WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.919 We'll do a little jazz now, but before we get there. 2 00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:05.679 Andy Larson, Salt Lake Tribune, Andy, Happy Monday. 3 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:06.040 How are you. 4 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:09.640 I'm good Man, I'm good so Andy. As we've talked 5 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:12.359 about in the past, you are your many things. You're 6 00:00:12.359 --> 00:00:14.359 not just one thing. Nobody puts Andy in a corner. 7 00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:16.679 I will not put you in a box. You cover 8 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:22.440 the jazz, you do a data column, gamer, golfer, optimist, 9 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:27.960 footy fanatic, ladies man Rico suave I. I could keep going, Andy, 10 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:32.399 but you're also okay, fair enough. I got carried away, 11 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:34.759 got carried away at the very end. You're also a 12 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:38.799 human who lives in Utah. There for Utah BYU football 13 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:41.479 is something that you're aware of. I wonder what your 14 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:44.439 thoughts are in the chaos that ensued in Salt Lake 15 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:45.479 City on Saturday night. 16 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:49.119 Yeah, I mean, there's no shortages of things to talk 17 00:00:49.159 --> 00:00:51.960 about after that game. I guess I my mind goes 18 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:55.920 to two things. One, Utah should have won that game, right, 19 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:58.600 Like I mean, I think by you got a little 20 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:01.280 bit lucky in its fumble, luck in how many pass 21 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:04.439 deflections weren't tipped up but were tipped down into the ground. 22 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:08.560 And so you know, weren't an intercepted, the fumbles weren't recovered. 23 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:11.319 See why you've kept the ball, maintained possession, and was 24 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:15.120 able to score on those possessions. I also think that 25 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:18.560 Utah shot itself on the foot a little bit with 26 00:01:18.599 --> 00:01:20.400 its play calling in the second half. I mean, I 27 00:01:20.439 --> 00:01:23.280 and this is something that at least it feels like 28 00:01:23.319 --> 00:01:24.719 we've seen and I want to do a little bit 29 00:01:24.760 --> 00:01:28.640 more research on this, but how the play calling changes 30 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:32.840 with when Utah has a lead, and just in general 31 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:36.400 how conservative the play calling is doesn't feel like it 32 00:01:36.519 --> 00:01:39.359 matches how teams play offense in twenty twenty four, right 33 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:43.840 like in kind of a high octane college football ecosystem, 34 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:48.319 everything is so slow and predictable with the UTHA offense, 35 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:51.319 especially when you get I mean, once you got past 36 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:54.280 kind of the midpoint of the third quarter, it was 37 00:01:54.599 --> 00:01:56.560 it felt like it was wind out the clock time, 38 00:01:56.640 --> 00:01:59.680 when you know, the youths I don't think had that luxury. 39 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:04.640 And then look, I think the go ahead, Oh I didn't. 40 00:02:04.760 --> 00:02:06.079 I'm letting you, I'm letting you finish. 41 00:02:06.280 --> 00:02:09.800 Gone yeah, okay, And then I would say the the 42 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:15.840 second thing, honestly, was that the Mark Harlan stuff is 43 00:02:15.879 --> 00:02:18.080 a little bit crazy. And look, you know me, you 44 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:23.240 know me, I'm not one to uh have any qualms 45 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:26.199 about complaining with the rest. I love complaining about the rest. 46 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:27.400 It's a great time. 47 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:28.560 Uh. 48 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:32.199 You can't be on the field as an ad when 49 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:35.639 your team is trying to make a miracle. Lateral Hail 50 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:38.439 Mary kind of play happen on that kickoff return, and 51 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:42.919 it's it's irresponsible, it's problematic, it's not reflective of good 52 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:46.919 decision making. And frankly, I don't think we've seen that 53 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:50.319 in any other sport, right Like Larry Miller didn't come 54 00:02:50.360 --> 00:02:53.120 down onto the stand, from the stands onto the court 55 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:55.080 to yell at NBA refs, right like, we don't see 56 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:58.159 that from Bryan Smith or Danny Ames, that they're actually 57 00:02:58.199 --> 00:03:02.599 stopping play and getting a penalty or a technical call themselves. 58 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:05.840 So that was I think I'm fortunate, and you know, 59 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:08.680 obviously I thought the find was deserved, and you know, 60 00:03:08.759 --> 00:03:13.719 hopefully those people, you know, really Mark Harlan does better 61 00:03:13.719 --> 00:03:14.120 next time. 62 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:16.800 Yep, yep, fair enough. We're going to talk more about 63 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:18.639 this coming up in about thirty minutes from right now. 64 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:21.120 Last thing on this then we'll do some jazz and 65 00:03:21.400 --> 00:03:24.000 maybe a little RSL offseason stuff before we set you 66 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:27.080 loose what is your because I started the show off today. 67 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:32.560 I'm always just so fascinated at the reaction of the 68 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:36.400 fan bases after the fact, Like the game is one thing, 69 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:38.360 and more often than not, the game is awesome. It 70 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:41.159 very rarely delivers. It usually gets weird. It got really 71 00:03:41.159 --> 00:03:44.719 weird on Saturday night, but just kind of some of 72 00:03:44.759 --> 00:03:47.319 the I don't know if I don't know what you 73 00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:50.159 want to call it, just the back and forth, because 74 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:53.919 I find this societal dynamics so interesting, with the cultural 75 00:03:53.960 --> 00:03:57.240 fabric of our community, where you have a BYU fan 76 00:03:57.319 --> 00:03:59.800 base that loves the moral high ground and a youth 77 00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:03.039 fan based that loves to call out the hypocrisy of pious, 78 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:07.879 holier than now judgmental people, and the football game magnifies it. 79 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:11.560 Like in every single time you get BYU fans says, 80 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:14.560 send me every video of every youth fan who misbehaved 81 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:17.639 on Saturday. And then YOUTE fan who will have videos 82 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:21.360 because he kept receipts of BYU fans throwing trash on 83 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:24.000 the Utah players and the Utah coaches and the rafts 84 00:04:24.040 --> 00:04:27.720 back when Utah won their seven or eight straight rivalry game. Like, 85 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:31.399 as someone who again is a resident and a human 86 00:04:31.399 --> 00:04:34.519 who lives here, what about that dynamic of this football 87 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:35.720 game stands out most to you? 88 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:39.839 Yeah, look, it's it's a rivalry game. I feel like 89 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:42.399 people expect it to be different because it's in Utah 90 00:04:42.439 --> 00:04:45.600 and we're so friendly and whatever. But like if you 91 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:48.879 go to oh you Texas or whatever, you know whatever, 92 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:52.720 it's some of these the other top football rivalries in 93 00:04:52.759 --> 00:04:55.839 this country, you're gonna see some crazy behavior. You're gonna 94 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:59.079 see the kind of favorite behavior that comes out when 95 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:02.519 fans are passionate and like this idea because you know, 96 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:05.839 Utah is a religious state, more religious state overall, or 97 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:09.600 that things are going to be different in Utah, eu Yu, 98 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:14.040 I don't think is realistic. Like I think ultimately, you know, 99 00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:16.240 I saw people on Twitter, for example, talk about like 100 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:19.439 they were surprised that BUYU fans were saying it's purse 101 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:21.600 words during the game. Well, look of course they were, 102 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:24.040 like it's you know, they're they're college football fans. They're 103 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:27.240 fans of of this thing that they're passionate about. Like 104 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:32.160 I think, you know, I don't think either fan base 105 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:34.439 is worse than the other I don't think that either 106 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:38.279 fan base is uh throwing more. You know, obviously you 107 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:40.639 don't like to see things thrown onto the field, or 108 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:43.639 you don't like to see assaults happen in the stands 109 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:45.800 or what have you. Right, Like, that's that's all bad, 110 00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:50.920 but it's also just a ubiquitous part of watching games 111 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:54.839 in stadiums and has been for the last few decades. So, like, 112 00:05:55.399 --> 00:05:57.519 you know, there was a fight that like the Broncos 113 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:00.720 Chiefs game this weekend, and I that's it's just to 114 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:03.800 expect that Utah would be different or that that says 115 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:06.680 anything about Utah fans or b Yu fans or whatever. 116 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:10.720 I think is unreasonable to expect. 117 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:15.600 Well said, all right, moving over to the Utah Jazz. 118 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:20.160 You know, it's gonna be an interesting season when it 119 00:06:20.199 --> 00:06:23.120 comes to development and storylines. It will not be an 120 00:06:23.160 --> 00:06:27.480 interesting season when it comes to scores in the standings 121 00:06:27.480 --> 00:06:29.600 because they're gonna be bad. They're bad all year. They're 122 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:31.560 gonna be bad all year. They're two and seven now, 123 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:34.759 which is the worst record in the West. Surprisingly enough, 124 00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:38.040 Milwaukee is still bad. Phillies needs to get healthy. But 125 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:41.000 those two teams will we find The Jazz are gonna 126 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.279 be the seller dweller in the West, probably with the 127 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:45.279 Blazers when things kind of settle in. But they did 128 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:46.720 get a win over the Spurs. They got to win 129 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:49.720 over the Bulls last week. So what can you say 130 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:51.399 about kind of where we're at. Some things that are 131 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:53.399 standing out, and you know, it's got to be nice 132 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:55.000 for Will and the players to at least taste some 133 00:06:55.079 --> 00:06:58.000 wins here or there to rewind, you know, remind them 134 00:06:58.000 --> 00:06:58.879 why they're doing all this. 135 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:02.439 Yeah, and you know, look, they they beat two bad 136 00:07:02.439 --> 00:07:05.279 teams I think in the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs. 137 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:09.920 Bolton have Zach Levine and yeah, you know, the Spurs 138 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:12.720 had Devin Basel on a minister restriction. I you know, 139 00:07:12.759 --> 00:07:16.759 And I just don't think that they're that good, I 140 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:18.360 you know, but I do think that it kind of 141 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:21.720 helps the process a little bit to see players do 142 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:23.920 the right kind of things. And I think in those 143 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:26.240 two games they did do the right kind of things 144 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:27.759 that we haven't seen in the other games. Right. They 145 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:31.360 moved the ball much more quickly, much more accurately. They 146 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:36.079 avoided the turnovers, the worst of the turnovers anyway, and 147 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:39.360 got into their offense much more reasonably. You know, I 148 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:43.680 think when the Jazz do that, and frankly I said, 149 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:47.480 Bolls defended the Jazz really poorly. That's a very bad 150 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:52.199 defensive team. San Antonio. I think again kind of made 151 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:54.480 a ton of different offensive mistakes the Jazz were able 152 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:58.759 to take advantage of. But if you do play basketball 153 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:01.040 the right way, at least that study you up moving 154 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:04.199 forward to to maybe make that transition easier when you 155 00:08:04.279 --> 00:08:07.639 have good players or you developed the young players that 156 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:10.360 you've had, right you know, I think we've seen some 157 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:14.319 good things from Kyle Philipowski. I think we're seeing Cody Williams, 158 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:17.800 Kiante George and and Isaiah Collier kind of struggle early, 159 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:20.600 although Collier has only played really just the one game. 160 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:24.639 But look like, yeah, well we'll see what happened here, 161 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:27.040 you know, they kind of I think the story of 162 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:29.439 the season so far is they are who we thought 163 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:31.439 they were. You know, this is probably one of the 164 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:33.120 worst teams in the league, and we'll see if they're 165 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:37.480 truly worse than the Blazers or the Wizards or or 166 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.840 what have you. But to this point, yeah, you know, 167 00:08:40.919 --> 00:08:43.279 this is a team that's pretty far away from contention, 168 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:46.240 and you're still hoping for Yeah, you just development and 169 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:50.720 then obviously getting you're gonna see just significant roster turnover 170 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:53.080 between this team and the next Suggests team. There's no 171 00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:53.799 question about it. 172 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:56.240 We finally saw Isaiah call you're you know, he's been 173 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:59.080 banged up and Keyante was out, so we got the start. 174 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:02.080 You know, the whole thing with him is certainly that 175 00:09:02.120 --> 00:09:05.360 three ball, the outside shooting, but he does have a 176 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:08.679 feel for the lead guard position that potentially nobody else 177 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:12.000 outside of Patty Mills has on the roster, and you know, 178 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:15.600 saw some good things in twenty five minutes. He didn't 179 00:09:15.639 --> 00:09:17.600 hit any of the sixty three point attempts, had six 180 00:09:17.639 --> 00:09:21.480 boards for sis and only actually didn't even turn it over. 181 00:09:21.559 --> 00:09:24.480 That's really nice in twenty five minutes. So, ultimately, what 182 00:09:24.519 --> 00:09:27.399 were your impressions Game one, now that we've seen Isaiah Collier. 183 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:31.399 Yeah, look, I think again some of us is the Spurs, 184 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:34.159 but the offense seem to run a lot smother With 185 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:37.279 Calier on the floor, he got into the offense more quickly. 186 00:09:38.279 --> 00:09:40.679 He did look more like in a real point guard. 187 00:09:40.759 --> 00:09:42.919 He was able to break the paint I think easier 188 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:45.559 than Kante George, which kind of makes sense, like Kiante 189 00:09:45.960 --> 00:09:49.279 is not a plus NBA athlete at that position where 190 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:51.480 I think Isaiah Collier. You know, the reason why he 191 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:55.559 was considered the number one high school player was because 192 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:58.759 of that athleticism, because of kind of that pulling ball Sazique, 193 00:09:58.799 --> 00:10:01.480 the strength and then ability to kind of drive past 194 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:04.519 people on the first step. Kiante doesn't really have that. 195 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:07.919 I think Caianty has other skills and it's obviously is 196 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:11.440 a better shooter than Collier is, but there was a 197 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:14.120 different aspect to the Jazz offense. So I'm kind of 198 00:10:14.120 --> 00:10:16.759 excited to see how that develops through multiple games, and 199 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:19.559 I certainly hope that Will Hardy gives him the playing 200 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:22.279 time over Paddy Mills in order to kind of explore that. 201 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:25.679 But yeah, it was it was a good performance except 202 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:28.000 for the fact that he couldn't shoot and the Spurs 203 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:31.120 were playing Victor Wembin Yama on him, and that allowed 204 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:34.080 Wemby to be a kind of free safety on the 205 00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:36.919 Jazz offense, and ultimately that's why Collier didn't finish the game. 206 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:40.200 So you know, look, if he can't shoot, he can't 207 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:42.759 be an NBA player. That's the rule for point guards everywhere. 208 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:46.440 But if he does develop that shot, then you know, 209 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:48.120 I think there's a real chance that he becomes a 210 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:48.759 useful player. 211 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:52.559 So you just referenced something that you know not in 212 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:55.200 a vacuum. I'll focus on, but I'll expand it out 213 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:58.279 because you talked about the balancing out of minutes, the 214 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:01.519 distribution of minutes of Patty Mills and Isaiah Collier and 215 00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:04.320 then certainly Cante George, And really, what's the point of 216 00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:06.879 playing Patty a lot of minutes outside of maybe teaching 217 00:11:06.919 --> 00:11:08.600 these young kids what it's like to be a pro. 218 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:11.519 Is that real? I don't know that's what we're supposed 219 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:14.399 to say, so I just said it. But ultimately, what's 220 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:19.200 your takeaway so far about the balancing of young developmental 221 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:22.399 minutes juxtaposed to vetts playing here or there? Do you 222 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:24.120 like what Will is doing or do you think he's 223 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:26.440 leaning too far one way or the other? If that 224 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:28.000 makes sense, I. 225 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.080 Would say it's been pretty good, with the exception of 226 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:35.159 the Milwaukee game where Kyle Philipauski and Isaiah Collier weren't 227 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:38.159 in the rotation, and I thought that that was pretty 228 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:40.960 It was just a bad decision, and I think I 229 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:43.879 criticized Will pretty heavily forward in that night's Triple Team 230 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:48.200 postgame article, like if this season is about youth development, 231 00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:50.799 this if fifth season is about thinking there's no excuse 232 00:11:50.840 --> 00:11:52.600 in the world for giving Patty Mills and Drew you 233 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:56.679 Banks minutes over Kyle Philipouski and Isaiah Collier, when when 234 00:11:56.759 --> 00:12:00.399 those guys have the potential to be part of your 235 00:12:00.440 --> 00:12:02.480 future in a way that Drew you Banks and Patty 236 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:05.080 Mills don't. And that's what you know. You remember when 237 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:07.360 I was on the show after the Patty Mills signing 238 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:10.320 and I was actually pretty frustrated by it because it 239 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:13.720 did represent that the team had the possibility of playing 240 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:16.440 the Vets over the youth. And you know, I think 241 00:12:16.919 --> 00:12:20.240 most of those concerns have been handled. You know, they 242 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:23.919 are starting, They started Taylor Hendricks, they're now starting Cody Williams, 243 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:27.240 Kyle Philipowski was in the rotation the next game. Isaiah 244 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:31.519 Callier then started. But like, you know, there has to 245 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:33.759 be I think some sort of consistent theme this year 246 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:36.000 that hey, this is actually the time where we're not 247 00:12:36.039 --> 00:12:37.840 messing around, we're not playing the Vets and we're not 248 00:12:37.879 --> 00:12:41.159 gonna win twenty five thirty games here. We're really trying 249 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:44.480 to develop the youth. And he didn't stick to it 250 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:46.039 in the Milwaukee game. He did do it in the 251 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:48.919 San Antonio game. And I hope to see the youth 252 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:52.080 continue to play because yeah, look, if we're giving Patty 253 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:54.240 Mills and Drew Eubanks minutes that could go to players 254 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:56.639 that might actually help the next Jazz, the good next 255 00:12:56.639 --> 00:12:59.879 good Jazz team, Like, you know, what are we doing here? 256 00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:00.799 All right? 257 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:03.039 So before we'll get a couple of RSL thoughts from here, 258 00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:05.360 but before we do that, looks like Phoenix is in 259 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:08.440 town tomorrow. I'll be down there so excited to get 260 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:12.320 down to the stadium. Kevin Durant the arena. Kevin Durant 261 00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:16.200 will not play. What's the update on Kyante and what 262 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:17.840 are your thoughts on where we could see tomorrow night? 263 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:21.440 As the Phoenix Suns have played really well. Again, no Durant, 264 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:23.799 but they're eight and two in the West. So give 265 00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:25.320 me your thoughts on tomorrow before we get a little 266 00:13:25.399 --> 00:13:26.039 RSL from you. 267 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:30.000 Yeah, Kyante went through practice today, so I would say 268 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:32.960 that's a good sign for him being available tomorrow. We 269 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:35.440 haven't gotten the official injury report yet on whether or 270 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:37.679 not he'll be available or if he's questionable or whatever, 271 00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:40.559 but we'll we'll find out probably about in an hour 272 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:44.799 or so, and then I would say, you know, I 273 00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:47.200 think the Jazz, you know, are probably going to lose 274 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:49.240 against the Suns even without coming Durant, but there is 275 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:52.279 a chance there. And I think talking to Kante today 276 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:55.600 at practice, the team realizes, like, look, they are in 277 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:58.559 last place in the Western Conference. They're not super likely 278 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:01.279 to make the playoffs. But is this NBA Cup thing 279 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:03.639 that you can kind of try for and see if 280 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:07.240 you can get something going in a much smaller period 281 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:09.120 of games, And maybe that gives you a little bit 282 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:11.840 of extra incentive. And you know, obviously the million dollar 283 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:15.720 prize at the end does too, So we'll see. You know, yeah, 284 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:18.840 I certainly expect the Jazz not to win tomorrow. I 285 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:20.799 think that's gonna be kind of smart for the rest 286 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:24.120 of the season obviously, But you know, it is a 287 00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:26.159 little bit more at stake with the NBA Cup, and 288 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:28.279 you know, it's kind of fun to have a different 289 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:30.600 thing during the eighty two game regular season with different 290 00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:33.200 courts and different attention on it and what have you. 291 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:35.799 Oh, one more Jazz thing because I've only been to 292 00:14:35.879 --> 00:14:38.679 one game and it was opening not against Memphis. How 293 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:41.759 are the crowds holding up? Like, are people still showing up? 294 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:44.879 I mean, this is this is true pain tolerance in 295 00:14:44.919 --> 00:14:46.679 a way that I don't think we've had here maybe 296 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:49.799 since Corbyn's last year. So are we seeing the crowds 297 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:51.759 continue to show up? And do you think that's something 298 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:52.679 we'll see all year long? 299 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:56.759 Yeah? Look, the last game I was at, you know, 300 00:14:56.759 --> 00:14:59.039 obviously the last home game was the Halloween game, right, 301 00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:03.960 and with four road games since then, Baling game was 302 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:06.840 there were empty seats at the beginning, and then it 303 00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:09.519 seemed like it did fill out pretty well in the 304 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:12.960 second and third quarters. Ticket prices were really cheap, like 305 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:16.279 you could get four dollars upper bowl tickets even fourteen 306 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:18.639 dollars lower bowl tickets on the secondary market. And I 307 00:15:18.679 --> 00:15:21.200 think that's going to continue to be a feature of 308 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:25.840 certain games the season, especially weekday games. But I also 309 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:27.919 think that a little bit fans are willing to pay 310 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:32.039 those prices. You know, if you have those prices low enough, 311 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:33.919 then you can fill the building a little bit. And 312 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:36.159 so I feel bad for kind of the season take 313 00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:39.480 holders who pay the premium and how aren't getting that value? 314 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:42.120 But I do think like the attendance will be kind 315 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:46.320 of sticky enough that you know it won't be I 316 00:15:46.440 --> 00:15:48.840 go to every arena in the league, right and there 317 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:53.200 are teams and markets that have half empty buildings. Even 318 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:57.240 in good team situations. I think even when the Jazz 319 00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:00.480 are at their worst, which I think right now, their 320 00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:02.639 attendance will still be higher than a lot of markets 321 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:05.360 in another a lot of places with better teams. 322 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:08.360 All right over to ourselves. So since we last spoke, 323 00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:13.759 the lads lost again in penalty kicks, third straight year. Postseason. 324 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:16.240 You could, you know, when you talk about not getting 325 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:19.080 out of group in League's Cup, when you talk about 326 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:21.720 losing the first round of Open Cup and losing in 327 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:24.720 the first round of the playoffs, it's hard to really 328 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:28.120 paint a picture other than, you know, probably not capitalizing 329 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:30.159 on one of the more talented teams we've had here. 330 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:33.600 We've talked about the Gomez stuff. I don't know how 331 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:36.039 much of that there is here at a chie Joe 332 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:38.679 just stopped scoring, which is like the main thing you 333 00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:41.559 need your striker to do. Breaking soccer news for you guys. 334 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:46.360 But single season record for points, single season records for goals, 335 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:48.679 It's not like it was all bad. But what do 336 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:52.240 you most attribute this team's inability to when it comes 337 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:56.840 to trophies being at play in tournament soccer, the inability 338 00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:59.919 just to get it done kind of even at all. 339 00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:02.480 I mean, I would say, first of all, like the 340 00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:04.680 majority of those points were made in the first half 341 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:06.599 of the season, when you're not playing for trophies, right, 342 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:10.880 like the Open Cup playoffs and the League Cup playoffs 343 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:13.000 and obviously the MLS Cup playoffs or all at the 344 00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:15.680 end of the year, and by that point you had 345 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:18.680 either gotten rid of Gomez or Chicho was in his 346 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:21.680 extended slump. And by the way, I don't think Chicha's 347 00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:23.640 not just scoring goals. I think he's also not doing 348 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:26.400 the other things asked of center forwards, whether it's making 349 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:30.079 quality runs or tracking backs on defense, or staying engaged 350 00:17:30.119 --> 00:17:32.400 in play and engaged and build up. I don't think 351 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:35.559 he's been really good at any of that really since 352 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:39.519 the suspension, So that's obviously a key concern. You know, 353 00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:41.759 I think there are things that can improve on the 354 00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:44.480 back line that would have been nice, but ultimately, when 355 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:46.880 it came to the playoffs, like they just weren't good 356 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:50.319 enough offensively, They couldn't break down kind of the shell 357 00:17:50.359 --> 00:17:53.119 that Minnesota played in, and in fact, Minnesota ended up 358 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:56.319 having pretty decent spells of possession in those couple of games. 359 00:17:56.359 --> 00:18:00.160 So I guess I would say in the end, and 360 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:03.599 you know, the level of MLS is raised enough that 361 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:09.480 what RSL has right now, especially an attack, is not 362 00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:12.880 good enough, and you know you're asking for that that 363 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:16.480 you know, maybe Chito does have a resurgent or maybe not. 364 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:21.279 But Diogo was, Gonsalves was, it was a disappointment and 365 00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:25.200 was certainly one of the worst under attacking midfielders in 366 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:27.880 MLS when he when he had those minutes on the 367 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:30.359 pitch in the second half the year. Uh Mark Zuk 368 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:32.799 was nice, but again was a young player. Diego Luna 369 00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:35.480 was very good this year, but also as a young player. 370 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:37.759 I mean, they're they're just you look at the other 371 00:18:37.880 --> 00:18:40.400 kind of attacking fours, if you will, around the league 372 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:43.920 and uh in in especially the playoffs, and and I'm 373 00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:47.680 not sure that RSL's really stands up to that. So yeah, 374 00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:50.519 you're looking for more investment, you're looking for more development, 375 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:54.799 and you're looking for more consistency, adding some backline improvements 376 00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:57.079 and and maybe you actually get somewhere. You know. Well, 377 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:00.200 the interesting thing is now that this team's quality for 378 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:03.680 conquer CAFT Champions League the Champions Cup, I guess they 379 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:07.759 call it now. They have to be ready by early 380 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:10.640 in the season and those signings will have to be 381 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:12.680 made sooner rather than later. So we'll see if they 382 00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:13.640 those actually get done. 383 00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:15.960 Last thing, do you run it back with the two keepers? 384 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:16.559 What are you doing? 385 00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:20.400 Goal change the keepers? I mean, look, I don't hate 386 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:23.759 having Gavin Beavers as a developmental project. He's still young, 387 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:28.759 you know, and especially given the goalkeeper developmental timeline. I 388 00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:32.119 think Zach McMath is a like a decent option, but 389 00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:35.599 I think ultimately was you know, way way way too 390 00:19:35.640 --> 00:19:38.960 mistake prone this year. Get somebody else, like you know. 391 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:41.880 I think ultimately it proved that it didn't work this year, 392 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:46.920 despite Zach's pretty good two playoff games, and you know, 393 00:19:47.240 --> 00:19:50.559 I think they're just replacement level and in goalkeeper in 394 00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:54.240 the goalkeeper possession at position in MLS is high enough 395 00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:56.200 that I think you have to have bring in at 396 00:19:56.279 --> 00:19:58.599 least another option there for for next season. 397 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.960 Ah, but thanks for the time. I'll see this is 398 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:05.599 at the arena to marrow night, Okay. Andy Larson covers 399 00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:07.960 the jazz for the Salt Lake Tribune. Rights a data 400 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:10.720 column too, does Little r SL. Get him on Twitter 401 00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:13.359