 --> 00:57:26.039 are really doing well to start the season, along with Calgary, 1199 00:57:26.039 --> 00:57:30.400 Winnipeg and Dallas. And it's a fun show. So for 1200 00:57:30.880 --> 00:57:35.559 those fans that perhaps are following one team, they can 1201 00:57:35.679 --> 00:57:37.840 listen to our podcasts and find out what's going on 1202 00:57:37.880 --> 00:57:41.000 in the entire league and perhaps how their team stacks 1203 00:57:41.079 --> 00:57:44.199 up against the other team. So it's NHL wrap Around 1204 00:57:44.199 --> 00:57:46.199 and you can get it wherever you get your podcast. 1205 00:57:46.960 --> 00:57:48.800 Neil, thank you as always for the time. Have a 1206 00:57:48.840 --> 00:57:51.000 great week ahead and we'll catch up next week. 1207 00:57:52.159 --> 00:57:54.400 Looking forward to it. Spence, thank you all right. 1208 00:57:54.400 --> 00:57:57.320 The great Neil Smith, general manager of the Rangers for 1209 00:57:57.559 --> 00:57:59.840 twenty years, and they want to Stanley Cup when he 1210 00:57:59.880 --> 00:58:02.079 was the general manager, who's the head scout of the 1211 00:58:02.639 --> 00:58:05.800 Detroit Red Wings, spent some time with the Islanders, and 1212 00:58:05.840 --> 00:58:07.039 now he's got a podcast. 1213 00:58:07.119 --> 00:58:09.360 NHL Wraparound dot com is where you find it. 1214 00:58:09.360 --> 00:58:12.239 He's gonna be joining us every week throughout the hockey 1215 00:58:12.320 --> 00:58:14.920 season to give us all the knowledge we need to 1216 00:58:15.000 --> 00:58:17.840 understand what we're seeing here with this new young Utah 1217 00:58:17.920 --> 00:58:21.119 hockey club who finds themselves in Anaheim tonight for an 1218 00:58:21.159 --> 00:58:24.360 eight o'clock that's when the puck drops eight o'clock will 1219 00:58:24.360 --> 00:58:26.519 be the start of the game. It's on ESPN plus 1220 00:58:26.599 --> 00:58:28.920 Vegas has Utah is the favorite to win the game 1221 00:58:28.960 --> 00:58:31.719 tonight and as Neil mentioned, Anaheim in the middle of 1222 00:58:31.760 --> 00:58:34.400 a rebuild, it's been a really fun start. This is 1223 00:58:34.440 --> 00:58:36.280 a fun team, man, a fun young team that scores 1224 00:58:36.320 --> 00:58:38.719 a lot of goals. As they went back east and 1225 00:58:38.760 --> 00:58:41.000 won a couple of games in overtime including against the 1226 00:58:41.079 --> 00:58:44.800 Rangers at the Garden. And yeah, right now, Dylan Gunther 1227 00:58:44.960 --> 00:58:47.639 leads the NHL and goals scored. And right now Clayton 1228 00:58:47.719 --> 00:58:50.400 Keller was six points is your leader so far for 1229 00:58:50.480 --> 00:58:52.559 the Utah Hockey Club. So a lot of fun to 1230 00:58:52.599 --> 00:58:56.239 have NHL here in Salt Lake City. We're live here 1231 00:58:56.280 --> 00:58:58.400 at beer Bar today. It's one sixty one of these 1232 00:58:58.440 --> 00:59:00.960 two hundred south located in the heart of downtown Salt 1233 00:59:01.000 --> 00:59:05.519 Lake City, Utah giving away VIP tailgate passes for the 1234 00:59:05.760 --> 00:59:11.079 ESPN seven hundred tailgate events. Prior to Utah TCU, only 1235 00:59:11.159 --> 00:59:13.320 three Utah home games left, man, So if you haven't 1236 00:59:13.400 --> 00:59:15.440 checked out our tailgate, it's fun. We have a good time. 1237 00:59:15.679 --> 00:59:17.960 A lot of clients there, a lot of listeners there. 1238 00:59:18.239 --> 00:59:21.880 Our pregame show with Porter will be live there starting 1239 00:59:21.880 --> 00:59:24.760 at four thirty for that eight to thirty kick as 1240 00:59:24.760 --> 00:59:27.079 it's a big one for Utah trying to get right. 1241 00:59:27.760 --> 00:59:30.119 So come on by Beer Bart's one sixty one East, 1242 00:59:30.119 --> 00:59:32.119 two hundred South. We'd love to meet you, say hello 1243 00:59:32.199 --> 00:59:34.079 and give you a couple of passes for our tailgate 1244 00:59:34.119 --> 00:59:38.480 event coming up on Saturday prior to Utah TCU. All right, 1245 00:59:38.480 --> 00:59:41.239 we're gonna do a little RSL today, Pablo mash joining 1246 00:59:41.280 --> 00:59:42.159 the head coach of the club. 1247 00:59:42.199 --> 00:59:43.119 The manager of the club. 1248 00:59:43.119 --> 00:59:45.199 Will stop by on the other side of four o'clock, 1249 00:59:45.960 --> 00:59:49.840 Andy Larson, as the Utah Jazz continue their preseason adventures. 1250 00:59:49.880 --> 00:59:50.559 One more game. 1251 00:59:50.559 --> 00:59:53.239 It's gonna be up in Portland on Friday, and then 1252 00:59:53.320 --> 00:59:55.960 Memphis in town coming up next week for the regular 1253 00:59:56.000 --> 01:00:00.159 season opener. John Morant and the Memphis Grizzly Jaw is back. 1254 01:00:00.239 --> 01:00:04.079 Obviously that changes what Memphis could potentially be this year, 1255 01:00:04.119 --> 01:00:08.159 so stay tuned for that. Kyle Bondagura College Football, Neil Smith, 1256 01:00:08.280 --> 01:00:09.360 Utah Hockey Club. 1257 01:00:09.440 --> 01:00:11.440 So we've been bounced around doing a bit of everything. 1258 01:00:11.440 --> 01:00:15.320 On this Wednesday afternoon, Happy Wednesday to you, you're halfway 1259 01:00:15.320 --> 01:00:17.840 through your work week. You are one day closer to 1260 01:00:18.960 --> 01:00:24.440 the weekend. Porter Larson, pregame host Utah Football. Do we 1261 01:00:24.760 --> 01:00:27.119 have an idea of your rotating cast of characters coming 1262 01:00:27.159 --> 01:00:27.840 up on Saturday? 1263 01:00:27.960 --> 01:00:28.719 It's Saturday. 1264 01:00:29.159 --> 01:00:32.800 It may be a literal rotating cast of characters, as 1265 01:00:33.079 --> 01:00:36.000 a lot of folks are out of town and whatnot, 1266 01:00:36.119 --> 01:00:38.639 so they may be just stopping by via phone. May 1267 01:00:38.679 --> 01:00:41.920 have a few folks stop by segment by segment on 1268 01:00:42.519 --> 01:00:45.320 site at the tailgate, but it's just going to be 1269 01:00:45.360 --> 01:00:49.920 me and whoever I have dialed in, Nate Orchard, Isaacaciada, 1270 01:00:50.360 --> 01:00:55.519 the usual crew hopefully stopping by, but probably probably not 1271 01:00:55.639 --> 01:00:57.320 on site. I think I think some of them are 1272 01:00:57.320 --> 01:01:00.239 a little a little bummed about the state of the 1273 01:01:00.280 --> 01:01:03.320 program just this week and are not making an appearance 1274 01:01:03.400 --> 01:01:07.480 on campus. But that's it's understandable. We'll still have a 1275 01:01:07.480 --> 01:01:10.159 good time up there and enjoy it with clear Water 1276 01:01:10.199 --> 01:01:11.320 and our friends at the TELGI. 1277 01:01:12.159 --> 01:01:13.480 Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. 1278 01:01:13.559 --> 01:01:17.880 So you know, it's interesting you referenced, you know, the 1279 01:01:18.559 --> 01:01:21.719 current state of the program and the way that people 1280 01:01:21.719 --> 01:01:25.199 are kind of feeling about it right now, and I 1281 01:01:25.320 --> 01:01:25.679 get it. 1282 01:01:25.960 --> 01:01:26.480 You know, I. 1283 01:01:28.440 --> 01:01:31.320 Kind of have a tough time with maybe you fans 1284 01:01:31.400 --> 01:01:35.519 that are a little bit entitled and spoiled, but that's 1285 01:01:35.559 --> 01:01:39.440 what happens when you're used to a certain level from 1286 01:01:39.519 --> 01:01:42.639 the team that you love. I mean, I started the 1287 01:01:42.679 --> 01:01:44.639 show off with this today, I wonder what your take 1288 01:01:44.800 --> 01:01:48.599 is on it, because look, man, and people probably get 1289 01:01:48.639 --> 01:01:50.880 sick of this, and I definitely hear from people about it. 1290 01:01:50.960 --> 01:01:55.320 Like I can recall a number of different years where 1291 01:01:55.559 --> 01:01:57.960 as a youth football fan, the thing was like, hey, 1292 01:01:58.039 --> 01:02:00.280 if we beat BYU and go to a bowl. 1293 01:02:00.079 --> 01:02:00.840 That's a great year. 1294 01:02:01.599 --> 01:02:04.840 And you know, ultimately when I was growing up, it 1295 01:02:04.920 --> 01:02:07.559 was Lavelle Edwards. I think he went like twenty one 1296 01:02:07.559 --> 01:02:10.280 and two against Utah or the course of a generation 1297 01:02:11.199 --> 01:02:14.760 and with the pendulum completely shifting over to Utah for 1298 01:02:14.800 --> 01:02:18.719 a generation under coach with I sense this like underlying 1299 01:02:18.840 --> 01:02:22.719 current of anxiety from the fan base, and it's either 1300 01:02:22.760 --> 01:02:25.199 in a vacuum moment in time with what Kloonnie has 1301 01:02:25.199 --> 01:02:26.119 done to start the year. 1302 01:02:26.679 --> 01:02:28.840 And of course there are several reasons. 1303 01:02:28.519 --> 01:02:31.360 Utah has not looked like we thought that they would, 1304 01:02:31.400 --> 01:02:34.960 the main one being the issue a quarterback. Is it 1305 01:02:35.079 --> 01:02:39.159 hyperbolic and over dramatic to react to this from a 1306 01:02:39.280 --> 01:02:42.559 Utah fan perspective, watching Brigham Young do what they've done, 1307 01:02:42.639 --> 01:02:45.000 juxtaposed to a tough start for Utah to believe that 1308 01:02:45.039 --> 01:02:47.800 this is the new reality, or do you think there's 1309 01:02:47.840 --> 01:02:48.400 something there? 1310 01:02:49.039 --> 01:02:51.480 No, I mean, I think it's easy to go there 1311 01:02:51.599 --> 01:02:54.760 because of everything that you're seeing this year. But I 1312 01:02:55.119 --> 01:02:58.000 do hope that folks are not prisoner of the moment. 1313 01:02:58.079 --> 01:03:03.000 Right everything in college football is sick and that will continue. 1314 01:03:03.119 --> 01:03:06.320 Yes byu is on what looks like a little bit 1315 01:03:06.360 --> 01:03:09.239 of an upswing in twenty twenty four in Utah due 1316 01:03:09.239 --> 01:03:12.320 to some injuries, due to some recruiting cycle stuff, due 1317 01:03:12.320 --> 01:03:16.760 to I think some uncertainty with the future of who 1318 01:03:16.800 --> 01:03:19.400 may be at the Helm with with you know, Kyle 1319 01:03:19.400 --> 01:03:22.880 Whittingham obviously in his last half decade or so of 1320 01:03:23.480 --> 01:03:26.199 college football, maybe less there. 1321 01:03:26.239 --> 01:03:28.320 There's going to be a cycle there. 1322 01:03:28.360 --> 01:03:31.760 Spence as a as a Hokies fan, like, I hope 1323 01:03:31.840 --> 01:03:37.639 people understand how good they've had it as a Utah 1324 01:03:37.679 --> 01:03:41.079 fan for so long, literally for two decades. If if 1325 01:03:41.119 --> 01:03:43.719 I can go back to my own perspective. Frank Beemer 1326 01:03:44.079 --> 01:03:48.119 retired at Virginia Tech in twenty fifteen. He is he's 1327 01:03:48.159 --> 01:03:53.599 the Kyle Whittingham for my friends in Blacksburg and guys, 1328 01:03:54.599 --> 01:03:57.679 Hokies have gotten to double digits and wins one time 1329 01:03:58.039 --> 01:04:00.480 since he since he retired. Before that, it was a 1330 01:04:00.519 --> 01:04:03.119 bowl game every year, it was ten wins almost every year. 1331 01:04:03.159 --> 01:04:07.679 It was a BCS appearance, it was high touted recruits, 1332 01:04:07.679 --> 01:04:11.079 it was you know, a good defense every single year. 1333 01:04:11.159 --> 01:04:13.599 Of course, the special teams that we were used to 1334 01:04:13.599 --> 01:04:16.719 seeing and Spence, it's kind of a good parallel to 1335 01:04:16.800 --> 01:04:19.000 what you see here at Utah because it's a kind 1336 01:04:19.039 --> 01:04:21.880 of a mid major school punching above their weight for 1337 01:04:21.960 --> 01:04:24.800 a good couple of decades, kind of because of the 1338 01:04:24.840 --> 01:04:27.800 head coach and partly because of the head coach. And 1339 01:04:28.280 --> 01:04:31.400 I do hope that that Utah fans understand how good 1340 01:04:31.480 --> 01:04:35.400 they've had it for so long, so that they can 1341 01:04:35.639 --> 01:04:40.360 have a good perspective about these low cycles, these these 1342 01:04:40.480 --> 01:04:43.480 valleys rather than the peaks, because that's just the reality 1343 01:04:43.519 --> 01:04:44.320 of college football. 1344 01:04:44.400 --> 01:04:46.159 Spence, no one escapes it. 1345 01:04:46.840 --> 01:04:52.880 The one, you know, the one difference there is Utah 1346 01:04:52.960 --> 01:04:55.239 over the last twenty years. You can throw Iowa in there. 1347 01:04:55.280 --> 01:04:57.519 You can throw with a few schools, of course, the 1348 01:04:57.519 --> 01:04:59.440 the Bamas and the schools that are in there every 1349 01:04:59.480 --> 01:05:02.679 single year. But to have this sort of consistency, it 1350 01:05:02.760 --> 01:05:06.559 just doesn't happen. And you know, there will be a 1351 01:05:06.639 --> 01:05:09.880 downturn maybe when Morgan Scaley or whoever takes over, but 1352 01:05:09.960 --> 01:05:12.719 it won't be permanent, and it never will be permanent. 1353 01:05:13.400 --> 01:05:15.400 And especially if you have the right people in the 1354 01:05:15.440 --> 01:05:15.920 locker room. 1355 01:05:16.079 --> 01:05:18.280 Yeah, these things are cickle, cool man, I mean, and 1356 01:05:18.679 --> 01:05:21.360 I have a tremendous amount of respect for Kilanie. And 1357 01:05:21.360 --> 01:05:24.639 as soon as I heard the news that Bronco was leaving, 1358 01:05:25.280 --> 01:05:27.719 I remember sending out on social media and talking on 1359 01:05:27.760 --> 01:05:29.119 the show. I was doing the show at Gordon, at 1360 01:05:29.119 --> 01:05:30.800 my old station of the day, you know, back in 1361 01:05:30.840 --> 01:05:33.599 the day, and I remember, you know, sending out on 1362 01:05:33.679 --> 01:05:35.840 social and talking on the show like Kilanie's got to 1363 01:05:35.840 --> 01:05:36.360 be the guy. 1364 01:05:37.039 --> 01:05:38.280 And I felt like. 1365 01:05:38.440 --> 01:05:41.039 You know, for no other reason, you know, what Kilanie 1366 01:05:41.079 --> 01:05:43.599 had done up this way, cutting his teeth under coach 1367 01:05:43.639 --> 01:05:47.920 with would prepare him for this opportunity. And look, it's 1368 01:05:48.079 --> 01:05:50.639 it's always funny to me. And there's a ute angle 1369 01:05:50.679 --> 01:05:53.280 here too, you know. And we've talked to doctor Hill 1370 01:05:53.320 --> 01:05:55.880 about this. As Doctor Hill joins the show from time 1371 01:05:55.920 --> 01:05:57.800 to time for an hour and studio. It's always funn 1372 01:05:57.800 --> 01:06:01.079 to get his perspective. The first few years in the 1373 01:06:01.119 --> 01:06:03.960 PAC twelve, you know, year two, year three, because year 1374 01:06:04.000 --> 01:06:06.119 one was a little funky with the way things played out, 1375 01:06:06.119 --> 01:06:08.199 they actually had a chance to compete for the thing 1376 01:06:08.239 --> 01:06:09.880 when no one thought they were going to be able to. 1377 01:06:09.920 --> 01:06:13.159 But a couple sub five hundred years PAC twelve big 1378 01:06:13.199 --> 01:06:16.159 Boy football, there were plenty of people in this community, 1379 01:06:16.199 --> 01:06:19.239 plenty of youth fans, boosters, season ticket holders, wondered aloud 1380 01:06:19.280 --> 01:06:22.079 whether or not Kyle was the guy. And well, right 1381 01:06:22.119 --> 01:06:26.199 now BYU fans are singing Clownie's praises. I know for 1382 01:06:26.239 --> 01:06:29.239 sure that there was a big faction of that fan 1383 01:06:29.280 --> 01:06:31.719 base was skeptical about whether or not he could figure 1384 01:06:31.719 --> 01:06:35.679 it out. So if given long enough time, and I 1385 01:06:35.719 --> 01:06:38.920 always say, doctor Hill deserves a lot of credit, you know, 1386 01:06:39.039 --> 01:06:41.599 bringing in Urban and then deciding to go with Kyle, 1387 01:06:41.679 --> 01:06:43.880 and then rolling with Kyle when a lot of people 1388 01:06:43.920 --> 01:06:46.400 thought maybe he should look to do something different. And 1389 01:06:46.440 --> 01:06:49.199 obviously the bulk of the credit goes to coach Wit, 1390 01:06:49.800 --> 01:06:52.559 who has worked himself into one of the preeminent coaches 1391 01:06:52.599 --> 01:06:55.559 in the country, not just out here in this portion. 1392 01:06:55.800 --> 01:06:57.760 And you talk to anybody. 1393 01:06:57.280 --> 01:07:01.119 Ultimately about college football the country, and you bring up 1394 01:07:01.159 --> 01:07:05.679 Kyle Whittingham, it's a consensus and unanimous praise for what 1395 01:07:05.800 --> 01:07:09.199 he's done. And I want to give Tom Homoll credit 1396 01:07:09.199 --> 01:07:11.880 too for rolling with Kilani, and certainly as they entered 1397 01:07:12.000 --> 01:07:15.639 the Big Twelve and that job became different. I don't 1398 01:07:15.679 --> 01:07:19.239 know the details of Kilanie's contract. USA today came out 1399 01:07:19.280 --> 01:07:21.079 with their annual coaches salary list. 1400 01:07:21.079 --> 01:07:22.480 It's up online if you want to see it. 1401 01:07:22.519 --> 01:07:26.119 BYU a private institution, we don't get that information. I 1402 01:07:26.320 --> 01:07:30.960 was told that they did renegotiate and make Kilanie you know, 1403 01:07:31.199 --> 01:07:33.679 a whole in a sense where they're paying him the 1404 01:07:33.719 --> 01:07:35.840 way that Big twelve teams should pay a coach that 1405 01:07:35.920 --> 01:07:38.679 they like. But you know, I think there were a 1406 01:07:38.719 --> 01:07:42.239 lot of people that care about BYU football that wondered 1407 01:07:42.280 --> 01:07:44.599 whether or not if Kilanie was going to be the 1408 01:07:44.599 --> 01:07:46.920 guy to figure this out, to make sure that they 1409 01:07:46.920 --> 01:07:48.719 could find their footing in the Big twelve. And then 1410 01:07:48.800 --> 01:07:52.039 last year, you know, with the decent start and then 1411 01:07:52.079 --> 01:07:53.920 they fall flat on their face, they couldn't get it 1412 01:07:53.920 --> 01:07:56.400 done in conference, didn't even go to a bowl. I 1413 01:07:56.400 --> 01:07:59.679 think if given enough time, you know, smart coaches figure 1414 01:07:59.679 --> 01:08:02.559 it out and Porter from my vantish point today, you know, 1415 01:08:02.679 --> 01:08:05.360 on this day in a vacuum, I think we have 1416 01:08:05.400 --> 01:08:07.400 to give Colonie a lot of credit for, at least 1417 01:08:07.400 --> 01:08:10.400 at this point bringing Jay Hill works out. And I 1418 01:08:10.400 --> 01:08:12.239 know a lot of people are really down on a rod, 1419 01:08:12.239 --> 01:08:15.320 but those BYU coaches, those guys deserve their flowers today. Man, 1420 01:08:15.360 --> 01:08:18.279 I think if given time, I thought they'd figure it out. 1421 01:08:18.279 --> 01:08:20.039 And at least, as we say her today, it feels 1422 01:08:20.039 --> 01:08:20.439 like they have. 1423 01:08:20.920 --> 01:08:21.760 They absolutely have. 1424 01:08:21.920 --> 01:08:24.600 Obviously when you when you run the table, at least 1425 01:08:24.640 --> 01:08:27.800 to this point in the season, there's something clicking with 1426 01:08:27.880 --> 01:08:30.680 that team. Again, I don't think they have the best 1427 01:08:30.760 --> 01:08:34.399 roster in the Big twelve. I think there's there's a 1428 01:08:34.399 --> 01:08:37.479 lot going on where they're trying to and having to 1429 01:08:38.239 --> 01:08:40.760 kind of mixmatch their their roster. Of course that the 1430 01:08:40.800 --> 01:08:43.199 offensive line has dealt with some injuries throughout the year, 1431 01:08:43.720 --> 01:08:46.239 the defensive has dealt with some injuries throughout the year, 1432 01:08:46.239 --> 01:08:48.960 and we're not talking about those because they are performing 1433 01:08:49.319 --> 01:08:54.600 through those issues. And that's a testament to the changes there. 1434 01:08:54.600 --> 01:08:57.439 Because I Spence, you go back just a couple of 1435 01:08:57.520 --> 01:09:00.800 years ago and BYU was the team they were struggling 1436 01:09:00.840 --> 01:09:03.680 with every week. It seemed like a season ending injury. 1437 01:09:03.720 --> 01:09:06.920 They couldn't keep guys in the field. Of course, that's snowballs, 1438 01:09:06.920 --> 01:09:10.479 and when you're not winning, it's hard to recoup from that. 1439 01:09:10.720 --> 01:09:13.560 So yeah, as you mentioned a lot of guys that 1440 01:09:13.560 --> 01:09:16.399 we're familiar with here in Salt Lake and Kilani and 1441 01:09:16.520 --> 01:09:19.960 Jay Hill and Gary Anderson who has been really really 1442 01:09:20.000 --> 01:09:22.800 instrumental with some of that offensive line stuff that I 1443 01:09:22.880 --> 01:09:26.279 was mentioning in defensive line stuff I was mentioning as well, 1444 01:09:27.640 --> 01:09:31.039 they have responded in a way that not many of 1445 01:09:31.159 --> 01:09:34.119 us were expecting. Did I expect BYU to be better 1446 01:09:34.520 --> 01:09:37.600 than the preseason poll at thirteen? 1447 01:09:38.119 --> 01:09:38.520 I did. 1448 01:09:38.600 --> 01:09:41.039 I thought they'd be, you know, a couple games there. 1449 01:09:41.079 --> 01:09:43.199 I thought they'd get the over on the four and 1450 01:09:43.239 --> 01:09:46.560 a half wins. But to be here already, Spence, and 1451 01:09:46.600 --> 01:09:48.840 to be running the table and to control your own 1452 01:09:48.880 --> 01:09:53.439 destiny within the Big twelve, that's really really impressive, and 1453 01:09:53.479 --> 01:09:57.039 they deserve a ton of credit. I'll give another shout out. 1454 01:09:57.880 --> 01:10:00.600 I know it's not Jay Hill or Klon but our 1455 01:10:00.600 --> 01:10:03.760 guy Skyler Maine, who's a full time down there, Spence. 1456 01:10:04.319 --> 01:10:06.159 I mentioned that's a team that has for a half 1457 01:10:06.239 --> 01:10:09.600 decade a decade dealt with a lot of injury issues, 1458 01:10:09.960 --> 01:10:14.119 and that trend is at least moving in the opposite direction. 1459 01:10:14.319 --> 01:10:16.840 So quick shout out to him as well. 1460 01:10:17.039 --> 01:10:19.840 Excuse me, porter, that's doctor Skyler Maine. 1461 01:10:19.840 --> 01:10:23.000 To you, that's Sky, that's my guy Sky, but doctor 1462 01:10:23.359 --> 01:10:24.520 Doctored everyone else. 1463 01:10:24.640 --> 01:10:27.119 Yeah, phenomenal mustache and look it. 1464 01:10:28.039 --> 01:10:30.159 That is an element that has to be brought up 1465 01:10:30.279 --> 01:10:32.720 because I'm not calling anyone out and. 1466 01:10:32.760 --> 01:10:34.239 That's not the way I do radio. 1467 01:10:35.119 --> 01:10:37.479 And certainly when it comes to football, it's not a 1468 01:10:37.520 --> 01:10:41.199 contact sport. It is a violent sport. But for the 1469 01:10:41.239 --> 01:10:45.600 second straight year, Utah football is dealing with not just 1470 01:10:45.680 --> 01:10:49.960 a couple of injuries here, there game changing, catastrophic injuries 1471 01:10:49.960 --> 01:10:52.319 that change the scope of the season. I mean, as 1472 01:10:52.319 --> 01:10:54.399 I've talked about, and I've talked about with a bunch 1473 01:10:54.439 --> 01:10:56.760 of guests in ten fifteen years, when you're sitting around 1474 01:10:57.119 --> 01:10:59.720 and you're with your boys, hanging out with your family 1475 01:10:59.760 --> 01:11:02.640 or what, and they say, hey, Utah football twenty three, 1476 01:11:02.760 --> 01:11:04.479 twenty four, tell me about it, It's like, well, we 1477 01:11:04.479 --> 01:11:08.800 don't know, we're not sure these two teams will always 1478 01:11:08.880 --> 01:11:12.279 be the what could have been teams, And I don't 1479 01:11:12.800 --> 01:11:15.880 you know, in sports, media today, you have to place 1480 01:11:15.920 --> 01:11:17.760 blame so you can have a hot take. I'm not 1481 01:11:17.840 --> 01:11:22.000 placing blame on anyone at Utah for what I perceived 1482 01:11:22.079 --> 01:11:23.399 to be just something you deal with. 1483 01:11:23.439 --> 01:11:26.000 If you're gonna play a violent sport, you're gonna have injuries. 1484 01:11:26.640 --> 01:11:29.239 Now you have to have depth and contingency plans in 1485 01:11:29.239 --> 01:11:32.079 place to make up for those injuries. And it felt 1486 01:11:32.119 --> 01:11:34.960 like Utah was in a better spot with contingency plans 1487 01:11:34.960 --> 01:11:37.560 in place in the case of these injuries. I mean, 1488 01:11:37.640 --> 01:11:39.760 I think it's fair to say, even in a truncated 1489 01:11:39.800 --> 01:11:43.119 space and a small sample size, Isaac has been better 1490 01:11:43.119 --> 01:11:46.000 than Nat or Bryson were last year. And should Cameron 1491 01:11:46.039 --> 01:11:48.880 miss time, as we talked about to start the year, 1492 01:11:49.039 --> 01:11:51.079 you know, to preview the season and start the season, 1493 01:11:51.359 --> 01:11:53.359 it did feel like they were in a better place 1494 01:11:53.399 --> 01:11:56.920 to handle that. But one of the reasons BYU has 1495 01:11:57.000 --> 01:12:00.079 been able to really play well right out of the 1496 01:12:00.119 --> 01:12:02.359 gates is they've been more or less healthy. 1497 01:12:02.399 --> 01:12:02.560 Now. 1498 01:12:02.560 --> 01:12:05.159 They lost the Hinkley Rapotti kid, LJ. Martin as well, 1499 01:12:05.600 --> 01:12:07.680 so a couple of running backs missed some time. LJ 1500 01:12:07.880 --> 01:12:11.600 came back, he looked great. And the bottom line is 1501 01:12:11.600 --> 01:12:13.760 when you have the data and you have the proof 1502 01:12:13.800 --> 01:12:15.920 in front of you, you have to ask questions about 1503 01:12:15.960 --> 01:12:19.199 exactly why this stuff happens. BYU has had some real 1504 01:12:19.279 --> 01:12:22.119 fortunate luck this year with health, where Utah just hasn't. 1505 01:12:22.119 --> 01:12:24.760 Do you have any inside or info. 1506 01:12:25.359 --> 01:12:28.880 About, you know, potentially what sort of you know, health 1507 01:12:28.880 --> 01:12:31.279 that we could see coming back for Utah football this 1508 01:12:31.359 --> 01:12:33.000 weekend on the defensive side of the ball. 1509 01:12:33.159 --> 01:12:36.279 Yeah, well, at least this weekend there could be some 1510 01:12:36.359 --> 01:12:39.840 positive news with the return potentially of a Karenni Reid 1511 01:12:39.920 --> 01:12:43.359 of a Connor ro tool. Obviously, Junior Tafuna came back 1512 01:12:43.520 --> 01:12:46.199 and was at full strength. I think there's still some 1513 01:12:46.319 --> 01:12:50.640 question marks along the defensive line, but Utah is expecting 1514 01:12:50.680 --> 01:12:53.720 to get at least some of their defenders back. Karenni 1515 01:12:53.760 --> 01:12:55.920 reads still a question mark. It's it's really just a 1516 01:12:55.920 --> 01:12:58.600 really nagging ankle injury. You know, when you roll those 1517 01:12:58.760 --> 01:13:02.359 those ankles, they can sometimes take a lot longer than 1518 01:13:02.600 --> 01:13:04.840 you may expect to return from. So that's the situation 1519 01:13:04.920 --> 01:13:08.640 with Karenni and Spence. I think that's as big as 1520 01:13:08.680 --> 01:13:12.920 obviously the absence of Cam Rising has been the absence 1521 01:13:12.960 --> 01:13:15.920 of Karenni Reid on the defensive side for Utah has 1522 01:13:15.960 --> 01:13:20.039 been absolutely massive and all and an under talked about 1523 01:13:20.039 --> 01:13:22.760 because of the Cam Rising stuff, because of what Utah 1524 01:13:22.800 --> 01:13:25.239 has dealt with for the last eighteen months, it's kind 1525 01:13:25.239 --> 01:13:27.880 of flown under the radar. Man, They and not just 1526 01:13:27.920 --> 01:13:32.119 the entire defense, but Lander Barden looking for kind of 1527 01:13:32.119 --> 01:13:34.720 a leader there alongside him as well. You've seen it 1528 01:13:35.000 --> 01:13:37.039 both with the absence of Karenni but also with a 1529 01:13:37.079 --> 01:13:40.119 little bit of a fall off from Lander. They've really 1530 01:13:40.199 --> 01:13:43.000 really missed Karenni read They're hoping to have him back 1531 01:13:43.039 --> 01:13:46.760 this weekend, but that is still TBD. This is a 1532 01:13:46.800 --> 01:13:49.159 team and you mentioned it, Man, at a certain point, 1533 01:13:49.199 --> 01:13:52.119 you do have to pay attention to the trends. I'm 1534 01:13:52.119 --> 01:13:54.439 not a guy who likes to place blame anywhere, and 1535 01:13:54.479 --> 01:13:58.159 from all accounts, Utah has a really really good strength 1536 01:13:58.159 --> 01:14:01.119 and conditioning program. But it's not just these last two 1537 01:14:01.159 --> 01:14:03.159 year Spence. I mean, you go back to twenty nineteen. 1538 01:14:03.560 --> 01:14:05.600 That was a team that dealt with injuries to Tyler 1539 01:14:05.680 --> 01:14:09.720 Huntley and Zach Moss, Jason Shelley. Jason Shelley started several games, 1540 01:14:10.079 --> 01:14:13.239 Julian Blackman missed parts of the year and then was 1541 01:14:13.279 --> 01:14:16.159 out after the PAC twelve title game because of an injury. 1542 01:14:16.359 --> 01:14:19.520 You go through, even the PAC twelve title runs that 1543 01:14:19.560 --> 01:14:23.279 the youths won, Mackai Bernard was playing cornerback. There was 1544 01:14:23.399 --> 01:14:25.880 injuries all over the field. They were just able to 1545 01:14:25.880 --> 01:14:28.840 get over them in twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three, 1546 01:14:29.479 --> 01:14:32.560 and obviously it's snowball to a point where it's really 1547 01:14:32.600 --> 01:14:34.920 catching up with them now. But again, I don't like 1548 01:14:34.960 --> 01:14:37.079 to play the blame game like you, but at a 1549 01:14:37.119 --> 01:14:40.960 certain point, and I think a half decade of guys 1550 01:14:40.960 --> 01:14:44.520 that are struggling to stay on the field, you got 1551 01:14:44.640 --> 01:14:47.359 to at least analyze that data and try to make 1552 01:14:47.399 --> 01:14:50.479 some changes. I'm sure they are, but we'll have to 1553 01:14:50.479 --> 01:14:52.800 wait to see the results of that as time goes along. 1554 01:14:53.079 --> 01:14:56.560 I hope the stadiums fall on Saturday night. I really do. 1555 01:14:57.560 --> 01:14:59.479 I know that this has not been the type of 1556 01:14:59.479 --> 01:15:02.960 start fans were hoping for, and I do sense a 1557 01:15:02.960 --> 01:15:08.000 little bit of a general I don't know, fatigue worn 1558 01:15:08.079 --> 01:15:12.079 out over the storylines of injuries, over wondering who's going 1559 01:15:12.119 --> 01:15:12.840 to be under center. 1560 01:15:13.520 --> 01:15:15.079 There's still everything to play for. 1561 01:15:15.479 --> 01:15:19.000 You guys know that I would be hard pressed to 1562 01:15:19.039 --> 01:15:20.760 sit here today and tell you Utah is going to 1563 01:15:20.840 --> 01:15:24.000 run the table. But We have seen Kyle Whittingham's teams 1564 01:15:24.079 --> 01:15:26.600 in the past figure it out after some slow starts. 1565 01:15:26.640 --> 01:15:31.479 We have twenty twenty one right lostes to SDSU and BYU, 1566 01:15:31.600 --> 01:15:33.760 and then they went and won the Pac twelve right, 1567 01:15:33.880 --> 01:15:36.800 so all is not lost, Porter, before we catch break? 1568 01:15:36.800 --> 01:15:38.960 Are you old enough to remember? I was doing the 1569 01:15:38.960 --> 01:15:41.720 show with Bill at the time. We were doing Bill 1570 01:15:41.760 --> 01:15:44.239 and Spence, and then I was in charge of our 1571 01:15:44.319 --> 01:15:47.159 Utah football pre half and postgame on the radio side 1572 01:15:47.159 --> 01:15:50.960 in twenty ten when College Game Day was in town 1573 01:15:51.000 --> 01:15:53.319 and my buddy Ryan Rosillo was doing the college Game 1574 01:15:53.399 --> 01:15:55.840 Day radio and so you know, we spent a bunch 1575 01:15:55.840 --> 01:15:57.680 of time together talking football. 1576 01:15:57.760 --> 01:15:59.239 He joined the show prior to. 1577 01:15:59.159 --> 01:16:02.960 The game and number three TCU rolls into town and 1578 01:16:03.039 --> 01:16:05.239 Utah was number five at the time in twenty ten, 1579 01:16:06.239 --> 01:16:08.279 and it was a drubbing. 1580 01:16:08.520 --> 01:16:12.239 It was maybe the number one example. 1581 01:16:11.880 --> 01:16:13.359 I could come up with at the top of my 1582 01:16:13.760 --> 01:16:15.520 off the top of my head, where folks were just 1583 01:16:15.600 --> 01:16:19.199 so juice for that game. Game days here twenty ten, 1584 01:16:19.359 --> 01:16:21.800 it was forty seven to seven. Andy Dalton did whatever 1585 01:16:21.840 --> 01:16:23.600 he wanted to do. Are you old enough to remember 1586 01:16:23.680 --> 01:16:24.079 that game? 1587 01:16:25.039 --> 01:16:29.319 I am old enough to remember that game. I was 1588 01:16:30.359 --> 01:16:33.039 in high school at the time. But okay, we had 1589 01:16:33.079 --> 01:16:34.880 a game that day. It was a state playoff game 1590 01:16:35.960 --> 01:16:38.399 in which we also lost to our. 1591 01:16:38.319 --> 01:16:40.119 Friends in Mantai. 1592 01:16:40.319 --> 01:16:42.439 So I had a football game in which I lost, 1593 01:16:42.439 --> 01:16:45.920 and then I got home and my family was entirely 1594 01:16:45.960 --> 01:16:48.399 upset because they were checking the score and seeing that 1595 01:16:48.560 --> 01:16:51.279 Utah did not have a great outing. 1596 01:16:52.000 --> 01:16:55.159 That was a really good TCU team. They went to 1597 01:16:55.720 --> 01:16:58.920 the Rose Bowl and beat Wisconsin. But my goodness, that 1598 01:16:59.079 --> 01:17:00.840 was just And these two t teams have played some 1599 01:17:00.960 --> 01:17:04.159 classic games back in the day, you know, obviously former 1600 01:17:04.159 --> 01:17:07.880 Mount West Conference piers, and both teams left the Mount 1601 01:17:07.920 --> 01:17:10.520 West Conference for Power conferences, and both teams have had 1602 01:17:10.600 --> 01:17:14.840 tremendous success on their own right since then. So big 1603 01:17:14.880 --> 01:17:17.199 one coming up, kind of an elimination game the rest 1604 01:17:17.199 --> 01:17:19.520 of the way. Utah's a four point five point favorite. 1605 01:17:19.520 --> 01:17:22.279 Eight to thirty Kick time at Rice Equels our pregame 1606 01:17:22.319 --> 01:17:24.359 coverage with Porter live from our tailgate. 1607 01:17:24.439 --> 01:17:25.600 We'll begin at four thirty. 1608 01:17:25.720 --> 01:17:26.199 Did you know that. 1609 01:17:26.239 --> 01:17:28.880 Beer Bar is the only bar in SLC that plays 1610 01:17:28.920 --> 01:17:32.359 every MLS match with no blackouts. Don't miss the jazz, 1611 01:17:32.479 --> 01:17:34.279 youths RSL. 1612 01:17:33.920 --> 01:17:35.720 And more at Beer Bar. 1613 01:17:35.760 --> 01:17:37.920 It's time to hit the pitch on the drive. The 1614 01:17:38.079 --> 01:17:40.920 RSL Insider today and every day is brought to you 1615 01:17:40.960 --> 01:17:44.039 by beer Bar head downtown for watch parties and game 1616 01:17:44.119 --> 01:17:49.119 day shuttles to the stadium. More at beer BARSLC dot com. 1617 01:17:49.319 --> 01:17:52.159 I We're live today. Beer Bar right downtown, Salt Lakes, 1618 01:17:52.159 --> 01:17:54.800 aitt of Utah. It's one sixty one East, two hundred South. 1619 01:17:55.640 --> 01:17:56.279 Come on down. 1620 01:17:56.319 --> 01:17:58.920 They've got over one hundred beers, thirty of them on tap, 1621 01:17:59.039 --> 01:18:02.840 burgers brought fries. They're your home for the youth, CNFL, 1622 01:18:03.000 --> 01:18:08.199 Major League Baseball, Utah Hockey Club, Utah Jazz, and RSLR 1623 01:18:08.199 --> 01:18:10.239 Bar is the only bar in Salt Lake City that 1624 01:18:10.319 --> 01:18:13.159 plays every MLS match with no blackouts. So come on 1625 01:18:13.239 --> 01:18:16.439 down and watch the RSL match as the lads are 1626 01:18:16.439 --> 01:18:19.720 back in action after a little time off, Vancouver rolls 1627 01:18:19.720 --> 01:18:22.640 into town. Our next guest, the head coach of RSL, 1628 01:18:22.720 --> 01:18:26.520 Pablo masch Joetti on a Wednesday, Pops, Happy Wednesday, man, 1629 01:18:26.520 --> 01:18:26.960 how are we doing? 1630 01:18:28.000 --> 01:18:30.000 Happy Wednesday? Spends too and great budds. 1631 01:18:30.239 --> 01:18:32.079 So you're ready to get back at it. You're ready 1632 01:18:32.079 --> 01:18:33.680 to get back at it. Been a little time off. 1633 01:18:33.720 --> 01:18:36.479 What have you guys utilized this little break for? 1634 01:18:37.800 --> 01:18:38.039 Yeah? 1635 01:18:38.319 --> 01:18:41.920 So I'm super excited to get back at it, you know, 1636 01:18:42.039 --> 01:18:45.399 last home game of the season in regular season. And 1637 01:18:46.039 --> 01:18:48.960 some of the things that we've been working on has 1638 01:18:49.000 --> 01:18:52.039 been close sides of the ball defending. We've been working 1639 01:18:52.039 --> 01:18:54.640 on defending the box again, critical areas to make sure 1640 01:18:54.640 --> 01:18:57.239 that we shark it up on. But the majority of 1641 01:18:57.239 --> 01:19:00.920 emphasis has been on being more games in front of goal, 1642 01:19:01.199 --> 01:19:04.159 and in order to do that, the positioning of our 1643 01:19:04.239 --> 01:19:06.560 tens and our nine have to be such that we're 1644 01:19:06.640 --> 01:19:10.039 threatening their back line, our own back line, as opposed 1645 01:19:10.079 --> 01:19:12.000 to just peeling off in the areas just to keep 1646 01:19:12.000 --> 01:19:15.079 the ball and keep possession of it. So taking trying 1647 01:19:15.119 --> 01:19:16.920 to turn the screws a little bit on being more 1648 01:19:17.000 --> 01:19:20.960 goal dangerous in that final third, and the guys have 1649 01:19:21.039 --> 01:19:23.880 responded really well, some great pictures where you know, we 1650 01:19:23.960 --> 01:19:26.319 got a you know, a wide player out in the 1651 01:19:26.960 --> 01:19:28.800 just outside the area and we have four or five 1652 01:19:28.840 --> 01:19:31.439 guys crashing the box and putting the ball in dangerous 1653 01:19:31.439 --> 01:19:34.359 areas and really you know, threatening the goal. And I 1654 01:19:34.359 --> 01:19:36.680 think that's an area that you know, we haven't been 1655 01:19:36.720 --> 01:19:39.239 great at in the last month or so, but you know, 1656 01:19:39.319 --> 01:19:41.600 given the way it's been in the last ten days, 1657 01:19:41.640 --> 01:19:44.359 it's looked really great and hopefully we can apply some 1658 01:19:44.439 --> 01:19:46.199 of that in real time this weeken And gets Vancouver. 1659 01:19:47.000 --> 01:19:50.560 So as a result of some of the schedule oddities 1660 01:19:50.720 --> 01:19:54.159 this year, you know, the three games in seven days, 1661 01:19:54.239 --> 01:19:57.960 the league's cup break, and you know, just it's it's 1662 01:19:57.960 --> 01:20:00.359 been a little convoluted at times, so you kind of 1663 01:20:00.359 --> 01:20:02.560 had to juggle the lineup to keep guys fresh for 1664 01:20:02.600 --> 01:20:05.840 the weekend, so you hold him out during midweek. As 1665 01:20:05.880 --> 01:20:10.279 as we approach this game coming up against Vancouver, are 1666 01:20:10.319 --> 01:20:12.920 we going to see as close to a first choice 1667 01:20:13.239 --> 01:20:16.000 playoff style starting eleven as possible now that you've had 1668 01:20:16.000 --> 01:20:16.720 a bit of a break. 1669 01:20:17.680 --> 01:20:21.359 Yeah, I think so as close as we can get. 1670 01:20:21.359 --> 01:20:25.479 We have Dominic Marsuk who's coming in from pulling this evening, 1671 01:20:26.159 --> 01:20:29.119 and obviously he's played, he's played two games over the 1672 01:20:29.159 --> 01:20:32.199 span of the week, and then he gets in you know, tonight, 1673 01:20:32.479 --> 01:20:34.920 and it's obviously close to the game time, so you 1674 01:20:34.920 --> 01:20:37.079 know he'll he'll probably be more of a player that 1675 01:20:37.119 --> 01:20:39.479 comes into the game, but could potentially be a starter. 1676 01:20:39.560 --> 01:20:41.279 And then me have Brian Verry as well, has been 1677 01:20:41.319 --> 01:20:43.279 suspended for three games. We'll miss this one. In the 1678 01:20:43.279 --> 01:20:46.239 first playoff game, but those would be the two guys 1679 01:20:46.239 --> 01:20:48.560 that are you know, our question marks that that have 1680 01:20:48.640 --> 01:20:51.880 been a really you know who's been right in the 1681 01:20:52.359 --> 01:20:55.079 you know, run down the stretch. So but but as 1682 01:20:55.079 --> 01:20:57.319 far as that, it gives us an opportunity again to 1683 01:20:58.560 --> 01:21:01.960 look at players different positions that that can give us 1684 01:21:02.000 --> 01:21:04.760 maybe a wrinkle heading towards the playoffs when we're thinking 1685 01:21:04.800 --> 01:21:07.119 more tactically as to how to break teams down whether 1686 01:21:07.159 --> 01:21:09.279 we're home and we want to go for it or 1687 01:21:09.359 --> 01:21:12.079 away and be a bit more methodical on our approach. 1688 01:21:12.199 --> 01:21:14.680 So this game will definitely be as close to, you know, 1689 01:21:14.880 --> 01:21:18.600 the starting group other than those two, those two players 1690 01:21:18.600 --> 01:21:19.439 that I just mentioned. 1691 01:21:19.960 --> 01:21:23.560 When last we spoke, you were very honest and very 1692 01:21:23.640 --> 01:21:27.720 upfront about the message to Vera after the unfortunate incident. 1693 01:21:27.760 --> 01:21:28.399 Have you been. 1694 01:21:28.800 --> 01:21:31.760 Happy with the way he's responded and where's his head out? 1695 01:21:31.760 --> 01:21:33.560 I mean, he's got to be bummed out. 1696 01:21:33.640 --> 01:21:33.800 Man. 1697 01:21:33.840 --> 01:21:36.760 It's not just missing Saturday, he's missing a playoff match. 1698 01:21:36.840 --> 01:21:39.239 I mean, that's that's tough for any player. How's how's 1699 01:21:39.279 --> 01:21:39.920 he responded? 1700 01:21:40.960 --> 01:21:43.840 No, it's it's it's You're absolutely right, And I think 1701 01:21:44.279 --> 01:21:46.840 again that's for one difficult thing for I think any 1702 01:21:46.880 --> 01:21:51.199 athlete is is that the consequences are long lasting beyond 1703 01:21:51.560 --> 01:21:54.880 the you know, the sidelines, right, it goes beyond that 1704 01:21:54.920 --> 01:21:56.920 when you're we're spending three games and it's like what 1705 01:21:57.159 --> 01:21:59.800 it happened on the field, and so it's it's him 1706 01:22:00.239 --> 01:22:03.319 taming his wild side. But the way he's approach it's 1707 01:22:03.319 --> 01:22:06.960 been awesome understanding that, you know, I need to get 1708 01:22:06.960 --> 01:22:11.680 back into that game environment where where I'm breathing hard. 1709 01:22:11.720 --> 01:22:14.119 And so what he's done is he's teamed up with 1710 01:22:14.199 --> 01:22:17.560 our with our fitness coaches, and he's doing our double 1711 01:22:17.600 --> 01:22:20.840 session every day, and so he's really buying into the 1712 01:22:21.159 --> 01:22:23.960 you know, he feels terrible for the team, but understand 1713 01:22:23.960 --> 01:22:26.279 that feeling bad for yourself and the team is going 1714 01:22:26.319 --> 01:22:29.800 to get you in the right headspace to contribute come 1715 01:22:29.840 --> 01:22:32.760 the second playoff game. So I'm doing double sessions. He's 1716 01:22:32.760 --> 01:22:36.319 been bright in training and really positive. And again, we 1717 01:22:36.359 --> 01:22:38.800 all need moments and lives in our lives that that 1718 01:22:38.880 --> 01:22:41.279 stop our world to make us think about what we've done. 1719 01:22:41.279 --> 01:22:42.680 And I think this has been a moment in his 1720 01:22:42.720 --> 01:22:45.079 life that hopefully we won't see it again in the future. 1721 01:22:45.680 --> 01:22:47.479 So what's the plan in that spot? 1722 01:22:47.680 --> 01:22:51.479 I mean, you know, losing the hurts for several reasons, 1723 01:22:51.520 --> 01:22:53.479 not just what he brings to the back line, but 1724 01:22:53.520 --> 01:22:56.680 you use him on set pieces and you know, corner 1725 01:22:56.800 --> 01:22:59.600 kicks and then there are times where you have that 1726 01:22:59.680 --> 01:23:02.199 play in place where you play a short corner to 1727 01:23:02.279 --> 01:23:04.399 him so he can fire away with that rocket of 1728 01:23:04.439 --> 01:23:06.960 a left leg. What's the what's the plan in place 1729 01:23:07.039 --> 01:23:08.119 when when VARs out? 1730 01:23:09.159 --> 01:23:11.960 Yeah, So from an attacking standpoint where we're not going 1731 01:23:12.039 --> 01:23:13.640 to be able to make up for what he brings, 1732 01:23:13.640 --> 01:23:16.079 because you're absolutely right, he's one of our best free 1733 01:23:16.119 --> 01:23:20.920 kick takers. He's dangerous on any set piece, so unfortunately 1734 01:23:20.960 --> 01:23:23.239 we won't be able to make up for that. But 1735 01:23:23.399 --> 01:23:25.880 from a defensive standpoint, and the Philip Quinton has stepped 1736 01:23:25.880 --> 01:23:28.960 in played a really good game against San Jose, and 1737 01:23:29.000 --> 01:23:31.000 I would say some of the attributes that Philip brings 1738 01:23:31.039 --> 01:23:33.079 to the back line. Has a lot of great communication 1739 01:23:34.079 --> 01:23:37.439 and he's just really diulgent in all the little things 1740 01:23:37.479 --> 01:23:40.039 that go un noticed. His body shape. 1741 01:23:39.720 --> 01:23:43.880 Is tackling his and again his communication being is probably 1742 01:23:43.920 --> 01:23:46.640 his greatest asset to our team in real time. So 1743 01:23:47.159 --> 01:23:48.840 whilst we can't make up for some of that, I 1744 01:23:48.880 --> 01:23:50.640 think he brings other things to our group. That will 1745 01:23:50.680 --> 01:23:54.039 make us better defensively. And like I've said for the 1746 01:23:54.119 --> 01:23:56.840 last few weeks, when you get down to these these games, 1747 01:23:56.920 --> 01:23:59.279 playoff games where it's you know, everything's going to be 1748 01:23:59.319 --> 01:24:01.840 tight and can tell you want to make sure you're 1749 01:24:01.840 --> 01:24:03.479 doing all the little things right. And I think Phillips 1750 01:24:03.520 --> 01:24:04.600 the right guy for that position. 1751 01:24:05.159 --> 01:24:10.000 So how is the progress, because you know, at times 1752 01:24:10.079 --> 01:24:13.640 we have seen a tremendous amount of quality from all 1753 01:24:13.720 --> 01:24:15.680 of these players that I'll just say that are in 1754 01:24:15.760 --> 01:24:19.640 the attack were obviously chi Cho's chie Cho Anderson Julio 1755 01:24:19.720 --> 01:24:21.680 to me, has been an unsung hero all year. As 1756 01:24:21.680 --> 01:24:25.520 we've talked about Diego's Diego. We talked about Crooks last 1757 01:24:25.560 --> 01:24:28.479 week with his work rate, and then there's Diego, there's 1758 01:24:28.520 --> 01:24:32.079 the new pieces you know, obviously Lachlan and Dominic two. 1759 01:24:32.399 --> 01:24:34.760 You have a lot of options in the attack. How 1760 01:24:34.840 --> 01:24:38.159 is the progress coming and have you settled on the 1761 01:24:38.199 --> 01:24:40.880 group that you want to see either Saturday or in 1762 01:24:40.920 --> 01:24:42.399 the playoffs in attack? 1763 01:24:44.199 --> 01:24:46.920 That's that's that's a great question, and I think we're 1764 01:24:46.920 --> 01:24:50.319 still kind of formulating that. Again, Dominic not being available 1765 01:24:50.359 --> 01:24:54.239 to start this game, it will we'll kind of hamper 1766 01:24:54.279 --> 01:24:56.119 that a little bit. But I think one of the 1767 01:24:56.159 --> 01:24:57.760 things that I've realized in the last five or six 1768 01:24:57.800 --> 01:25:00.720 games is the important of Matt Crooks, and he brings 1769 01:25:00.760 --> 01:25:03.439 to life all those players around him because of all 1770 01:25:03.479 --> 01:25:05.760 the little things, all the little things he does with 1771 01:25:05.920 --> 01:25:09.800 the ball, plays simple gets, gets his players teammates involved, 1772 01:25:09.840 --> 01:25:12.319 and then defensively all the dirty work he does to 1773 01:25:12.359 --> 01:25:14.159 close things down to allow us to win the balls 1774 01:25:14.199 --> 01:25:17.840 higher for the field. So, you know, Chicho, obviously, you know, 1775 01:25:18.079 --> 01:25:20.439 we got to get him scoring the goal, and once 1776 01:25:20.479 --> 01:25:22.640 he does, I think we're going to have the best 1777 01:25:22.640 --> 01:25:26.319 striker in current form in Major League soccer. And it's 1778 01:25:26.359 --> 01:25:28.560 just that we're just hanging on that one moment where 1779 01:25:28.560 --> 01:25:30.680 the ball is the back of the net. Diego Luna 1780 01:25:30.680 --> 01:25:34.119 has been awesome in every phase of the game, and 1781 01:25:35.000 --> 01:25:38.039 just like last year, you know, he's picked up where 1782 01:25:38.079 --> 01:25:39.680 he left off at the end of last season, which 1783 01:25:39.720 --> 01:25:41.800 was carrying us into the playoffs. And you know, the 1784 01:25:41.880 --> 01:25:44.960 fantastic play he made in San Jose to steal the 1785 01:25:45.000 --> 01:25:49.159 three points is you know, uh, you know, it's reminiscent 1786 01:25:49.199 --> 01:25:51.560 of the same type of form he was in last year. 1787 01:25:51.880 --> 01:25:54.039 And then the other position, you know is either you know, 1788 01:25:54.119 --> 01:25:58.760 Dominic or Diogo and and I think depending on our opponents, 1789 01:25:58.920 --> 01:26:00.640 will have a lot to do with that. Dominic's in 1790 01:26:00.680 --> 01:26:02.399 a great run of form. You played two games with 1791 01:26:02.439 --> 01:26:05.319 the under twenty one Polish national team scored two goals, 1792 01:26:06.079 --> 01:26:07.720 so he's in a great reun of form as well. 1793 01:26:08.159 --> 01:26:11.000 And I think you know Diego today in the eleven 1794 01:26:11.079 --> 01:26:14.479 to eleven screamage that we had buried a fantastic goals. 1795 01:26:14.560 --> 01:26:17.800 So we have options. It's just I think again we 1796 01:26:18.560 --> 01:26:20.640 haven't in the last six or seven weeks been able 1797 01:26:20.680 --> 01:26:22.479 to get everyone on the field at the same time 1798 01:26:22.560 --> 01:26:26.479 because of the scheduling, because of suspensions and injuries and 1799 01:26:26.520 --> 01:26:29.000 what have you. But I think we're getting closer and closer, 1800 01:26:29.000 --> 01:26:32.840 and I think those three players have definitely solidified their 1801 01:26:32.920 --> 01:26:35.600 position within the team that earned them a bill in 1802 01:26:35.600 --> 01:26:36.560 the playoffs. 1803 01:26:37.119 --> 01:26:41.600 Obviously, a big storyline has been the battle between the 1804 01:26:41.600 --> 01:26:45.199 two keepers for that spot, and at times, as we've 1805 01:26:45.239 --> 01:26:46.920 talked about, it just simply. 1806 01:26:47.199 --> 01:26:48.119 Hasn't been good enough. 1807 01:26:48.199 --> 01:26:50.359 We are coming in though, with back to back clean 1808 01:26:50.399 --> 01:26:53.680 sheets and back to back shutouts. I'm just going to ask, 1809 01:26:53.840 --> 01:26:56.479 is the plan Zach did Zack win that job back? 1810 01:26:56.479 --> 01:26:59.119 Are we're going to see Zach on Saturday and potentially 1811 01:26:59.119 --> 01:27:01.479 moving forward into it's hopefully a deep playoff run. 1812 01:27:02.600 --> 01:27:05.439 Yeah, I'm gonna keep saying what I've been saying Spence, 1813 01:27:05.520 --> 01:27:08.319 and I don't want to jinx anything, and we're taking 1814 01:27:08.319 --> 01:27:10.439 it game by game, you know, And I think, you know, 1815 01:27:10.520 --> 01:27:13.960 the game against Austin, you saw a bit of experience. 1816 01:27:13.520 --> 01:27:15.920 As that brought to the back line. 1817 01:27:16.000 --> 01:27:18.640 Both hit the ball without the ball, and we've been 1818 01:27:18.640 --> 01:27:21.560 able to now sits the set piece problem that we 1819 01:27:21.640 --> 01:27:24.159 had just with that communication and I think his level 1820 01:27:24.239 --> 01:27:26.600 of experience and and then going to the next two 1821 01:27:26.640 --> 01:27:30.399 games where we had two shutouts that obviously it's it's 1822 01:27:30.479 --> 01:27:32.680 like the struker scoring a goal. I mean, that's that's 1823 01:27:32.680 --> 01:27:35.800 putting the cape on a goalkeeper, right, And so I 1824 01:27:35.800 --> 01:27:37.239 don't want to I don't want to get too far, 1825 01:27:37.520 --> 01:27:39.920 too far ahead of it. I feel like that's in 1826 01:27:39.960 --> 01:27:41.720 a great spot where he comes in every day and 1827 01:27:41.800 --> 01:27:45.479 earns his keep. He's training really well, and and when 1828 01:27:45.520 --> 01:27:48.399 you have experienced players that are training well, playing well, 1829 01:27:49.159 --> 01:27:51.159 they're now in a position to help leave the group, 1830 01:27:51.439 --> 01:27:53.199 which is going to be critical down the stretch. So 1831 01:27:54.279 --> 01:27:55.920 you know, we'll we'll take it one game at a time. 1832 01:27:55.920 --> 01:27:59.079 But that's been an amazing job of you know, putting 1833 01:27:59.159 --> 01:28:02.119 himself back in that the picture at the right time 1834 01:28:02.119 --> 01:28:02.600 of the season. 1835 01:28:02.600 --> 01:28:05.680 Force and I always feel the need when we hone 1836 01:28:05.680 --> 01:28:08.279 in on the keeper to follow up with the question 1837 01:28:08.560 --> 01:28:10.680 about the group in front of him, and that doesn't 1838 01:28:10.720 --> 01:28:13.680 just include the back four. And you know, a couple 1839 01:28:13.720 --> 01:28:16.720 of weeks ago when you joined US, I talked about 1840 01:28:16.760 --> 01:28:19.279 from my vantage point, seeing a work rate from Chicho 1841 01:28:19.479 --> 01:28:24.439 and Diego specifically that maybe we haven't seen consistently, you know, 1842 01:28:24.760 --> 01:28:27.520 all year long. And it's not just a keeper issue. 1843 01:28:27.560 --> 01:28:30.039 It's not just a back four issue. It's a team issue. 1844 01:28:30.079 --> 01:28:33.039 When you're not defending the right way and allowing goals 1845 01:28:33.079 --> 01:28:35.039 that are costing you points, you feel like you're getting 1846 01:28:35.039 --> 01:28:37.560 the buy in from the group to defend as a team. 1847 01:28:38.279 --> 01:28:42.159 Yes, in particular really the last two games. And again 1848 01:28:42.199 --> 01:28:43.680 I think for me, if there's a phase of the 1849 01:28:43.720 --> 01:28:47.520 game that exemplifies team, it's the defending part. It's because 1850 01:28:47.520 --> 01:28:49.880 everyone plays soccer because they want the ball, they want 1851 01:28:49.880 --> 01:28:51.319 to pass the ball, they want to dribble the ball, 1852 01:28:51.319 --> 01:28:52.479 they want to shoot the ball, and they want to 1853 01:28:52.520 --> 01:28:54.880 score it right. And that it doesn't matter if you're 1854 01:28:54.920 --> 01:28:57.079 a center backer you're a forward. Those are all things 1855 01:28:57.079 --> 01:28:59.760 that all soccer players like to do. The selfless thing 1856 01:29:00.159 --> 01:29:03.239 is working hard for the team defensively, and again the 1857 01:29:03.279 --> 01:29:05.960 guys up front, they're tasked with making the play predictable 1858 01:29:06.000 --> 01:29:07.239 for the guys in the midfield. The guys in the 1859 01:29:07.279 --> 01:29:10.159 midfielder are doing the same but also trying to win 1860 01:29:10.199 --> 01:29:11.960 balls in the midfield. And then the lap line of 1861 01:29:11.960 --> 01:29:14.920 defense is obviously the back line, and they're the ones 1862 01:29:14.960 --> 01:29:18.800 that make the goalkeepers job easy by by marking men 1863 01:29:18.840 --> 01:29:21.520 in the box, by you know, doing other little things right. 1864 01:29:21.640 --> 01:29:25.439 So again I think you know, if you were talking 1865 01:29:25.439 --> 01:29:27.039 to me a month ago, I would have said, man, 1866 01:29:27.159 --> 01:29:28.880 this is the area that we need to work on, 1867 01:29:29.119 --> 01:29:31.960 and those are areas that we've worked on. The commitment, 1868 01:29:31.960 --> 01:29:33.600 and then then you need to, like you said, the 1869 01:29:33.600 --> 01:29:36.279 buying and the commitment from the guys and and the 1870 01:29:36.279 --> 01:29:39.600 guys at front starting the teacher. I've done a fantastic job. Uh, 1871 01:29:39.720 --> 01:29:42.039 in the last few weeks have really make it adficult 1872 01:29:42.079 --> 01:29:44.199 for teams to play easy to our through our lines, 1873 01:29:44.239 --> 01:29:47.800 which then gives everyone confidence because we believe that we 1874 01:29:47.920 --> 01:29:50.039 have a great attacking group and if we can get 1875 01:29:50.039 --> 01:29:52.800 the ball in dangerous areas we will score goals. The 1876 01:29:53.079 --> 01:29:55.920 biggest prompt for us in our in the middle of 1877 01:29:55.960 --> 01:29:58.000 the sea towards a lot of part of the season 1878 01:29:58.039 --> 01:30:01.159 has been conceding so many goals that it makes it 1879 01:30:01.199 --> 01:30:04.119 almost impossible to get results because you know, if you're 1880 01:30:04.119 --> 01:30:06.520 conceding two goals, it's it's all the same to duds 1881 01:30:06.520 --> 01:30:09.760 to score three, right, So if he can keep teams 1882 01:30:09.760 --> 01:30:13.279 at bay defensively, we have the firepower, you know, to 1883 01:30:13.640 --> 01:30:15.760 get results. And I believe in the last few weeks 1884 01:30:15.800 --> 01:30:18.000 we've really turned the trus on that I know. 1885 01:30:17.920 --> 01:30:20.439 You're referenced in you know you often hear this in 1886 01:30:20.520 --> 01:30:23.239 soccer about a striker, you know, and someone is talented 1887 01:30:23.279 --> 01:30:25.640 as chie Scho. It does feel like you get one 1888 01:30:25.760 --> 01:30:28.119 and then the flood gates could open. I'm sure the 1889 01:30:28.119 --> 01:30:32.359 fan base very interested in his form in training. 1890 01:30:32.079 --> 01:30:32.880 How he's looked. 1891 01:30:33.159 --> 01:30:36.520 I mean, during that fifteen game on Beaten Streak, Bob says, 1892 01:30:36.520 --> 01:30:39.560 as referenced before, if he only scored once, it felt 1893 01:30:39.560 --> 01:30:41.359 like he had a down game because he was just 1894 01:30:41.399 --> 01:30:42.239 so dominant. 1895 01:30:43.039 --> 01:30:46.119 So how's he looking, how's he sound and has his head? 1896 01:30:46.199 --> 01:30:47.079 Is he ready to roll? 1897 01:30:48.079 --> 01:30:48.920 Yeah? I know he is. 1898 01:30:49.680 --> 01:30:53.039 Again the last three sessions in particular have been dynamic. 1899 01:30:53.640 --> 01:30:55.880 And one of the you know, objective metrics that we 1900 01:30:56.000 --> 01:30:59.399 use is obviously the GPS data. So how much sprinting, 1901 01:30:59.399 --> 01:31:03.079 how much highs be running and and it's it's it's 1902 01:31:03.159 --> 01:31:07.159 amazing how there's a correlation between strikers that run hard 1903 01:31:07.279 --> 01:31:09.720 and sprint a lot with their goal production. 1904 01:31:10.079 --> 01:31:12.000 Right. So we sat down and we talked about all 1905 01:31:12.039 --> 01:31:14.560 these things, and after each session, you know, Chicho has 1906 01:31:14.560 --> 01:31:17.960 been going with the fitness coaches and looking at his data, 1907 01:31:18.279 --> 01:31:20.960 you know, and I think that's the type of commitment 1908 01:31:22.199 --> 01:31:25.079 that that that we had when teacher was scoring a 1909 01:31:25.079 --> 01:31:27.520 ton of goals, right, And it's really easy to get 1910 01:31:27.760 --> 01:31:29.800 down on you when things aren't happening, but it's it's 1911 01:31:29.840 --> 01:31:33.000 also important from a coaching perspective to reinforce those habits 1912 01:31:33.039 --> 01:31:35.760 and those behaviors that put them in those positions to 1913 01:31:35.800 --> 01:31:39.000 score those goals. And so he's been, uh, you know, 1914 01:31:40.279 --> 01:31:43.439 above average all those metrics, and that's for everyone on 1915 01:31:43.479 --> 01:31:46.079 the field. And when chi Jo's operating in that place, 1916 01:31:46.479 --> 01:31:48.439 there's it's only a matter of time before you know, 1917 01:31:48.640 --> 01:31:49.920 the ball hits to the back of the net. And 1918 01:31:49.960 --> 01:31:52.560 then once that starts happening, you know, I'd hate to be, 1919 01:31:52.880 --> 01:31:54.760 you know, the defender on the other side of the field. 1920 01:31:55.920 --> 01:31:59.319 What would setting the single season point record mean to you? 1921 01:31:59.680 --> 01:32:02.800 I mean, as we've talked about, Jason had four or 1922 01:32:02.800 --> 01:32:03.319 five real. 1923 01:32:03.239 --> 01:32:04.520 Elite, elite years here. 1924 01:32:05.199 --> 01:32:07.840 Uh, and you know, if you guys get three on Saturday, 1925 01:32:08.359 --> 01:32:11.640 by any measurable metric, you're the most successful regular season 1926 01:32:11.720 --> 01:32:14.439 team in RSL history. Now you want, you want to 1927 01:32:14.439 --> 01:32:17.000 lift trophies, and you know there's no trophies for setting 1928 01:32:17.000 --> 01:32:19.600 that record, but what would what what would that feather 1929 01:32:19.680 --> 01:32:20.560 in the cap mean to you. 1930 01:32:20.520 --> 01:32:21.039 And your group? 1931 01:32:22.439 --> 01:32:25.359 Well, again, I think it just validates the process that 1932 01:32:25.399 --> 01:32:26.880 we have to get to where we want to go. 1933 01:32:27.239 --> 01:32:29.319 You know, I think every year that I've been here, 1934 01:32:29.319 --> 01:32:34.000 we've we've improved in in in that place where we're 1935 01:32:34.079 --> 01:32:36.079 we're getting more points, we're in a better position in 1936 01:32:36.119 --> 01:32:39.119 the playoffs. And you know, unfortunately spent the special sports 1937 01:32:39.119 --> 01:32:42.159 that no one has time, right, everyone wants it now. 1938 01:32:42.640 --> 01:32:45.920 And your truth is in life is that everything takes time. 1939 01:32:46.159 --> 01:32:49.399 And what what what takes time is formulating a process 1940 01:32:49.479 --> 01:32:52.319 that that will breed success. Because again, you can have 1941 01:32:52.359 --> 01:32:54.279 a one off year where you finished eighth and you 1942 01:32:54.359 --> 01:32:56.920 win an VLS Cup. Right, you can have that, and 1943 01:32:56.920 --> 01:32:58.640 we have that in Colorado. I think you've been a 1944 01:32:58.720 --> 01:33:01.319 seventh and we of winning them Moss Cups, but then 1945 01:33:01.359 --> 01:33:03.279 the next year we struggle to get out of the 1946 01:33:03.319 --> 01:33:06.159 first round. And so I think the most important thing 1947 01:33:06.199 --> 01:33:10.600 from a coaching perspective is here, here's the formula to 1948 01:33:10.600 --> 01:33:12.119 get us to where we want to go. And if 1949 01:33:12.159 --> 01:33:15.199 we can get players playing one to two percent greater 1950 01:33:15.239 --> 01:33:18.359 than anyone else thought they could, and we do that 1951 01:33:18.399 --> 01:33:21.039 as a collective, then we're here to today. We will 1952 01:33:21.079 --> 01:33:23.199 always be at the top. We'll always because we have, 1953 01:33:24.159 --> 01:33:26.319 you know, the blueprint of what it takes to be 1954 01:33:26.399 --> 01:33:29.039 a team, what it takes to be successful, and one 1955 01:33:29.079 --> 01:33:31.039 off games, what you know, and all these lessons that 1956 01:33:31.079 --> 01:33:33.640 we've learned over the years and applying it in real time. 1957 01:33:33.680 --> 01:33:35.880 And so for me, that's what that that's what that means. 1958 01:33:35.960 --> 01:33:38.479 It means that the processes that we have in place 1959 01:33:39.000 --> 01:33:41.760 are are working, and that we just need to double 1960 01:33:41.800 --> 01:33:44.359 down all the little things that will keep us in 1961 01:33:44.399 --> 01:33:47.479 the in in that uh in that top three, top 1962 01:33:47.600 --> 01:33:49.079 two every single year in the West. 1963 01:33:50.199 --> 01:33:55.199 You know, sometimes players leave under try and circumstances, and 1964 01:33:55.239 --> 01:34:00.000 sometimes players leave and they're not necessarily thought of fondly then, 1965 01:34:00.000 --> 01:34:03.239 And sometimes there's Demir Crylock, who just simply is beloved 1966 01:34:03.239 --> 01:34:06.880 by everybody, and I would say is on everyone's RSL 1967 01:34:06.960 --> 01:34:08.479 Mount Rushmore and you. 1968 01:34:08.399 --> 01:34:09.760 Know, anecdotally, Pablo. 1969 01:34:10.279 --> 01:34:12.479 A couple of years ago, when I was down at 1970 01:34:12.479 --> 01:34:15.840 a playoff match for you guys, Demir pulled me aside 1971 01:34:15.920 --> 01:34:18.279 and said, hey, thank you for interviewing. 1972 01:34:17.760 --> 01:34:21.119 Me all year. And I was like, what, Like, who 1973 01:34:21.439 --> 01:34:21.960 does that? 1974 01:34:22.119 --> 01:34:24.239 I mean, I don't think I've ever had a player 1975 01:34:24.920 --> 01:34:28.039 on any team on any level pulled me aside to 1976 01:34:28.119 --> 01:34:30.279 say thank because look, man, I know the deal. I'm 1977 01:34:30.279 --> 01:34:31.600 sure you got the text from trend to day and 1978 01:34:31.600 --> 01:34:33.600 You're like, dude, are you serious? Like, I know you 1979 01:34:33.640 --> 01:34:36.880 guys don't want to do this. I'm under no you know, 1980 01:34:37.000 --> 01:34:39.199 false pretense. I've been on the team side and the 1981 01:34:39.239 --> 01:34:42.239 media side, and that just blew me away. But that's 1982 01:34:42.359 --> 01:34:44.319 kind of who he is as he comes back. What 1983 01:34:44.359 --> 01:34:46.520 would you say about the former captain of RSL. 1984 01:34:47.640 --> 01:34:53.439 Yeah, I think he's one of the most professional people, right, 1985 01:34:53.520 --> 01:34:57.520 and I guess one of the most one of the 1986 01:34:57.560 --> 01:35:02.239 best character people I've been around a professional sports and 1987 01:35:02.239 --> 01:35:04.319 and I think you said it right where. I think 1988 01:35:04.359 --> 01:35:06.880 gratitude is always the best statitude, and I think he 1989 01:35:07.000 --> 01:35:10.119 is so grateful for this opportunity to be a professional 1990 01:35:10.159 --> 01:35:13.399 athlete and does not take one single day for granted, 1991 01:35:13.640 --> 01:35:16.159 whether it's with the media side, whether it's with the 1992 01:35:16.199 --> 01:35:19.239 foundation and given to the people in the community, whether 1993 01:35:19.279 --> 01:35:22.399 it's his teammates and holding a standard that is so 1994 01:35:22.680 --> 01:35:24.800 hard for him to hold that he knows it's what's 1995 01:35:24.880 --> 01:35:27.680 that's for the group and for himself. And so you know, 1996 01:35:27.920 --> 01:35:30.439 he's he's one of these one in a million guys. 1997 01:35:30.479 --> 01:35:34.399 He's almost a dinosaur anymore because the next generation they're 1998 01:35:34.520 --> 01:35:38.359 very human far between. And so you know, I've I've 1999 01:35:38.399 --> 01:35:42.319 had nothing but wonderful experiences and memories with Dommy. He's had, 2000 01:35:42.960 --> 01:35:47.119 you know, a big impact on me as a coach, 2001 01:35:47.600 --> 01:35:50.520 and having to have difficult conversations with him and look 2002 01:35:50.600 --> 01:35:53.199 him in the eyes and seeing that he's given everything 2003 01:35:53.239 --> 01:35:55.119 for the club and and still having to make a 2004 01:35:55.159 --> 01:35:58.359 decision you know you're not going to start this weekend. 2005 01:35:58.399 --> 01:36:01.039 He goes, Listen, I respect your opinion. I'm grateful for 2006 01:36:01.079 --> 01:36:04.640 the honesty and the transparency, and so everything he does 2007 01:36:04.760 --> 01:36:09.920 is with just a top class character and understanding and 2008 01:36:10.079 --> 01:36:12.279 like I said, he's one of the few. He's one 2009 01:36:12.279 --> 01:36:15.039 of the few that still remain in the game, and 2010 01:36:15.880 --> 01:36:17.600 it's always great to see him. So it'll be great 2011 01:36:17.600 --> 01:36:18.439 to see him this weekend. 2012 01:36:19.359 --> 01:36:22.159 So we find ourselves in an inner Wait real quick, 2013 01:36:22.199 --> 01:36:23.560 when you got the text from Trey. 2014 01:36:23.439 --> 01:36:25.680 Were you bummed or are you really excited? Let's let's 2015 01:36:25.680 --> 01:36:26.000 be honest. 2016 01:36:26.119 --> 01:36:28.479 I was really excited to spend anytime Trey goes, hey, 2017 01:36:28.800 --> 01:36:30.600 can you get on with Spence at four? I'm like, yeah, 2018 01:36:30.680 --> 01:36:31.279 four or five? 2019 01:36:31.399 --> 01:36:32.239 Six? You tell me? 2020 01:36:32.600 --> 01:36:34.399 All right, man, all right, you don't have to tell 2021 01:36:34.439 --> 01:36:36.279 me the truth. It's all good. I always appreciate your 2022 01:36:36.279 --> 01:36:39.239 time no matter what. You know that. But coming up. 2023 01:36:39.199 --> 01:36:44.159 On Saturday night, you guys and Seattle, who are tied 2024 01:36:44.239 --> 01:36:47.279 and potentially could move up to third, are taking on 2025 01:36:47.399 --> 01:36:50.159 Vancouver and Portland, who are both trying to avoid the 2026 01:36:50.199 --> 01:36:50.920 wild card. 2027 01:36:50.960 --> 01:36:53.279 It's pretty wild the way this thing has played out. 2028 01:36:53.760 --> 01:36:57.079 So you do you have Trey with Apple TV behind 2029 01:36:57.119 --> 01:36:59.880 the bench updating you do you not want to know anything? 2030 01:37:00.159 --> 01:37:01.720 Just go get your three? I mean, how do you 2031 01:37:01.760 --> 01:37:03.439 handle the final match? 2032 01:37:04.399 --> 01:37:05.760 Yeah? No, I think again. 2033 01:37:05.800 --> 01:37:07.600 I think it's it's one of the things we talk 2034 01:37:07.640 --> 01:37:10.880 about incessantly, and here is controlling the controllables, and the 2035 01:37:10.920 --> 01:37:14.039 only thing our control is the way we perform that 2036 01:37:14.079 --> 01:37:16.359 hopefully puts us in a position get to get a 2037 01:37:16.359 --> 01:37:16.960 great result. 2038 01:37:17.359 --> 01:37:19.680 And so even using this last game, it's not like 2039 01:37:20.159 --> 01:37:23.079 whether we win or we lose, you know, it's not like, ah, 2040 01:37:23.119 --> 01:37:26.319 we win, and so we were finished. It's like, no, 2041 01:37:26.319 --> 01:37:28.560 now we're starting again. Now we're starting a whole different 2042 01:37:28.600 --> 01:37:31.800 series with the playoffs, right, So I think for us 2043 01:37:31.840 --> 01:37:34.479 it's really about taking the things that we've applied these 2044 01:37:34.560 --> 01:37:36.640 last couple of weeks and being more threatening in front 2045 01:37:36.680 --> 01:37:39.399 of goal, being good in front of our box to defend. 2046 01:37:40.479 --> 01:37:42.520 And so that's the way. That's why I don't even 2047 01:37:42.560 --> 01:37:45.039 want to know what goes on in the other games, 2048 01:37:45.039 --> 01:37:47.479 because it has really nothing to do of how we 2049 01:37:47.560 --> 01:37:50.760 approach the following week. So, you know, we played well 2050 01:37:50.880 --> 01:37:53.039 this game, we put ourselves in a position to get 2051 01:37:53.039 --> 01:37:55.159 a result. That's the only thing I care about, because 2052 01:37:55.239 --> 01:37:57.680 then we can take that performance, we can review it, 2053 01:37:57.800 --> 01:38:00.399 we can apply whatever training sessions we need to really 2054 01:38:00.399 --> 01:38:03.399 focus on those little minute details and then attack the 2055 01:38:03.439 --> 01:38:07.359 playoffs full of bigger and desire and belief and and 2056 01:38:07.359 --> 01:38:09.399 and make a real, real good run in in this 2057 01:38:09.439 --> 01:38:11.000 playoff series, all right. 2058 01:38:10.920 --> 01:38:12.000 Before I set you loose. 2059 01:38:12.439 --> 01:38:16.079 If the playoffs started today, as you know, you would 2060 01:38:16.119 --> 01:38:18.680 play Houston at this point, is it was just like 2061 01:38:18.840 --> 01:38:21.680 screw it, let's just go get it done. Or is 2062 01:38:22.000 --> 01:38:24.359 that a matchup do you really want to avoid? Like 2063 01:38:24.520 --> 01:38:27.640 obviously the past, you know, number of matches have been 2064 01:38:27.720 --> 01:38:30.520 rough and maybe it's just a bad matchup. But I mean, 2065 01:38:30.560 --> 01:38:32.600 at this point, you're just like, it doesn't matter who's 2066 01:38:32.600 --> 01:38:34.119 in front of us, or do you really care about 2067 01:38:34.119 --> 01:38:34.960 who the matchup is? 2068 01:38:35.600 --> 01:38:36.920 No, I really don't care. 2069 01:38:37.199 --> 01:38:39.199 And and again I think if I'm a player in 2070 01:38:39.199 --> 01:38:41.640 that locker room, if there's a team that I want 2071 01:38:41.640 --> 01:38:43.840 to face the way I look at it from my 2072 01:38:43.920 --> 01:38:45.640 experience as the player, and it might not be the 2073 01:38:45.640 --> 01:38:49.479 same today, but I would say, let's let's go get 2074 01:38:49.520 --> 01:38:50.000 these guys. 2075 01:38:50.000 --> 01:38:50.199 Man. 2076 01:38:50.359 --> 01:38:52.880 Let's we got We got two of the three games 2077 01:38:52.880 --> 01:38:55.840 if you need them at home. When they came here, 2078 01:38:56.199 --> 01:38:58.560 I think we won five to two or something like that. 2079 01:38:58.640 --> 01:39:00.960 It was a you know, we had a really good game. 2080 01:39:02.479 --> 01:39:05.159 And so homefield is a big thing. So that's what 2081 01:39:05.199 --> 01:39:07.479 we've worked so hard all season for. And so if 2082 01:39:07.520 --> 01:39:10.359 it is Houston, you know, They're a fantastic team. They're 2083 01:39:10.359 --> 01:39:12.880 obviously a difficult team to play, especially away from home. 2084 01:39:13.319 --> 01:39:14.079 But I feel like. 2085 01:39:14.439 --> 01:39:16.239 If we're you know, if that's who we face in 2086 01:39:16.279 --> 01:39:18.960 the first round and we can overcome this group of 2087 01:39:18.960 --> 01:39:22.159 players that that have causes so much grief this year 2088 01:39:22.199 --> 01:39:25.399 and last year, I think, uh, there's there's there's no 2089 01:39:25.439 --> 01:39:27.920 one that that that will be scary moving forwards. So 2090 01:39:27.960 --> 01:39:30.079 I think you want to win, you gotta beat the 2091 01:39:30.119 --> 01:39:33.079 best teams, and so grew better to do it than 2092 01:39:33.159 --> 01:39:36.239 Houston in front of our home base at. 2093 01:39:36.119 --> 01:39:42.000 The Riot, cold chilly night. Let's go. I'm excited for it. 2094 01:39:42.600 --> 01:39:45.399 All right, brother, Well fall soccer is always my favorite. 2095 01:39:45.439 --> 01:39:48.000 So excited for what's next. Best of luck on Saturday 2096 01:39:48.039 --> 01:39:49.000 and always calling for you. 2097 01:39:49.039 --> 01:39:51.840 Okay, thanks, Man's appreciate it, Buch. 2098 01:39:51.880 --> 01:39:54.840 All right, Pablo Master, Runny Aresel head coach, back in 2099 01:39:54.920 --> 01:39:56.199 action coming up this weekend. 2100 01:39:56.239 --> 01:39:57.119 With a lot on the line. 2101 01:39:57.239 --> 01:40:00.520 Rsel can still move up to third potential, but they 2102 01:40:00.520 --> 01:40:02.800 have locked in a home playoff match and the opponent 2103 01:40:02.880 --> 01:40:03.880 is to be determined. 2104 01:40:04.720 --> 01:40:04.960 All Right. 2105 01:40:04.960 --> 01:40:08.439 We're live today at beer Bar right downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, 2106 01:40:08.680 --> 01:40:11.359 at one sixty one East two hundred South. We are 2107 01:40:11.399 --> 01:40:15.840 giving away VIP passes for our ESPN seven hundred Ultimate 2108 01:40:15.880 --> 01:40:19.560 Tailgate Experience prior to the Utah TCU game on Saturday. 2109 01:40:20.319 --> 01:40:23.039 Porter will be doing the Utah pregame show live from 2110 01:40:23.079 --> 01:40:24.920 the tailgate starting at four thirty. 2111 01:40:24.960 --> 01:40:28.399 All roll by as well. It's a lot of fun, man. 2112 01:40:28.439 --> 01:40:31.159 We have free food from Wingers, we have spirits from 2113 01:40:31.199 --> 01:40:34.479 Clearwater to Stilling, and we're giving away two passes per 2114 01:40:34.479 --> 01:40:37.399 person while supplies last, just for stopping in and saying hi. 2115 01:40:37.399 --> 01:40:40.319 Here at Beer Bar one sixty one East two hundred 2116 01:40:40.399 --> 01:40:44.760 South right downtown Salt Lake. You can see every RSL 2117 01:40:44.840 --> 01:40:47.680 match here. It's the only sports bar in Salt Lake 2118 01:40:47.760 --> 01:40:50.880 with no blackouts because they do have Apple TV. Our 2119 01:40:50.920 --> 01:40:54.680 next guest likes beer and soccer, yet he's not here 2120 01:40:55.279 --> 01:40:58.439 at beer Bar, which hurts my feelings since Andy Larsen 2121 01:40:58.479 --> 01:41:00.199 from the Tribune, where are you, dude? 2122 01:41:00.880 --> 01:41:03.239 Yeah, that's there. I would have liked to come out, 2123 01:41:03.239 --> 01:41:05.279 but I had a meeting, a three o'clock meeting and 2124 01:41:05.319 --> 01:41:08.039 a six o'clock meeting, and I can't. I had to. 2125 01:41:08.079 --> 01:41:09.560 I had to do this one from home, So sorry 2126 01:41:09.560 --> 01:41:09.960 about that. 2127 01:41:10.119 --> 01:41:12.520 Were your meetings at Juniors or what's what's the deal. 2128 01:41:14.199 --> 01:41:15.800 Hey, that's only on Mondays and Friday. 2129 01:41:16.119 --> 01:41:17.520 Okay, fair enough, fair enough? 2130 01:41:18.439 --> 01:41:21.840 All right, Andy, safe to say that the preseason has 2131 01:41:21.920 --> 01:41:25.239 been somewhat encouraging for the Utah Jazz, for a team 2132 01:41:25.279 --> 01:41:28.840 that's not getting a lot of buzz both locally and nationally. 2133 01:41:29.039 --> 01:41:30.560 Yeah, last night was a fun game. 2134 01:41:30.600 --> 01:41:33.640 What has stood out most to you throughout the preseason 2135 01:41:33.640 --> 01:41:35.640 which will wrap up coming up on Friday. 2136 01:41:36.760 --> 01:41:38.439 Yeah, you know, I think there's a few things. I 2137 01:41:38.479 --> 01:41:42.000 think one, the defense does look better right now, and 2138 01:41:42.039 --> 01:41:44.239 it's start to know how much of that is preseason 2139 01:41:44.239 --> 01:41:47.920 teams taking it easy on the Jazz. You know who's 2140 01:41:47.920 --> 01:41:49.840 out there on the floor. Frankly, they're playing a lot 2141 01:41:49.880 --> 01:41:53.640 less John Collins and a lot more Walker Kessler. But 2142 01:41:54.159 --> 01:41:57.359 that being said, there they're sixteenth in league defensively through 2143 01:41:57.399 --> 01:42:00.000 the preseason, which is a lot better than twenty nine 2144 01:42:00.199 --> 01:42:03.359 or thirtieth that they were last season. So, I you know, 2145 01:42:03.439 --> 01:42:05.840 I think they've taken a step there on transition D 2146 01:42:06.000 --> 01:42:09.600 and really kind of staying and finishing throughout a play. 2147 01:42:09.760 --> 01:42:11.760 And then you know, I think there have been some 2148 01:42:11.840 --> 01:42:15.039 kind of promising steps forward taken from the young guys. 2149 01:42:15.039 --> 01:42:18.039 I mean, I think conty George has looked really good. 2150 01:42:18.079 --> 01:42:21.199 I think Taylor Hendrick looks significantly bigger and maybe ready 2151 01:42:21.239 --> 01:42:23.199 to contribute kind of at a role player level, not 2152 01:42:23.359 --> 01:42:25.920 as a star or anything, but at a higher level 2153 01:42:25.960 --> 01:42:28.600 than he did last year. And you know, Cody Williams 2154 01:42:28.640 --> 01:42:31.560 looks like a pretty good kind of fit in right 2155 01:42:31.600 --> 01:42:34.560 now kind of player and we'll see obviously how he develops. 2156 01:42:34.600 --> 01:42:37.319 But I don't think he's taking anything off the table 2157 01:42:37.399 --> 01:42:39.159 right now, which is pretty rare as a rookie. So 2158 01:42:40.399 --> 01:42:42.840 you know, I think there's some some good stuff going 2159 01:42:42.840 --> 01:42:45.880 on here that maybe says, hey, this isn't a fifteen 2160 01:42:45.960 --> 01:42:48.800 to twenty win team, this is a thirty win team. 2161 01:42:48.840 --> 01:42:52.000 And you know, again we'll see what that means if 2162 01:42:52.039 --> 01:42:54.600 preseason is real. But the the I A would say 2163 01:42:54.600 --> 01:42:56.319 they've played better than expected so far. 2164 01:42:57.039 --> 01:42:59.800 So what have you You referenced Walker playing a little 2165 01:42:59.800 --> 01:43:03.159 bit more than John and I hope that continues. But 2166 01:43:03.239 --> 01:43:07.640 from both the starting lineup and benchmit a distribution, any 2167 01:43:07.720 --> 01:43:11.640 surprises about Will's preferred rotation so far? And what are 2168 01:43:11.640 --> 01:43:13.800 your main takeaways from the players that we're actually going 2169 01:43:13.840 --> 01:43:14.279 to see? 2170 01:43:15.239 --> 01:43:18.279 Yeah, I mean, I think the takeaway is that there 2171 01:43:18.399 --> 01:43:21.520 is like a real youth movement here, but they're not 2172 01:43:21.560 --> 01:43:25.159 going necessarily all the way in right like, so you 2173 01:43:25.199 --> 01:43:27.159 know that they it does seem like they're going to 2174 01:43:27.199 --> 01:43:30.359 play the callier over Patty Mills. It does look like that, 2175 01:43:30.520 --> 01:43:33.239 like me, Michale, you kin grew you Banks aren't going 2176 01:43:33.239 --> 01:43:37.319 to play right away. I do think that it's notable 2177 01:43:37.359 --> 01:43:39.560 that you know, like Bright sent the bass and the rotation, 2178 01:43:39.680 --> 01:43:43.159 even though he hasn't looked brilliant, you know, I think 2179 01:43:43.199 --> 01:43:45.199 there is a lot of youth there, but there's still 2180 01:43:45.279 --> 01:43:47.199 you know, there's still kind of the four veterans on 2181 01:43:47.239 --> 01:43:50.560 the roster who do kind of demand playing time. Obviously 2182 01:43:50.640 --> 01:43:52.520 Lowry's one of them in part of the future core, 2183 01:43:52.640 --> 01:43:57.319 but Colin Sexton, John Collins, and Jordan Clarkson are guys 2184 01:43:57.319 --> 01:44:00.000 that probably don't match up with that timeline and probably 2185 01:44:00.079 --> 01:44:02.960 they would like to move on from at some point. 2186 01:44:03.000 --> 01:44:04.760 And so I think that's a that's the real question 2187 01:44:04.880 --> 01:44:08.119 we'll see during the regular season. It's like can they 2188 01:44:08.159 --> 01:44:10.600 trade them or you know, are there any buyers that 2189 01:44:10.760 --> 01:44:14.039 at kind of some relatively large salaries for those guys, 2190 01:44:14.199 --> 01:44:19.399 or do they instead kind of play the load management 2191 01:44:19.520 --> 01:44:22.439 make up injuries game to make room for the likes 2192 01:44:22.439 --> 01:44:25.359 of Kyle Philipowski, who is a d M p CD 2193 01:44:25.720 --> 01:44:28.239 in a preseason game last night. You know, I think 2194 01:44:28.560 --> 01:44:30.560 that that's going to be kind of interesting to see 2195 01:44:30.600 --> 01:44:32.720 how that that really plays out, because I think there 2196 01:44:32.760 --> 01:44:36.720 are kind of eleven guys at least who probably kind 2197 01:44:36.720 --> 01:44:40.439 of demands time on this roster and probably nine or 2198 01:44:40.439 --> 01:44:41.920 ten rotation spots to put them in. 2199 01:44:42.840 --> 01:44:45.880 Walker last night four blocks, nine boards. This is a 2200 01:44:45.920 --> 01:44:50.279 big year for Walker Kestler. Oftentimes, you know, year three, 2201 01:44:50.840 --> 01:44:54.279 it's when teams more often than not, are deciding on options. 2202 01:44:54.319 --> 01:44:56.079 You know, for that didn't get his picked up for 2203 01:44:56.159 --> 01:44:59.720 the Kings after year three. Most of the time rookies 2204 01:44:59.760 --> 01:45:02.560 do have that option picked up. It's pretty rare, and 2205 01:45:02.600 --> 01:45:05.039 I'm not saying Walker's not going to but year three 2206 01:45:06.079 --> 01:45:10.000 more often than not for most players outside of unicorns 2207 01:45:10.079 --> 01:45:13.680 like Lebron and Wembin Yama, you got to figure out 2208 01:45:13.720 --> 01:45:16.239 whether or not this is gonna be a rotational piece 2209 01:45:16.239 --> 01:45:18.720 for you moving forward, and whether or not you have 2210 01:45:18.960 --> 01:45:21.239 just a benchwarmer in the league, or is this a 2211 01:45:21.239 --> 01:45:23.680 guy you can start and rely upon to anchor your defense. 2212 01:45:24.000 --> 01:45:26.359 I've not really changed my calculus on him. I mean, 2213 01:45:26.399 --> 01:45:29.039 the numbers dipped a little bit last year, but it 2214 01:45:29.079 --> 01:45:31.560 wasn't like a precipitous dip. It was just minor here 2215 01:45:31.640 --> 01:45:33.920 or there, But it was clear that he didn't take 2216 01:45:33.960 --> 01:45:36.800 a step up from year one to year two. Have 2217 01:45:36.920 --> 01:45:39.680 you seen enough in the preseason to give you confidence 2218 01:45:39.720 --> 01:45:42.079 that we will see a positive step from Walker year 2219 01:45:42.119 --> 01:45:43.479 two to year three. 2220 01:45:44.520 --> 01:45:47.079 Yeah, I think a little bit of one. And I 2221 01:45:47.119 --> 01:45:49.640 guess I'm not saying huge stripes or anything like that. 2222 01:45:49.960 --> 01:45:52.039 And I still think, honestly, the biggest thing that would 2223 01:45:52.079 --> 01:45:55.920 help Walker would be playing with a top level point guard. 2224 01:45:56.000 --> 01:45:57.640 You know, I think, honestly, he just looked a lot 2225 01:45:57.640 --> 01:46:00.399 better in that rookie season in large part was playing 2226 01:46:00.399 --> 01:46:03.439 with Mike Conley, who could deliver lob passes, who you know, 2227 01:46:03.479 --> 01:46:06.399 compared to Kanty George, who's not strad that right. But 2228 01:46:07.800 --> 01:46:09.720 that being said, I do think he's playing with a 2229 01:46:09.720 --> 01:46:13.439 little bit more physicality. Will Hardy said that he thought 2230 01:46:13.560 --> 01:46:17.680 the Decreaseason game against Dallas was the best rebounding game 2231 01:46:17.800 --> 01:46:21.039 of his Jazz career and picked up fifteen rebounds including 2232 01:46:21.079 --> 01:46:23.239 five offensives in that game. You know, I thought he 2233 01:46:23.359 --> 01:46:25.640 was I agree with Will. I thought he was very 2234 01:46:25.680 --> 01:46:28.439 good in that game, and I do think, you know, 2235 01:46:28.520 --> 01:46:30.880 he made a big defensive impact last night and what 2236 01:46:31.159 --> 01:46:33.680 was ninety five percent of a regular season game with 2237 01:46:33.760 --> 01:46:37.960 the Kings playing four starters over thirty six minutes, So yeah, 2238 01:46:38.039 --> 01:46:41.000 you know, I think ultimately like that is, the question 2239 01:46:41.039 --> 01:46:43.239 with Walker is not whether or not he's an NBA player, 2240 01:46:43.279 --> 01:46:45.960 he definitely is. It's whether or not he is a 2241 01:46:46.199 --> 01:46:49.279 starter or a bench guy, right and and really, how 2242 01:46:49.319 --> 01:46:51.279 much do you want to pay him on that extension 2243 01:46:51.760 --> 01:46:54.840 in those extension talks starting next season? And I think 2244 01:46:56.760 --> 01:46:59.800 most likely is that he's kind of a tweener in 2245 01:46:59.800 --> 01:47:01.760 that way and that you know, he's someone who you 2246 01:47:01.800 --> 01:47:05.000 can start defensively, but maybe he doesn't have the offensive 2247 01:47:05.000 --> 01:47:07.319 skill set that you feel really great about doing that, 2248 01:47:07.800 --> 01:47:09.880 and maybe a player worth in the end of fifteen 2249 01:47:09.880 --> 01:47:12.199 million dollar range. But yeah, he gets to determine that 2250 01:47:12.680 --> 01:47:15.079 based on how this season goes for him. And you know, 2251 01:47:15.119 --> 01:47:18.039 I think again, I'm thinking kind of small steps there 2252 01:47:18.079 --> 01:47:21.079 with improved physicality on the glass, a little bit better screening, 2253 01:47:21.159 --> 01:47:24.279 a little bit better hands, but it's not anything I 2254 01:47:24.319 --> 01:47:26.880 think fundamentally changes who he is as a player. 2255 01:47:27.600 --> 01:47:31.279 How has Taylor fit in next to him and obviously 2256 01:47:31.359 --> 01:47:34.439 lowry and what do you what do you anticipate from 2257 01:47:34.479 --> 01:47:37.359 Taylor all year long? I mean, the measurables have always 2258 01:47:37.359 --> 01:47:42.159 stood out, and the experience he gained last year. Oftentimes, 2259 01:47:42.520 --> 01:47:44.359 even as a young player with not a lot of 2260 01:47:44.359 --> 01:47:48.600 experience guarding the other team's best wing, can he grow 2261 01:47:48.720 --> 01:47:52.920 into a legitimate defensive stopper that will can use on 2262 01:47:53.199 --> 01:47:55.359 dynamic offensive wings from other teams? 2263 01:47:55.399 --> 01:47:56.880 And you think we'll see that this year? 2264 01:47:58.359 --> 01:48:00.399 I you know, I think he can, but I don't 2265 01:48:00.399 --> 01:48:03.279 think he's there now from a game processing point of view. 2266 01:48:03.279 --> 01:48:06.840 I think, first of all, teams aren't going to be 2267 01:48:06.840 --> 01:48:09.119 guarding him right Like, there's just not enough confidence in 2268 01:48:09.159 --> 01:48:13.520 his overall offensive game. Uh. Frankly, the the the handle 2269 01:48:13.600 --> 01:48:16.199 I think is his weakest point right now as a player, 2270 01:48:16.319 --> 01:48:19.800 Like he just can't be, you know, trusted to dribble 2271 01:48:19.960 --> 01:48:24.159 to create on his own, even just against closeouts. So, uh, 2272 01:48:24.439 --> 01:48:27.399 you know, that's an obvious improven point. I think he 2273 01:48:27.439 --> 01:48:30.520 can knock down threes relatively well, and I think he 2274 01:48:30.560 --> 01:48:33.439 can stay in front defensively against pretty good players. But 2275 01:48:33.479 --> 01:48:36.439 I don't think you think he's an elite stopper by 2276 01:48:36.439 --> 01:48:38.680 any means at this point in his career, and you know, 2277 01:48:39.199 --> 01:48:41.319 that still makes sense. He's still young, he's still just 2278 01:48:41.359 --> 01:48:43.800 in his second year, and Jazz knew that this would 2279 01:48:43.800 --> 01:48:46.640 be a project. But I do think that, uh, you know, 2280 01:48:46.680 --> 01:48:48.840 if you're expecting him to be a stopper this year, 2281 01:48:48.960 --> 01:48:51.600 that's that's going to be optimistic. You're you're you're looking 2282 01:48:51.640 --> 01:48:55.319 for flashes of development and kind of continual development and 2283 01:48:55.399 --> 01:48:59.000 his ability to read the game and make those kind 2284 01:48:59.000 --> 01:49:02.000 of plays. I do think he looks significantly bigger and 2285 01:49:02.079 --> 01:49:04.159 older this year, right Like I do think like just 2286 01:49:04.600 --> 01:49:07.800 his body grew up a little bit, and I think 2287 01:49:07.880 --> 01:49:10.520 we're seeing some of the benefits of that in preseason, 2288 01:49:10.640 --> 01:49:12.680 but he's still kind of struggling to impact the game 2289 01:49:13.159 --> 01:49:16.319 on a possession by possession basis. It's more about flashes 2290 01:49:16.399 --> 01:49:19.640 right now rather than about putting together a full you know, 2291 01:49:19.880 --> 01:49:22.600 twenty four or thirty minutes whatever he's going to end 2292 01:49:22.720 --> 01:49:24.399 up getting in regular season actions. 2293 01:49:24.680 --> 01:49:28.760 So is there a chance, Andy? You know, ultimately I 2294 01:49:28.840 --> 01:49:30.000 don't believe this. 2295 01:49:29.960 --> 01:49:33.319 Team has a shot to make the playoffs, but is 2296 01:49:33.359 --> 01:49:36.119 there a chance as a result of some of the 2297 01:49:36.159 --> 01:49:38.239 teams in the league that have aged out a little 2298 01:49:38.279 --> 01:49:41.920 bit and also the dynamic of simply players not showing 2299 01:49:42.039 --> 01:49:44.279 up in Salt Lake City, as Tom Haberstrow did the 2300 01:49:44.319 --> 01:49:47.279 research for US a year ago, that as a result 2301 01:49:47.359 --> 01:49:51.039 of Will playing, and if he decides to do this, 2302 01:49:51.399 --> 01:49:54.760 if there's no tricky like Larry has a sprained ankle, 2303 01:49:54.800 --> 01:49:58.000 he's out for two weeks, and Will plays his best 2304 01:49:58.039 --> 01:50:01.600 lineups every night, and they stay healthy and they don't 2305 01:50:01.680 --> 01:50:04.640 lean into load management, that they might be able to 2306 01:50:04.680 --> 01:50:07.840 steal a bunch of regular season games that nobody sees 2307 01:50:07.880 --> 01:50:10.840 coming and maybe even approach like a thirty five to 2308 01:50:10.840 --> 01:50:12.720 forty wins such like I said, this is not a 2309 01:50:12.800 --> 01:50:15.199 team that I believe will make the playoffs, and if 2310 01:50:15.199 --> 01:50:17.960 they somehow squeak in if they face any of the 2311 01:50:18.000 --> 01:50:19.680 other teams in the West that are in front of 2312 01:50:19.680 --> 01:50:21.920 them fully healthy, They're not going to win four times 2313 01:50:21.920 --> 01:50:25.399 and seven tries, but they could potentially win more regular 2314 01:50:25.439 --> 01:50:28.199 season games than most believe because a lot of the 2315 01:50:28.239 --> 01:50:30.199 teams that are going to be playing will be sitting 2316 01:50:30.239 --> 01:50:32.720 players for load management or they're just not showing up 2317 01:50:32.760 --> 01:50:37.479 in Salt Lake. Can they overshoot regular season expectations? If 2318 01:50:37.479 --> 01:50:39.960 Will decides to play his guys big minutes every night 2319 01:50:40.000 --> 01:50:42.279 and they simply show up to work and work hard. 2320 01:50:43.680 --> 01:50:46.520 I think maybe you know, like I don't want to say, 2321 01:50:46.920 --> 01:50:49.560 even like forty wins to me is optimistic. And I 2322 01:50:49.600 --> 01:50:51.520 don't think forty wins gets to a playoff spot in 2323 01:50:51.560 --> 01:50:55.239 this your's Western Conference, right. I think there are thirteen 2324 01:50:55.279 --> 01:50:59.479 teams that on paper are pretty clearly better than the Jazz, 2325 01:50:59.560 --> 01:51:02.960 right And you know, maybe one or two of those 2326 01:51:03.039 --> 01:51:05.079 kids Injers and you move up to the kind of 2327 01:51:05.079 --> 01:51:06.880 eleven or twelve spot they've been in in the last 2328 01:51:06.960 --> 01:51:09.520 couple of years. But I also don't think that this 2329 01:51:09.640 --> 01:51:11.520 roster is a tire player, right, Like, I think you're 2330 01:51:11.560 --> 01:51:14.560 right that these there are good veterans. I think, you know, 2331 01:51:14.640 --> 01:51:16.399 Larry Market is a really good player. I think it's 2332 01:51:16.439 --> 01:51:19.439 relatively deep. I think they do play hard. I think 2333 01:51:19.479 --> 01:51:22.600 there's decent odds that the defense is not worse than 2334 01:51:22.600 --> 01:51:25.000 the league like it was last year. And I think 2335 01:51:25.439 --> 01:51:28.560 you know, they're going to win some significant games because 2336 01:51:29.079 --> 01:51:31.840 of the home you know, home court advantage, because of 2337 01:51:31.840 --> 01:51:34.720 the altitude, because of teams resting guys coming into Utah, 2338 01:51:35.039 --> 01:51:37.279 because they take a lot of threes and three point 2339 01:51:37.399 --> 01:51:39.720 variance is a thing. And I think, yeah, there's just 2340 01:51:39.760 --> 01:51:41.760 going to be some games where like the youth wins 2341 01:51:41.800 --> 01:51:44.720 out and beat the tire team on the second hand 2342 01:51:44.760 --> 01:51:47.039 of a back to back or whatever. Right Like, it's 2343 01:51:47.199 --> 01:51:50.960 it's not a Washington Wizards or Detroit Piston situation. I 2344 01:51:51.000 --> 01:51:53.720 don't think where they're going to win fifteen to twenty games. 2345 01:51:53.760 --> 01:51:55.800 I think they they're a little bit better than that. 2346 01:51:56.000 --> 01:51:59.640 And so you know, really where you get into kind 2347 01:51:59.640 --> 01:52:01.560 of a from a tanking point of view, I guess 2348 01:52:01.560 --> 01:52:03.680 it's the Eastern Conference right where you do have the 2349 01:52:03.720 --> 01:52:08.600 Pistons and Wizards and Hornets and Raptors and Bowls and 2350 01:52:08.680 --> 01:52:12.079 a couple other crappy teams. I'm forgetting here, and those 2351 01:52:12.119 --> 01:52:13.760 are going to be kind of your competitions for the 2352 01:52:13.760 --> 01:52:17.800 lottery odds. But yeah, like I think a thirty win season, 2353 01:52:18.039 --> 01:52:20.359 you know, that is their biggest over under right now, 2354 01:52:20.479 --> 01:52:23.640 and that feels about right for where the talent level 2355 01:52:23.680 --> 01:52:24.319 is on this roster. 2356 01:52:25.640 --> 01:52:29.560 All right, let's talk about the dynamic that most people 2357 01:52:29.640 --> 01:52:33.079 really want to discuss, and that is the media meals 2358 01:52:33.119 --> 01:52:36.159 this year at the Delta Center. So it looks like 2359 01:52:36.199 --> 01:52:38.279 you and I are going to be smashing some ja dogs. 2360 01:52:38.520 --> 01:52:39.319 Is that the case here? 2361 01:52:42.039 --> 01:52:43.960 I've been trying out new things. I mean it's only 2362 01:52:44.000 --> 01:52:47.319 been three games, right, So like Maxwell's is no longer 2363 01:52:47.359 --> 01:52:50.239 in the arena, there's a new piece of place called mods. 2364 01:52:50.359 --> 01:52:56.039 I tried that honestly, was was B minus grade, if 2365 01:52:56.439 --> 01:53:00.159 you know, if we're honest, tried out the notch was 2366 01:53:00.199 --> 01:53:03.800 a Coasta Beida last night. Those weren't bad. But yeah, 2367 01:53:03.880 --> 01:53:07.199 this is a season of experimentation and learning about the 2368 01:53:07.520 --> 01:53:09.760 concessions that the Delta Center for sure for us. 2369 01:53:10.119 --> 01:53:13.119 So what we're referring to and I learned this as reason, well, 2370 01:53:13.159 --> 01:53:15.079 I guess I was at the hockey game and I 2371 01:53:15.159 --> 01:53:16.479 enjoyed myself a jay dog. 2372 01:53:16.520 --> 01:53:18.319 I like a good jay dog from time to time. 2373 01:53:18.960 --> 01:53:21.880 Now, now the hockey team the locker room is taking 2374 01:53:21.960 --> 01:53:25.000 up space, and so there's no more media dining room 2375 01:53:25.079 --> 01:53:28.119 and we're eating eating with vouchers on the concourse. 2376 01:53:28.199 --> 01:53:29.319 Is that the deal moving forward? 2377 01:53:30.279 --> 01:53:33.079 Yeah? Yeah, So, I mean I don't know if we're 2378 01:53:33.279 --> 01:53:36.199 we'll get into whatever, We'll just say everything. Yeah. So 2379 01:53:36.199 --> 01:53:38.239 where the media dining room was last year is now 2380 01:53:38.319 --> 01:53:41.359 where the hockey the Utah Hockey Clubs locker room is 2381 01:53:41.439 --> 01:53:46.199 this year. And they say there's no other space downstairs 2382 01:53:46.239 --> 01:53:49.359 for media dining and so yeah, we get twenty dollars 2383 01:53:49.439 --> 01:53:54.399 vouchers as media members for every game. So that's that's 2384 01:53:54.439 --> 01:53:56.600 what we get. And you know, honestly, it's not bad 2385 01:53:56.640 --> 01:53:59.159 in some ways, Like at least this way you kind 2386 01:53:59.159 --> 01:54:00.680 of get to choose what you eat if you want, 2387 01:54:00.720 --> 01:54:02.560 and there are plenty. There were some times last year 2388 01:54:02.600 --> 01:54:04.960 where heck, I you know, I wasn't in favor of 2389 01:54:05.000 --> 01:54:07.560 the media dining buffet, and so we'd go upstairs and 2390 01:54:08.159 --> 01:54:10.439 get a slice of piece or whatever. But now that's 2391 01:54:10.439 --> 01:54:12.960 that's kind of our deal. And then I personally just 2392 01:54:13.000 --> 01:54:16.239 eat it in our media seets. But you know, up 2393 01:54:16.279 --> 01:54:17.359 to you where you want to eat it. 2394 01:54:17.399 --> 01:54:20.479 I guess Andy, this is what the listeners want. The 2395 01:54:20.560 --> 01:54:23.800 listeners want to talk about how the media will be fed. 2396 01:54:23.960 --> 01:54:25.960 I promise you this is compelling content. 2397 01:54:27.039 --> 01:54:29.359 Look, and I mean I don't think it is. But 2398 01:54:31.159 --> 01:54:33.279 I've heard good things about the by you tube cono 2399 01:54:33.399 --> 01:54:38.960 spread the league, the NBA. Some teams like Detroit has 2400 01:54:39.239 --> 01:54:43.039 little Caesars arena you wouldn't believe has the best stake 2401 01:54:43.399 --> 01:54:47.479 and spread and just the most amazing choices you could 2402 01:54:47.520 --> 01:54:51.920 ever imagine, you know, like it's better than a Vegas 2403 01:54:51.920 --> 01:54:54.880 buffet in Detroit. And then you have a lot of 2404 01:54:54.920 --> 01:54:57.640 teams now that, yeah, are doing the concession bouchers things, 2405 01:54:57.960 --> 01:55:00.640 some even liminum to just one place you can buy 2406 01:55:00.760 --> 01:55:04.319 like chicken tenders from the league. Is changing sense in 2407 01:55:04.720 --> 01:55:06.760 a way that really matters to our listeners. 2408 01:55:07.239 --> 01:55:10.199 Is this all because you tweeted about Stewart Adams? 2409 01:55:11.399 --> 01:55:12.199 I don't think so. 2410 01:55:12.600 --> 01:55:15.119 No, this is your fault, dude, This is all your fault. 2411 01:55:15.239 --> 01:55:18.399 The hallway is because I tweeted about Stuart Adams. The 2412 01:55:19.279 --> 01:55:22.319 dining situation, I do think is like largely just because 2413 01:55:22.479 --> 01:55:24.359 the hockey team needed the place to have locker room, 2414 01:55:24.359 --> 01:55:27.520 which is pretty reasonable. Now, look, they're still the club. 2415 01:55:27.560 --> 01:55:31.159 They're still like the Delta Sky three sixty club for 2416 01:55:31.319 --> 01:55:34.359 the rich folks in the first five rows. That's still 2417 01:55:34.359 --> 01:55:36.640 on level one. They're still a family room on level one. 2418 01:55:36.800 --> 01:55:41.159 There's still Ryan's Sweet the Underground on level one. But yeah, 2419 01:55:41.199 --> 01:55:43.000 there's no more immediate dining on level one. 2420 01:55:43.720 --> 01:55:47.359 Fair enough, all right, last jazz thing. ESPN's doing their 2421 01:55:47.399 --> 01:55:50.960 player rank. Lowry comes in at thirty. Lowry comes in 2422 01:55:50.960 --> 01:55:54.359 at thirty three. They did I think fifty to ten today. 2423 01:55:55.000 --> 01:55:58.239 That's down five spots from twenty eight. So what ESPN 2424 01:55:58.319 --> 01:56:00.520 rank is telling us is the best player on the 2425 01:56:00.600 --> 01:56:04.119 Jazz by far quite frankly, is the thirty third best 2426 01:56:04.159 --> 01:56:05.560 player in the league. 2427 01:56:05.560 --> 01:56:07.119 What does that say to you if anything? 2428 01:56:08.039 --> 01:56:10.399 Yeah, and the Ringer released their list today too, and 2429 01:56:10.399 --> 01:56:13.159 I think Glwery was thirty first, and then Colinsecon I 2430 01:56:13.159 --> 01:56:15.520 believe was ninety seventh. I may have those numbers one 2431 01:56:15.560 --> 01:56:17.640 or two offs, but yeah, it gives you the vibe, 2432 01:56:17.680 --> 01:56:20.960 like looks for this Jazz seems not the most talented 2433 01:56:21.720 --> 01:56:24.640 top level with in terms of top level talent, right, Like, 2434 01:56:25.199 --> 01:56:27.920 that is clearly the thing that the Jazz needs to 2435 01:56:27.920 --> 01:56:30.079 add in order to be an actually good team again, 2436 01:56:30.159 --> 01:56:35.199 is a top twenty player in the league. And that's 2437 01:56:35.399 --> 01:56:37.560 that's why we're talking about thinking, that's why we're talking 2438 01:56:37.560 --> 01:56:40.880 about big game hunting and all of that. Right. I 2439 01:56:40.920 --> 01:56:44.479 do think Lowry basically had the same season he did, 2440 01:56:45.079 --> 01:56:47.239 you know, one year ago. The difference was he played 2441 01:56:47.279 --> 01:56:52.399 fewer games, and you know, the the win loss totals 2442 01:56:52.399 --> 01:56:54.319 didn't look as good and so that impacted some of 2443 01:56:54.319 --> 01:56:57.199 the advanced stats. But like in the end, I you know, 2444 01:56:57.239 --> 01:56:59.199 I think Lowerry's a good player. I would probably put 2445 01:56:59.239 --> 01:57:01.159 him like in that when he fits the thirty zone 2446 01:57:01.279 --> 01:57:03.199 rather than in the thirty to thirty five zone. But 2447 01:57:03.720 --> 01:57:07.560 really we're you know, putting hairs at that point, and yeah, 2448 01:57:07.600 --> 01:57:09.760 it's all about how are you going to find that 2449 01:57:09.840 --> 01:57:12.760 next top twenty guy? Probably even you know, really if 2450 01:57:12.760 --> 01:57:14.560 you want to be a true contender, a top ten 2451 01:57:14.600 --> 01:57:16.800 guy to add to the Jazz's roster. And you know 2452 01:57:16.840 --> 01:57:20.239 that's yeah again draft right, that's a game hunting. That's 2453 01:57:20.279 --> 01:57:22.159 all the stuff we've been talking about all off season 2454 01:57:22.199 --> 01:57:24.039 where we don't really have an answer on how the 2455 01:57:24.079 --> 01:57:25.399 Jazz are going to find that guy next? 2456 01:57:26.079 --> 01:57:28.640 All right, Andy, before I say you lose, the lads 2457 01:57:28.640 --> 01:57:31.239 are back after a little bit of a break. Pabla 2458 01:57:31.319 --> 01:57:36.760 joined us last segments Vancouver. It's interesting because RSL plays 2459 01:57:36.840 --> 01:57:42.399 Vancouver and simultaneously, Seattle plays Portland, and RSL and Seattle 2460 01:57:42.439 --> 01:57:44.600 are still in the mix for three and Portland and 2461 01:57:44.720 --> 01:57:48.119 Vancouver are trying to avoid that wildcard spot. So it's 2462 01:57:48.159 --> 01:57:51.560 gonna be a crazy night on Saturday seven o'clock. What 2463 01:57:51.600 --> 01:57:54.039 would you like to see on Saturday night to indicate 2464 01:57:54.079 --> 01:57:56.399 this team is in a good place heading into the postseason. 2465 01:57:57.560 --> 01:58:02.319 Yeah, I think a few things to see. I feel 2466 01:58:02.319 --> 01:58:04.319 like I'm asking for a lot here, but a win, 2467 01:58:04.439 --> 01:58:07.119 a clean sheet, and a good attack. But like those 2468 01:58:07.159 --> 01:58:09.159 are kind of what I'm looking for right Like the 2469 01:58:09.199 --> 01:58:13.119 defense has been a significant question all year long. Can 2470 01:58:13.159 --> 01:58:16.760 they figure out a defensive rotation that's not allowing a 2471 01:58:16.800 --> 01:58:20.760 gazillion shot? You know, who's your starting goaltender? All that 2472 01:58:20.840 --> 01:58:23.000 kind of stuff, I think is a really interesting question. 2473 01:58:24.359 --> 01:58:27.920 The offense has you know, dropped the level clearly. Can 2474 01:58:28.159 --> 01:58:33.680 Chicho get going? You know, what do they do? You know, 2475 01:58:33.760 --> 01:58:35.560 in terms of who's starting at the wings? Is that 2476 01:58:35.640 --> 01:58:38.159 Mark Duke is at Lachlan Brook? Is it? You know, 2477 01:58:38.399 --> 01:58:40.119 I think they're there are questions to be asked there. 2478 01:58:40.159 --> 01:58:43.399 Do you definitely start, you know, can Diego Luna playe 2479 01:58:43.439 --> 01:58:46.319 ninety minutes? Diogo the guy in the middle, or do 2480 01:58:46.359 --> 01:58:48.640 you go with Anderson Julio at some point up top 2481 01:58:48.680 --> 01:58:51.640 and slide Chicho back? Like they're real kind of rotational 2482 01:58:51.720 --> 01:58:55.119 questions to answer. But like, to me, kind of the 2483 01:58:55.159 --> 01:58:57.520 most important thing is this chance I think they if 2484 01:58:57.520 --> 01:59:00.760 they do end up in third, I believe they could 2485 01:59:01.319 --> 01:59:07.279 steel still steal the CONCACAFT Champions Cup placement, and that 2486 01:59:07.359 --> 01:59:08.960 would be I think a big deal. You know, I 2487 01:59:08.960 --> 01:59:11.079 think it's been a long time since ourselves played in 2488 01:59:11.079 --> 01:59:13.720 that tournament, and I think, you know, a season that 2489 01:59:14.239 --> 01:59:17.640 was so good in these stretches. I think it could 2490 01:59:17.640 --> 01:59:21.159 really benefit oursel to have that international competition again. So 2491 01:59:21.199 --> 01:59:22.760 that's kind of what I'm hoping for as a fan, 2492 01:59:22.880 --> 01:59:25.520 is to see them play at that top level, at 2493 01:59:25.520 --> 01:59:29.920 a continental level again the next year, rather than you know, 2494 01:59:30.079 --> 01:59:31.760 kind of miss out on it on that tournament like 2495 01:59:31.800 --> 01:59:33.840 they have in the last what half decade or so. 2496 01:59:34.880 --> 01:59:36.920 All Right, buddy, what I appreciate the time. Have a 2497 01:59:36.920 --> 01:59:38.199 good week gets you out against suit. 2498 01:59:38.239 --> 01:59:41.039 Okay, sounds good, Thanks Ben, all Right? 2499 01:59:41.119 --> 01:59:43.640 The great Andy Larson from the saw Lake Tribune. Get 2500 01:59:43.680 --> 01:59:46.479 them on Twitter at Andy B. Larson is where you 2501 01:59:46.600 --> 01:59:47.119 find them. 2502 01:59:47.600 --> 01:59:48.319 I think this is a. 2503 01:59:48.239 --> 01:59:52.319 Good message for a Wednesday afternoon, halfway through your work 2504 01:59:52.359 --> 01:59:56.079 week and one day closer to the weekend. Sometimes you 2505 01:59:56.119 --> 01:59:58.000 can't always get what you want, but if you really 2506 01:59:58.039 --> 01:59:59.880 hone in, you get what you need. At least that 2507 02:00:00.199 --> 02:00:04.439 my takeaway from this brilliant song, this brilliant Rolling Stones track, 2508 02:00:04.560 --> 02:00:07.600 Because right now I don't know how to spend this 2509 02:00:07.640 --> 02:00:10.399 for a Utah football perspective forord Her, because right now, 2510 02:00:10.520 --> 02:00:14.720 Utah football fans probably not getting what they want, but 2511 02:00:14.840 --> 02:00:17.520 certainly not getting what they need either. So I don't 2512 02:00:17.520 --> 02:00:21.199 know I was going to try to be philosophical wax poetic. 2513 02:00:21.279 --> 02:00:23.159 I think I got nothing in that direction. 2514 02:00:23.279 --> 02:00:25.920 Yeah, well you're on the right track. That's that's why 2515 02:00:25.960 --> 02:00:29.000 I'm getting the song out there right. It's a It's 2516 02:00:29.039 --> 02:00:32.319 a week in which I think Utah fans listen the 2517 02:00:32.359 --> 02:00:37.079 expectations spents coming into this season. I think we're really 2518 02:00:37.439 --> 02:00:42.199 really high, historically high for the University of Utah football team. 2519 02:00:42.239 --> 02:00:45.840 And it wasn't just about the team that they had returning. 2520 02:00:46.159 --> 02:00:48.560 It was about the opportunity they had in front of them, 2521 02:00:48.680 --> 02:00:52.159 the expanded College Football Playoff, the wide open Big Twelve. 2522 02:00:53.960 --> 02:00:56.680 It was it was easy if you were a Utah fan, 2523 02:00:56.800 --> 02:00:57.640 and I could see it. 2524 02:00:58.000 --> 02:01:00.479 I understand why it was easy for us in studio 2525 02:01:00.520 --> 02:01:05.079 here as well, to get really really excited about what 2526 02:01:05.159 --> 02:01:09.279 we wanted the twenty twenty four college football season to 2527 02:01:09.279 --> 02:01:11.760 look like. And while we can't necessarily get all of that, 2528 02:01:12.920 --> 02:01:15.760 we can still move along and have a good season. 2529 02:01:15.760 --> 02:01:19.399 It's four and two. The utes are not again. I 2530 02:01:19.439 --> 02:01:21.880 don't know how it's maybe sounded if you're listening to 2531 02:01:22.399 --> 02:01:26.159 sports talk airwaves in Salt Lake this week. But this 2532 02:01:26.199 --> 02:01:28.600 is a team that's four and two and still mathematically 2533 02:01:29.119 --> 02:01:32.680 in the hunt for a Big twelve title, and of 2534 02:01:32.720 --> 02:01:35.159 course that's something they have to play for. It's something 2535 02:01:35.199 --> 02:01:38.000 Isaac Wilson will have to be much better for. But 2536 02:01:38.359 --> 02:01:41.000 it's still a reality. It's still there, and it's not 2537 02:01:41.039 --> 02:01:45.319 a team again that is zero to five. That is 2538 02:01:45.640 --> 02:01:50.039 something that I think folks can at least find some optimism, 2539 02:01:49.840 --> 02:01:51.880 some silver lining in well. 2540 02:01:51.920 --> 02:01:55.159 And can we remember that this stuff is supposed to 2541 02:01:55.199 --> 02:01:57.600 be fun, yes, and it's a zero sum game that 2542 02:01:57.720 --> 02:02:01.239 ultimately doesn't matter. These are eighteen, eighteen to twenty five 2543 02:02:01.319 --> 02:02:04.039 year olds, I guess that are just doing the best 2544 02:02:04.079 --> 02:02:07.119 they can with an oblong ball made of pigskin, like 2545 02:02:07.199 --> 02:02:10.000 we need to. And I'm reminding myself too, I'm not 2546 02:02:10.039 --> 02:02:12.439 preaching here. Can we just remember this stuff is supposed 2547 02:02:12.479 --> 02:02:15.800 to be fun because during the offseason we pine for it. 2548 02:02:15.840 --> 02:02:17.560 Then it gets here and it seems like folks are 2549 02:02:17.560 --> 02:02:19.520 just miserable no matter what. It's supposed to be a 2550 02:02:19.520 --> 02:02:20.199 good time. 2551 02:02:20.000 --> 02:02:23.079 Porter it is, and it is a good time it is. 2552 02:02:23.640 --> 02:02:23.880 I do. 2553 02:02:24.079 --> 02:02:24.600 I'm with you. 2554 02:02:24.640 --> 02:02:27.159 I think a lot of people and I don't want 2555 02:02:27.159 --> 02:02:29.560 to get on my diatribe. I think a lot of people, 2556 02:02:29.600 --> 02:02:33.159 whether it's fantasy football, it's betting on sports, it's getting 2557 02:02:33.800 --> 02:02:39.239 involved in the donation side, whatever it may be, there's 2558 02:02:39.279 --> 02:02:41.560 a lot of people that seem to be how do 2559 02:02:41.600 --> 02:02:46.079 I say, more involved than they actually are in the product, 2560 02:02:46.279 --> 02:02:50.239 in the game, in the college football world. And that's fine. 2561 02:02:50.279 --> 02:02:52.279 I understand you want to be a part of the product. 2562 02:02:52.359 --> 02:02:55.319 You want to be part of it, but you're not. 2563 02:02:56.359 --> 02:03:00.680 If the UTS lose or if your favorite team loses. Breathe, 2564 02:03:01.479 --> 02:03:05.399 take a deep breath, go outside, talk to your kids, 2565 02:03:06.000 --> 02:03:10.640 do something in that regard. But you know tomorrow there'll 2566 02:03:10.680 --> 02:03:14.199 be more sporting events and you'll be okay. I I 2567 02:03:14.199 --> 02:03:17.640 think this week specifically, I saw a lot of people 2568 02:03:17.680 --> 02:03:24.560 that maybe maybe we're getting a little too personal with 2569 02:03:25.079 --> 02:03:27.840 how they felt about a college football sporting event and 2570 02:03:27.880 --> 02:03:30.239 a status around it. And I just don't think that's 2571 02:03:30.279 --> 02:03:33.439 healthy for you, for the for the fans, for the players. 2572 02:03:34.520 --> 02:03:38.520 I think there's a step back and hopefully folks can 2573 02:03:38.560 --> 02:03:40.560 take that. And yeah, I do think that there's an 2574 02:03:40.600 --> 02:03:43.159 issue when it comes to gambling and how people treat athletes, 2575 02:03:43.279 --> 02:03:46.520 especially college ones, but that's a longer, different conversation. 2576 02:03:46.720 --> 02:03:49.880 I hope that stadium's jam packed on Saturday. I'll be there. 2577 02:03:50.039 --> 02:03:52.119 Porter is going to be there. Hopefully you'll be there too. 2578 02:03:52.279 --> 02:03:54.199 Let's support these young men. There's still a lot to 2579 02:03:54.199 --> 02:03:57.359 play for. And don't forget our pregame coverage. We'll begin 2580 02:03:57.600 --> 02:04:01.279 at four thirty on Saturday. Is gonna have that for you, 2581 02:04:01.359 --> 02:04:03.640 So roll by the tailgate, say what's up? Would love 2582 02:04:03.640 --> 02:04:06.239 to meet you Friday coming up, We're gonna be at 2583 02:04:06.239 --> 02:04:08.479 Overtime Cards and Collectibles. It's a little bit of a 2584 02:04:08.479 --> 02:04:12.239 funky setup because I'm on remote for my show at 2585 02:04:12.239 --> 02:04:15.159 the Snowmobile Expo. Would love to meet you there on Friday. 2586 02:04:15.520 --> 02:04:18.239 Then after I'm done, I'm gonna roll over to Overtime 2587 02:04:18.279 --> 02:04:20.560 Cars to say what up to my guy Chris James 2588 02:04:21.039 --> 02:04:23.439 and Scott Mitchell is gonna host a couple of hours 2589 02:04:23.439 --> 02:04:25.920 therefore you I'll do a little radio with Scott. But 2590 02:04:26.039 --> 02:04:28.800 want you guys to support this great spot Overtime Cards 2591 02:04:28.800 --> 02:04:32.800 and Collectibles. It's the best spot for all your football, basketball, hockey, 2592 02:04:32.920 --> 02:04:37.079 MMA and even Pokemon card collection. So on October the eighteenth, 2593 02:04:37.119 --> 02:04:40.359 on Friday, Logan Cooley, We'll be there the Center for 2594 02:04:40.399 --> 02:04:43.079 the Utah Hockey Club signing autographs for all the fans. 2595 02:04:43.520 --> 02:04:47.000 You can buy tickets for the signing at Overtimecardsocollectibles dot com, 2596 02:04:47.039 --> 02:04:49.800 so put that into your calendar. It's five to seven 2597 02:04:50.039 --> 02:04:53.439 on Friday. We'll be there at Overtime Cards, their new 2598 02:04:53.479 --> 02:04:54.520 location in Sandy. 2599 02:04:55.039 --> 02:04:57.119 All right, Porter, Before we say goodnight, what comes our way? 2600 02:04:57.119 --> 02:04:58.680 On Thursday edition of the show. 2601 02:04:58.960 --> 02:05:03.119 On a edition of the program, as we do each 2602 02:05:03.279 --> 02:05:06.720 and every Thursday, we'll have a big hour presented by 2603 02:05:06.720 --> 02:05:10.399 Big O' Tires and our friends at Clearwater Distilling, Gordon Monson, 2604 02:05:10.720 --> 02:05:13.520 Craig Bowler, Jack, We'll talk youts, we'll talk BUYU, we'll 2605 02:05:13.560 --> 02:05:16.359 talk jazz, maybe a little hockey club as well with 2606 02:05:16.479 --> 02:05:19.079 Bowler and our friend Gordon mons and then joining us 2607 02:05:19.159 --> 02:05:23.600 live in studio Chris com Ronnie of the Athletic, usually 2608 02:05:23.640 --> 02:05:27.640 a Friday staple, but I've talked Chris into stopping by 2609 02:05:27.880 --> 02:05:31.680 in person. Always always good to have Ck and studio, 2610 02:05:31.800 --> 02:05:34.640 So we'll do that, and then we'll wrap up with 2611 02:05:34.640 --> 02:05:37.399 a little sports court our friends from Handy in Handy 2612 02:05:37.560 --> 02:05:41.000 Law before we turn it over to a Friday one 2613 02:05:41.079 --> 02:05:43.199 day closer to your weekend. 2614 02:05:43.560 --> 02:05:46.119 All right, that'll be a good Thursday show, so join 2615 02:05:46.199 --> 02:05:49.000 us for that, and don't forget coming up next little 2616 02:05:49.239 --> 02:05:53.119 Major League Baseball playoff action. We'll see if the Metropolitans 2617 02:05:53.159 --> 02:05:56.840 the New York Mets can continue to make life difficult 2618 02:05:56.840 --> 02:05:59.159 for the Dodgers. It's the Mets Dodgers coming up on 2619 02:05:59.199 --> 02:06:01.680 the other side especially well. Thank you Kyle Montager and 2620 02:06:01.720 --> 02:06:04.199 Neil Smith, Poblo Master, Honni Andy Larson for any the 2621 02:06:04.239 --> 02:06:06.319 sound you made miss from the show. Check out the 2622 02:06:06.319 --> 02:06:09.600 website it's ESPN seven hundred Sports dot com. Download our 2623 02:06:09.600 --> 02:06:11.800 mobile app and take us on the go. It's the 2624 02:06:12.079 --> 02:06:14.560 ESPN seven hundred app that's available in the App Store 2625 02:06:14.680 --> 02:06:17.399 or the Google play Store. Then, finally, for what we 2626 02:06:17.439 --> 02:06:20.880 do every afternoon in our four hour afternoon drive space, 2627 02:06:20.960 --> 02:06:23.239 check out our podcast page which is called The Drive 2628 02:06:23.239 --> 02:06:25.399 with Spence check Its and that's available. 2629 02:06:25.399 --> 02:06:26.600 Wherever you get your shows. 2630 02:06:26.640 --> 02:06:29.199 Make sure to subscribe, rate, review, sayd ie things, give 2631 02:06:29.279 --> 02:06:31.399 us all the stars for Tara my Onside Tech and 2632 02:06:31.439 --> 02:06:34.119 of course Porter the producer of this program. My name 2633 02:06:34.159 --> 02:06:36.199 is Spence check it saying I enjoy your Wednesday evening. 2634 02:06:36.239 --> 02:06:38.840 We'll talk to you on a Thursday drive back in studio. 2635 02:06:39.000 --> 02:06:41.399 You can catch it right here on ESPN seven hundred