WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:02.200 All right, what's going on? 2 00:00:02.319 --> 00:00:06.120 Drive time on a Wednesday afternoon, looking at about thirteen 3 00:00:06.200 --> 00:00:09.359 minutes past the hour of two o'clock Satay, shine, You 4 00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:12.160 have a little sunshine here in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. 5 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:15.960 It's a little warm for a January Wednesday. We've got 6 00:00:16.120 --> 00:00:19.920 cold weather and snowstorms ahead coming up this weekend. Not 7 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:22.839 halfway through January, about halfway through your work week, and 8 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:25.879 well not about you are and one day closer to 9 00:00:26.039 --> 00:00:28.160 the weekend. But as it is every single day, it's 10 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:30.480 gonna have you along for the ride. Spence Jackets beyond 11 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:33.840 the mic. That's Porter Larsen behind the glass today. We 12 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:35.439 got a good guest list man. We got a lot 13 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:38.759 to do on the program. Some more takeaways from the 14 00:00:38.759 --> 00:00:42.240 comments yesterday from the Utah football coaching staff. We'll get 15 00:00:42.280 --> 00:00:45.359 to some college football as we're five days away from 16 00:00:45.399 --> 00:00:48.560 the national championship game. It's Notre Dame, it's Ohio State, 17 00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:50.640 So excited for that game. 18 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:54.240 Get into some of that on the program today. 19 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:59.799 So a lot of people I've been interested, certainly in 20 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:04.480 following which pieces of the Utah coaching staff comments yesterday 21 00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:11.280 garnered the most responses. Froblem the general public waiting to 22 00:01:12.599 --> 00:01:14.599 kind of hear from coach went on a number of 23 00:01:14.599 --> 00:01:18.120 different things in Morgan Scalley on a number of different things, 24 00:01:18.200 --> 00:01:19.120 So we'll react to. 25 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:19.879 Some of that today. 26 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:24.640 There are six openings in Pro football as of right now, 27 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:28.519 the Bears, the Cowboys, Jacksonville, the Raiders, the Saints, and 28 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:31.040 the hapless and hopeless New York Football Jets. 29 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:32.560 Reports are today. 30 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:37.040 Mike McCarthy is interviewing as we speak with Chicago, which 31 00:01:37.079 --> 00:01:39.560 I perceived to be potentially the best job on the market, 32 00:01:39.560 --> 00:01:41.439 simply because I think Caleb is going to be a 33 00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:43.560 really good quarterback. I know a lot of people around 34 00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:47.079 here disagree, but when you look at the other situations, 35 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:50.680 there are either horrible quarterbacks or overpaid quarterbacks like Dak. 36 00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:53.840 I don't know if I'm completely done with Trevor Lawrence, 37 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:57.439 but anyway, any NFL coaching news that drops today, we 38 00:01:57.599 --> 00:02:02.480 will bring it to you. The Utah men's basketball team 39 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:05.480 is in action tonight at TCU, a TCU team that 40 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:09.479 beat BYU last week. B YU by the way, last 41 00:02:09.560 --> 00:02:13.439 night with a they smoked Oklahoma State. Now Utah ued 42 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:16.960 Oklahoma State up here, So Oklahoma State probably not excited 43 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:19.000 about ever coming back to Utah butt eighty five to 44 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:24.479 sixty nine. Kevin Young made some rotation adjustments, so we 45 00:02:24.520 --> 00:02:26.479 will do some college basketball in the show today. It 46 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:28.639 is that time of year as we are inching closer 47 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:32.159 and closer tomorrow. Sch halfway through January, was in the 48 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:35.319 building last night for the Utah Hockey Club's lost to 49 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:39.960 the Montreal Canadians. Fun time, though Man hockey one of 50 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:43.639 the best spectator sports. Utah Hockey clubs now eighteen eighteen 51 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:47.400 and seven. They're exactly five hundred. Kirby Datch had a 52 00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:49.759 couple of goals last night. The Montreal Canadians got to 53 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:52.960 win five to three. And I'm shaking myhead as I 54 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:56.199 say this, but Utah Hockey Club welcome in the New 55 00:02:56.280 --> 00:02:59.039 York Rangers coming up tomorrow. The Rangers are already in town. 56 00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:02.439 They're staying at the Grand America. They've been walking around. 57 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:04.919 You can see guys with Ranger gears. So we'll do 58 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:07.039 a little hockey club on the show today. The Utah 59 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:11.919 Jazz back at action tonight against the Charlotte's Hornets. Jazz 60 00:03:11.960 --> 00:03:13.879 have been a lot more competitive as of late. We'll 61 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:16.759 see if that continues. Keep you up to date on 62 00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:19.280 the injury list who you may or may not see 63 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:22.680 tonight at the Delta Center seven o'clock tip against the Hornets. 64 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:24.919 The Jazz schedule is really softening up. They've got some 65 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.759 of the worst teams in the NBA on the docket 66 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:29.439 and we'll see how they fare. The NBA has are 67 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:33.960 scheduled nine games as a result of both fire and ice. No, 68 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:38.080 that is not a Game of Thrones joke. That's a 69 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:41.319 real thing. Obviously, the horrific fires in Los Angeles, some 70 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:44.039 inclement weather throughout the course of the country, so the 71 00:03:44.120 --> 00:03:47.919 NBA has had to reschedule a ton of games. One 72 00:03:48.120 --> 00:03:50.879 eye ahead, of course right now to the NFL playoff 73 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:53.800 weekend ahead after a really fun wild card weekend. 74 00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:54.840 A lot of people. 75 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:57.360 Believe the Divisional round is the best playoff weekend in 76 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:01.439 Pro football. Texans Chiefs Commander Lions on Saturday, and then 77 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:04.240 Sunday Tilt Rams Eagles, then the Ravens and the Bills. Man, 78 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:07.240 that's gonna be a heavyweight bout. So fun time of year, 79 00:04:07.240 --> 00:04:09.599 a little bit of everything going on. RSL has opened 80 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:13.520 up training camp and preparation for their Conky Calf match 81 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:15.800 coming up in just a matter of weeks. There are 82 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:19.480 some player personnel pieces of news we'll get to today. 83 00:04:19.480 --> 00:04:23.920 It's not just RSL, you know, sending players away. They 84 00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:25.759 are making additions. I don't know what it's going to 85 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:28.319 look like, and you know it's kind of odd that 86 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.279 they've decided to go this route. But we'll learn a 87 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:33.639 little bit more today on the program. So our guest 88 00:04:33.639 --> 00:04:36.279 list will go like this. Neil Smith, former general manager 89 00:04:36.279 --> 00:04:38.000 of the New York Rangers, will stop by to talk 90 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:40.240 some Utah Hockey Club and some pro hockey. We'll get 91 00:04:40.279 --> 00:04:43.720 ready for the Utah Hockey Club Rangers game tomorrow. We'll 92 00:04:43.759 --> 00:04:46.800 talk about the Canadians game last night, and just big 93 00:04:46.839 --> 00:04:50.079 picture topics regarding the National Hockey League. 94 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:51.639 With one of our favorites, Neil Smith. 95 00:04:52.680 --> 00:04:55.519 They'll voice himself Bill Riley sopspot today to talk some 96 00:04:55.639 --> 00:05:00.120 Utah football and some Utah basketball. NBA Daily Assists with 97 00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:02.040 Tom Havers show, and you know I'm going to bring 98 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:05.399 up the jazz trading for Zion Williamson. We basically made 99 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:07.839 the jazz interesting and relevant on the show yesterday in 100 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:08.519 case you missed it. 101 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:11.079 So we'll bring in Tom today and. 102 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:14.399 Then Kurt Schmidt, the technical director for Ral Saw Lake, 103 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:17.120 the mind behind all of these moves. The man who 104 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:19.600 essentially makes the final call for player personnel will be 105 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:23.079 my guest later on. So a little Utah Hockey Club, 106 00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:27.519 a little Utah football, you little college basketball, UT's Cougars, 107 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:29.720 some jazz, some NBA, and then some RSL. We got 108 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:31.639 a bit of everything for you guys on the program 109 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:34.480 today on this Wednesday afternoon with Neil Smith, with Bill Riley, 110 00:05:35.160 --> 00:05:37.759 with Tom Haberstrow, with Kurt Schmidt, Me Spence checkets, all 111 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:40.120 of you the great listeners, Happy Wednesday, and that guy 112 00:05:40.199 --> 00:05:44.000 Porter Larson who produced the program on a Wednesday afternoon. 113 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:46.639 So now that you've had a minute to allow the 114 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:50.519 genius of the radio show yesterday to kind of marinate. 115 00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:53.399 And Zion Williamson where we've named half the date after 116 00:05:53.480 --> 00:05:56.040 him anyway, jazz trading for Zion. Do you have any 117 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:58.439 new hot takes or fun thoughts for me on this Wednesday. 118 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:02.319 I'm still I'm still kind of ruminating on that one. 119 00:06:02.439 --> 00:06:05.279 On the Zion stuff. Hey, it'll be fun. It'd be fun. 120 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:08.560 I don't know, uh, you know how fruitful it would be, 121 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:09.319 but it would be fun. 122 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:12.240 Well, we'll see, probably not gonna happen. But just trying 123 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:14.560 to make it relevant is the bottom line. Our first 124 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:17.759 guest today will be Neil Smith, so was at the 125 00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:20.800 hockey game last night and the Rangers in town tomorrow. 126 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:22.480 Before we get to Neil, I want to let you 127 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:25.079 know that the ESPN seven hundred Cash Kickoffice here. It's 128 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:27.040 time for your shot to win one thousand dollars in 129 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:30.879 cash to pay your bills. Text one thousand to five 130 00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:34.160 oh eight seven seven seven one thousand. Text one thousand 131 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:36.480 to five oh eight seven seven one thousand for a 132 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:38.519 chance to win one thousand dollars in cash in this 133 00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:42.240 nationwide contest. Good luck from all of us here at ESPN, 134 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:45.519 courtesy of our friends a Standard Restaurants supplying one stop 135 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:48.120 shop for all your tailgate needs. On a Wednesday afternoon, 136 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:49.839 it is time out for your opening tip. 137 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:53.160 Welcome to the Drive with Spence Check. It's on Utah's 138 00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:56.839 number one sports talk. Now into the studio of ESPN 139 00:06:56.920 --> 00:06:58.839 seven hundred to set the scene. 140 00:06:58.519 --> 00:06:59.120 For the show. 141 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:01.600 One thing tip of the Drive is brought to you 142 00:07:01.639 --> 00:07:04.959 by Standard Restaurant Supply, your one stop shop to build 143 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:09.439 the best tailgate in town. Standard Restaurant Supply thirty five 144 00:07:09.560 --> 00:07:10.879 hundred Southwest Temple. 145 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:15.160 Good to hear from Coach Wit yesterday. Good to hear 146 00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:18.680 from Ordnon Scalley. Good here from Jason Beck. They did 147 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:21.360 a little media, of course, we played those comments for 148 00:07:21.399 --> 00:07:23.639 you here on your home of the Utes. And I've 149 00:07:23.639 --> 00:07:28.600 been interested to follow the news cycle surrounding the comments 150 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:32.279 of all the coaches, head coach, offensive coordinator, offensive coordinator, 151 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:35.480 defensive coordinator, and a couple of things that stood out 152 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:38.439 to me, and number one topically only because we've all 153 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:41.720 been curious. It feels like the number one story that 154 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:44.839 people have kind of latched onto is that Cam Rising 155 00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:47.160 is not on the roster, and Cam is going to 156 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:51.000 announce his intention when he elects to do so, according 157 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:53.720 to Coach Wit. So of course we'll be curious to 158 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:56.240 hear what's next for Camon Rising, who, as I talked 159 00:07:56.279 --> 00:07:59.319 about yesterday, should always be remembered as nothing but a 160 00:07:59.399 --> 00:08:02.240 legend around here, and I do think most people already 161 00:08:02.279 --> 00:08:06.079 believe that's the case. And in due time, after I 162 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:08.720 guess the bad taste in your mouth wears off because 163 00:08:08.759 --> 00:08:10.720 of the past couple of years where the poor kids 164 00:08:10.759 --> 00:08:12.920 just couldn't stay healthy, I would imagine he'll be remembered 165 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:15.480 the right way. But you know, there's been a little 166 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:18.079 bit of a theme on the show regarding college football, 167 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:21.319 and really we can expand it to several of our 168 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:24.199 local products right now. The first time you do something, 169 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:29.000 the first time you experience something sports or life, just 170 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:32.480 it's new and it's hard to accept and it takes 171 00:08:32.519 --> 00:08:36.320 a lot of time to really understand exactly how to 172 00:08:36.600 --> 00:08:38.039 traverse your way through the space. 173 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:39.559 So just new experiences. 174 00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:42.480 And you know, for the Utah Jazz, it is new 175 00:08:42.600 --> 00:08:44.960 for jazz fans to really have already had two and 176 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:47.320 a half years of a rebuild that hasn't bred anything 177 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:50.519 all that exciting, and other than lowry marketing, Walker Castle 178 00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:52.120 and a bevy of picks, we still don't know if 179 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:53.799 any of these young kids are going to be around. 180 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:56.559 Moments from Kyante, moments from Bryce. 181 00:08:56.639 --> 00:08:57.360 Isaiah has been. 182 00:08:57.240 --> 00:08:59.759 Good as of late, but ultimately none of us know 183 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.000 if any of these young players will be around when 184 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:03.799 the Jazz are good again. 185 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:06.159 So a new situation right for jazz fans. 186 00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:08.960 And I do think there are basketball fans in this 187 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:12.080 market that are very, very intelligent, and jazz fans love 188 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:14.399 the Utah Jazz. So the building's been full and I 189 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:16.919 think people more or less understand the deal, understand what 190 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:20.159 time it is. New situation for Jazz fans, new situation 191 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:23.840 of course for college football fans. That really has been 192 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:25.559 new now for a couple of years. But some of 193 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:29.720 the things still land like they're very, very raw. Right, 194 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:33.559 And basically what I'm talking about is coach Wait, yesterday 195 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:37.960 was asked for the first time publicly about the exits 196 00:09:38.039 --> 00:09:42.039 of Kiano Tanavasa and Cameron Calhoun. Right, the two players 197 00:09:42.039 --> 00:09:44.279 that if you're a YOUTE fan picking up your phone 198 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:47.840 to check you know, alerts about who's leaving, who's who's coming, 199 00:09:47.879 --> 00:09:49.360 who's going, who's. 200 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:49.919 Stand what have you? 201 00:09:50.519 --> 00:09:52.360 Those two names hit and they hit different, and they 202 00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:55.200 hit hard because both those players are NFL guys. 203 00:09:55.240 --> 00:09:56.519 They're both going to play on Sunday. 204 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:59.200 And you add on to the fact that Kanu went 205 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:03.600 to BYU. I mean, look, Cam Calhoun is in Tuscalusive 206 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:07.879 playing for Alabama, essentially the charter college football program in 207 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:10.159 the country. Even though right now they're not one of 208 00:10:10.200 --> 00:10:13.240 the top, they still you know, over the past generation 209 00:10:13.320 --> 00:10:15.159 on a Nick Saban they have been kind of the 210 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:20.600 Bill Belichick Patriots version of college football. But ultimately, when 211 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:27.200 coach Witt said yesterday that the main difference, essentially eluding 212 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:31.960 that the only difference when it comes to these departures. 213 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:35.759 His exact term, I believe is the overriding factor in 214 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:40.519 their decisions to leave was nil, namely with Keanu, who 215 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:43.679 left Utah to go to BYU. When Kyle said that, 216 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:45.960 and I heard him say that, I went, that's probably 217 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:49.519 not going to land very well for fans that are 218 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:55.039 upset about the current narrative that Brigham Young has figured 219 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:57.080 out things where their collective, the Utah still has to 220 00:10:57.080 --> 00:10:59.480 figure out. Now, we don't have any hard daddy here. 221 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:01.759 We can only go off the proof, and we can 222 00:11:01.799 --> 00:11:04.720 go off results. And right now we're coming off a 223 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:07.200 year in the Big Twelve where BYU shocked everybody and 224 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:09.879 then they nearly won the thing and Utah was picked 225 00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:11.639 to win the thing and they picked near the bottom. 226 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:14.200 And the new cycle over the past six weeks has 227 00:11:14.200 --> 00:11:17.519 been BYU signs the best high school basketball player in 228 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:20.519 the country. He's gonna get seven mil for five months 229 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:23.519 of basketball, and Utah basketball is just not up to 230 00:11:23.559 --> 00:11:27.600 part right now, and hopefully that could change. But the 231 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:31.440 reaction to what Kyle said yesterday about the overriding factor 232 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:34.559 being nil. I think disappointed a lot of people, And 233 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:37.639 of course I'm not saying Kyle's wrong. A lot of 234 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:41.120 people wondered, based off of the messaging from Keanu and 235 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:44.720 his family, if he simply wanted the LDS BYU experience 236 00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:47.559 talking about wanting to become the best version of himself 237 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:51.120 and that's the place he could do it, releasing a 238 00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:54.759 scripture announcing his intent, his father's saying, then when the 239 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:57.080 heaven's open, our family walks through the door. So a 240 00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:59.720 lot of people were like, Okay, he just one of 241 00:11:59.799 --> 00:12:02.759 me any players who over the years and currently wants 242 00:12:02.840 --> 00:12:06.279 that experience compared to other experiences, And yes, you can 243 00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:08.360 have an LDS experience at the University of Utah, but 244 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:10.559 if you've been around here or if you're familiar with 245 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:12.639 the dynamic, the BYU experience just is different. 246 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:15.840 If it's for you or not you. If it's for 247 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:17.240 you or not for you, that's irrelevant. 248 00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:21.120 It is different, and oftentimes kids do want that experience, 249 00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:24.200 even though you can get an LDS experience elsewhere. And 250 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:26.480 of course, coach wit Morgan Scalley, they're members of the 251 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:31.240 LDS church, so it's not like they couldn't provide that 252 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:34.399 pathway for Katu, you know, if you wanted it. But essentially, 253 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:38.240 the bottom line is this to bring it back to 254 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:40.799 all of us experiencing these things for the first time, 255 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:44.279 and whether it's life or sports, when you go through 256 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:46.279 things for the first time, it can be tough to 257 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:47.679 figure out how to get through them. 258 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:50.120 And then you get older, you get a little leathery and. 259 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:52.159 You realize life is just not fair and things happen 260 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:53.679 and you better figure out how to wait to deal 261 00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:56.519 with it or you're gonna eat yourself alive. The bottom 262 00:12:56.519 --> 00:12:59.279 line is this, the new reality of college football is 263 00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:03.840 simply losing really good players every single year and there 264 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:07.440 are no exceptions, and so as college football fans, I 265 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:10.240 think it's time we just lean into it and you 266 00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:13.159 know it does it sting when it happens, Yes, that's 267 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:13.559 the deal. 268 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:17.519 But two three years, two three, four years. 269 00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:19.759 Down the road, I think we're gonna be a little 270 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:22.759 more leathery to this, and I really hope that there 271 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:26.799 are guardrails put in a place that don't mandate teams 272 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:28.559 have to rebuild every year. 273 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:30.639 That's exhausting, man, it just is. 274 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:35.159 Because fan bases love to get to know the players 275 00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:38.720 that play for the colleges that they support. And as 276 00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:41.559 I've talked about a nauseum, yes to Bowl two thousand 277 00:13:41.559 --> 00:13:43.360 and four, Sugar Bowl two thousand and eight, back to 278 00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:48.440 backpack twelve championships, Utah football's best seasons have simply been 279 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:52.759 as results of recruiting, developing and players sticking around for 280 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:53.720 two three four years. 281 00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:54.000 Right. 282 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:57.279 And it's not just that they won football games. 283 00:13:57.279 --> 00:13:59.759 I mean, that's the point, and that's why we'll always 284 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:03.440 remember mber them as great, great teams. But you felt 285 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:07.960 like you knew Alex Smith or Eric Weddle or Stevenson 286 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:10.080 Sylvester Robert Johnson. 287 00:14:10.200 --> 00:14:11.080 Or Cameron Rising. 288 00:14:11.399 --> 00:14:13.919 You know, you felt like these kids were part of 289 00:14:13.960 --> 00:14:16.720 the fabric of the community. And maybe that's just a 290 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:20.159 little pie in the sky magoo, but it's no longer 291 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:23.200 the reality of how this is going to go, and 292 00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:25.080 it's just one of those things you got to lean into, 293 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:29.480 got to accept it. And it's interesting watching and I'll 294 00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:32.159 put myself in this category. We're all going through this 295 00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:35.360 for the first time really in nil transfer portal has 296 00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:37.320 been a reality for a few years, but it feels 297 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:40.960 like this type of news has stung in a way 298 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:44.279 that news prior to just hasn't really landed the same way. 299 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:46.080 I mean, that's just kind of how I'm reading the situation. 300 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:48.600 So new things can be tough. Got to figure out 301 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:50.320 a way to get through them, then accept them, and 302 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:54.080 next time they happen, maybe you're not as upset when 303 00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:56.720 a player decides a really good player, and a really 304 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:58.559 good kid decides that he wants to play as college 305 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:02.039 ball elsewhere. All right, busy show, We'll do a little 306 00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:05.600 Utah Hockey Club tough one. Last night Montreal Canadians came back. 307 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:08.360 Utah Hockey Club had a lead, but Montreal came back 308 00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:10.919 to get a win. The Rangers are in town for 309 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.039 a game tomorrow night. Rangers have not been near as 310 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:14.639 good as anybody thought that they were going to be 311 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:15.080 this year. 312 00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:16.440 Maybe the hockey club and get a win. 313 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:19.679 So Neil Smith joins us are behind the glass weekly 314 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:21.000 NHL Conversation. 315 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:22.919 On the other side, Mike. 316 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:26.559 McCarthy is reportedly in Chicago today to interview with the 317 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:31.320 Chicago Bears. After getting out of purgatory and escaping Jerry Jones, 318 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:33.559 my man fell forward. 319 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:35.360 I'll tell you that. Well, we'll get to it. 320 00:15:35.720 --> 00:15:38.600 There are six job openings in pro football right now. 321 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:41.519 If anything comes down, we'll bring it to you on air. 322 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:43.960 Got a little Utah hoops tonight. We'll get back to 323 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:46.080 some college and pro football. But I was in the 324 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:49.080 building last night kind of shake in my head. I'm like, 325 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:51.320 I cannot believe I'm sitting in Salt Lake City watching 326 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:55.080 the Montreal Canadians play hockey. Hockey Club goes up early, 327 00:15:55.159 --> 00:15:57.200 Montreal comes back, they get a five to three win, 328 00:15:57.320 --> 00:15:58.960 and I continue to shake my head as the New 329 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:03.039 York Rangers are in now now walking downtown outside of 330 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:05.240 Grand America to play the game tomorrow. Our next guest 331 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:07.240 was the architect of the Ranger team that won the 332 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:08.840 Stanley Cup in nineteen ninety four. 333 00:16:09.720 --> 00:16:11.600 His name is Neil Smith and he joins US Weekly. 334 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:12.720 Hello Neil, how are you, sir? 335 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:17.200 I'm good fancy. That must be something to see the 336 00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:20.600 fabled Montreal Canadians in Salt Lake City for the first 337 00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:22.799 time ever. That's that's quite a franchise. 338 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:24.480 See that's you're smart. 339 00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:26.720 I'm going to lead off there because I'm you know, 340 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:29.879 the rocket rashard right Like back in the day, Montreal 341 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:32.799 Canadians were kind of like, I don't want to say. 342 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:34.919 Because you're educated here, you're going to help me understand. 343 00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:37.480 I don't want to say like the first great pro 344 00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:40.120 hockey club, but from my vantage point, it feels like 345 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:43.279 they were kind of one of the original dynasties in 346 00:16:43.320 --> 00:16:47.840 the NHL for our local hockey fans that went last 347 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:51.039 night and maybe don't fully understand what they were watching. 348 00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:56.480 Myself included give us some context about historically just what 349 00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:58.519 the Canadians mean to the world of hockey. 350 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:03.919 Well, here's some trivia for you that I've rarely ever 351 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:07.240 told anyone this or brought this up, But the Montreal 352 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:12.359 Canadians actually came into the league in nineteen seventeen, the 353 00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:15.640 first year of the NHL. AD switched from the National 354 00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:19.599 Hockey Association to the National Hockey League, and it was 355 00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:21.799 made up of only four teams, and they were called 356 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:26.279 the Montreal Canadians and Montreal Wanderers, the Toronto Arenas and 357 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:31.079 the Ottawa Senators. And the Wanderers building burnt down in 358 00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:33.240 the first season, so there was only three teams. So 359 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:35.880 when we talked about the original six, we actually should 360 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:39.240 be talking about the original three. But Montreal has twenty 361 00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:42.759 four Stanley Cups in their history. By far, the most 362 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:44.079 of any team in the league. 363 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:45.799 The logo on. 364 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:50.200 The front of their jersey stands for Canadian Hockey Club, 365 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:53.920 so there's two season an age and they've worn those 366 00:17:53.960 --> 00:18:00.200 same uniforms forever. And they were once called the Fling 367 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:04.119 Frenchmen because they got all the best French players from 368 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:07.599 Quebec on the Canadians. But they no longer get that 369 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:11.279 advantage as everyone is in the entry draft together. 370 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:14.240 And they more or less have been now. 371 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:17.599 Look, obviously they went through that incredible run in the 372 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:21.279 sixties and the seventies, but eighties as well. But you know, 373 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:26.960 they last won the President's Cup, I believe in seventeen 374 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:31.400 like they have been neil like consistently great now. Their 375 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:33.480 last Stanley Cup I think was what ninety three, so 376 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:36.440 I guess it's been a while, but they have been 377 00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:38.759 pretty consistent with their high level of play. 378 00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:39.880 Is that fair to say. 379 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:44.400 It has up until lately. I mean, they did get 380 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:49.640 into the Stanley Cup final during that bubble time when 381 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:53.759 COVID was around, and they played Tampa in the final, 382 00:18:54.200 --> 00:18:57.400 Tampa winning that, but that was an aberration. 383 00:18:57.559 --> 00:18:57.839 Really. 384 00:18:57.880 --> 00:19:00.000 Montreal has been in a rebuild for quite a while 385 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:04.880 and they're right now for this season on a heck 386 00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:08.720 of a run and are knocking in the door of 387 00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:12.599 a wild card spot in the East. So they're a 388 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:15.400 team that's trying to rebuild, like a lot of teams. 389 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:20.119 And you know, the famous Marty Saint Luis is their coach, 390 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:24.480 who played for Tampa in their Stanley Cup in two 391 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:28.640 thousand and six and was a tremendous player in the 392 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:29.920 National Hockey League. 393 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.799 So the hockey club took a lead after one last night, 394 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:36.720 two to one, and then Montreal came back and outscored 395 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:39.319 them two zero and the second two to one of 396 00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:42.640 the third to win five to three. Are these two 397 00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:46.759 clubs on kind of similar trajectories you reference the rebuild nature? 398 00:19:46.920 --> 00:19:48.839 Or is Montreal maybe a step two. 399 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:51.160 Ahead of where the hockey club found themselves out here 400 00:19:51.160 --> 00:19:51.720 in Salt Lake. 401 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:55.519 No, I don't think they're a step or two ahead. 402 00:19:55.559 --> 00:19:59.480 I think they're all in this grouping. It's really hard 403 00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:05.039 to give it a name, but for lack of better words, 404 00:20:05.079 --> 00:20:07.640 I'll say they're all in the middle class. And by 405 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:11.119 the middle class, I mean those teams that are trying 406 00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:13.599 to be a contender to be in the playoffs. So 407 00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:16.559 the upper class would be the teams that are trying 408 00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:19.720 to be a contender to win the Cup. The middle 409 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:23.000 class would be the teams that are trying to contend 410 00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:26.559 and be in the playoffs. And the lower class would 411 00:20:26.599 --> 00:20:30.839 be the teams that are totally in a rebuild and 412 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:35.920 know that they're a ways away from pushing for the playoffs. 413 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:38.359 So I think there's the three groups. And I've said 414 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:40.960 to you since I've been coming on here that Utah 415 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:44.759 is in that middle group that will be pushing to 416 00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:47.680 try to get that wild card spot, and I expect 417 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:50.240 that they're going to keep clawing away at it for 418 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:51.279 the rest of the season. 419 00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:54.160 One of their themes is they don't hold on to 420 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:56.960 leeds Neil as I reference they were up last night. 421 00:20:57.640 --> 00:21:00.799 Is that just another factor of a young team that 422 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:03.599 doesn't know how to handle the success yet because they 423 00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:05.599 haven't been there, because it really has been a bit 424 00:21:05.640 --> 00:21:08.839 of their theme, like they go up early and oftentimes 425 00:21:08.839 --> 00:21:09.480 can't hold on. 426 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:10.000 To that lead. 427 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:14.799 I think I think it's a disciplined, mental discipline thing 428 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:18.119 for teams, the younger teams that veterans learn, and that 429 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:21.079 is that you know, once you've got the lead, you 430 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:23.519 don't need to have more than a lead. To win 431 00:21:23.559 --> 00:21:26.359 the game, and you can batten down the hatches and 432 00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:30.759 try to just protect that lead with a more disciplined play. 433 00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:33.519 We talked earlier in the season about them being undisciplined 434 00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:37.920 with the penalties. The younger teams are undisciplined in the 435 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:41.279 fact that they see a chance to get a goal 436 00:21:41.319 --> 00:21:43.279 and they go for it, which could train to a 437 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:45.839 scoring chance for the other team. So I think that 438 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:49.000 you know, there are blown leads all over the league. 439 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:51.880 I mean, they're not the only team that doesn't that 440 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:55.200 those leads. There's a lot of them. My concern spence 441 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:58.319 about them, we talked about this last week, is more 442 00:21:58.319 --> 00:22:00.880 about their home record and why they can't get wins 443 00:22:00.920 --> 00:22:03.319 at home, with only six wins, which is the least 444 00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:08.759 of anybody in the whole league. That's something that's concerning 445 00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:11.400 because you've got to, you know, you got to play 446 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:13.359 well in front of your home fans, and you should 447 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:15.079 have an advantage when you play at home. 448 00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:18.599 So unfortunate news is Dylan Gunther, who has had a 449 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:21.720 really good year, actually leads the team with sixteen goals, 450 00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:25.960 also has eighteen assists, and he signed that massive eight 451 00:22:26.039 --> 00:22:28.640 year contract extension. He has thirty four points, which is 452 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:31.119 third on the team to Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley. 453 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:34.640 But Dylan Gunther is out and definitely the lower body injury. 454 00:22:35.079 --> 00:22:37.480 What do you make of this this hole? How does 455 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:41.640 coach Torny handle this? Maybe with some line changes, Yeah, 456 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:42.079 I mean. 457 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:45.519 It's a tough one. It's hard to replace his defensive ability. 458 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:48.480 A guy can that plays a regular shift, that plays 459 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:50.359 on the power plane, has a hell of a shot. 460 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:53.519 And I believe that I'm correct. He scored the very 461 00:22:53.559 --> 00:23:00.000 first Utah Hockey Club goal in history. He's on our 462 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:02.559 guy to replace. He's one of your bright young players. 463 00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:05.519 So they'll just have to find their way to get 464 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:09.559 through it and win some games without Dylan in the lineup. 465 00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:12.519 So I don't want to continue to hit this thing 466 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:14.720 over the head, Neo. But you referenced it like they 467 00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:17.640 just they do not win at home. They just can't. 468 00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:20.240 And I was there last night, had some really good 469 00:23:20.359 --> 00:23:22.799 good seats, and I'm always just every time I go 470 00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:24.680 to a game, and when you're able to set up close, 471 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:29.400 you're just simply blown away at the size and the speed, 472 00:23:29.400 --> 00:23:31.759 the precision, the time and everything that we all love 473 00:23:31.799 --> 00:23:32.799 about pro hockey. 474 00:23:33.319 --> 00:23:35.559 But if they don't get this figured out at home. 475 00:23:36.119 --> 00:23:38.799 I mean, at this point they're now as the real 476 00:23:38.839 --> 00:23:41.799 time standards are pulled up, there are twelve points behind 477 00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:45.400 Colorado for the wild Card, six points beyond Calgary. 478 00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:47.319 So it's not like there's a massive gap there. 479 00:23:47.400 --> 00:23:49.039 But if they can't get it figured out at home, 480 00:23:49.160 --> 00:23:52.559 is it tough to expect a wild card postseason birth? 481 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:56.880 Oh? I think so, And I'm just being honest about that. 482 00:23:57.319 --> 00:24:00.680 I mean, Vancouver is struggling. Vancouver and it in first 483 00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:05.240 place last year in the Pacific Division and the division 484 00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:08.119 that also has the Edmonton Oilers in the Vegas Golden Knights, 485 00:24:08.119 --> 00:24:12.359 two pretty good teams. Vancouver ended in first. They're struggling 486 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:15.039 this year and why well, there's seven wins at home 487 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:17.519 that there's seven, eight and six. It's no you know, 488 00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:20.240 when you go into Vancouver it should be a tough night. 489 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:23.880 It hasn't been this year, and Utah is going to 490 00:24:23.960 --> 00:24:28.559 have to I develop their identity at home. You know, 491 00:24:28.839 --> 00:24:31.240 they're they're they've been good on the road, They've won 492 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:33.559 twelve games on the road, but they've got to figure 493 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:36.880 this thing out at home and be and whether they're nerves, 494 00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:40.279 whether they're whether they're taking too many chances when they're 495 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:42.359 at home because they got their you know, their friends 496 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:46.599 and family watching them. I don't know, but you know what, 497 00:24:46.680 --> 00:24:49.480 you want the opposition to come into your building and go, oh, 498 00:24:49.559 --> 00:24:51.400 we know we're in for a tough night in here. 499 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:54.480 And right now, I don't think the opposition would be. 500 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:57.039 Saying that we did get a little good news out 501 00:24:57.079 --> 00:25:00.079 this way as John Marino came back, and I've I 502 00:25:00.119 --> 00:25:02.240 don't know, I think that's a season debut. I mean, 503 00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:04.359 he got eighteen minutes of ice time, which is a 504 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:07.200 good amount for a player that hasn't played in quite 505 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:09.480 some time. You know, one of their consistent themes neils 506 00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:12.119 you know about this team is getting back to last 507 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:15.240 year when they were in Arizona. The defense oftentimes asked 508 00:25:15.240 --> 00:25:19.039 the goaltender to stand on his head. And what could 509 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:22.279 potentially a settling effect the return of John Marino have 510 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:23.240 to the blue line group. 511 00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:26.759 Oh, I think it's going to have a tremendous effect 512 00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:30.039 on the defense of the team because he's a good player, 513 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:33.200 he's a veteran player, and he'll bring some steadiness to 514 00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:35.519 the team. Now, they did do a great move in 515 00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:39.480 getting Sergachev in the offseason, Ian Cole is there who's 516 00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:41.720 a long time veteran in the league to help out 517 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:44.519 with the younger players, so it's not like they're not 518 00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:47.680 teenagers playing on defense there. But Marino is a good 519 00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:50.759 defenseman and will really help steady things and move to 520 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:56.599 Ingram and the Melka more confidence when they're there and 521 00:25:56.599 --> 00:25:58.039 not think that they're going to have to stand on 522 00:25:58.039 --> 00:25:58.799 their head every night. 523 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:01.599 All right, Neil, let's move over to the team that 524 00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:05.319 is in town right now, walking around downtown outside of 525 00:26:05.319 --> 00:26:08.519 their hotel in Grand America and will be playing the 526 00:26:08.599 --> 00:26:11.240 Utah Hockey Club tomorrow. And that is the team of 527 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:15.200 my childhood, the New York Rangers, who simply, look, I'm 528 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:16.759 not going to tell you I watch every Ranger game. 529 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:19.119 I just know that last year they were in the 530 00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:22.559 mix for potentially something special and it didn't fully work out, 531 00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:25.640 and you just pull up the standings and they continue 532 00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:28.279 to struggle. What do you what would you say to 533 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:31.119 the fans here headed to see the Utah Hockey Club 534 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:33.480 play the Rangers about essentially why this team has not 535 00:26:33.640 --> 00:26:35.319 lived up to expectations. 536 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:39.599 Well, they've had a very peculiar season. They started out 537 00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:42.400 twelve four and one, a lot of the people that 538 00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:46.359 are critics critique the Rangers said that they weren't really 539 00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:51.000 as good as that record. But when they did this 540 00:26:51.079 --> 00:26:54.599 stuff with Jacob Scruba and traded him, he was the captain, 541 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:57.480 had been the captain for quite a while and really 542 00:26:58.319 --> 00:27:01.480 liked and respected by his teammates, things started to turn ugly. 543 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:04.920 They sent out a message to all the other gms 544 00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:10.200 saying that they were trade Crider or Truba, and that 545 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:13.720 got out obviously, and then that sort of put hand 546 00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:16.319 grenades into the locker room and they really had a 547 00:27:16.359 --> 00:27:19.079 tough time to shake it off. They've played better lately. 548 00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:23.480 They're five hundred in their last ten games, but they're 549 00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:25.920 not the team they should have been this season. They're 550 00:27:25.960 --> 00:27:30.200 hanging around with the Islanders and the Penguins down you know, 551 00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:34.759 in the eighth spot for the wild card, and they 552 00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:39.160 should be, you know, easily in the top three in 553 00:27:39.319 --> 00:27:42.400 the in their division. In the Metro Division, they won 554 00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:45.960 the President's Trophy last year. So it's a disastrous year 555 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:49.799 for the Rangers. They're playing better now. That's not great 556 00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:52.119 news for Utah. I wish for Utah they were playing 557 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:55.200 at their worst, but they're not. They've got some guys 558 00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:58.640 for the fans to watch. Ninety three. Savanna jad is 559 00:27:58.640 --> 00:28:03.240 a tremendous hockey play ten Panarin. It can light it, 560 00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:05.519 light the place up and score a lot of goals. 561 00:28:05.880 --> 00:28:08.039 Chris Krider is really good in front of the net 562 00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:11.319 number twenty And they've got a defenseman Adam Fox number 563 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:14.160 twenty three, who won the Noris Trophy only a couple 564 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:16.200 of years ago as the best defenseman in the league, 565 00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:20.119 combined with probably the best goalie in all of hockey, 566 00:28:20.119 --> 00:28:23.240 eg Or Shasterkin. I don't know if you'll see him 567 00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:26.359 or not tomorrow, but he is a treat to watch 568 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:29.839 because he makes some acrobatics saves. So you know, for 569 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:32.240 Utah's sake, you hope that they're having an off night 570 00:28:32.359 --> 00:28:35.359 because they do have a lot of talent, but they 571 00:28:35.400 --> 00:28:37.920 haven't been living up to that talent as of lately. 572 00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:41.799 So from a tactical standpoint, how do you think the 573 00:28:41.880 --> 00:28:44.240 Utah Hockey Club will go about their business of trying 574 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:45.559 to get the win tomorrow? 575 00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:48.680 I mean when they badly need, Like what do the Rangers? 576 00:28:48.839 --> 00:28:51.039 You reference some of their talent, but what makes them 577 00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:53.039 dangerous the way I'll ask it, I guess, Neil is 578 00:28:53.079 --> 00:28:54.039 what makes them dangerous. 579 00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:55.000 What makes them beatable? 580 00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:58.799 I think, you know, I don't know who's playing goal 581 00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:02.279 is Shitsterkin's goal. It's it's really tough because they can 582 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:04.839 live off the fact that they can make mistakes and 583 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:08.079 Shister can can keep them in it. They don't have 584 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:11.400 a great defense right now. They don't, they're not. That's 585 00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:14.559 I would say that's their weakest spot. So if Utah 586 00:29:14.599 --> 00:29:17.720 can get the early goal on them and and you know, 587 00:29:17.960 --> 00:29:21.799 and then protect it and build on it, that would 588 00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:25.440 be one thing. Uh. You know, they're not great defensively, 589 00:29:25.799 --> 00:29:28.200 they and they're not playing at their best upfront, but 590 00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:30.680 they do have a lot of talent up front now 591 00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:35.119 surprisingly spent. Their power play isn't as good as Utah's. 592 00:29:35.319 --> 00:29:39.319 Utah's power play is better than the Rangers, uh and statistically, 593 00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:44.039 so that's an advantage for them. But I just think 594 00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:46.240 that the young guys there are going to have to 595 00:29:47.079 --> 00:29:50.599 get out jump on them early, and go from there. 596 00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:52.880 All right, A couple of minutes left. 597 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:56.440 I have some kind of random questions for you away 598 00:29:56.480 --> 00:30:00.440 from current uh, you know, games and teams and and 599 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:03.079 we were talking about this earlier, because every time I 600 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:05.720 go down to a game and every time I used 601 00:30:05.720 --> 00:30:07.519 to go into the garden for a game and watch 602 00:30:07.599 --> 00:30:13.279 pro hockey, I'm reminded of the intensely impressive athletes these 603 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:16.640 players are, and how incredible the sport is with the 604 00:30:16.680 --> 00:30:20.279 timing and the precision and the physicality and the speed 605 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:22.559 and the just the skating, Like, go ahead, go try 606 00:30:22.599 --> 00:30:24.680 to skate, you know, skating a straight line, let alone 607 00:30:24.680 --> 00:30:27.960 what they do. But for some reason, Neil, it doesn't 608 00:30:28.079 --> 00:30:32.839 seem to translate on television as it pertains to, you know, 609 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:36.559 grabbing your average Joe sports fan that sits down at 610 00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:38.799 night and just wants to watch a game and doesn't 611 00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:42.640 have a preference. They the numbers still say they massively 612 00:30:42.680 --> 00:30:45.319 migrate to football, And I do believe the NFL has 613 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:48.279 the best TV show in sports. I've always believed that's 614 00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:50.759 one of the reasons the NFL is king. And you know, 615 00:30:50.920 --> 00:30:53.079 NBA numbers aren't what they used to be, but you know, 616 00:30:53.240 --> 00:30:56.759 the NHL is still very much forth in most ratings. 617 00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:58.839 Now there are some markets where those are exceptions. But 618 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:02.039 you're the guy for this, like, why doesn't this sport 619 00:31:02.200 --> 00:31:04.839 seem to translate over to television? 620 00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:05.960 What are your thoughts on that? 621 00:31:07.160 --> 00:31:07.359 Well? 622 00:31:07.400 --> 00:31:10.599 I think there's two things that are really important. The 623 00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:14.839 puck is small, so if you don't know the game inherently, 624 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:18.400 you're wondering where did the puck go? Where is it 625 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:21.880 right now? And the other thing that makes it hard 626 00:31:21.920 --> 00:31:26.039 in TV is that you have boards going all around 627 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:28.920 the plane service. You don't have that in any other sport. 628 00:31:29.079 --> 00:31:32.119 So cameras, of course are on one side of the ice, 629 00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:35.160 and when the puck gets on to that side of 630 00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:37.279 the ice, you can't see it because the boards are 631 00:31:37.319 --> 00:31:40.200 in the way. That's another thing. If you think about football, 632 00:31:40.200 --> 00:31:42.839 if you think about baseball, if you think about basketball, 633 00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:45.799 you always know where the ball is. In those sports, 634 00:31:46.039 --> 00:31:48.559 you don't always know where the puck is now. As 635 00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:52.359 I said, people who are real hockey fans understand, they've 636 00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:54.200 seen it so many times. I understand where the puck 637 00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:58.119 is going, and they understand what the nuances are. But 638 00:31:58.160 --> 00:32:02.400 I think that those things Spence are really have always 639 00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:08.039 been the achilles heel of watching hockey on TV. I 640 00:32:08.240 --> 00:32:11.680 don't believe it's because there's the rules they don't understand. 641 00:32:11.720 --> 00:32:14.599 There's only two basic rules in hockey, and that's off site. 642 00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:17.279 And I think there's really not a lot of others 643 00:32:17.279 --> 00:32:20.079 people can understand you can't trip people, you can't hit 644 00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:22.799 people with a stick. You can't do that. Obviously you're 645 00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:25.160 going to get a penalty. I think it's the fact 646 00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:28.119 on TV you don't get this. You don't see the 647 00:32:28.200 --> 00:32:31.200 speed that you do when you're in the building, and 648 00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:32.960 it's really hard to follow the puck. 649 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:36.839 Yeah, And I know they've tried solutions with the puck, 650 00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:39.839 you know, having the flash like follow it or whatever, 651 00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:43.119 but nothing has ever really seemed stuck in a way neo. 652 00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:46.400 It kind of reminds me of soccer, where you know, 653 00:32:46.440 --> 00:32:49.240 there are a lot of average joe sports fans that 654 00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:53.640 don't necessarily understand soccer and they wish that rules were 655 00:32:53.680 --> 00:32:56.160 different and the goals were bigger or whatever. And soccer 656 00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:58.640 people are just kind of like, this is our sport, man, 657 00:32:58.799 --> 00:33:00.680 either you like it or not. I feel like hockey 658 00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:02.680 people are kind of the same. Like you can complain 659 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:05.480 that you can't see the puck. You can complain that 660 00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:07.880 you don't understand this or that, but deal with it 661 00:33:07.960 --> 00:33:09.480 like this is our game and we love it. 662 00:33:10.759 --> 00:33:13.359 Well, that's true. And I'll give you one other example 663 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:16.640 that came to mind of why it's difficult on TV. 664 00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:22.119 A camera, whether it's your camera on your phone or 665 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:26.240 any other camera, can't catch an image like your eyes can't. 666 00:33:26.279 --> 00:33:28.400 And so think about this for a minute. Have you 667 00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:31.400 ever gone outside and seen a tremendous moon in the 668 00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:33.920 sky and thought, oh, I got to get a picture 669 00:33:33.960 --> 00:33:36.680 of that. This is really cool, and you can't get 670 00:33:36.680 --> 00:33:40.119 a picture of it with your phone because it doesn't 671 00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:43.279 capture that image. Well, that's the same thing with the 672 00:33:43.319 --> 00:33:47.319 puck and the camera. Watching from TV, your eyes can 673 00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:49.279 see the puck and when you're in the building, you 674 00:33:49.279 --> 00:33:52.039 can see the speed, see where it goes, catch all 675 00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:54.920 that with the naked eye, but the camera can't catch 676 00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:58.599 it the same way. And I use that analogy to 677 00:33:58.680 --> 00:34:01.640 the moon because there's been so many times I've had 678 00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:03.799 these great South Carolina moon So I want to take 679 00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:06.559 a picture. I take a picture and it's just looks 680 00:34:06.640 --> 00:34:11.599 like a street light up in the air. So it's difficult. 681 00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:14.159 They've tried a lot of things, as you said, but 682 00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:18.039 at the end of the day, it's what you said. 683 00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:21.840 It's our sport. You know, learn it, you'll love it. 684 00:34:22.239 --> 00:34:24.440 Try to attend the games if you can, because then 685 00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:26.760 when you go back to TV, you'll understand it better. 686 00:34:27.960 --> 00:34:30.039 Well said last thing, Neil, I'll set you lose, because 687 00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:32.559 this kind of caught my attention. And I want to 688 00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:36.239 be clear, I was alive for the Miracle on Ice. 689 00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:40.360 I just was too so I don't remember it at all. 690 00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:44.320 And a bill has been introduced to Congress to award 691 00:34:44.360 --> 00:34:47.239 Congressional Gold Medals to the nineteen eighty Miracle on Ice 692 00:34:47.239 --> 00:34:50.400 Olympic hockey team. It was reintroduced to the House of 693 00:34:50.440 --> 00:34:54.000 Representatives in the Senate on Wednesday. I was unfamiliar that 694 00:34:54.039 --> 00:34:56.599 this was ever in front of the Senate, and instead 695 00:34:56.599 --> 00:34:58.400 of asking you whether or not you think this is 696 00:34:58.559 --> 00:35:01.280 something that will happen, just wanted to get your perspective 697 00:35:01.320 --> 00:35:05.960 about what that team, what that moment, what that Al 698 00:35:06.039 --> 00:35:09.719 Michaels call did for the game and the way it 699 00:35:09.800 --> 00:35:10.360 changed it. 700 00:35:12.280 --> 00:35:14.519 You know, I think it did something for the country 701 00:35:14.599 --> 00:35:17.480 because at the time, the country was embroiled in that 702 00:35:18.639 --> 00:35:25.000 Iran controversy with the with the hostages and the the 703 00:35:26.039 --> 00:35:30.000 consulate having been taken over, the US consulate and the 704 00:35:30.079 --> 00:35:33.320 people being held hostage that worked in the consulate. Jimmy 705 00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:41.159 Carter had under his administration, they had tried several things 706 00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:44.679 that hadn't worked, and the country wasn't wasn't real happy. 707 00:35:44.719 --> 00:35:48.920 And I think when at the at the Olympics, when 708 00:35:49.239 --> 00:35:51.880 in Lake Placid, when the US team, which was just 709 00:35:51.920 --> 00:35:55.599 a young group of college aged guys, were able to 710 00:35:55.639 --> 00:35:59.559 beat the Russian team, which is all at least NHL 711 00:35:59.679 --> 00:36:02.400 level players, although they weren't allowed to play in the 712 00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:06.840 NHL back then, it gave the country something to rally 713 00:36:06.880 --> 00:36:10.039 around and to be proud of. And I think and 714 00:36:10.119 --> 00:36:13.880 I know that it's been an inspiration to generations of 715 00:36:13.960 --> 00:36:17.719 young Americans to want to play hockey. So it was 716 00:36:17.760 --> 00:36:21.559 in nineteen eighty, So if you were born, let's say 717 00:36:21.559 --> 00:36:25.440 in the mid seventies and you're watching that early seventies, 718 00:36:25.639 --> 00:36:27.480 you might want to go put skates on and become 719 00:36:28.199 --> 00:36:31.400 and try to be a hockey player. And now fast 720 00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:34.599 forward to twenty twenty five, we have tons of American 721 00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:38.039 players playing in the National Hockey League. And I think 722 00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:43.559 we owe a lot of gratitude to that US team 723 00:36:43.679 --> 00:36:48.400 and Herb Brooks, the coach who's unfortunately passed away, but 724 00:36:48.440 --> 00:36:52.559 we owe them gratitude for helping promote the game in 725 00:36:52.559 --> 00:36:55.320 the United States and bring it to America. 726 00:36:56.239 --> 00:36:58.440 Well, Neil, thank you my friend Big Daves in town. 727 00:36:58.480 --> 00:37:01.599 We're going to get a little dinner tonight, so I'm sir, yeah, 728 00:37:01.719 --> 00:37:06.119 I'll definitely pass along your hellos. And obviously he'll be 729 00:37:06.599 --> 00:37:07.760 excited that we spoke today. 730 00:37:09.039 --> 00:37:10.920 I hope he doesn't do what he used to do 731 00:37:10.960 --> 00:37:13.280 to me and make me pay, make you pay. 732 00:37:15.199 --> 00:37:17.840 I hope he's listening. I hope he's listening. Neil, great 733 00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:19.320 chatting with you, my friend. Have a great week. 734 00:37:19.360 --> 00:37:22.320 Okay, thanks buddy, take care all. 735 00:37:22.280 --> 00:37:22.800 Right, great. 736 00:37:22.840 --> 00:37:27.280 Neil Smith, architect of at nineteen ninety four New York Rangers, 737 00:37:27.320 --> 00:37:30.320 Stanley Cup winning team, and the Rangers are here right 738 00:37:30.360 --> 00:37:33.320 now to play the hockey Club tomorrow, a couple of 739 00:37:33.360 --> 00:37:36.159 days after. The Montreal Canadians are a town. Nothing's real, man, 740 00:37:36.199 --> 00:37:38.400 it is wild. If you've not been to a game, 741 00:37:38.440 --> 00:37:40.760 it's worth it, fun spectator experience. I want to tell 742 00:37:40.800 --> 00:37:42.760 you about my friends at Prize Picks. Bill Riley's going 743 00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:45.559 to join us coming up next, Utah football, Utah basketball. 744 00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:48.360 Price Pick's best place to get real money sports action. 745 00:37:48.440 --> 00:37:50.760 With over ten million members and billions of dollars in 746 00:37:50.800 --> 00:37:53.920 awarded winnings, it's made daily fantasy sports accessible to all. 747 00:37:53.920 --> 00:37:56.000 And here's why all you do is pick more or 748 00:37:56.079 --> 00:37:57.880 less on at least two players for a shot to 749 00:37:57.920 --> 00:38:00.840 win up to one thousand times your cash. So we'll 750 00:38:00.960 --> 00:38:03.639 use Tonight's Jazz Hornets game as an example, just to 751 00:38:03.719 --> 00:38:05.320 let you know how easy this is. So if you 752 00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:07.119 don't want to worry about all the other stuff about 753 00:38:07.119 --> 00:38:09.360 their apps, ask you to learn the spread, the over under, 754 00:38:09.360 --> 00:38:12.760 the money line, the hook, whatever it is. Tonight Lowry 755 00:38:12.800 --> 00:38:15.760 marketing more or less than twenty point five points. 756 00:38:15.800 --> 00:38:16.599 I'm just making these up. 757 00:38:16.639 --> 00:38:20.199 By the way, LaMelo Ball more or less than seven 758 00:38:20.239 --> 00:38:23.679 point five assists, Leangelo Ball more or less than one 759 00:38:23.719 --> 00:38:25.760 point five dope songs released. 760 00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:26.400 Just kidding. 761 00:38:26.960 --> 00:38:29.880 It's only players, it's not rappers. But it's very easy 762 00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:32.840 and they're giving away free money. So download the Price 763 00:38:32.880 --> 00:38:35.400 Picks app today. Use the promo code ESPN seven hundred 764 00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:37.280 to get fifty dollars instantly after you play your first 765 00:38:37.320 --> 00:38:38.280 five dollars lineup. 766 00:38:39.239 --> 00:38:43.000 What you can't see right now is the voice of 767 00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:43.199 the you. 768 00:38:43.320 --> 00:38:47.599 It's Bill Riley clapping to Kim Carn's Betty Davis is 769 00:38:47.679 --> 00:38:50.960 a c night witnessed on a number of occasions during 770 00:38:50.960 --> 00:38:53.079 the old Bill and Spence days. Riles I had to 771 00:38:53.199 --> 00:38:56.519 dust Off a classic for you. I know you appreciate 772 00:38:56.559 --> 00:38:57.840 this on a Wednesday. 773 00:38:57.400 --> 00:39:02.719 Yes, I do spend. I was kind of hoping that 774 00:39:02.840 --> 00:39:05.880 you would break out the Cranberries for me today because 775 00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:09.679 I believe, I believe it was seven years ago today 776 00:39:09.719 --> 00:39:13.719 that Dolores reared in the lead singer of Yours and Mind, 777 00:39:13.760 --> 00:39:15.239 one of our favorite bands, died. 778 00:39:15.960 --> 00:39:19.440 Good knowledge, good reminder, and next time we'll do that 779 00:39:19.559 --> 00:39:20.880 if I remember correctly. 780 00:39:21.000 --> 00:39:23.199 You and I disagree on the Cranberry's best song. 781 00:39:23.280 --> 00:39:26.719 Correct What do you think it's zombie? 782 00:39:26.920 --> 00:39:28.559 No, I'm a Linger guy period. 783 00:39:28.599 --> 00:39:30.599 I thought you I'm a Linger. No, no, no, you 784 00:39:30.639 --> 00:39:33.280 and I are, well, you're a Linger longer guy. 785 00:39:33.639 --> 00:39:36.119 Well that I have no argument there, and I will 786 00:39:36.119 --> 00:39:39.000 bring the potatoes. I will bring the fear. I always 787 00:39:39.039 --> 00:39:41.400 thought you loved dreams. I thought you were a dreams guy. 788 00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:42.480 But I guess you're a longer guy. 789 00:39:42.760 --> 00:39:45.679 I do like dreams. But there's something about Linger that's 790 00:39:46.320 --> 00:39:49.320 her voice was so haunting in a beautiful way, but 791 00:39:49.360 --> 00:39:50.239 it was just haunting. 792 00:39:50.840 --> 00:39:53.320 Yes, and also there is something about a Linger longer. 793 00:39:53.400 --> 00:39:55.800 So if any any of our listeners are listening and 794 00:39:55.840 --> 00:39:57.760 there's one on tap, hit me up, man. I'm a 795 00:39:57.760 --> 00:40:01.000 big fan that food. You cannot get food like that anywhere, Riles. 796 00:40:01.639 --> 00:40:02.679 It's true, it's true. 797 00:40:02.719 --> 00:40:03.960 How are you doing, im good man? 798 00:40:04.039 --> 00:40:07.199 So we'll do some hoops in a minute. Happy for 799 00:40:07.280 --> 00:40:10.119 Craig and that first big twelve win. And I know 800 00:40:10.199 --> 00:40:13.480 you were traveling when Coach Witt and the staff kind 801 00:40:13.480 --> 00:40:16.280 of made their comments, but you are familiar with the 802 00:40:16.320 --> 00:40:19.840 program and you understand the tone and tenor so I 803 00:40:19.880 --> 00:40:21.400 won't get too deep into the weeds. We'll give you 804 00:40:21.440 --> 00:40:23.480 a chance to get back on the ground and listen. 805 00:40:23.599 --> 00:40:26.280 But one of the big pieces of news, and you 806 00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:28.280 know it's I don't think it's a surprise. We were 807 00:40:28.280 --> 00:40:31.679 all just kind of waiting on clarity about Cameron dot 808 00:40:31.760 --> 00:40:33.880 Cam rising and simply he's not on the roster, and 809 00:40:33.960 --> 00:40:36.559 Kyle said, when the time is right, Cam will let 810 00:40:36.719 --> 00:40:39.440 us know what his next steps are. But what's your 811 00:40:39.480 --> 00:40:42.320 reaction to the news? Who like has said not surprising 812 00:40:42.400 --> 00:40:43.320 but now official? 813 00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:46.639 Yeah, kind of like you not not surprising. I mean, 814 00:40:47.639 --> 00:40:50.679 Cam's played a lot of football when he's older. But 815 00:40:51.280 --> 00:40:54.480 I thought when they brought Jason Beck in and Devin 816 00:40:54.559 --> 00:40:57.760 Dampier made the kid made the commitment to Utah, that 817 00:40:58.599 --> 00:41:01.519 kind of signaled the direction that Utah was going in 818 00:41:01.559 --> 00:41:05.199 with their quarterback and their new offense, and so that 819 00:41:05.280 --> 00:41:09.079 it really didn't surprise me. I've not heard word one 820 00:41:09.119 --> 00:41:11.760 about Cam. He's kind of gone radio silent on a 821 00:41:11.800 --> 00:41:13.599 lot of things, so it'll be interesting to see where 822 00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:18.159 he ends up. But yeah, it wasn't super surprised by 823 00:41:18.199 --> 00:41:22.519 the news, just simply because new time, new era, new offense, 824 00:41:22.719 --> 00:41:27.079 and the offensive coordinator brought in a very dynamic, younger 825 00:41:27.199 --> 00:41:30.679 quarterback to run his offense. So I will be anxious 826 00:41:30.679 --> 00:41:32.800 to see what Cam does. I mean, does he play 827 00:41:32.920 --> 00:41:36.440 under year college football? Who gives him an opportunity because 828 00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:39.199 he's got a track record of being hurt a lot 829 00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:42.920 over the last three or four years. But when he's healthy, 830 00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:47.360 we know he's a very good quarterback too, So I, 831 00:41:47.480 --> 00:41:50.000 like everybody else, would be really curious to see where 832 00:41:50.039 --> 00:41:53.920 he goes and what he does. I'm also really curious 833 00:41:53.960 --> 00:41:58.000 to see this new Jason Beck offense because just based 834 00:41:58.039 --> 00:42:00.599 on you know, a couple of conversation since I've had 835 00:42:00.599 --> 00:42:04.079 with him obviously off the air, it sounds like a 836 00:42:04.119 --> 00:42:07.079 pretty big departure from where Utah has been in recent years. 837 00:42:07.320 --> 00:42:08.159 We'll get there in a moment. 838 00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:10.159 Let's stick with the cam stuff for just a second here, 839 00:42:10.159 --> 00:42:11.719 because I want to kind of explore the space. 840 00:42:11.800 --> 00:42:12.000 Now. 841 00:42:12.559 --> 00:42:15.360 I don't fault, Like, dude, put off the real world 842 00:42:15.440 --> 00:42:17.679 as long as you can. And if you're Bill, if 843 00:42:17.719 --> 00:42:19.519 you're Bill Riley, you've been able to do it for 844 00:42:19.519 --> 00:42:22.880 forty years or whatever, So I'm not I'm not saying 845 00:42:22.880 --> 00:42:23.440 you don't work hard. 846 00:42:23.480 --> 00:42:24.280 You get the deal. 847 00:42:24.719 --> 00:42:27.360 Like if your only you know, if your next option 848 00:42:27.840 --> 00:42:29.599 is to enter the real world and you got to 849 00:42:29.639 --> 00:42:31.840 wake up at six thirty to return emails from a 850 00:42:31.880 --> 00:42:35.559 sales manager, go play at Middle Tennessee State for a 851 00:42:35.639 --> 00:42:37.679 year and make one hundred grand. I don't know what 852 00:42:37.719 --> 00:42:40.360 it looks like, but I would not begrudge him at 853 00:42:40.400 --> 00:42:42.480 all if he just finds a smaller school, makes a 854 00:42:42.519 --> 00:42:44.639 couple hundred grand or whatever, and gives it one more 855 00:42:44.679 --> 00:42:46.400 go to show that he can maybe put some tape 856 00:42:46.400 --> 00:42:46.760 out there. 857 00:42:46.840 --> 00:42:47.199 I don't know. 858 00:42:48.119 --> 00:42:51.199 Yeah, I mean, let's face it, even I mean, he 859 00:42:51.239 --> 00:42:53.639 could be doctor cam Rising by now based on the 860 00:42:53.639 --> 00:42:56.840 amount of schooling that he's had there. How many people 861 00:42:56.920 --> 00:42:59.719 step out of school and their first job pays them 862 00:42:59.760 --> 00:43:00.639 sick figures? 863 00:43:00.920 --> 00:43:02.760 Very few, very few of it. 864 00:43:03.079 --> 00:43:07.239 My son is an engineer with an MBA. He makes 865 00:43:07.360 --> 00:43:09.960 really good money spence a lot better than his old 866 00:43:09.960 --> 00:43:14.760 man made. But he's not an engineer with an MBA 867 00:43:15.559 --> 00:43:17.760 and had a drummer in a rock band which we'll 868 00:43:17.760 --> 00:43:20.719 be playing at Urban Lounge later this week. But I digress. 869 00:43:20.920 --> 00:43:24.079 No, no, no, no, no, you do not digress. What what's 870 00:43:24.079 --> 00:43:25.079 the name of this band? 871 00:43:25.920 --> 00:43:28.320 Drunk in June? 872 00:43:30.320 --> 00:43:32.320 That rules? All right? Now you can go back to 873 00:43:32.360 --> 00:43:33.559 not digressing and continue. 874 00:43:33.559 --> 00:43:36.920 That's awesome, though, But but the point is back to cam. Yeah, 875 00:43:37.039 --> 00:43:45.679 if Middle Tennessee State, or or Western Kentucky or you know, Illinois, somebody, 876 00:43:45.920 --> 00:43:48.840 maybe a smaller school, is willing to offer you one 877 00:43:48.920 --> 00:43:51.880 hundred thousand, two hundred thousand, three hundred thousand dollars to 878 00:43:51.920 --> 00:43:56.840 play football for another year. Heck yes, take it and run. 879 00:43:57.239 --> 00:43:59.480 You got the rest of your life to return emails 880 00:43:59.519 --> 00:44:02.119 to your sales manager. Play football as long as you 881 00:44:02.159 --> 00:44:03.719 can totally agree. 882 00:44:03.960 --> 00:44:07.280 Last thing here as he walks away, And I would 883 00:44:07.280 --> 00:44:11.639 imagine most people know that he should be remembered as 884 00:44:11.679 --> 00:44:15.519 a legend. And I would imagine giving time, excuse me, 885 00:44:15.679 --> 00:44:18.920 everybody lands in that space. But you call his biggest 886 00:44:18.920 --> 00:44:22.239 games pack twelve championships Rose Bulls. As Cameron walks away, 887 00:44:22.280 --> 00:44:25.079 how should how should we remember him as Utah's quarterback? 888 00:44:25.599 --> 00:44:28.360 Well, you and I both know this because I'm old 889 00:44:28.440 --> 00:44:32.480 and you're older. Indeed, time time is it gives you 890 00:44:32.559 --> 00:44:35.599 a great perspective on things. You know, you get caught 891 00:44:35.679 --> 00:44:38.000 up in the moment. He was hurt the last two years, 892 00:44:38.639 --> 00:44:41.719 but when we reflect back on it, Cameron Rising is 893 00:44:41.719 --> 00:44:43.719 one of the most important players in the history of 894 00:44:43.800 --> 00:44:47.079 University of Utah football. He was the guy that helped 895 00:44:47.079 --> 00:44:50.679 them become more than just relevant. He helped them become 896 00:44:50.800 --> 00:44:54.840 a player in a Power five conference. No offense to 897 00:44:54.960 --> 00:44:59.559 Troy Williams and to Travis Wilson and even Tyler Huntley, 898 00:44:59.559 --> 00:45:02.440 who was really good too, but Cam got him over 899 00:45:02.480 --> 00:45:04.920 the hump. They won Pack twelve championships, They went to 900 00:45:05.000 --> 00:45:08.039 Rose Bowls when he was the quarterback. I just think, 901 00:45:08.079 --> 00:45:09.960 you know, if you're making a short list of the 902 00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:14.800 most important players in program history, he's on that short list. 903 00:45:15.639 --> 00:45:19.280 Totally agree, all right, Moving off of it, I talked 904 00:45:19.280 --> 00:45:21.400 about this to start of the show. I was just 905 00:45:21.559 --> 00:45:25.760 genuinely curious as to which parts of the Utah coaches 906 00:45:25.800 --> 00:45:29.400 media would garner the most response, and Kyle was asked 907 00:45:29.400 --> 00:45:33.000 about Keanu, he was asked about Cameron Calhoun, and he 908 00:45:33.039 --> 00:45:37.800 said the overriding factor of both was ANIL in his opinion. 909 00:45:38.239 --> 00:45:41.199 Now somebody goes to Tuscaloosa High five man, good luck. 910 00:45:41.239 --> 00:45:44.719 He like, no one's competing with that type of cash, 911 00:45:44.760 --> 00:45:48.519 Shay and probably simply cash, right, I mean at tuscal 912 00:45:48.519 --> 00:45:50.679 Los Alabama is what it is. But I think the 913 00:45:50.760 --> 00:45:57.039 fact that Kyle alludes to Keanu to BYU was anil 914 00:45:57.800 --> 00:46:02.119 the overriding factor there from what I can kind of ascertain, 915 00:46:02.199 --> 00:46:04.760 and some feedback guys I've received that just kind of 916 00:46:04.800 --> 00:46:09.440 didn't land very well for folks who have this idea 917 00:46:09.719 --> 00:46:12.800 that the narrative out there with BYU landing aj Debantza 918 00:46:12.880 --> 00:46:17.199 and BYU coming off this Big twelve season that was 919 00:46:17.320 --> 00:46:19.679 very unexpected but very successful. On the other side of 920 00:46:19.719 --> 00:46:22.559 Utah basketball trying to find their footing Utah football rough 921 00:46:22.559 --> 00:46:25.559 Big twelve season. I just think there's this feeling with 922 00:46:25.639 --> 00:46:27.719 a lot of people in the market that BYU has 923 00:46:27.719 --> 00:46:30.159 something figured out with the collective that maybe Utah doesn't. 924 00:46:30.719 --> 00:46:32.400 I don't know if that's the case, but you know, 925 00:46:32.440 --> 00:46:34.760 the deal with narratives, I just wonder what your thoughts 926 00:46:34.800 --> 00:46:38.039 are because there were a lot of speculation, like, look, 927 00:46:38.079 --> 00:46:40.519 I know there's been tampering accusations. I can't speak to 928 00:46:40.519 --> 00:46:43.199 any of that, but there was a lot of religiosity 929 00:46:43.320 --> 00:46:46.480 in the messaging from Keanu and his family. And look, 930 00:46:46.599 --> 00:46:49.760 you can get an LDS experience in Sault lak a Utah, 931 00:46:50.079 --> 00:46:52.199 but the BYU experience is different. 932 00:46:52.280 --> 00:46:53.880 It just is it always will be. 933 00:46:54.440 --> 00:46:56.000 And so a lot of people are like, yeah, maybe 934 00:46:56.000 --> 00:46:59.559 he just as decided as he's aged that that's where 935 00:46:59.599 --> 00:47:01.840 he needs to be to lean into that type of 936 00:47:01.880 --> 00:47:05.199 life or whatever. And then Kyle says it's nil, and 937 00:47:05.239 --> 00:47:06.800 I think a lot of people kind of left scratching 938 00:47:06.840 --> 00:47:07.119 their heads. 939 00:47:07.159 --> 00:47:08.000 Bill, what are your thoughts? 940 00:47:09.480 --> 00:47:13.400 I think it's probably a mixture, don't. I'm not privy 941 00:47:13.440 --> 00:47:16.199 to the negotiations of NIL, but I do know that 942 00:47:16.280 --> 00:47:19.679 spence in this day and age, I think just about 943 00:47:19.719 --> 00:47:23.039 every recruitment on every level, at every position has some 944 00:47:23.199 --> 00:47:26.760 tie to an NIL component to it. So I would 945 00:47:26.800 --> 00:47:30.000 never second guess Kyle on that, because he's the one 946 00:47:30.039 --> 00:47:33.679 sitting in on those negotiations. But I don't think that 947 00:47:33.880 --> 00:47:36.480 was I don't think that was the only component there. 948 00:47:36.920 --> 00:47:39.880 It was weird. I mean we you know, one minute 949 00:47:39.920 --> 00:47:41.920 he's a Utah man for life, and then the next 950 00:47:41.960 --> 00:47:44.840 minute he's he's gone. But you know, there was a 951 00:47:44.840 --> 00:47:47.559 coach down there. I think Cioty Pooha, who's now on 952 00:47:47.599 --> 00:47:51.039 the staff at BYU, recruited into Utah, and I think 953 00:47:51.079 --> 00:47:54.840 there might be a relationship there as well. So it's 954 00:47:54.880 --> 00:47:57.760 what I've always said, you know, go where you're happy. 955 00:47:58.039 --> 00:48:02.079 Life is short, Go where you're happy. Is it a loss, 956 00:48:02.440 --> 00:48:04.599 It is a loss. He's a good football player, but 957 00:48:04.679 --> 00:48:09.400 he's not an irreplaceable football player. Utah produces defensive linemen. 958 00:48:09.480 --> 00:48:11.960 They pull him out of thin air, and guys can compete. 959 00:48:12.000 --> 00:48:15.639 Nobody knew Kenneltonabasa two years ago and then he popped 960 00:48:15.639 --> 00:48:17.840 on the scene. I think Utah is going to be 961 00:48:17.920 --> 00:48:20.519 just fine. He's a really good football player and I 962 00:48:20.519 --> 00:48:23.199 think he'll probably do just find down there. But I 963 00:48:23.239 --> 00:48:25.639 don't think it's one of those losses that the program 964 00:48:25.719 --> 00:48:29.840 can't recover from. And I think too, just because it's 965 00:48:29.880 --> 00:48:33.800 your rival, your rival had a good year, you had 966 00:48:33.840 --> 00:48:36.280 a down year, and this was just kind of that. 967 00:48:37.000 --> 00:48:38.920 I don't know that Cherry on top of a tough 968 00:48:39.079 --> 00:48:42.719 tough year, Sunday for a lot of people to digest. 969 00:48:42.960 --> 00:48:45.440 To be very fair, I think these two programs are 970 00:48:45.480 --> 00:48:48.719 actually in a pretty good place. Utah is not that 971 00:48:48.880 --> 00:48:51.840 far off from being back where they were. Good quarterback 972 00:48:51.840 --> 00:48:53.800 play would have had him in the right place. I 973 00:48:53.800 --> 00:48:55.760 think there's still plenty of talent the program. But there's 974 00:48:55.760 --> 00:48:58.960 no doubt too that here the BYU programs made some 975 00:48:59.039 --> 00:49:02.559 nice strides in recent years too, So it seeks to 976 00:49:02.599 --> 00:49:04.159 lose a good player, but I think you'd all be 977 00:49:04.239 --> 00:49:04.760 just fine. 978 00:49:04.800 --> 00:49:06.840 Well, And you know, this is how I started the show. 979 00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:09.800 It's like, it's kind of an interesting time in our 980 00:49:09.840 --> 00:49:13.719 market when it comes to our sports products because a 981 00:49:13.719 --> 00:49:17.000 lot of us as media members, certainly the fan bases 982 00:49:17.039 --> 00:49:21.000 of all these teams, we're going through very new things. 983 00:49:21.519 --> 00:49:23.760 And when you go through a new thing, when it 984 00:49:23.840 --> 00:49:27.599 happens to you for the first time and it's unchartered waters, 985 00:49:28.320 --> 00:49:30.360 your world is shook a little bit and you're like, Okay, 986 00:49:31.159 --> 00:49:31.559 how do I. 987 00:49:31.519 --> 00:49:33.519 Get through this? This is a new space for me 988 00:49:33.559 --> 00:49:34.159 to traverse. 989 00:49:34.760 --> 00:49:38.079 Jazz fans aren't used to a super long rebuild without 990 00:49:38.119 --> 00:49:40.639 any immediate hope in sight, and that's kind of where 991 00:49:40.679 --> 00:49:42.960 we're at. Although they've been better as of late, and 992 00:49:43.039 --> 00:49:46.400 I think bill when it comes to college football media members, 993 00:49:46.440 --> 00:49:49.280 fan bases, folks that like to use the Internet to 994 00:49:49.280 --> 00:49:51.880 feel brave, You're just gonna have to get used to 995 00:49:52.000 --> 00:49:55.480 every year losing players you like and players that are 996 00:49:55.519 --> 00:49:58.679 really good. There's no program that isn't getting got by this. 997 00:49:59.639 --> 00:50:02.280 Yeah. I kind of said this a couple of years ago. 998 00:50:02.920 --> 00:50:05.400 You're gonna lose players every year, but there's going to 999 00:50:05.480 --> 00:50:07.920 be one or two players maybe every year that maybe 1000 00:50:07.960 --> 00:50:10.719 even catch you off guard. And I think that that 1001 00:50:10.920 --> 00:50:13.760 was one of the cases this year. And again, who 1002 00:50:13.760 --> 00:50:16.719 can get in the head of an eighteen to twenty 1003 00:50:16.760 --> 00:50:20.159 two year old kid, plus whoever's whispering in their ear, 1004 00:50:20.639 --> 00:50:26.039 family friends, an attorney, an agent, whatever that might happen 1005 00:50:26.039 --> 00:50:29.119 to be. It's hard to get a grasp on that. 1006 00:50:29.320 --> 00:50:31.400 So yeah, it's just I think it's just a new 1007 00:50:31.400 --> 00:50:32.760 reality that we live in Sman. 1008 00:50:33.920 --> 00:50:37.159 So moving off of that now, I wonder what you 1009 00:50:37.239 --> 00:50:41.760 make of the conversation regarding the efforts to get Dorian 1010 00:50:41.880 --> 00:50:46.480 Singer an additional year nothing official. Coach Witz said, they're 1011 00:50:46.519 --> 00:50:49.320 doing all they can to make it happen. And you know, 1012 00:50:49.599 --> 00:50:52.920 Devin's rowing numbers weren't great a year ago, but if 1013 00:50:52.960 --> 00:50:54.280 Dorian Singer can come back. 1014 00:50:54.320 --> 00:50:55.960 That's the talent you want on your roster. 1015 00:50:56.039 --> 00:51:00.000 And maybe because of the familiarity he has with Devinuse 1016 00:51:00.000 --> 00:51:01.679 as they've known each other for a while, maybe that's 1017 00:51:01.719 --> 00:51:04.199 a one two punch that could breed. 1018 00:51:03.960 --> 00:51:04.599 A lot of results. 1019 00:51:04.639 --> 00:51:06.559 What are your thoughts on the potential of seeing Dorian 1020 00:51:06.599 --> 00:51:08.119 Singer back on campus. 1021 00:51:08.519 --> 00:51:10.840 I think it'd be fantastic. You would then have your 1022 00:51:10.920 --> 00:51:15.239 definitive wide receiver one Spence. That kid caught what fifty 1023 00:51:15.280 --> 00:51:20.039 five balls for seven hundred yards this year with suboptimal 1024 00:51:20.119 --> 00:51:23.519 quarterback play. What could he do with his you know, 1025 00:51:23.639 --> 00:51:29.440 his stepbrother. I think they're step brothers. They're related. He 1026 00:51:29.480 --> 00:51:32.320 and Devin are related. Throwing him the football and to 1027 00:51:32.440 --> 00:51:34.440 Devin's numbers, I will say this because I've talked to 1028 00:51:34.480 --> 00:51:37.480 some people. Remember he was a true sophomore this past 1029 00:51:37.559 --> 00:51:41.000 year and it was really his first year as the 1030 00:51:41.119 --> 00:51:45.360 guy at New Mexico. So I think those passing numbers, 1031 00:51:45.400 --> 00:51:47.480 and it's mostly the accuracy numbers. I think he threw 1032 00:51:47.559 --> 00:51:49.920 for like fifty eight or fifty nine percent accuracy. You'd 1033 00:51:49.960 --> 00:51:52.320 like to have it about sixty five. I think that'll 1034 00:51:52.320 --> 00:51:55.480 only get better. Better offensive line at Utah probably better 1035 00:51:55.519 --> 00:51:57.519 overall weapons that he had at New Mexico too. But 1036 00:51:57.599 --> 00:52:01.440 back to the singer thing, you know, I think the 1037 00:52:01.559 --> 00:52:05.920 NCAA is probably in a place where they're just tired 1038 00:52:05.960 --> 00:52:09.599 of fighting things, and I think that if you could 1039 00:52:09.599 --> 00:52:13.280 probably get good representation in your life, there's probably a 1040 00:52:13.320 --> 00:52:15.920 good chance that you might get that extra year of playing. 1041 00:52:16.039 --> 00:52:18.599 So I think it would be great. We saw the 1042 00:52:18.679 --> 00:52:23.320 kid at Vanderbilt, Diego Pavia, the quarterback from New Mexico State, 1043 00:52:24.079 --> 00:52:26.239 basically challenge and then they said, yeah, go ahead and 1044 00:52:26.320 --> 00:52:29.840 have that extra year. So I don't I've not heard 1045 00:52:29.880 --> 00:52:32.280 anything on I know he's trying to, but I've not 1046 00:52:32.320 --> 00:52:34.880 heard anything definitive. But boy, if they could get him back, 1047 00:52:34.920 --> 00:52:36.559 that would be a real shot in the arm for 1048 00:52:36.559 --> 00:52:37.119 this offense. 1049 00:52:37.360 --> 00:52:40.199 You reference, you've had the opportunity to chat with Jason 1050 00:52:40.280 --> 00:52:42.800 backoff air and get to know him a little bit. 1051 00:52:42.920 --> 00:52:46.599 This was kind of, you know, most people's first opportunity 1052 00:52:46.639 --> 00:52:50.000 to hear him speak since taking the job publicly. And 1053 00:52:50.079 --> 00:52:52.239 my my take my first takeaway I told port of 1054 00:52:52.239 --> 00:52:55.159 this is like, I can see why Kyle Exen, you know, yeah, 1055 00:52:55.199 --> 00:52:57.079 but you reference, it's that it's going to be a 1056 00:52:57.119 --> 00:53:00.480 little bit of a different offensive approach. Let's allowbrate on 1057 00:53:00.519 --> 00:53:02.320 that a little bit now that the fan base is 1058 00:53:02.360 --> 00:53:03.719 officially heard from Jason Beck. 1059 00:53:05.000 --> 00:53:07.000 Well, I just think he talked about it a little 1060 00:53:07.000 --> 00:53:09.360 bit yesterday in just some of the comments that I read. 1061 00:53:09.639 --> 00:53:12.039 I didn't listen to the press commerce because I was traveling, 1062 00:53:12.079 --> 00:53:14.920 but it sounds like the offense is going to be 1063 00:53:15.000 --> 00:53:19.920 very multiple, three receiver sets, one tight end, two tight 1064 00:53:20.039 --> 00:53:22.480 end sets. It's just you're gonna see a lot of 1065 00:53:22.519 --> 00:53:26.280 different looks, and it's not your traditional spread where you're 1066 00:53:26.320 --> 00:53:28.440 just throwing the ball forty and fifty times a game. 1067 00:53:28.920 --> 00:53:32.079 He really likes to run out of his spread offense 1068 00:53:32.119 --> 00:53:35.519 as well. So Andy's offense was great. I mean when 1069 00:53:35.559 --> 00:53:37.639 it was humming, when he had good quarterback play, it 1070 00:53:37.760 --> 00:53:40.079 was really really good. But this is going to be 1071 00:53:40.159 --> 00:53:42.320 I think it just, at least to me, feels like 1072 00:53:42.360 --> 00:53:44.000 a little bit of a departure from what we saw 1073 00:53:44.039 --> 00:53:48.639 from Andy's and something that's a little bit more commonplace 1074 00:53:48.679 --> 00:53:50.280 in college football these days. 1075 00:53:50.719 --> 00:53:52.760 All right, before we get to basketball, a couple of 1076 00:53:52.800 --> 00:53:56.159 basketball thoughts. I've been asking the college football guests on 1077 00:53:56.199 --> 00:53:59.159 the show kind of this question. You'll be uniquely qualified 1078 00:53:59.199 --> 00:54:02.400 to expand on it as you know, Bill, whether it's 1079 00:54:02.519 --> 00:54:05.280 two thousand and four Fiesta, two thousand and eight Sugar 1080 00:54:05.559 --> 00:54:08.840 back to Backpack twelve championships, back to back Rose Bowl appearances, 1081 00:54:08.920 --> 00:54:12.159 Utah football's best years have been more or less on 1082 00:54:12.199 --> 00:54:14.880 the tail end of a three or a four year 1083 00:54:14.960 --> 00:54:18.519 cycle where they recruit, identify kids they think can play 1084 00:54:18.559 --> 00:54:21.719 Utah football, develop them over the course of two, three 1085 00:54:21.760 --> 00:54:25.400 four years, and then after that process has taken place, 1086 00:54:25.840 --> 00:54:28.559 they've won conference championship, They've gone to big bowl games, 1087 00:54:28.599 --> 00:54:31.400 they've won good bowl games. Is that still a model 1088 00:54:31.559 --> 00:54:33.559 that you can use in college football to build up 1089 00:54:33.559 --> 00:54:34.679 a program. 1090 00:54:35.079 --> 00:54:38.400 Yeah. I think it's a hybrid. Now, Spence, I think 1091 00:54:38.440 --> 00:54:42.400 you can't rely solely on that. I just don't think 1092 00:54:42.400 --> 00:54:44.639 you can do that anymore just because of the way 1093 00:54:44.719 --> 00:54:47.280 things are. No matter how good your program is, I 1094 00:54:47.280 --> 00:54:50.199 think a lot of times kids are looking for greener pastures. 1095 00:54:50.239 --> 00:54:54.559 It's not just happening in Utah. Alabama's losing guys, Florida's 1096 00:54:54.599 --> 00:54:57.719 losing guys, you know, Ohio State lose I mean, it's 1097 00:54:57.840 --> 00:55:01.480 just it's everywhere. These kids, all in essence, you know, 1098 00:55:01.760 --> 00:55:04.559 fre agents year to year until something changes there that 1099 00:55:04.599 --> 00:55:07.480 locks them in for a set period of time, so 1100 00:55:07.960 --> 00:55:10.039 I think there's still that. Yeah, you've still got to 1101 00:55:10.079 --> 00:55:12.760 developed guys. You have to have a base, you have 1102 00:55:12.800 --> 00:55:14.599 to be able to bring guys in and develop them. 1103 00:55:14.639 --> 00:55:17.159 But you've also got to save room for guys because 1104 00:55:17.159 --> 00:55:19.719 your roster is going to turn over every year for 1105 00:55:19.960 --> 00:55:21.920 being able to recruit out of that portal and bring 1106 00:55:21.960 --> 00:55:24.519 guys in that can and I think Kyle's use that 1107 00:55:24.599 --> 00:55:28.079 term plug and play with your offense or your defense 1108 00:55:28.159 --> 00:55:32.199 pretty quickly. So yes, developmental. I still think football is 1109 00:55:32.239 --> 00:55:34.199 always going to be about that and an eighty five 1110 00:55:34.519 --> 00:55:38.599 ninety man roster, but it's not the only way to 1111 00:55:38.639 --> 00:55:40.960 go anymore. You've got to be able to supplement that 1112 00:55:41.119 --> 00:55:44.440 with finding guys that come into the program and contribute 1113 00:55:44.440 --> 00:55:45.599 immediately through the portal. 1114 00:55:46.199 --> 00:55:47.880 All right, a couple of minutes left and we'll set 1115 00:55:47.920 --> 00:55:51.119 you loose. I would imagine you are in Texas. You're 1116 00:55:51.159 --> 00:55:53.159 calling this basketball game tonight, are you not? 1117 00:55:54.239 --> 00:55:55.679 I am in Fort Worth as we speak. 1118 00:55:55.719 --> 00:55:57.199 All right, that's what I thought. I don't know why 1119 00:55:57.239 --> 00:55:58.920 that just dawned on me. I've teased the game like 1120 00:55:58.960 --> 00:55:59.519 seven times. 1121 00:56:00.000 --> 00:56:00.400 Moving on. 1122 00:56:01.280 --> 00:56:03.159 You know, we had your guys Sean Mooney on last 1123 00:56:03.199 --> 00:56:05.760 week and I asked him, I said, look, I'm just 1124 00:56:05.800 --> 00:56:08.440 looking at the schedule. Where's the first Big Twelve win? 1125 00:56:08.679 --> 00:56:11.559 And he said, Okay State. Oh, excuse me, Oklahoma State 1126 00:56:12.119 --> 00:56:14.639 in Salt Lake. That's a winnable game. And they smoked him. 1127 00:56:14.679 --> 00:56:14.880 Bill. 1128 00:56:15.000 --> 00:56:17.199 Now, Oklahoma State went down a provo. They got got 1129 00:56:17.199 --> 00:56:20.639 good last night too. But you're around the team, how 1130 00:56:20.679 --> 00:56:23.679 do you describe it relieved? Like was it just kind 1131 00:56:23.719 --> 00:56:26.039 of like a weight off the shoulders? And what about 1132 00:56:26.079 --> 00:56:29.360 that performance you think could be real and reliable as 1133 00:56:29.400 --> 00:56:30.079 we move forward. 1134 00:56:30.079 --> 00:56:34.159 Now, Well, I think that they played their best offense 1135 00:56:34.519 --> 00:56:37.840 against a team that wants to speed you up and 1136 00:56:38.119 --> 00:56:41.599 force turnovers by getting you out of sorts. Utah handled 1137 00:56:42.000 --> 00:56:45.360 Oklahoma State's pressure really well, and then defensively they got 1138 00:56:45.360 --> 00:56:48.360 back in transition against the team that had the best 1139 00:56:48.400 --> 00:56:50.639 and fastest pass pace of play in the Big Twelve 1140 00:56:50.719 --> 00:56:53.440 per Ken Ponds. So I think it was a matter 1141 00:56:53.480 --> 00:56:57.159 of everything coming together. Now, to be fair, Oklahoma State 1142 00:56:57.320 --> 00:57:01.039 was not one of the most talented teams. They play 1143 00:57:01.199 --> 00:57:04.000 really hard, but they weren't an upper tier talent team 1144 00:57:04.559 --> 00:57:06.920 in the Big Twelve, so that helped a little bit too. 1145 00:57:06.960 --> 00:57:09.639 And being back at home did as well. But they 1146 00:57:09.639 --> 00:57:12.440 saw some shots go in early spence, which they hadn't 1147 00:57:12.480 --> 00:57:16.360 really seen at Iowa State or against Baylor or Texas Tech. 1148 00:57:16.840 --> 00:57:19.000 And sometimes you know this when you see a couple 1149 00:57:19.000 --> 00:57:22.079 of shots go in early. They built that big lead early. 1150 00:57:22.119 --> 00:57:25.840 It was eleven to nothing early against against Oklahoma State, 1151 00:57:26.239 --> 00:57:29.360 and I think that fed them on the confidence side 1152 00:57:29.400 --> 00:57:32.199 of things, and their defense was really good. They were 1153 00:57:32.199 --> 00:57:34.559 true to the scout. Tonight, they're going to play a 1154 00:57:34.599 --> 00:57:38.639 TCU team that's on their level. I mean TCUs in that. 1155 00:57:38.800 --> 00:57:41.360 You know, I've always said the top six or seven 1156 00:57:41.400 --> 00:57:45.000 teams are pretty defined, and then teams eight through sixteen 1157 00:57:45.639 --> 00:57:48.760 are pretty undefined. You can throw them at about hat 1158 00:57:48.800 --> 00:57:51.639 and pull names out. This is a good team. Jamie 1159 00:57:51.639 --> 00:57:54.599 Dixon's good coach, He's got good players. I don't think 1160 00:57:54.840 --> 00:57:56.400 it's as good as some of the last couple of 1161 00:57:56.480 --> 00:58:00.199 NCAA tournament teams he's had, So I do think Utah's 1162 00:58:00.199 --> 00:58:01.679 got a good chance to know what they're going to 1163 00:58:01.760 --> 00:58:04.960 have to do tonight because Nixon teams, going back to 1164 00:58:05.000 --> 00:58:08.480 his days at Pittsburgh are really really physical. So if 1165 00:58:08.480 --> 00:58:11.159 they can match the physicality tonight of TCU, I think 1166 00:58:11.159 --> 00:58:12.159 they'll have a good chance. 1167 00:58:12.280 --> 00:58:15.719 Before I say you lose rotationally, Craig is just to 1168 00:58:15.800 --> 00:58:17.599 his credit, I mean, you have to try things. 1169 00:58:17.639 --> 00:58:18.599 And I appreciate that. 1170 00:58:18.559 --> 00:58:21.599 He does because there are some coaches that are stubborn 1171 00:58:21.679 --> 00:58:23.679 enough to rest on their laurels and believe in their 1172 00:58:23.719 --> 00:58:26.199 system and say, you know, this is just the deal. 1173 00:58:26.239 --> 00:58:27.199 We're going to grow into it. 1174 00:58:27.239 --> 00:58:30.480 But it seems like every game there are lineup changes, 1175 00:58:30.480 --> 00:58:33.719 starting lineup changes, rotational changes. Some of that injuries, some 1176 00:58:33.719 --> 00:58:35.599 of that players the way I get it, But did 1177 00:58:35.639 --> 00:58:39.000 you see anything rotationally against Okay State that you think 1178 00:58:39.039 --> 00:58:41.239 Craig may have found a little something with his personnel. 1179 00:58:42.079 --> 00:58:46.159 Yeah. I love Jake wall Lean in the starting lineup. 1180 00:58:47.119 --> 00:58:49.199 Sometimes you get off to a slow start because you 1181 00:58:49.199 --> 00:58:52.320 don't match the other team's energy. I know it's not right, 1182 00:58:52.360 --> 00:58:55.199 but sometimes that just happens. Walleen is an energy guy 1183 00:58:55.840 --> 00:58:58.239 and they make the right play kind of a guy, 1184 00:58:58.760 --> 00:59:01.239 and he can play multiple positions for you too. They 1185 00:59:01.239 --> 00:59:03.800 inserted him in the starting lineup against Oklahoma State, and 1186 00:59:03.920 --> 00:59:06.199 Jake was really good, hit a career high and in 1187 00:59:06.320 --> 00:59:10.800 points that game, and he just he's he's just he's 1188 00:59:10.840 --> 00:59:12.800 one of those guys that's a connector and a positive 1189 00:59:12.800 --> 00:59:14.960 guy on the floor now you love to play with So. 1190 00:59:15.480 --> 00:59:18.239 I haven't seen the starting line up tonight, but it 1191 00:59:18.280 --> 00:59:20.679 wouldn't surprise me based on the success they had the 1192 00:59:20.719 --> 00:59:23.119 other night against Oklahoma State. If you don't see Wallleen 1193 00:59:23.199 --> 00:59:24.880 back in the starting lineup again tonight too. 1194 00:59:25.119 --> 00:59:27.119 All right, Ryle, thanks for the time, buddy. You have 1195 00:59:27.159 --> 00:59:30.360 a great call. Travel safe and with chat soon, Okay, 1196 00:59:30.519 --> 00:59:33.239 Linger longer sman, Oh dude, don't tease me. I want 1197 00:59:33.280 --> 00:59:35.599 to all the time. Those folks are having a good time. Bill, 1198 00:59:35.639 --> 00:59:36.440 you can't say they're not. 1199 00:59:37.320 --> 00:59:38.400 You're right, calculator. 1200 00:59:38.440 --> 00:59:40.159 There he is, Bill Riley voice the Utch. You can 1201 00:59:40.199 --> 00:59:43.599 hear him on the call tonight five forty five. You 1202 00:59:43.679 --> 00:59:46.480 tom EN's basketball taking on TCU. 1203 00:59:47.440 --> 00:59:49.239 You ever been to a linger longer? Young man? Have 1204 00:59:49.280 --> 00:59:52.679 you ever experienced the magic of a linger longer? 1205 00:59:52.719 --> 00:59:53.000 Do you do? 1206 00:59:53.039 --> 00:59:54.920 You know what it is? No? 1207 00:59:55.159 --> 00:59:57.440 I know the song that you're discussing that you're. 1208 00:59:57.400 --> 00:59:59.199 Referenced now, the song is only called Linger. 1209 00:59:59.480 --> 01:00:02.079 We can play that coming up next, beautiful tune a 1210 01:00:02.159 --> 01:00:05.159 Linger longer. You know what, if it's still a thing, 1211 01:00:05.199 --> 01:00:06.719 I honestly don't know if it is. 1212 01:00:07.480 --> 01:00:08.519 But after. 1213 01:00:09.719 --> 01:00:13.960 Sacrament meeting at an LDS singles ward, Folks that are 1214 01:00:14.519 --> 01:00:18.320 looking to meet their live companions or pardon me, eternal companions. 1215 01:00:18.800 --> 01:00:21.440 Folks that are looking to meet their you know, their 1216 01:00:21.480 --> 01:00:26.159 their partner, you know, their boyfriend, girlfriend, whatever the terms 1217 01:00:26.159 --> 01:00:29.440 are these days, that thing I can't keep up partner. 1218 01:00:29.519 --> 01:00:33.679 Let's just go with partner. After sacrament meeting of an 1219 01:00:33.800 --> 01:00:40.960 LDS singles ward, they linger longer and the spread is amazing. 1220 01:00:41.119 --> 01:00:45.159 We're talking potatoes, usually a nice ham desserts. 1221 01:00:46.360 --> 01:00:46.679 Baker. 1222 01:00:47.039 --> 01:00:50.039 The baking is a ten out of ten, and you 1223 01:00:50.079 --> 01:00:53.239 get the opportunity to stay after and linger longer and 1224 01:00:53.400 --> 01:00:56.639 chat with folks. It's it's a lovely thing. It's you know, 1225 01:00:56.719 --> 01:00:59.880 the service never really pulled me in, but the linger longer. 1226 01:00:59.880 --> 01:01:01.719 I'm the guy that shows up for that. Yeah, that's 1227 01:01:02.639 --> 01:01:07.119 good time, sir. It's an after party for singles, yes, 1228 01:01:07.519 --> 01:01:10.679 you know what. Sure, and everybody parties differently. I'm not 1229 01:01:10.840 --> 01:01:13.880 judging one way or the other. Usually a lovely punch option, 1230 01:01:15.599 --> 01:01:19.400 maybe some soda. Funeral potatoes every time, and it hits 1231 01:01:19.400 --> 01:01:23.199 every time. Tell me, funeral potatoes don't hit. They do, 1232 01:01:23.320 --> 01:01:26.239 but they're just scalloped potatoes. It's not like our own 1233 01:01:26.280 --> 01:01:28.440 thing that we invented. And even though we take credit 1234 01:01:28.480 --> 01:01:32.800 for it. You know you don't be woke about funeral potatoes. Please, 1235 01:01:34.960 --> 01:01:38.480 I've been waiting, no, but like, just let people enjoy 1236 01:01:38.519 --> 01:01:41.960 their funeral potatoes, copious amounts of fry sauce. 1237 01:01:43.119 --> 01:01:45.039 The food is. You cannot beat the food at a 1238 01:01:45.119 --> 01:01:49.159 linger longer. I'll listen. I'm open to it. Okay, I'll 1239 01:01:49.239 --> 01:01:51.960 stop by. I can't believe you had a hot funeral potatoes. 1240 01:01:52.000 --> 01:01:54.880 Take mans is what I'm here for. 1241 01:01:55.559 --> 01:02:00.159 Yeah, that's true. Yeah, lovely. Uh sometimes finger sandwiches, which 1242 01:02:00.199 --> 01:02:04.199 are great. Oftentimes you're running into a Sunday bar. You know, 1243 01:02:04.280 --> 01:02:08.599 Banana splits Man highly recommended for a young, single, good 1244 01:02:08.639 --> 01:02:09.280 looking guy like you. 1245 01:02:10.440 --> 01:02:11.239 I'll take you up on that. 1246 01:02:11.280 --> 01:02:13.599 All right, Well, at this point we can go together. 1247 01:02:13.960 --> 01:02:17.239 Let's go, let's catch a break, let's behave ourselves. We're 1248 01:02:17.239 --> 01:02:19.960 going to bring in Zach Harper NBA Daily Assists today 1249 01:02:20.840 --> 01:02:23.360 and for all you are a cell fans gather around 1250 01:02:23.400 --> 01:02:26.920 the radio. Coming up at about four thirty, Kurt Schmidt 1251 01:02:26.880 --> 01:02:29.280 will stop by. He's the technical director. He's in charge 1252 01:02:29.320 --> 01:02:32.719 of roster decisions, and there have been a ton of 1253 01:02:32.760 --> 01:02:35.480 them this offseason, so we're gonna bring him in. But 1254 01:02:35.519 --> 01:02:39.719 coming up is the twenty twenty five Utah International Excuse 1255 01:02:39.760 --> 01:02:43.320 Me Auto Expo. He returns to the Mountain America Expo Center, 1256 01:02:43.760 --> 01:02:48.280 showcasing the latest cars, trucks, shiv's crossovers, evs, exotics, and more, 1257 01:02:49.119 --> 01:02:51.920 all in a no pressure, non selling environment so you 1258 01:02:51.960 --> 01:02:55.440 can explore twenty twenty five models discover a wide range 1259 01:02:55.440 --> 01:02:58.159 of options, from hybrids and plugging hybrids to evs and 1260 01:02:58.199 --> 01:03:00.920 traditional gas vehicles, helping you on the perfect fit for 1261 01:03:01.000 --> 01:03:03.960 your lifestyle. Get hands on by sitting behind the wheel, 1262 01:03:04.000 --> 01:03:08.079 inspecting engines, and experiencing new technologies. Also, don't miss pets 1263 01:03:08.079 --> 01:03:11.199 looking for forever homes and the Subaru Loves Pets adoption 1264 01:03:11.440 --> 01:03:15.280 area definitely a good use of your time. New this year, 1265 01:03:15.360 --> 01:03:18.400 the Adventure Utah Display celebrates the state's love for the 1266 01:03:18.400 --> 01:03:21.320 great outdoors. It can experience the latest and off road 1267 01:03:21.400 --> 01:03:25.800 vehicles atv side by sides, tollable trailers and boats designed 1268 01:03:25.800 --> 01:03:28.840 for adventure, whether you're planning to conquers Utah's one thousand 1269 01:03:28.960 --> 01:03:32.559 lakes or exploits vast trail network. This show case, how's 1270 01:03:32.559 --> 01:03:35.639 what you need It starts on Friday the seventeenth, Okay 1271 01:03:36.079 --> 01:03:40.079 eleven am to eight pm. Saturday, open, Sunday, open Monday. 1272 01:03:40.119 --> 01:03:42.599 Martin Luther King Day Junior. It is open from ten 1273 01:03:42.639 --> 01:03:45.800 am to eight pm. That's Martin Luther King Junior Day. 1274 01:03:45.800 --> 01:03:49.280 Pardon me. It's out the Mountain America Expo Center, ninety 1275 01:03:49.280 --> 01:03:51.679 five to seventy five South State Street in Sandy. 1276 01:03:51.880 --> 01:03:53.800 Parking is free and there's a lot of it. Here's 1277 01:03:53.840 --> 01:03:54.639 how you get tickets. 1278 01:03:55.199 --> 01:03:57.599 You can get tickets in advance and the admission is 1279 01:03:57.639 --> 01:03:59.000 only twelve dollars okay. 1280 01:03:59.039 --> 01:04:00.559 That goes through Thursday. 1281 01:04:01.159 --> 01:04:04.039 Then it goes up to fifteen dollars okay, seven dollars 1282 01:04:04.039 --> 01:04:08.039 for seniors sixty two and older military first responders as well. 1283 01:04:08.199 --> 01:04:10.719 Make sure you bring that ID if you purchase the 1284 01:04:10.719 --> 01:04:13.559 tickets online at Auto Show Utah dot com. 1285 01:04:13.639 --> 01:04:15.679 Children twelve and under are admitted free. 1286 01:04:16.239 --> 01:04:20.039 Our buddy Bobby Marx who joined the program earlier this week, 1287 01:04:21.239 --> 01:04:25.280 and his cohorts over at ESPN dot com. 1288 01:04:25.760 --> 01:04:27.159 And of course this toim of years. 1289 01:04:27.159 --> 01:04:30.599 We are high speed ahead to the NBA trade deadline, 1290 01:04:30.639 --> 01:04:34.440 a number of well almost days away. It's less than 1291 01:04:34.440 --> 01:04:37.800 four weeks away now. If you missed it, yesterday we 1292 01:04:37.840 --> 01:04:40.199 made the Jazz interested again. I took a tremendous amount 1293 01:04:40.239 --> 01:04:44.800 of guff for being an idea man talking to you porter, 1294 01:04:45.760 --> 01:04:51.880 for implying that should be badly injured and quite frankly. 1295 01:04:53.800 --> 01:04:55.000 Entirely anemic. 1296 01:04:56.039 --> 01:04:59.800 New Orleans Pelicans operation decides that it is finally time 1297 01:05:01.320 --> 01:05:03.880 to break it down. They have the eleventh highest payroll 1298 01:05:03.920 --> 01:05:08.639 in pro basketball. They have won eight excuse me nine, 1299 01:05:09.320 --> 01:05:11.480 a one game winning streak. Maybe he's changed little narrative. 1300 01:05:11.840 --> 01:05:16.840 They're nine and thirty two, and should they decide that 1301 01:05:16.920 --> 01:05:21.800 this whole Zion Williamson situation has become untenable because he 1302 01:05:21.840 --> 01:05:24.639 can't stay healthy and now we know that he apparently 1303 01:05:24.639 --> 01:05:28.440 can't show up for play. You know, the flights on time. 1304 01:05:28.519 --> 01:05:33.159 As Tim McMahon joined us, that was tuesday, that was yesterday. 1305 01:05:33.159 --> 01:05:37.239 What the hell? Tim McMahon joined us yesterday and said that, look, 1306 01:05:37.280 --> 01:05:39.360 you don't get suspended for being late to a flight 1307 01:05:39.480 --> 01:05:43.239 once and probably not fifty times. So if the Pelicans 1308 01:05:43.280 --> 01:05:47.960 decide that that's it no more. We tried, and they 1309 01:05:47.960 --> 01:05:51.239 have elected to potentially move on from Zion Williamson at 1310 01:05:51.280 --> 01:05:54.840 the age of twenty four, who is still generational when 1311 01:05:54.880 --> 01:05:58.000 he's right, the Jazz should at least kick the tires 1312 01:05:58.559 --> 01:06:01.039 and I was summarily dismissed poor by the Peanut Gallery, 1313 01:06:01.079 --> 01:06:05.800 including you. I mean, look, it's you can make a 1314 01:06:05.880 --> 01:06:09.000 case and if Lady Luck shines on the Jazz, this 1315 01:06:09.039 --> 01:06:13.360 whole discussion is the moot point. But in nine lottery opportunities, 1316 01:06:13.360 --> 01:06:15.519 the Jazz have never moved up. So even if they 1317 01:06:15.519 --> 01:06:17.119 have one of the top chances at the top pick, 1318 01:06:17.159 --> 01:06:20.199 I know there's a lot of skepticism about the Jazz 1319 01:06:20.239 --> 01:06:22.719 moving up, Like if you can get Zion, who's under 1320 01:06:22.920 --> 01:06:25.800 contract for four years, I know it's way out of 1321 01:06:25.800 --> 01:06:30.760 the box and certainly not very realistic. If I'm running 1322 01:06:30.760 --> 01:06:33.559 the Jazz and Dave Griffin calls me and says, hey, 1323 01:06:33.599 --> 01:06:34.519 we're gonna move on from. 1324 01:06:34.480 --> 01:06:36.559 Zion, I'm putting up. 1325 01:06:37.039 --> 01:06:39.920 The chain of command, I'm calling ownership talking to everybody 1326 01:06:39.960 --> 01:06:40.800 about that potential. 1327 01:06:40.840 --> 01:06:43.000 I don't think it's that crazy, is what I'm saying. 1328 01:06:43.239 --> 01:06:45.440 Just to be clear, I don't totally disagree with you. 1329 01:06:45.559 --> 01:06:46.719 I think that. 1330 01:06:48.760 --> 01:06:50.519 When you look at the talent that that guy has, 1331 01:06:50.559 --> 01:06:51.880 when you look at what he can bring to the 1332 01:06:51.920 --> 01:06:56.800 basketball floor, I don't really see many negatives in just 1333 01:06:56.840 --> 01:07:00.239 putting a flyer out there, especially Spence. If you're not 1334 01:07:00.400 --> 01:07:04.199 planning on winning for the next year or two right now. 1335 01:07:04.199 --> 01:07:08.440 Where it could get tricky is if Utah is otherwise 1336 01:07:08.760 --> 01:07:12.199 rebuilding to the point where in three year spence they're 1337 01:07:12.239 --> 01:07:16.159 trying to be competitive and they have allocated to their 1338 01:07:16.280 --> 01:07:19.559 roster a lot of their salary Cap two one Zion 1339 01:07:19.599 --> 01:07:24.559 Williamson on an expiring contract. Now, I don't hate the 1340 01:07:25.960 --> 01:07:29.360 you know, just throwing it out there as a chance. 1341 01:07:29.599 --> 01:07:34.400 I don't like going all in and making Zion your 1342 01:07:34.400 --> 01:07:37.559 plan if that's if that makes sense, if you have 1343 01:07:37.679 --> 01:07:41.000 a structure in place where you plan on being competitive 1344 01:07:41.039 --> 01:07:43.360 in four years, and you have Zion under contract for 1345 01:07:43.400 --> 01:07:46.519 the next three, and you just want to run an 1346 01:07:46.519 --> 01:07:49.840 experiment with one of the more talented prospects we've seen 1347 01:07:49.880 --> 01:07:52.880 in a long time. I'm with you there, because I 1348 01:07:52.880 --> 01:07:55.639 don't really care if the Jazz win more than twenty 1349 01:07:55.679 --> 01:07:58.280 games next year. I don't think that that's going to 1350 01:07:58.360 --> 01:08:03.000 be a real priority. So I don't think it's a 1351 01:08:03.119 --> 01:08:07.119 crazy ask. I don't think it's a completely out there 1352 01:08:08.280 --> 01:08:12.159 I guess it just is. It's just one that you 1353 01:08:12.239 --> 01:08:14.679 have to really dive into what it would actually look 1354 01:08:14.760 --> 01:08:17.960 like to feel comfortable with it. Based on what the 1355 01:08:18.399 --> 01:08:20.359 Zion new Orleans tenure has looked. 1356 01:08:20.119 --> 01:08:22.680 Like So here's my assertion. Some good points in there. 1357 01:08:22.960 --> 01:08:27.920 By Porter Bobby Marks about three weeks ago wrote what 1358 01:08:28.079 --> 01:08:30.399 is called he does it every year the NBA Draft 1359 01:08:30.479 --> 01:08:34.560 asset rankings seven year outlooks for all thirty teams, right, 1360 01:08:35.000 --> 01:08:37.039 and so essentially he ranks the teams that are in 1361 01:08:37.079 --> 01:08:40.439 the best position over the next you know, six seven 1362 01:08:40.520 --> 01:08:43.800 years to add talent via the draft. Okay, so seven 1363 01:08:43.840 --> 01:08:47.159 year outlooks for all thirty teams. The number one team 1364 01:08:47.239 --> 01:08:50.560 is Oklahoma City. Like, it's just wild what is happening 1365 01:08:50.600 --> 01:08:54.279 down there? And in a way that should give Jazz 1366 01:08:54.279 --> 01:08:57.920 fans some hope. I mean, just simply market comparison, market 1367 01:08:57.960 --> 01:09:00.640 to market, because you do hear this narrative in the 1368 01:09:00.680 --> 01:09:03.960 market like, Okay, we're not La, we're not South Beach, 1369 01:09:04.000 --> 01:09:07.520 we're not Chicago whatever. Boston's ever been a free agent destination. 1370 01:09:07.600 --> 01:09:09.680 Look it up, Like that's a misnomer. It's a city 1371 01:09:09.680 --> 01:09:12.439 that NBA players like don't love. You can kind of 1372 01:09:12.479 --> 01:09:14.279 say the same thing about the NIXT quite frankly, but 1373 01:09:14.279 --> 01:09:17.319 where players want to live, it's clearly La South Beach. 1374 01:09:17.359 --> 01:09:20.840 It's it's sunshine, and that's proven to be true. Maybe 1375 01:09:20.840 --> 01:09:22.680 Phoenix with what they've been able to build with the 1376 01:09:22.720 --> 01:09:26.159 talent on paper, although the results haven't been there. But 1377 01:09:26.800 --> 01:09:30.520 Sam Presty and Oklahoma City have shown you the good ownership, 1378 01:09:30.640 --> 01:09:32.960 stays out of the way, hires good people, let them 1379 01:09:32.960 --> 01:09:36.600 do their job. You can build up something. And I 1380 01:09:36.640 --> 01:09:40.159 mean this with all due respect. You ever been Oklahoma City. 1381 01:09:41.319 --> 01:09:43.960 Shout out to our friends down there. It's it's not 1382 01:09:44.079 --> 01:09:47.399 the spot man, it's just like I like sull it. 1383 01:09:47.560 --> 01:09:49.359 That's just me. It's home for me. Whatever. 1384 01:09:49.399 --> 01:09:51.560 But if you can build up something like this in 1385 01:09:51.640 --> 01:09:56.560 Oklahoma City, and the whole exception to every conversation we 1386 01:09:56.560 --> 01:10:00.000 can have about any of this stuff is without Shay 1387 01:10:00.000 --> 01:10:02.159 Colahoma City is in a different stratosphere. You have to 1388 01:10:02.199 --> 01:10:05.359 have a guy like that, you just do. Look at 1389 01:10:05.399 --> 01:10:08.520 the past champs. It's not a recent thing. It's Michael, 1390 01:10:08.560 --> 01:10:13.800 it's Kobe, it's Lebron. Jason Tatum is a current version 1391 01:10:13.840 --> 01:10:15.439 of kind of that guy, right and if he's not, 1392 01:10:15.520 --> 01:10:18.520 Jalen's right there, like, you just have to have at 1393 01:10:18.600 --> 01:10:20.199 least one of those guys if you want a chance. 1394 01:10:20.239 --> 01:10:22.039 And that's why the Jazz are really not close because 1395 01:10:22.039 --> 01:10:24.560 they don't have one of those guys. It's marketing's just 1396 01:10:24.600 --> 01:10:26.479 not and he's really good and I like him a lot. 1397 01:10:28.039 --> 01:10:31.640 Oklahoma City at one, and then it's San Antonio two, 1398 01:10:31.720 --> 01:10:33.760 and they already have a generational piece, so they're on 1399 01:10:33.800 --> 01:10:36.399 their way. Brooklyn at three, they're tread and water. But 1400 01:10:36.439 --> 01:10:39.039 then the Jazz are at four. Okay, So over the 1401 01:10:39.039 --> 01:10:43.319 next seven years, the Jazz have thirteen incoming draft picks. 1402 01:10:43.880 --> 01:10:47.079 Thirteen incoming draft picks. Justin's anak. 1403 01:10:47.159 --> 01:10:48.880 Danny Ainge has done a really good job of making 1404 01:10:48.880 --> 01:10:50.199 sure these books are clean. 1405 01:10:50.479 --> 01:10:50.800 Okay. 1406 01:10:50.840 --> 01:10:54.840 So they're in a good place to capitalize on a 1407 01:10:54.880 --> 01:10:57.880 team that wants to fire sale because they have a 1408 01:10:58.000 --> 01:11:01.359 high payroll, but they're not getting results. And if you're 1409 01:11:01.399 --> 01:11:05.920 an owner in pro basketball, hell is paying a roster 1410 01:11:06.720 --> 01:11:11.560 a tremendous amount of equity and capital and not getting results. 1411 01:11:11.680 --> 01:11:11.920 Right. 1412 01:11:12.000 --> 01:11:15.279 So Matt Ishbia, the new owner of the Phoenix Suns, 1413 01:11:15.359 --> 01:11:17.359 is currently the king of this where the Phoenix Suns 1414 01:11:17.399 --> 01:11:21.479 have the highest payroll in Pro basketball two hundred and 1415 01:11:21.560 --> 01:11:26.640 twenty six million dollars. Phoenix is gonna have to do something. 1416 01:11:26.680 --> 01:11:29.279 I mean, they just are two hundred and twenty six 1417 01:11:29.319 --> 01:11:33.039 million dollars. Second Apron luxury taxing on the table, and 1418 01:11:33.079 --> 01:11:37.479 the Suns are nineteen and twenty. They're a game beyond 1419 01:11:37.520 --> 01:11:41.760 San Antonio. For the playing, matt ishbi is gonna have 1420 01:11:41.840 --> 01:11:45.960 to do something. Okay, Minnesota has the second highest payroll 1421 01:11:46.840 --> 01:11:49.119 in the NBA. Now Minnesota has been better as of 1422 01:11:49.199 --> 01:11:51.439 late twenty one and eighteen. I would imagine they're going 1423 01:11:51.479 --> 01:11:53.159 to crawl up to the top six and avoid the 1424 01:11:53.199 --> 01:11:57.640 playing altogether because I do like their personnel. But that's 1425 01:11:57.680 --> 01:11:59.039 a lot of money to pay a team that's not 1426 01:11:59.039 --> 01:12:02.760 getting results. And it's Boston defending champs, Milwaukee, Joannison, Dame, 1427 01:12:02.840 --> 01:12:07.239 New York, the Lakers, Miami, Denver, Philadelphia, Dallas. Philly's in 1428 01:12:07.279 --> 01:12:11.239 a precocious spot. NB doesn't want to play. Paul George 1429 01:12:11.319 --> 01:12:14.439 is kind of following his lead. Then you have Dallas 1430 01:12:14.439 --> 01:12:17.600 at ten. A lot of people think they can win 1431 01:12:17.640 --> 01:12:20.560 the West, potentially win the championship. They have the experience 1432 01:12:20.600 --> 01:12:22.079 with long playoff runs, and they have one of the 1433 01:12:22.119 --> 01:12:25.279 top five players in the league. Then it's Golden States 1434 01:12:25.880 --> 01:12:28.640 Steph Curry, and then it's the New Orleans Pelicans. They're 1435 01:12:28.720 --> 01:12:33.319 right there. The Pelicans have a higher payroll than the Clippers. 1436 01:12:33.960 --> 01:12:37.359 The Calves who are killing it, and we could keep 1437 01:12:37.399 --> 01:12:38.760 going Memphis Grizzlies. 1438 01:12:39.239 --> 01:12:41.800 So if your ownership. 1439 01:12:42.720 --> 01:12:45.439 And you're the one of the owners New Orleans Pelicans 1440 01:12:45.439 --> 01:12:49.439 and you're David Griffin, you're just looking at this zion 1441 01:12:49.520 --> 01:12:51.640 thing and you're just kind of like, okay, so what 1442 01:12:51.840 --> 01:12:54.800 do we do here? Because there are a few things 1443 01:12:54.800 --> 01:12:58.199 that are undeniable about the situation. Number One, he's awesome. 1444 01:12:58.800 --> 01:13:03.119 He just is always has been. And when he burst 1445 01:13:03.199 --> 01:13:06.000 onto the scene is kind of like the original YouTube 1446 01:13:07.199 --> 01:13:10.560 social media phenom out of high school. Most people are 1447 01:13:10.600 --> 01:13:12.600 kind of like, Okay, we know he can dunk, we 1448 01:13:12.680 --> 01:13:16.840 know he's an incredible, insane athlete. I was always concerned 1449 01:13:16.840 --> 01:13:19.439 about the health because a dude that size shouldn't move 1450 01:13:19.600 --> 01:13:22.560 like that, like when you're I don't know what he's 1451 01:13:22.560 --> 01:13:24.720 listed at. As far as his weight goes, probably too 1452 01:13:24.840 --> 01:13:28.760 eighty two ninety and you can jump out of the gym. 1453 01:13:28.840 --> 01:13:31.319 You're gonna get hurt. It was just a matter of time. 1454 01:13:31.800 --> 01:13:34.840 So then he lands at Duke and you watch him 1455 01:13:34.840 --> 01:13:36.520 and you're like, wait a second, he is not just 1456 01:13:36.560 --> 01:13:40.119 a highlight package. This kid can go. He has game 1457 01:13:40.159 --> 01:13:44.119 for days. He is going to change an NBA organization 1458 01:13:45.560 --> 01:13:49.079 lands in New Orleans. Obviously, the injury stuff starts right away. 1459 01:13:49.119 --> 01:13:51.640 But when he is right, he is really good. And 1460 01:13:51.680 --> 01:13:54.560 here's the thing that's been lost in the narrative this year. 1461 01:13:56.199 --> 01:13:59.079 If I just asked you eighty two games in an 1462 01:13:59.159 --> 01:14:03.239 NBA counter seats, how many games designed Williamson play last 1463 01:14:03.319 --> 01:14:07.760 year without looking it up, your guest might be forty 1464 01:14:08.000 --> 01:14:09.720 right with the way he's talked about. He played in 1465 01:14:09.880 --> 01:14:14.680 seventy games last year. He averaged twenty three point six boards, 1466 01:14:14.680 --> 01:14:18.079 five assists. He's up to about thirty four percent from three. 1467 01:14:18.119 --> 01:14:21.520 That's not his thing. He's fifty seven percent from the floor, 1468 01:14:22.079 --> 01:14:26.680 and he is a menace when he's healthy. Okay, yes, 1469 01:14:26.680 --> 01:14:29.600 they're the injury concerns. Rookie year twenty four games, sophomore 1470 01:14:29.640 --> 01:14:31.960 year sixty one, year three, twenty nine, but year four 1471 01:14:32.159 --> 01:14:40.479 seventy games. That's actually rarefied air in the NBA right now. 1472 01:14:42.239 --> 01:14:46.640 So back to the whole conversation about what the Jazz 1473 01:14:46.680 --> 01:14:48.960 could do to get involved here and why should they? 1474 01:14:50.039 --> 01:14:50.800 Why should they? 1475 01:14:50.880 --> 01:14:56.520 Right is ultimately the most important thing as to why 1476 01:14:56.520 --> 01:14:59.840 they should get involved in my opinion, because we go 1477 01:15:00.000 --> 01:15:05.399 back to Bobby Mark's trade trade Asset ranking Guide where 1478 01:15:05.399 --> 01:15:11.079 the Jazz are number four. Okay, with thirteen incoming picks 1479 01:15:11.079 --> 01:15:14.920 of the next seven years, six of the picks belong 1480 01:15:15.039 --> 01:15:20.000 to the Jazz. They have two picks from Minnesota, they 1481 01:15:20.039 --> 01:15:23.560 have two picks from Cleveland. They have a top five 1482 01:15:23.600 --> 01:15:26.119 protector from the Lakers in twenty seven, They have a 1483 01:15:26.159 --> 01:15:29.359 top five protected pick from Minnesota in twenty nine. Then 1484 01:15:29.399 --> 01:15:32.960 they have a couple of swaps Minnesota or Cleveland in 1485 01:15:33.039 --> 01:15:35.520 twenty twenty six, and then Cleveland in twenty twenty eight. 1486 01:15:35.760 --> 01:15:37.840 So if you really dig into the weeds, here the 1487 01:15:37.880 --> 01:15:40.680 best chance for the Jazz at least, and you can 1488 01:15:40.680 --> 01:15:42.560 only analyze what's in front of you. I don't know 1489 01:15:42.560 --> 01:15:46.079 what the future will hold. Will Donovan Mitchell decide that 1490 01:15:46.119 --> 01:15:48.079 he doesn't want to live in Cleveland anymore? And this 1491 01:15:49.439 --> 01:15:53.279 little portion of elite play from the Cavs is just 1492 01:15:53.319 --> 01:15:55.000 a moment in time and not a reality. 1493 01:15:55.079 --> 01:15:57.319 I don't know. They're thirty four and five. 1494 01:15:58.199 --> 01:15:59.880 There's a chance that the pick the Jazz get from 1495 01:15:59.880 --> 01:16:02.239 them this year is the last pick in the first round. 1496 01:16:03.119 --> 01:16:06.640 I referenced Minnesota earlier twenty one and eighteen. Okay, so 1497 01:16:06.640 --> 01:16:09.079 they're playing a little bit better. That won't be a 1498 01:16:09.119 --> 01:16:12.680 lottery pick. Maybe it's eighteen nineteen twenty. Okay, So as 1499 01:16:12.720 --> 01:16:16.239 the draft capital starts spilling in from the Gobaar in 1500 01:16:16.279 --> 01:16:18.119 the Mitchell trades, the. 1501 01:16:18.119 --> 01:16:19.640 Question has to be asked, and I'm sure it is 1502 01:16:19.720 --> 01:16:20.399 in that front office. 1503 01:16:20.439 --> 01:16:24.159 Okay, what are these picks going to be and what's 1504 01:16:24.199 --> 01:16:29.840 a realistic expectation for us to find talent if these 1505 01:16:29.880 --> 01:16:32.800 picks are forever in the middle or the late of 1506 01:16:32.840 --> 01:16:35.239 the first you know, the late portion of the first round. 1507 01:16:35.600 --> 01:16:38.600 Now again, this could change with the drop of a hat. 1508 01:16:38.800 --> 01:16:41.359 You know, Minnesota after the Cat trade, they made a 1509 01:16:41.359 --> 01:16:44.159 big mistake by trading for Julius Randall. Maybe their best 1510 01:16:44.239 --> 01:16:46.079 days are behind them and they're on the way down. 1511 01:16:47.199 --> 01:16:50.560 And so potentially maybe a couple of the picks that 1512 01:16:50.640 --> 01:16:53.520 are on the way from the Timberwolves. Maybe the unprotected 1513 01:16:53.560 --> 01:16:56.920 pick in twenty twenty seven is up there at the 1514 01:16:56.960 --> 01:16:59.840 top of the lottery odds, and all you can do 1515 01:16:59.920 --> 01:17:02.199 is give yourself bye to the apple and then hope 1516 01:17:02.199 --> 01:17:04.720 that Lady Luck finally shines on the Jazz in a 1517 01:17:04.720 --> 01:17:08.279 way that it hasn't in nine lottery tries. You have 1518 01:17:08.319 --> 01:17:11.680 three unprotected picks from Cleveland this year, twenty seven and 1519 01:17:11.720 --> 01:17:14.720 twenty nine, and like I said, maybe twenty twenty nine 1520 01:17:15.880 --> 01:17:18.279 the Calvs pick turns into something really exciting, but I 1521 01:17:18.319 --> 01:17:21.239 don't think it would do won't this year, and all 1522 01:17:21.279 --> 01:17:23.239 those guys are under contract in a couple of years, 1523 01:17:23.279 --> 01:17:25.680 so I'd be stunned if anything came the Jazz way 1524 01:17:26.159 --> 01:17:28.880 in twenty twenty seven. The top five protected Lakers pick 1525 01:17:28.920 --> 01:17:31.560 is interesting because in twenty seven, I would imagine Lebron 1526 01:17:31.600 --> 01:17:34.560 has finally done, but it's top five protected, top five 1527 01:17:34.600 --> 01:17:37.840 protected from Minnesota, and then those swaps will have to 1528 01:17:37.840 --> 01:17:39.439 see only time will tell it to a number of 1529 01:17:39.520 --> 01:17:39.960 years away. 1530 01:17:40.079 --> 01:17:41.920 This is a long way I will land the plane. 1531 01:17:42.079 --> 01:17:47.039 Okay, The best chance the Jazz have to have talent, 1532 01:17:47.520 --> 01:17:50.319 high level talent via the draft process probably will be 1533 01:17:50.399 --> 01:17:53.319 their own picks, and they have six of their own 1534 01:17:53.319 --> 01:17:56.720 picks over the next seven years. As a fan, are 1535 01:17:56.760 --> 01:17:59.640 you ready to four or five six years from now 1536 01:17:59.680 --> 01:18:02.000 being the same place that you're at now waiting for 1537 01:18:02.039 --> 01:18:03.560 the Jazz dad talent. 1538 01:18:04.600 --> 01:18:07.000 So to wrap it up, it's a long. 1539 01:18:06.920 --> 01:18:09.199 It's a long way of me landing the plane if 1540 01:18:09.239 --> 01:18:12.199 the Jazz, if their own pick ends up once again 1541 01:18:12.439 --> 01:18:15.399 at like six, seven or eight over the next two 1542 01:18:15.520 --> 01:18:19.159 years and they've gone through all this suffering, and they've 1543 01:18:19.159 --> 01:18:22.880 gone through all of this losing. Yet the calculated risk 1544 01:18:23.079 --> 01:18:25.239 doesn't turn out the way it did for San Antonio 1545 01:18:25.279 --> 01:18:28.640 with Victor Weman, Yama, Danny and Justin are gonna have 1546 01:18:28.720 --> 01:18:29.920 to make a move to try to. 1547 01:18:29.840 --> 01:18:32.960 Get the jazz one of those dudes. 1548 01:18:33.600 --> 01:18:37.479 You can find a Keyante George or a Bryce sen Saba, 1549 01:18:37.720 --> 01:18:41.119 or a Kyle Philipowski or a Walker Kessler through the 1550 01:18:41.199 --> 01:18:44.960 draft process, and we hope the Taylor comes back healthy 1551 01:18:45.000 --> 01:18:46.960 and starts to fill the potential that I think he has. 1552 01:18:47.159 --> 01:18:49.159 I'm not out on him at all. 1553 01:18:49.319 --> 01:18:53.199 You can fill an NBA roster with decent talent, sometimes 1554 01:18:53.199 --> 01:18:55.600 good talent if you have mid first round picks, late 1555 01:18:55.640 --> 01:18:57.840 first round picks, and at times you hit a home 1556 01:18:57.920 --> 01:19:01.880 run that nobody sees. If you draft a chubby kid 1557 01:19:01.920 --> 01:19:05.039 in Nikola Jokic, the nobody knows about and a few 1558 01:19:05.079 --> 01:19:07.520 years later he's the best player on the planet. Stuff 1559 01:19:07.560 --> 01:19:10.840 like that happens. Stuff like that has happened here with 1560 01:19:11.000 --> 01:19:14.720 Millsap and Kierlinko and late lottery picks with Donovan and 1561 01:19:14.800 --> 01:19:17.479 Carl and John and Gobert at twenty nine, like all 1562 01:19:17.520 --> 01:19:19.760 those things are out there as a possibility. But a 1563 01:19:19.800 --> 01:19:21.680 bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 1564 01:19:21.840 --> 01:19:25.520 And if David Griffin calls Justin Xanakin says, look, here's 1565 01:19:25.560 --> 01:19:28.479 what works. We're ready to move on from the Zion stuff. 1566 01:19:28.560 --> 01:19:31.199 It's not working here. He needs a change his scenery. 1567 01:19:31.560 --> 01:19:35.159 He needs a new coach. Maybe Will can unlock something 1568 01:19:35.399 --> 01:19:38.039 with him that our coach is down here simply has 1569 01:19:38.119 --> 01:19:39.960 not been able to figure out. Maybe Will is a 1570 01:19:39.960 --> 01:19:42.239 guy that can get through design Williamson, So we're moving 1571 01:19:42.279 --> 01:19:42.840 on from him. 1572 01:19:43.800 --> 01:19:48.319 Okay, And here's what works for us, Justin Xanak and 1573 01:19:48.359 --> 01:19:48.920 Danny Inge. 1574 01:19:48.920 --> 01:19:52.520 You send us John Collins, you send us Jordan Clarkson, 1575 01:19:53.399 --> 01:19:57.880 and you send us five of your future first round assets. 1576 01:19:58.439 --> 01:20:03.279 Remember they have thirteen incoming picks over the next seven years. 1577 01:20:04.000 --> 01:20:07.000 The Collins and Clarkson thing just make the finances work. 1578 01:20:07.039 --> 01:20:11.880 That just makes the numbers work, right, And you're gonna say, wait, 1579 01:20:11.960 --> 01:20:14.680 five first round picks. That seems like a lot. Donovan 1580 01:20:14.720 --> 01:20:17.199 got that, Gobert basically got that. In a little bit 1581 01:20:17.239 --> 01:20:21.680 more Zion when healthy is twice the player. Either of 1582 01:20:21.720 --> 01:20:24.199 the two those two is a or excuse me, either 1583 01:20:24.239 --> 01:20:29.319 of those two are And when you have thirteen incoming. 1584 01:20:28.880 --> 01:20:32.239 First round assets over the next seven years. 1585 01:20:33.119 --> 01:20:35.560 Even if you trade five of them away, you still 1586 01:20:35.560 --> 01:20:39.279 have eight left. You still have at least one first 1587 01:20:39.359 --> 01:20:41.199 round pick every single year. And you know what you 1588 01:20:41.279 --> 01:20:45.920 have in exchange. You have a twenty four year old 1589 01:20:45.960 --> 01:20:49.800 player who win right, is almost as good as anyone 1590 01:20:49.840 --> 01:20:52.800 in pro basketball, and that's not being hyperbolic, and he 1591 01:20:52.880 --> 01:20:58.680 is under contract for four years. You don't sacrifice the 1592 01:20:58.720 --> 01:21:02.920 immediate plan of trying to get into a spot to 1593 01:21:03.239 --> 01:21:05.279 draft a really, really good player this year, and you 1594 01:21:05.359 --> 01:21:08.840 don't even necessarily have to a year from now. And 1595 01:21:08.880 --> 01:21:11.399 you're betting on your head coach, And from what I've 1596 01:21:11.399 --> 01:21:13.399 seen from Will Hardy, I think he's worth the bet. 1597 01:21:13.720 --> 01:21:15.279 And you pull him aside and you say, look, we're 1598 01:21:15.279 --> 01:21:18.079 gonna bring in this kid. My guess is Will would 1599 01:21:18.079 --> 01:21:20.680 be all for it. But nobody's been able to get 1600 01:21:20.720 --> 01:21:22.640 through to him. Okay, he doesn't seem to want to 1601 01:21:22.640 --> 01:21:25.880 take care of himself, he gets hurt, apparently, he's late 1602 01:21:26.039 --> 01:21:28.760 all the time, and there are all these stories about 1603 01:21:28.840 --> 01:21:30.960 him being a little bit distant with his teammates, Like, Will, 1604 01:21:31.159 --> 01:21:33.600 will you try to get can you get through to him? Okay, 1605 01:21:35.560 --> 01:21:37.640 You're gonna You're gonna bet on your head, coach, and 1606 01:21:37.680 --> 01:21:39.760 I think Will has shown us a lot of reasons 1607 01:21:39.520 --> 01:21:41.319 as far as the guy who they should bet on. 1608 01:21:41.359 --> 01:21:41.560 Look. 1609 01:21:41.920 --> 01:21:46.520 Bottom line is, there is a point one percent chance 1610 01:21:47.359 --> 01:21:48.560 that any of this goes down. 1611 01:21:48.960 --> 01:21:51.199 I'm just talking you through, like when we're talking with 1612 01:21:51.239 --> 01:21:51.760 Bobby March. 1613 01:21:51.760 --> 01:21:55.520 You gotta flush out all of these potential rumors, flesh 1614 01:21:55.520 --> 01:21:57.880 out all of these ways to construct a roster, to 1615 01:21:57.920 --> 01:22:01.800 try to land on something. And I just feel like 1616 01:22:01.920 --> 01:22:04.159 there's this kind of fear in our market that we 1617 01:22:04.199 --> 01:22:06.199 are just going to be perpetually in the spot where 1618 01:22:06.199 --> 01:22:09.640 it's like we're counting lottery odds and if those lottery 1619 01:22:09.640 --> 01:22:13.000 odds never fully pan out, and the Jazz for the 1620 01:22:13.079 --> 01:22:15.399 next three four years are drafting five, six, seven, and eight, 1621 01:22:15.399 --> 01:22:17.399 and they continue to bring in like some nice players, 1622 01:22:18.600 --> 01:22:20.479 but nobody pops in a way where you're like, Okay, 1623 01:22:20.560 --> 01:22:24.680 he's a pillar. What are we doing right? We're spinning 1624 01:22:24.720 --> 01:22:26.880 our wheels. Unfortunately, you got to be bold, and I'm 1625 01:22:26.880 --> 01:22:27.439 not sure. 1626 01:22:27.239 --> 01:22:27.760 It's out there. 1627 01:22:27.880 --> 01:22:30.760 Maybe it's a crazy idea, but I thought I throw 1628 01:22:30.760 --> 01:22:32.560 it out there today. Maybe we'll get Zach's thoughts on this. 1629 01:22:32.560 --> 01:22:34.920 We're gonna do a little NBA Daily Assistan with Zach Harper. 1630 01:22:35.640 --> 01:22:38.520 Kurt Schmidt joins us as well, make a little sense 1631 01:22:38.520 --> 01:22:45.439 of this RSL roster breakdown. Man, it just just always hits. 1632 01:22:45.600 --> 01:22:48.720 I'm not saying if it's good or bad, but it 1633 01:22:48.760 --> 01:22:49.800 does just always hit. 1634 01:22:49.920 --> 01:22:53.279 Right in some way. I guess it hits. It hits 1635 01:22:53.279 --> 01:22:54.119 in some way. 1636 01:22:54.119 --> 01:22:58.720 Some international flap for our guy who just returned from overseas. 1637 01:22:58.239 --> 01:23:02.520 Trop Well, and according to my text message exchange with 1638 01:23:02.560 --> 01:23:07.159 one Zach Harper, mister Pittbull apparently is truly mister worldwide. 1639 01:23:07.279 --> 01:23:10.760 Yes, sach oh, absolutely plan everywhere. 1640 01:23:11.199 --> 01:23:13.079 And where were you when you sent me the message 1641 01:23:13.119 --> 01:23:15.359 that you were listening to him? You were overseas somewhere. 1642 01:23:16.000 --> 01:23:19.560 I was right in the heart of Newtown in Edinburgh, 1643 01:23:19.680 --> 01:23:20.439 the greatest. 1644 01:23:20.119 --> 01:23:20.760 City in the world. 1645 01:23:21.239 --> 01:23:23.960 Okay, hold on, the greatest city in the world. 1646 01:23:24.079 --> 01:23:25.920 Greatest city in the world bar none. 1647 01:23:26.079 --> 01:23:27.960 Now, as you and I discussed, I have not been. 1648 01:23:28.000 --> 01:23:29.960 I very much want to go. But what makes it 1649 01:23:30.319 --> 01:23:32.560 the greatest literal city in the. 1650 01:23:32.560 --> 01:23:36.359 World Because the people are amazing, You have a great 1651 01:23:36.439 --> 01:23:40.439 time no matter what you're doing. You know, Scotland's it's 1652 01:23:40.520 --> 01:23:42.239 the center of the universe. 1653 01:23:43.239 --> 01:23:46.119 Yeah, that makes you one of one. 1654 01:23:46.159 --> 01:23:48.279 I've never heard anybody else say that, and again I've 1655 01:23:48.279 --> 01:23:49.840 never been. I very much like to go, but I 1656 01:23:49.880 --> 01:23:52.039 don't think that's a very common opinion. 1657 01:23:52.119 --> 01:23:52.600 Is that fair? 1658 01:23:53.640 --> 01:23:55.079 I don't think it's a very common opinion. But I 1659 01:23:55.079 --> 01:23:57.640 don't think it's a very commonplace, despite being a major 1660 01:23:57.680 --> 01:24:00.560 city in the grand scheme of things. And I think 1661 01:24:00.600 --> 01:24:03.399 a lot of people focus on London, focus on Paris, focus. 1662 01:24:03.079 --> 01:24:03.880 On other places. 1663 01:24:04.119 --> 01:24:06.000 But I'm telling you you'll have the best time there. 1664 01:24:06.159 --> 01:24:09.319 The food not great, I'd like you can't you can't 1665 01:24:09.800 --> 01:24:12.720 go around that, But other than that, everything's fantastic. 1666 01:24:12.840 --> 01:24:15.880 Was this just like a personal mental health break? Did 1667 01:24:15.880 --> 01:24:18.680 you have business there? What motivated the trip? 1668 01:24:19.960 --> 01:24:22.720 I went two years ago for New Year's and had 1669 01:24:22.720 --> 01:24:24.439 a great time. I decided I was going to run 1670 01:24:24.479 --> 01:24:25.439 that back, so that's what I did. 1671 01:24:26.000 --> 01:24:29.520 My goodness, My goodness, that's a good life week there. 1672 01:24:30.239 --> 01:24:30.680 What a life. 1673 01:24:30.760 --> 01:24:31.920 It's good to be Zach Harper? 1674 01:24:31.960 --> 01:24:35.119 Is it not sometimes fair enough? 1675 01:24:35.159 --> 01:24:35.680 Well said? 1676 01:24:36.239 --> 01:24:38.760 All right, Zach, are you ready to get weird on 1677 01:24:38.800 --> 01:24:39.760 a Wednesday afternoon? 1678 01:24:39.840 --> 01:24:40.119 Okay? 1679 01:24:40.159 --> 01:24:43.279 Because no, I was excited when you were able to 1680 01:24:43.359 --> 01:24:46.720 join us, because I've been getting weird and maybe a 1681 01:24:46.760 --> 01:24:47.880 little bit irresponsible. 1682 01:24:47.960 --> 01:24:51.119 So here's my premise. Hear me out. 1683 01:24:51.520 --> 01:24:55.119 The New Orleans Pelicans are awful, and they're dysfunctional, and 1684 01:24:55.159 --> 01:25:00.119 they have the eleventh highest payroll in pro basketball, and 1685 01:25:00.319 --> 01:25:05.039 Zion can't stay healthy and apparently he cannot be on 1686 01:25:05.159 --> 01:25:08.680 time for a flight. Now he did. He played seventy 1687 01:25:08.680 --> 01:25:11.520 games last year. So I was talking about this last segment. 1688 01:25:12.800 --> 01:25:15.039 We know what the Jazz are doing, Okay, we get it. 1689 01:25:15.159 --> 01:25:18.239 And they have thirteen first round picks coming their way 1690 01:25:18.239 --> 01:25:21.600 over the next seven years, and there's an excellent chance 1691 01:25:21.840 --> 01:25:24.479 that all of those picks are going to be like 1692 01:25:24.680 --> 01:25:27.800 mid lottery, late lottery Cavs picks is going to be 1693 01:25:27.880 --> 01:25:30.279 last this year and probably not great for a couple 1694 01:25:30.319 --> 01:25:30.600 of years. 1695 01:25:30.640 --> 01:25:32.279 We'll see what happens with Minnesota, but. 1696 01:25:32.199 --> 01:25:35.760 Barring some crazy stroke of luck, the Jazz are going 1697 01:25:35.800 --> 01:25:38.960 to have to find a way to find one of 1698 01:25:39.000 --> 01:25:42.640 those dudes. Now, I still think Zion is one of 1699 01:25:42.680 --> 01:25:44.920 those dudes when he's healthy. Every time I lock in, 1700 01:25:44.960 --> 01:25:48.720 I'm like, man, he's still like has so much and 1701 01:25:48.760 --> 01:25:49.640 he's twenty four. 1702 01:25:50.159 --> 01:25:52.920 He's on the books for four years. He is signed, 1703 01:25:53.399 --> 01:25:54.399 and look. 1704 01:25:54.199 --> 01:25:56.239 If David Griffin is kind of like dude, it's untenable. 1705 01:25:56.279 --> 01:25:59.279 It's not working. We've got to do something. The Jazz 1706 01:25:59.319 --> 01:26:03.319 could make the numbers work with John Collins and Jordan Clarkson. 1707 01:26:03.479 --> 01:26:07.359 Then they could send five of their thirteen picks to 1708 01:26:07.439 --> 01:26:10.960 New Orleans in exchange for Zion and really not change 1709 01:26:10.960 --> 01:26:12.720 their approach this year if they don't want to, and 1710 01:26:12.760 --> 01:26:13.520 maybe even next year. 1711 01:26:13.520 --> 01:26:14.960 But you have him on the books for four years. 1712 01:26:14.960 --> 01:26:17.319 He's twenty four, and he is one of those dudes 1713 01:26:17.359 --> 01:26:19.680 when he's right now, you're betting on your head, coach, 1714 01:26:19.720 --> 01:26:21.279 and you're bringing Will in and you're saying you got 1715 01:26:21.319 --> 01:26:22.439 to get through to this kid in a way that 1716 01:26:22.479 --> 01:26:25.159 nobody's been able to so far. I know it's crazy, 1717 01:26:25.279 --> 01:26:27.439 I know it's weird. I know it's probably not going 1718 01:26:27.479 --> 01:26:28.880 to happen, but just give me your thoughts. 1719 01:26:30.119 --> 01:26:32.239 I mean, I think it's worth the gamble. Right. You 1720 01:26:32.279 --> 01:26:34.600 go into it knowing, hey, this might. 1721 01:26:34.880 --> 01:26:36.920 Blow up in our face, and as long as it 1722 01:26:36.920 --> 01:26:40.560 doesn't affect the draft position for this year, which I don't. 1723 01:26:40.359 --> 01:26:42.239 Think it would, and as long as it doesn't affect 1724 01:26:42.920 --> 01:26:44.680 too much of what they can do next year, because 1725 01:26:44.680 --> 01:26:47.399 next year is a good draft as well, which you know, 1726 01:26:47.920 --> 01:26:50.680 if this draft pick works out in twenty twenty five, 1727 01:26:51.199 --> 01:26:53.600 and then let's say Zion works out as well. Then 1728 01:26:53.640 --> 01:26:55.680 if you blow the twenty twenty six chance of winning 1729 01:26:55.680 --> 01:26:57.359 the lottery or being high up there, it's not the 1730 01:26:57.359 --> 01:26:59.159 most disastrous thing in the world because you've got two 1731 01:26:59.159 --> 01:27:03.039 of those guys. I think it's worth it, Like you can't. 1732 01:27:03.399 --> 01:27:04.760 You know, you can sell it, I think to a 1733 01:27:04.800 --> 01:27:08.199 fan base pretty well, and so I don't think there's 1734 01:27:08.279 --> 01:27:10.159 much of a pr thing even if it doesn't hit. 1735 01:27:10.239 --> 01:27:13.359 You say, hey, we're taking swings here, and we acquired 1736 01:27:13.359 --> 01:27:15.359 these picks so that we can take swings if we 1737 01:27:15.399 --> 01:27:18.760 want to. But you do have to go in thinking 1738 01:27:19.199 --> 01:27:23.399 this guy just may never be fully available or consistently available. 1739 01:27:23.439 --> 01:27:26.319 But you're right, like, when he is, it's not just 1740 01:27:26.359 --> 01:27:30.479 that he's good. He's a historic scorer. We've seen that, 1741 01:27:30.640 --> 01:27:33.880 Like he is historically great and efficient at scoring the basketball. 1742 01:27:34.920 --> 01:27:36.760 You hope that you get what he did in the 1743 01:27:36.760 --> 01:27:39.439 second half of last season, because if that's who he 1744 01:27:39.520 --> 01:27:41.800 is when he's healthy, that's a top ten player in 1745 01:27:41.800 --> 01:27:42.560 the league easily. 1746 01:27:43.319 --> 01:27:46.520 So I mean the natural follow up is, you're David Griffin. 1747 01:27:46.760 --> 01:27:50.079 You're the New Orleans Pelicans, And I've talked to McMahon 1748 01:27:50.159 --> 01:27:54.479 about this. We had Bobby marks on earlier. It has 1749 01:27:54.560 --> 01:27:57.119 to be getting close to it. We need to talk 1750 01:27:57.159 --> 01:28:01.479 about this situation. I don't know what that means, because again, 1751 01:28:01.520 --> 01:28:04.319 a player like that is generational and he's really hard 1752 01:28:04.319 --> 01:28:06.199 to find, and if you trade him and he figures 1753 01:28:06.239 --> 01:28:09.279 it out, that sucks. And I get it. But if 1754 01:28:09.279 --> 01:28:11.119 you're the Pelicans, how close are you to going? 1755 01:28:11.279 --> 01:28:11.399 All? 1756 01:28:11.479 --> 01:28:12.960 Right? Got to figure something out. 1757 01:28:14.319 --> 01:28:18.039 I think David Griffin has done a fantastic job in 1758 01:28:18.119 --> 01:28:21.439 terms of like, he made moves that make sense. He 1759 01:28:21.520 --> 01:28:24.479 made moves that you would do in a vacuum, right, 1760 01:28:24.560 --> 01:28:26.840 He made moves that we all thought even going into 1761 01:28:26.880 --> 01:28:28.279 this year, hey, this seems really good. 1762 01:28:28.319 --> 01:28:31.000 And they were really good last season. But I do 1763 01:28:31.079 --> 01:28:32.079 think this is enough. 1764 01:28:31.920 --> 01:28:34.359 Of a wake up of like, yeah, Ingram's probably out 1765 01:28:34.359 --> 01:28:37.199 the door, Zion is not reliable, you know some of 1766 01:28:37.279 --> 01:28:39.119 these other moves, and I think you do have to 1767 01:28:39.199 --> 01:28:42.640 kind of start sending guys off doing a rebuild. And 1768 01:28:43.399 --> 01:28:45.319 I think the worry if you're David Griffin is that 1769 01:28:45.359 --> 01:28:46.800 you're not gonna be a part of the rebuild. They're 1770 01:28:46.800 --> 01:28:48.920 just kind of clean house. We've you know, I think 1771 01:28:48.920 --> 01:28:51.600 the books makers early on in the season, even before 1772 01:28:51.640 --> 01:28:54.239 all the injuries hit, said that Willie Green was, you know, 1773 01:28:54.359 --> 01:28:56.600 one of the coaches most likely to be fired, which 1774 01:28:56.640 --> 01:28:57.880 it was crazy to me because I think he's a 1775 01:28:57.880 --> 01:29:00.399 really good coach. But I do think, Look, they did 1776 01:29:00.399 --> 01:29:02.600 all these things. They acquired the talent, they did the 1777 01:29:02.640 --> 01:29:05.039 rebuild the way you're supposed to do it, you know, 1778 01:29:05.119 --> 01:29:07.880 and it just didn't work out. And you can keep 1779 01:29:08.159 --> 01:29:10.560 going through it, except that's a really as you mentioned, 1780 01:29:10.640 --> 01:29:13.880 like that's a really expensive failed experiment. At this point, 1781 01:29:13.920 --> 01:29:16.279 I do think you have to kick around the tires 1782 01:29:16.319 --> 01:29:19.680 and like really look into how do we make big moves. 1783 01:29:20.079 --> 01:29:22.439 Ingram's most likely gone, and I don't know that you 1784 01:29:22.439 --> 01:29:25.239 want to resign him at big money. So yeah, let's 1785 01:29:25.239 --> 01:29:26.520 see what you can get for Zion. Let's see what 1786 01:29:26.560 --> 01:29:27.840 you get from Murray. Let's see what you can get 1787 01:29:27.840 --> 01:29:30.680 from a column. Like you have good young role players 1788 01:29:30.680 --> 01:29:34.159 and Trey Murphy and Herb Jones, Like keep those guys 1789 01:29:34.159 --> 01:29:35.880 in the mix and try to do a quick rebuild 1790 01:29:35.920 --> 01:29:36.600 the proper way. 1791 01:29:37.279 --> 01:29:41.880 Yeah, Zion played more games last year than Drew Holliday, Like, 1792 01:29:42.439 --> 01:29:44.239 and maybe it was only a moment in time, but 1793 01:29:44.319 --> 01:29:47.479 like last year was an example of what he looks 1794 01:29:47.560 --> 01:29:49.399 like when he's on the court for a long time. 1795 01:29:49.439 --> 01:29:52.000 And look, we won't spend a ton of time on 1796 01:29:52.039 --> 01:29:54.079 this because, like I said earlier, it's buying this guy. 1797 01:29:54.119 --> 01:29:58.399 It's probably never gonna happen. But if you don't, you know, 1798 01:29:58.560 --> 01:30:01.319 if you don't see he'ze on the opp opportunity, should 1799 01:30:01.399 --> 01:30:05.439 one strike and simply rely on lottery luck, I feel 1800 01:30:05.479 --> 01:30:07.600 like you might as well drive up to Idaho and 1801 01:30:07.720 --> 01:30:10.880 play powerball, Like if you have an opportunity, like a 1802 01:30:10.880 --> 01:30:12.319 bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 1803 01:30:12.520 --> 01:30:15.880 Like if something like this comes the Jazz Way, even 1804 01:30:15.960 --> 01:30:19.199 if it's a tough ask based off of our recent history, 1805 01:30:19.720 --> 01:30:21.800 a player simply deciding that they don't want to live here, 1806 01:30:21.840 --> 01:30:23.680 don't don't you just have to give it a try. 1807 01:30:23.720 --> 01:30:25.800 I mean, otherwise, what are we doing? Like we're spinning 1808 01:30:25.840 --> 01:30:27.800 our wheels right exactly. 1809 01:30:27.840 --> 01:30:30.119 And I'm with you, I think like that's the reason 1810 01:30:30.119 --> 01:30:32.600 the reason you require all those picks is not to 1811 01:30:32.760 --> 01:30:34.960 use them all for draft picks, right, Like the Thunder 1812 01:30:35.000 --> 01:30:38.239 haven't acquired all these picks because they're going to draft 1813 01:30:38.600 --> 01:30:41.199 you know, twenty four first round guys and you know, 1814 01:30:41.279 --> 01:30:44.600 eight years or whatever that number is it's because you 1815 01:30:44.640 --> 01:30:47.199 can then use it to take those swings, to have 1816 01:30:47.680 --> 01:30:51.720 those opportunities to capitalize on when a star isn't you know, 1817 01:30:51.840 --> 01:30:54.199 isn't happier, isn't performing, or they just needs to be 1818 01:30:54.239 --> 01:30:57.600 a big sweeping change somewhere, and that's what the Jazz 1819 01:30:57.680 --> 01:31:00.399 put themselves in position to do. Now they not want 1820 01:31:00.399 --> 01:31:02.840 to do that with Zion. I understand that because of 1821 01:31:02.880 --> 01:31:05.479 the health risk and everything, but but you do, you 1822 01:31:05.600 --> 01:31:07.359 do eventually have to take a swing, you know. 1823 01:31:07.399 --> 01:31:08.800 That's the one criticism I. 1824 01:31:08.760 --> 01:31:11.319 Would say of Danny Inge in the past when he 1825 01:31:11.399 --> 01:31:13.680 was when he was in Boston, there were so many 1826 01:31:13.720 --> 01:31:16.359 times that you hurt all these rumors and granted they're rumors, 1827 01:31:16.359 --> 01:31:18.079 but you heard all this talk leading up to a 1828 01:31:18.079 --> 01:31:21.079 trade deadline, and then you could almost pencil in the 1829 01:31:21.159 --> 01:31:24.159 day after the trade deadline. Every single year Danny Ainge 1830 01:31:24.239 --> 01:31:26.119 was going to talk about the deals he almost made, 1831 01:31:26.239 --> 01:31:28.279 and Boston media ate it up, and everything is fine. 1832 01:31:28.319 --> 01:31:31.039 It's good fodder, it's good content. But there is a 1833 01:31:31.039 --> 01:31:33.920 certain point where you can't just keep holding onto all 1834 01:31:33.920 --> 01:31:36.640 these assets. You've got to make real, real moves with 1835 01:31:36.680 --> 01:31:37.840 them at some point. 1836 01:31:38.119 --> 01:31:41.279 So ultimately, you know, with the trade deadline creeping up. 1837 01:31:41.399 --> 01:31:45.079 You look at the teams that have ridiculous payrolls juxtaposed 1838 01:31:45.119 --> 01:31:48.000 to average or less dand results. In the Phoenix Suns, 1839 01:31:48.520 --> 01:31:50.600 their payroll is two hundred and twenty six mil. 1840 01:31:50.760 --> 01:31:52.520 I mean, matt Ish be uh, you know. 1841 01:31:52.840 --> 01:31:54.840 I love it when some of these like tech bros 1842 01:31:54.920 --> 01:31:58.239 or real estate pros are like, I was uber successful 1843 01:31:58.359 --> 01:32:01.399 doing this, so I'm just gonna go apply the processes 1844 01:32:01.439 --> 01:32:04.359 to you know, this thing and owning an NBA team, 1845 01:32:04.399 --> 01:32:06.840 and they think they're the smartest guys in the room, and. 1846 01:32:06.840 --> 01:32:08.560 I just kind of always cheer against them. But I'll 1847 01:32:08.600 --> 01:32:09.000 leave that there. 1848 01:32:09.079 --> 01:32:12.439 Phoenix has won nineteen games or nineteen and twenty, and 1849 01:32:12.600 --> 01:32:15.880 they're not built for a healthy four round playoff run. 1850 01:32:15.920 --> 01:32:17.760 I don't give a rip how many games they run 1851 01:32:17.800 --> 01:32:20.439 off between here and the spring. No parts of me 1852 01:32:20.520 --> 01:32:23.760 believe that they can simply stay healthy to win four rounds. Okay, 1853 01:32:23.760 --> 01:32:25.319 I don't give a rip about the talent or what 1854 01:32:25.399 --> 01:32:28.239 have you. But with that payroll, it goes up to 1855 01:32:28.279 --> 01:32:31.479 two twenty four next year, we're talking separate second apron. 1856 01:32:31.560 --> 01:32:35.600 We're talking in luxury tax implications. They got to do something, 1857 01:32:35.640 --> 01:32:37.199 but I'm not sure what it is, Zach, What do 1858 01:32:37.520 --> 01:32:37.800 you think. 1859 01:32:38.680 --> 01:32:41.439 Yeah, I mean, they can't do anything in terms of 1860 01:32:41.479 --> 01:32:46.119 a big change unless Bradley Beal says, yeah, trade me, right, 1861 01:32:46.199 --> 01:32:48.239 like he and Lebron the only ones with no trade 1862 01:32:48.279 --> 01:32:51.000 clause in the NBA. And it's funny, like there's been 1863 01:32:51.039 --> 01:32:54.159 these talks of you know, oh, they're going after Jimmy 1864 01:32:54.159 --> 01:32:56.359 Butler and everything, and you know they you know, maybe 1865 01:32:56.359 --> 01:32:59.600 they can make that work. And yeah, in theory you could, 1866 01:32:59.680 --> 01:33:02.079 except it's not up to them. It's literally up to 1867 01:33:02.119 --> 01:33:04.000 Bradley Beal. And outside of that, you know, they're not 1868 01:33:04.000 --> 01:33:07.119 trading KD. They're not trading book. I don't know if 1869 01:33:07.119 --> 01:33:10.359 you could get anything for Nurkic sure or Grace and 1870 01:33:10.399 --> 01:33:13.239 Allen at this point, but they don't have anything else. 1871 01:33:13.279 --> 01:33:13.680 They made it. 1872 01:33:13.720 --> 01:33:16.079 I think they made a good deal earlier today they 1873 01:33:16.119 --> 01:33:19.079 traded Josha Kogan some second round picks for Nick Richards 1874 01:33:19.079 --> 01:33:22.680 from Charlotte, who's a nice backup big man. But that's 1875 01:33:22.720 --> 01:33:26.159 about the level of move that you can make to 1876 01:33:26.279 --> 01:33:29.880 change that roster and less Bradley Beal says, yeah, I'll 1877 01:33:29.880 --> 01:33:32.800 go play wherever you're gonna trade me. And so like 1878 01:33:32.840 --> 01:33:35.520 they're just stuck like I believed in it, you know, 1879 01:33:35.680 --> 01:33:38.359 through most of last season and going into the playoffs 1880 01:33:38.640 --> 01:33:40.520 and then seeing the way and granted like that that 1881 01:33:40.560 --> 01:33:44.000 Temberwolves team went on a really good run, but they 1882 01:33:44.199 --> 01:33:46.960 dominated Temberwles in the regular season, and and from a 1883 01:33:46.960 --> 01:33:51.800 matchup standpoint, they should have really handled Minnesota with smart 1884 01:33:51.800 --> 01:33:56.399 basketball in that series. And they got smoked, Like they 1885 01:33:56.439 --> 01:33:58.640 got smoked by the Wolves. They got it wasn't just 1886 01:33:58.680 --> 01:34:01.479 that they got swept, they got him bare in that sweep. 1887 01:34:01.560 --> 01:34:03.560 And so since then I've. 1888 01:34:03.359 --> 01:34:05.079 Been like, Okay, yeah, I can't believe in this team. 1889 01:34:05.159 --> 01:34:07.079 Like I love TD, I love book, I like watching 1890 01:34:07.079 --> 01:34:09.680 them play, and I believe most of the last season there. 1891 01:34:09.800 --> 01:34:12.479 I don't know what they could do right now, outside 1892 01:34:12.560 --> 01:34:15.399 of maybe a Jimmy Butler for Bradley Beal trade if 1893 01:34:15.399 --> 01:34:18.760 he allows it to make it even consider that they 1894 01:34:18.760 --> 01:34:21.079 could win two games in a playoff series. 1895 01:34:21.479 --> 01:34:23.720 Moving over to Butler, I mean, the more and more 1896 01:34:23.760 --> 01:34:26.760 you kind of learn about the entire landscape, the more 1897 01:34:26.760 --> 01:34:28.760 and more that you understand if Miami is like, dude, 1898 01:34:28.760 --> 01:34:31.199 we're not doing anything. It doesn't make sense for us, 1899 01:34:31.239 --> 01:34:35.039 Like sorry that you're angry again and you're awesome and 1900 01:34:35.079 --> 01:34:37.279 we see what you do when you're right and actually 1901 01:34:37.319 --> 01:34:40.319 care about playing hard. But like, we don't really need 1902 01:34:40.399 --> 01:34:43.479 to do anything, and honestly, it might benefit them if 1903 01:34:43.520 --> 01:34:45.600 they don't. But he does seem to be the one 1904 01:34:45.720 --> 01:34:48.600 name that's out there that does change things if he 1905 01:34:48.680 --> 01:34:49.640 lands in the right spot. 1906 01:34:49.760 --> 01:34:51.239 So how do you think it plays out? 1907 01:34:51.279 --> 01:34:55.159 And what's your favorite potential outcome here with Jimmy Butler. 1908 01:34:55.840 --> 01:34:58.159 I mean, I really liked the idea of him in Memphis. 1909 01:34:58.960 --> 01:35:02.399 I thought that was a cool rumor. Uh believe the 1910 01:35:02.479 --> 01:35:05.399 reports and and kind of the whispers around like he's 1911 01:35:05.800 --> 01:35:08.000 told them, no, I don't like, don't trade for me. 1912 01:35:08.039 --> 01:35:10.479 I'm not going to stay there, and so that kind 1913 01:35:10.479 --> 01:35:12.359 of bums me out. I like the idea of him 1914 01:35:12.399 --> 01:35:16.319 on Golden State, but it sounds like, you know, we 1915 01:35:16.319 --> 01:35:18.640 did a bunch of reporting at the athletic. They're not 1916 01:35:18.680 --> 01:35:20.560 really interested. At least they weren't a couple of weeks ago. 1917 01:35:20.640 --> 01:35:23.239 We'll see if that changes with how bad they've been 1918 01:35:23.800 --> 01:35:26.439 recently and wanting to make a change. And I think 1919 01:35:26.479 --> 01:35:28.199 they're the type of team that should be going all 1920 01:35:28.239 --> 01:35:30.319 out to try to put whatever you can around stuff 1921 01:35:30.359 --> 01:35:34.000 and not not you know, fake these these two timelines 1922 01:35:34.079 --> 01:35:36.399 or we got to worry about our future crap. And 1923 01:35:36.640 --> 01:35:39.199 outside of that, like it just doesn't nothing really makes sense. 1924 01:35:39.239 --> 01:35:42.359 Houston doesn't seem all that interested. He would be, he 1925 01:35:42.359 --> 01:35:44.319 would be interesting there. I think this is going to 1926 01:35:44.359 --> 01:35:48.560 get more into you know, and you can always get surprised. 1927 01:35:48.239 --> 01:35:48.680 By this stuff. 1928 01:35:48.720 --> 01:35:50.560 A team could step up, and he could he and 1929 01:35:50.600 --> 01:35:53.119 his agent Brintley could could figure something out, you know, 1930 01:35:53.159 --> 01:35:55.279 in the next couple of weeks. But I think we're 1931 01:35:55.319 --> 01:35:59.520 headed more likely towards a battle of you know, designations 1932 01:35:59.560 --> 01:36:02.800 for sus mention and battles between the team and the 1933 01:36:02.880 --> 01:36:05.319 league and the players union than we are for hot 1934 01:36:05.319 --> 01:36:07.520 trade rumors involving Jimmy Butler. I think it's going to 1935 01:36:07.560 --> 01:36:08.760 get really weird and really ugly. 1936 01:36:08.920 --> 01:36:10.039 Yeah, I don't think you're wrong. 1937 01:36:10.079 --> 01:36:13.600 There any other names you're hearing, Not like you're right, 1938 01:36:13.680 --> 01:36:16.039 Nick Richard, fine player, okay, but any other names you're 1939 01:36:16.079 --> 01:36:18.800 hearing that should this deal go down, it actually does 1940 01:36:18.920 --> 01:36:24.000 mean something sustainable and real for the league, I. 1941 01:36:23.960 --> 01:36:25.960 Mean, not like that's the thing is I don't know, 1942 01:36:26.560 --> 01:36:28.720 you know, I don't know that Ingram has Brandon Ingram 1943 01:36:28.760 --> 01:36:30.920 has a lot of trade value at this point. He 1944 01:36:31.039 --> 01:36:33.720 was a name that's been thrown around, you know, quite 1945 01:36:33.760 --> 01:36:36.800 a bit over the last year or so. I think, 1946 01:36:36.840 --> 01:36:39.520 you know, if Jimmy Butler doesn't get moved, the biggest 1947 01:36:39.600 --> 01:36:42.359 name we might see see get moved before the deadline 1948 01:36:42.399 --> 01:36:45.279 is like Cam Johnson, who's a really nice player, right, 1949 01:36:45.319 --> 01:36:48.760 A good forward can shoot and defend like he's he's nice. 1950 01:36:48.800 --> 01:36:50.800 Like whether he goes to you know, if Okay See 1951 01:36:50.840 --> 01:36:53.039 goes after him, or Indiana goes after him or somebody 1952 01:36:53.039 --> 01:36:56.520 else like that, that's a significant upgrade at that position. 1953 01:36:56.600 --> 01:36:59.399 But I don't know that we're seeing like real movers 1954 01:36:59.399 --> 01:37:02.640 and shakers a Butler or even an Ingram to a 1955 01:37:02.640 --> 01:37:06.439 certain extent getting moved outside of you know, a kind 1956 01:37:06.439 --> 01:37:08.000 of a miracle at this point. And I think a 1957 01:37:08.000 --> 01:37:10.840 lot of that's just tied to, you know, teams are 1958 01:37:11.159 --> 01:37:12.880 still trying to figure out how to operate in this 1959 01:37:12.920 --> 01:37:14.520 new era of collective bargaining agreement. 1960 01:37:15.199 --> 01:37:17.960 All right, since we last spoke, and I'm sure you 1961 01:37:18.000 --> 01:37:20.399 watched the game if you were overseas or what have you, 1962 01:37:20.439 --> 01:37:24.039 But there was that there was that big OKC Cavs game, 1963 01:37:24.119 --> 01:37:26.680 and we're going to see a rematch with them tomorrow, 1964 01:37:26.720 --> 01:37:28.720 which will be a lot of fun this time in 1965 01:37:28.840 --> 01:37:31.439 Okay see. And you know I couldn't help, but you know, 1966 01:37:31.520 --> 01:37:35.880 watch that game and consider watching Donovan Mitchell as a 1967 01:37:35.960 --> 01:37:39.479 second year player here. You know, you remember you were 1968 01:37:39.479 --> 01:37:42.199 around here quite a bit. Donovan's second year, that team 1969 01:37:42.239 --> 01:37:44.560 popped like Gobert, became something nobody knew that he was 1970 01:37:44.600 --> 01:37:46.600 going to be. Eagles turned into a great player, even 1971 01:37:46.600 --> 01:37:48.640 though he looked like he lives in his car. They 1972 01:37:48.640 --> 01:37:51.359 get you know, Ricky Rubio that year played really really 1973 01:37:51.359 --> 01:37:54.159 well cold keep you going down the list, and Donovan 1974 01:37:54.239 --> 01:37:57.720 was their primary score. He was the lead scoring option 1975 01:37:57.840 --> 01:38:00.960 for a team that went to the playoffs OKAC with 1976 01:38:01.039 --> 01:38:03.279 Paul George, with Mellow and. 1977 01:38:03.119 --> 01:38:04.159 With Russell Westbrook. 1978 01:38:04.520 --> 01:38:07.840 And at the time covering the series, I said oftentimes 1979 01:38:07.840 --> 01:38:10.960 like this is such good news that Donovan's getting this 1980 01:38:11.079 --> 01:38:14.600 experience as a second year player because it's so early 1981 01:38:14.640 --> 01:38:15.439 in his career, because you. 1982 01:38:15.439 --> 01:38:16.079 Know what this is going to do. 1983 01:38:16.159 --> 01:38:18.319 It's going to pay off year five, six or seven, 1984 01:38:18.439 --> 01:38:21.479 and it is. It's just paid off in Cleveland. And 1985 01:38:21.560 --> 01:38:24.680 I made it a point to watch every part of 1986 01:38:24.720 --> 01:38:26.760 his game, and he didn't shoot it well, but he 1987 01:38:26.800 --> 01:38:30.399 did everything else really well, including playing good team defense, 1988 01:38:30.920 --> 01:38:33.760 moving the basketball. They figured out his minutes. His usage 1989 01:38:33.800 --> 01:38:36.279 is down, but his numbers are fine and they're really good. 1990 01:38:36.680 --> 01:38:38.399 What are you ready to say about the Cabs and 1991 01:38:38.399 --> 01:38:39.640 Donovan Mitchell as of today. 1992 01:38:40.640 --> 01:38:43.000 I mean, I think it's hard to you know, I do. 1993 01:38:43.199 --> 01:38:44.960 There's still part of me that's always like I got 1994 01:38:44.960 --> 01:38:47.159 to see in the postseason. But they've been at such 1995 01:38:47.199 --> 01:38:49.279 a dominant level through the first half of the season. 1996 01:38:49.399 --> 01:38:51.319 And it's not just like, oh, shots are going in. 1997 01:38:51.399 --> 01:38:52.319 It's the way to create. 1998 01:38:52.199 --> 01:38:55.119 Everything, right, like Kenny Atkinson's wrinkles to this offense and 1999 01:38:55.720 --> 01:38:57.960 the times of the cuts and the way players are cutting, 2000 01:38:58.039 --> 01:39:00.279 the way they move the ball. You know, there was 2001 01:39:00.880 --> 01:39:04.479 a sequence, what was it last night against Indiana where 2002 01:39:04.720 --> 01:39:06.680 just a couple of plays in a row, but everybody 2003 01:39:06.720 --> 01:39:10.479 touched the ball. The Indiana defense, which you know best whatever, 2004 01:39:10.560 --> 01:39:12.920 but they were completely out of at a sink and 2005 01:39:12.920 --> 01:39:14.800 it reminded me a lot of what we saw down 2006 01:39:14.840 --> 01:39:18.840 the stretch against the Thunder the week before, where like, look, 2007 01:39:18.840 --> 01:39:21.640 the Thunder's as good a defense as as anything we've 2008 01:39:21.680 --> 01:39:24.680 seen probably in the last fifteen years, in terms of 2009 01:39:24.680 --> 01:39:26.479 what they're able to do and how they're able to 2010 01:39:26.520 --> 01:39:29.319 execute and just everything that they've got going for them, 2011 01:39:29.840 --> 01:39:33.319 and they had this thunder team just scrambling right, and 2012 01:39:33.399 --> 01:39:36.520 all of it is the threats that they have offensively throughout, 2013 01:39:36.600 --> 01:39:38.439 the big to big passing that they've got so they 2014 01:39:38.439 --> 01:39:40.640 can play the two bigs together, you know, the way 2015 01:39:40.680 --> 01:39:43.319 guys are moving the ball and cutting and knocking down shots. 2016 01:39:43.880 --> 01:39:47.640 Everything that they have is showing a special level of 2017 01:39:47.640 --> 01:39:51.399 offense that reminds you so much of you know, you know, 2018 01:39:51.520 --> 01:39:53.720 the Celtics last year or maybe even the Spurs in 2019 01:39:53.720 --> 01:39:57.760 twenty fourteen. Just it's this constant movement and constant ball 2020 01:39:57.760 --> 01:40:01.840 hand when constant passing that really puts teams at a 2021 01:40:01.880 --> 01:40:05.319 disadvantage and you cannot, you just simply cannot have a 2022 01:40:05.359 --> 01:40:07.680 stretch where you don't make shots with them because their 2023 01:40:07.680 --> 01:40:10.159 offense is so potent right now. And so yeah, they're 2024 01:40:10.279 --> 01:40:14.319 definitely a title contender. Maybe even with the way things 2025 01:40:14.319 --> 01:40:16.680 are going right now because Boston's struggling, they should maybe 2026 01:40:16.680 --> 01:40:19.560 even be the title favorite. But yeah, man, this Cavs 2027 01:40:19.560 --> 01:40:22.079 team looks as legitimate as anybody could at this point 2028 01:40:22.079 --> 01:40:22.560 in the season. 2029 01:40:22.720 --> 01:40:24.600 I mean, just follow up about the Knicks and maybe 2030 01:40:24.720 --> 01:40:28.319 Orlando plays their way into the you know, this this 2031 01:40:28.439 --> 01:40:31.159 tier once they get Wagner back and follows back now, 2032 01:40:31.199 --> 01:40:34.359 but they've been so hurt. I suppose if you like, 2033 01:40:34.399 --> 01:40:36.319 there are times where I watch the honest play, I'm like, 2034 01:40:36.319 --> 01:40:38.800 we should probably just assume that Milwaukee could be in 2035 01:40:38.840 --> 01:40:40.920 it if things go right for them, just because he's 2036 01:40:41.119 --> 01:40:42.239 we've seen him do it before. 2037 01:40:42.359 --> 01:40:44.119 He still has it in him. Again. 2038 01:40:44.239 --> 01:40:46.680 I don't know that anyone believes Philly's turning this thing around. 2039 01:40:46.680 --> 01:40:48.840 I don't think anyone else is on the tier. But 2040 01:40:49.359 --> 01:40:51.319 how I guess the way I'll ask it is the 2041 01:40:51.359 --> 01:40:54.159 Calves and the Celtics clearly are that the number one 2042 01:40:54.199 --> 01:40:55.119 tier in that conference. 2043 01:40:55.359 --> 01:40:57.119 What's the gap between them and the Knicks. 2044 01:40:57.920 --> 01:40:58.920 I don't think it's very big. 2045 01:40:59.039 --> 01:41:03.039 Like I think, I think the Knicks are about as 2046 01:41:03.079 --> 01:41:05.960 good as Boston. I think their problem is Boston is 2047 01:41:06.039 --> 01:41:08.199 a matchup issue for them, right, But I think in 2048 01:41:08.279 --> 01:41:10.000 terms of quality of a team and the way they play, 2049 01:41:10.560 --> 01:41:12.920 their offense is so good, their shooting is so good 2050 01:41:12.960 --> 01:41:15.800 and can get better. I think their offense can get 2051 01:41:15.800 --> 01:41:17.680 a lot better. We've seen them play pretty good defense 2052 01:41:17.760 --> 01:41:19.880 over the last month or so, and I think that's 2053 01:41:20.439 --> 01:41:23.159 hopefully sustainable. It's just gonna be about depth and minutes 2054 01:41:23.199 --> 01:41:25.920 and who's worn down for them when we get to 2055 01:41:25.960 --> 01:41:28.239 the postseason. But I do think I think they're as 2056 01:41:28.720 --> 01:41:31.800 I think they're good enough to be in that conversation 2057 01:41:31.840 --> 01:41:34.720 with that Pier, I think they're better than you know, Orlando. 2058 01:41:34.800 --> 01:41:36.720 Once they get healthy, that's gonna be great. They're still 2059 01:41:36.760 --> 01:41:39.199 not gonna be a team that's very good at scoring, right, 2060 01:41:39.239 --> 01:41:43.960 and defense helps obviously the whole phrase of you know, 2061 01:41:44.000 --> 01:41:46.439 defense wins championships and that's great, but not if you 2062 01:41:46.439 --> 01:41:47.319 can't make a shot. 2063 01:41:47.159 --> 01:41:48.880 Like at least kind of me more not in today's NBA. 2064 01:41:48.960 --> 01:41:52.319 And so I don't think Orlando's there Milwaukee, and I 2065 01:41:52.359 --> 01:41:54.159 think it is just out of respect to Giannis at 2066 01:41:54.199 --> 01:41:56.800 this point, like he's playing so great that I want 2067 01:41:56.800 --> 01:41:59.560 to believe in Milwaukee. You know, Philly stinks Indiana is 2068 01:41:59.560 --> 01:42:02.000 not going to be good enough, although they're dangerous, But yeah, 2069 01:42:02.039 --> 01:42:05.199 I do think the knickser are just about right there 2070 01:42:05.239 --> 01:42:06.239 with those other two teams. 2071 01:42:06.520 --> 01:42:08.199 Going back to the space of what the hell do 2072 01:42:08.239 --> 01:42:10.560 you do? What the hell does phil what does Philly do? 2073 01:42:11.079 --> 01:42:13.880 I mean, what what's the course of action that makes sense? 2074 01:42:16.119 --> 01:42:16.479 Saw me? 2075 01:42:16.520 --> 01:42:18.560 If you heard this one before, you just got to 2076 01:42:18.600 --> 01:42:22.000 hope you're healthy for the postseason. I mean, that's just 2077 01:42:22.199 --> 01:42:24.439 that's what they're married to, right, That's what's always going 2078 01:42:24.520 --> 01:42:27.039 to be with indeed, and it sucks and it you know, 2079 01:42:27.560 --> 01:42:29.680 I want to I want to have a different conversation, 2080 01:42:30.279 --> 01:42:32.680 but hey, let's talk Clippers chances in the postseason. 2081 01:42:32.680 --> 01:42:35.439 It's Kawhi gonna be help. It's the same conversation, right. 2082 01:42:35.359 --> 01:42:37.920 Right, all right, moving out this way because I haven't 2083 01:42:37.960 --> 01:42:39.720 talked about this team in a number of weeks, and 2084 01:42:39.920 --> 01:42:41.720 just equal time, fair time. 2085 01:42:41.840 --> 01:42:42.880 What are you willing to say. 2086 01:42:42.720 --> 01:42:46.199 About the Rockets who through thirty eight almost forty games, 2087 01:42:46.239 --> 01:42:49.039 just don't appear to be going anywhere and at the 2088 01:42:49.239 --> 01:42:51.960 very least they are going to be a pain in 2089 01:42:52.000 --> 01:42:54.840 the ass for somebody. I don't know what it means, 2090 01:42:55.479 --> 01:42:57.560 but what are you willing to say about through thirty 2091 01:42:57.600 --> 01:42:59.640 eight games, the fact that the Houston Rockets do not 2092 01:42:59.720 --> 01:43:01.520 seem to be going anywhere anytime soon? 2093 01:43:02.199 --> 01:43:03.960 Yeah, I mean, they're just really well coached. He may 2094 01:43:04.000 --> 01:43:06.079 a Doka is a great coach. Right. He showed that 2095 01:43:06.199 --> 01:43:08.039 in his one year in Boston. He showed that last year, 2096 01:43:08.079 --> 01:43:10.479 he showed it this year. He's a great coach. They 2097 01:43:10.520 --> 01:43:13.479 play incredible defense for such a young team, and their 2098 01:43:13.520 --> 01:43:16.439 offense is more efficient than you might think. The issue, though, 2099 01:43:16.520 --> 01:43:19.800 is their offense is predicated on well, yeah, we're missing 2100 01:43:19.800 --> 01:43:21.920 a bunch of shots, but we'll go get offensive rebounds 2101 01:43:22.119 --> 01:43:23.640 and maybe we'll get to the free throw line a lot. 2102 01:43:23.720 --> 01:43:27.079 They can't shoot. They're I think twenty eighth in effective 2103 01:43:27.079 --> 01:43:30.039 field goal percentage on the season, but they're the eleventh 2104 01:43:30.119 --> 01:43:34.279 most efficient offense. If you can rebound solidly against them, 2105 01:43:34.359 --> 01:43:37.720 it cuts down everything. So I think they'll be one 2106 01:43:37.720 --> 01:43:40.720 of those teams nobody wants to play in the first round. 2107 01:43:40.920 --> 01:43:43.039 Maybe they even win a first round series. I don't 2108 01:43:43.079 --> 01:43:45.920 think they can make a deep playoff run, but let's 2109 01:43:45.960 --> 01:43:48.600 say that they're the two seed. They either lose in 2110 01:43:48.680 --> 01:43:51.000 a tight first round series or they make it to 2111 01:43:51.039 --> 01:43:53.680 the second round and get blown out. What a massive 2112 01:43:53.680 --> 01:43:55.600 step forward from what they look like two years ago. 2113 01:43:56.600 --> 01:44:02.199 So ultimately, the same way you Zach, you feel like 2114 01:44:02.239 --> 01:44:05.319 a guy that's misunderstood and you're actually a sweet, sensitive man. 2115 01:44:05.479 --> 01:44:09.880 Is that fair to say, Yeah, you know what, let's 2116 01:44:09.880 --> 01:44:10.800 subscribe to that theory. 2117 01:44:10.880 --> 01:44:14.119 No, I feel like you're a decent person, and I. 2118 01:44:14.279 --> 01:44:16.479 Just think as as good a person as I can be. 2119 01:44:16.600 --> 01:44:17.840 I get that sense about you. 2120 01:44:17.920 --> 01:44:20.399 But part of me is jealous of people like he 2121 01:44:20.479 --> 01:44:22.640 may Udoka who just seem pissed all the time and 2122 01:44:22.640 --> 01:44:24.359 they're fine with it, like they don't give a rip 2123 01:44:24.399 --> 01:44:26.800 about anything you have, right, Like I kind of wish 2124 01:44:26.840 --> 01:44:27.119 I was. 2125 01:44:27.039 --> 01:44:27.479 More like that. 2126 01:44:28.319 --> 01:44:28.720 Yeah. 2127 01:44:29.520 --> 01:44:34.119 Yeah, it's you know, they're parts of it, and especially 2128 01:44:35.119 --> 01:44:38.159 you know, there are parts of like him, or or 2129 01:44:38.199 --> 01:44:42.840 like Joe Missoula or out of JJ Reddick where I'm 2130 01:44:42.880 --> 01:44:46.039 just like it feels performative to me. And maybe that's 2131 01:44:46.039 --> 01:44:47.960 just me being cynical, like no one could be that 2132 01:44:48.039 --> 01:44:49.159 angry and that intense all the. 2133 01:44:49.119 --> 01:44:51.479 Time Reddick for sure, But I feel like you dook 2134 01:44:51.520 --> 01:44:53.479 as the type that leaves a game is like leave 2135 01:44:53.479 --> 01:44:57.159 me alone, rolls home, just smashes through a dinner that 2136 01:44:57.239 --> 01:44:59.359 he throws in the oven, maybe a couple of bruises, 2137 01:44:59.399 --> 01:45:01.159 and goes to and he's fine with it. 2138 01:45:01.199 --> 01:45:02.279 He's like, just leave me alone. 2139 01:45:02.359 --> 01:45:06.640 Yeah, yeah, like like he's I wouldn't like, what does 2140 01:45:06.680 --> 01:45:08.000 his Netflix look like? 2141 01:45:08.399 --> 01:45:10.439 What's his algorithm? 2142 01:45:10.479 --> 01:45:11.600 All the serial killers? 2143 01:45:11.600 --> 01:45:14.199 Weird man, it's weird. 2144 01:45:14.039 --> 01:45:16.920 Kings of Tuplo five times, like weird stuff. 2145 01:45:17.640 --> 01:45:20.319 Yeah, exactly, that all right, brother. 2146 01:45:20.319 --> 01:45:21.520 I always appreciate the time. 2147 01:45:21.520 --> 01:45:24.399 Man, have a good week with chat soon, Okay, appreciate 2148 01:45:24.399 --> 01:45:26.960 it all right, the great Zach Harper, NBA Daily Assis Style. 2149 01:45:27.119 --> 01:45:31.039 Now for all of you RSL fans that have been curious, 2150 01:45:31.079 --> 01:45:34.079 and I'll admit I've been curious to Kurt Schmidt is 2151 01:45:34.119 --> 01:45:34.760 going to join us. 2152 01:45:34.800 --> 01:45:36.399 Now, Kurt has not done an. 2153 01:45:36.279 --> 01:45:39.720 Interview, did a little media earlier as RSL has launched 2154 01:45:39.720 --> 01:45:42.920 our preseason concer CAF is right around the corner. But 2155 01:45:42.960 --> 01:45:44.479 I'm gonna bring in our guy in and be like, dude, 2156 01:45:44.520 --> 01:45:46.079 what's up? Like what are we doing here? So we'll 2157 01:45:46.079 --> 01:45:48.399 get some answers hopefully from Kurt. Really smart guy in 2158 01:45:48.439 --> 01:45:50.359 a really tough spot that'll come your way. 2159 01:45:50.399 --> 01:45:50.520 Neck. 2160 01:45:50.720 --> 01:45:54.640 Just reminder we will SEGA night little early in time 2161 01:45:54.680 --> 01:45:58.720 for some Utah College basketball Utah men taking on TCU tonight. 2162 01:45:59.399 --> 01:46:01.800 Been a busy show man Neil Smith or some hockey, 2163 01:46:01.920 --> 01:46:05.079 Zach Harper for some hoops, Bill Riley for some football 2164 01:46:05.079 --> 01:46:08.279 and basketball. But it has been a busy news cycle 2165 01:46:09.039 --> 01:46:11.720 all ray. I'll saw Lake our next guest man. I 2166 01:46:11.760 --> 01:46:14.159 know he's missed this, and I know he's so excited 2167 01:46:14.159 --> 01:46:17.359 to be doing this. It is Kurt Schmidt, technical director 2168 01:46:17.359 --> 01:46:19.439 for the club, on a Wednesday. 2169 01:46:19.520 --> 01:46:20.760 Kurt, how bad did you miss me? 2170 01:46:20.800 --> 01:46:20.920 Man? 2171 01:46:21.000 --> 01:46:22.079 Let's let's be honest here. 2172 01:46:23.000 --> 01:46:24.159 I'm just psyched to be here. 2173 01:46:25.479 --> 01:46:28.600 You liar, you liar? How you been Man? Things all 2174 01:46:28.680 --> 01:46:29.119 right with you? 2175 01:46:30.520 --> 01:46:33.319 Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I'm just waiting for the off season 2176 01:46:33.359 --> 01:46:34.560 to start so i can relax. 2177 01:46:36.439 --> 01:46:36.680 Well. 2178 01:46:36.720 --> 01:46:39.800 Look, I don't really know where to start, but we're 2179 01:46:39.800 --> 01:46:41.520 gonna get to as much of this as we can 2180 01:46:41.640 --> 01:46:45.520 because I'm not privy to the conversations behind closed doors. 2181 01:46:45.560 --> 01:46:47.800 And I know a lot of RSL fans are very 2182 01:46:47.880 --> 01:46:51.439 curious to hear from you and your main motivation for 2183 01:46:51.560 --> 01:46:55.119 moving on from Chicho Orongo, the Golden Boot winner for 2184 01:46:55.159 --> 01:46:58.279 the club and at one point one of the favorites 2185 01:46:58.279 --> 01:47:00.880 for League MVP, and you know, he just has such 2186 01:47:00.920 --> 01:47:03.119 a bright start and then we all know it came 2187 01:47:03.159 --> 01:47:06.760 crashing down with the suspension. And I don't know what changed, Kurt, 2188 01:47:06.800 --> 01:47:09.800 but something certainly did. So walk us through this. What 2189 01:47:09.800 --> 01:47:13.119 what's it like? The communications structure, you know, speaking to 2190 01:47:13.199 --> 01:47:16.199 ownership and Tony and everybody else in the front office, 2191 01:47:16.199 --> 01:47:19.399 Pablo and then Jason bringing everybody together to decide to 2192 01:47:19.439 --> 01:47:21.520 move on from a player that really went he's right. 2193 01:47:21.600 --> 01:47:22.880 He is just very very good. 2194 01:47:24.520 --> 01:47:28.279 Yeah. I mean, look, it's it's not an easy decision 2195 01:47:28.600 --> 01:47:31.159 when when when you're talking about whether or not to 2196 01:47:31.159 --> 01:47:33.720 move on from from a quality player, and you know, 2197 01:47:33.800 --> 01:47:36.199 it's something that that we had to face a couple 2198 01:47:36.239 --> 01:47:39.640 of times, maybe last year. But you know, on for 2199 01:47:39.720 --> 01:47:43.479 all the successes that happened last year, that we achieved 2200 01:47:43.560 --> 01:47:46.760 last year, and we did achieve some some some goals 2201 01:47:46.800 --> 01:47:50.239 and and some heights in last season, we still fell 2202 01:47:50.279 --> 01:47:52.920 short of our ultimate goal, right, which is winning a trophy, 2203 01:47:52.960 --> 01:47:55.439 holding a trophy at the end of a competition. And 2204 01:47:55.920 --> 01:47:58.479 you know, some of that was was how things went 2205 01:47:58.560 --> 01:48:00.199 in the in the back half of the season and 2206 01:48:00.239 --> 01:48:02.720 half of the season, you know, and as it relates 2207 01:48:02.720 --> 01:48:04.279 to chi Cho, obviously, you know we don't need to 2208 01:48:04.279 --> 01:48:07.000 rehash it, but everybody knows kind of how that went 2209 01:48:07.159 --> 01:48:10.000 for him and with us, and you know, we had 2210 01:48:10.119 --> 01:48:12.720 certain guys step up in a time when he maybe 2211 01:48:12.800 --> 01:48:14.880 wasn't producing as much as he had in earlier in 2212 01:48:14.920 --> 01:48:17.960 the year. But anyway, it just you know, it got 2213 01:48:18.000 --> 01:48:20.359 to the point where it was obviously very difficult and 2214 01:48:20.399 --> 01:48:23.399 something something changed, and you know, we had a lot 2215 01:48:23.399 --> 01:48:27.600 of hard conversations internally about it amongst staff, with chi 2216 01:48:27.760 --> 01:48:30.960 Cho and obviously his representation, and you know, at a 2217 01:48:30.960 --> 01:48:34.239 certain point, you know, Chicho came to me and asked 2218 01:48:34.239 --> 01:48:38.159 that we help him find a solution for for him 2219 01:48:38.159 --> 01:48:40.239 and his family, you know, to get a fresh start, 2220 01:48:40.319 --> 01:48:43.439 and and that's you know what I think we well, 2221 01:48:43.439 --> 01:48:44.880 that's what we tried to do. And what I think 2222 01:48:44.920 --> 01:48:48.000 we did was found a solution that you know, obviously 2223 01:48:48.279 --> 01:48:49.680 is the best for all parties. 2224 01:48:50.439 --> 01:48:53.880 So I'm quite prepared for a very short answer to 2225 01:48:53.960 --> 01:48:56.279 this question, but you also understand I need to ask it. 2226 01:48:56.359 --> 01:49:00.560 Can you shed any light on the suspension, why it happened, 2227 01:49:00.680 --> 01:49:02.800 and the effect that it had on him and also 2228 01:49:02.840 --> 01:49:05.279 the team. 2229 01:49:05.479 --> 01:49:09.920 I cannot look obviously, the you know, the club and 2230 01:49:10.359 --> 01:49:13.720 and you know did everything that they could have done 2231 01:49:13.960 --> 01:49:15.640 and what was were required to do and needed to 2232 01:49:15.640 --> 01:49:18.560 do in that situation. And you know, we the league, 2233 01:49:18.680 --> 01:49:21.279 the league went through their process and we accepted their 2234 01:49:21.279 --> 01:49:23.359 decision and we went you know, and that's what we 2235 01:49:23.560 --> 01:49:26.000 dealt with. And in terms of how any of that 2236 01:49:26.039 --> 01:49:29.000 affected chi Cho, you know, obviously I don't know what's 2237 01:49:29.479 --> 01:49:32.600 none of us can know what's in his head, what's 2238 01:49:32.600 --> 01:49:35.680 in his mind, But certainly we we saw what was 2239 01:49:35.760 --> 01:49:36.359 on the field. 2240 01:49:36.840 --> 01:49:39.680 How much of this the decision Kurt had to do 2241 01:49:40.079 --> 01:49:43.399 with chi Cho and his family not wanting to live here, 2242 01:49:43.800 --> 01:49:46.000 and how much of the decision had to do with 2243 01:49:46.039 --> 01:49:48.239 the club being ready to move on with a player 2244 01:49:48.880 --> 01:49:51.880 that clearly was not right after the suspension went down. 2245 01:49:53.199 --> 01:49:55.079 Yeah, I mean I think some of that's the question 2246 01:49:55.279 --> 01:49:58.640 for chi Cho, But I just would reiterate that I 2247 01:49:58.680 --> 01:50:01.640 think with every with all the water that had flowed, 2248 01:50:01.680 --> 01:50:04.760 you know, uh, float under that bridge, I think we 2249 01:50:04.880 --> 01:50:08.039 just found the solution that was the best for all parties. 2250 01:50:08.800 --> 01:50:13.000 Got asked the question, you know, and I am, admittedly 2251 01:50:13.079 --> 01:50:16.479 still after covering this game for twenty plus years, a neophyte, 2252 01:50:16.520 --> 01:50:19.680 and you're an expert. And I'll see to you if 2253 01:50:19.680 --> 01:50:23.760 you compare what you received in exchange for Chico to 2254 01:50:23.840 --> 01:50:27.119 what Seattle sent out for haesusre for AA. Excuse me, 2255 01:50:27.520 --> 01:50:31.159 the package is not close. And look, I understand that 2256 01:50:31.199 --> 01:50:33.159 you had to cut the tie. I understand you had 2257 01:50:33.159 --> 01:50:35.640 to make the move, but one point four mil in 2258 01:50:35.800 --> 01:50:39.159 allocation money and an international roster spot Kirk does not 2259 01:50:39.399 --> 01:50:41.720 seem like a fair haul your thoughts? 2260 01:50:43.279 --> 01:50:46.560 Sure, I mean, I look, obviously it's it's really difficult 2261 01:50:46.640 --> 01:50:49.560 to compare players like that and to set to set 2262 01:50:49.600 --> 01:50:52.479 the market based on one or two or such a 2263 01:50:52.520 --> 01:50:55.680 limited number of transactions that you're talking about at that 2264 01:50:55.920 --> 01:51:01.199 end of end of the market. Obviously there were other opportunities. 2265 01:51:01.239 --> 01:51:04.960 There were other clubs, other situations, you know, outside the league, 2266 01:51:05.000 --> 01:51:08.319 in the league, like, there were different opportunities, and you 2267 01:51:08.359 --> 01:51:11.199 know this, you know, this ended up being the right 2268 01:51:11.239 --> 01:51:15.319 thing from from all facets, from uh, the standpoint obviously 2269 01:51:15.399 --> 01:51:18.199 the finances from you know, obviously it needs to be 2270 01:51:18.359 --> 01:51:20.800 agreeable to cheat Sho and his family who are going 2271 01:51:20.880 --> 01:51:24.439 to move there, and and also from a timing standpoint 2272 01:51:24.479 --> 01:51:27.000 where you know, this was something that we knew was happening, 2273 01:51:27.039 --> 01:51:29.840 and you know, preseason is is here, and you know, 2274 01:51:30.039 --> 01:51:31.960 like we want to we want to have our group 2275 01:51:32.000 --> 01:51:34.920 together and move forward. So just when you factor in 2276 01:51:35.039 --> 01:51:38.760 all the implications of the decision, this was this was 2277 01:51:38.800 --> 01:51:39.399 the best case. 2278 01:51:39.800 --> 01:51:42.800 So Sally and Andres was proof of concept. I don't 2279 01:51:42.800 --> 01:51:45.840 think anybody would debate that. But it's not just Andres. 2280 01:51:45.880 --> 01:51:47.960 It's now cheat Joe. Now let's move over to Matt 2281 01:51:48.000 --> 01:51:51.079 Crooks and I'll just kind of ask you the same question. 2282 01:51:51.600 --> 01:51:54.439 Is this a scenario where Matt and his family just 2283 01:51:54.560 --> 01:51:58.319 wanted to leave the market. Were you not satisfied with 2284 01:51:58.319 --> 01:52:01.399 what you received for his production? I was also taken 2285 01:52:01.439 --> 01:52:03.880 back that Crooks was said on his way. Can you 2286 01:52:03.920 --> 01:52:05.600 shed a little light on on that decision? 2287 01:52:06.880 --> 01:52:09.800 Yeah, I mean, look where we try to put the 2288 01:52:09.840 --> 01:52:12.520 players first at the club, and you know, again that 2289 01:52:12.640 --> 01:52:15.359 means like we want players that want to be here 2290 01:52:15.439 --> 01:52:17.640 and that are happy here, and we want to support them, 2291 01:52:17.640 --> 01:52:19.159 and then we feel that that's the way to get 2292 01:52:19.199 --> 01:52:21.560 the most out of them on the field. I think 2293 01:52:21.640 --> 01:52:25.039 that with Matt and his family, you know, yeah, you 2294 01:52:25.119 --> 01:52:26.439 kind of hit the nail on the head, like this 2295 01:52:26.560 --> 01:52:29.880 family situation wasn't ideal, and he was. They spent a 2296 01:52:29.920 --> 01:52:33.159 lot of time apart last year, and for him, the biggest, 2297 01:52:33.279 --> 01:52:36.079 the big thought process the decision was, you know, could 2298 01:52:36.079 --> 01:52:37.760 he could he do that again? Were they going to come? 2299 01:52:37.800 --> 01:52:40.119 Was it better to go back? And again there's a 2300 01:52:40.199 --> 01:52:44.680 lot of tough conversations there as well, and ultimately the 2301 01:52:45.000 --> 01:52:47.359 right opportunity came up for him to go back and 2302 01:52:47.479 --> 01:52:49.600 it worked for us as well. So you know, from 2303 01:52:49.640 --> 01:52:52.920 that standpoint, it was a little bit of an unwinding 2304 01:52:53.159 --> 01:52:55.279 of kind of what we did a year ago when 2305 01:52:55.319 --> 01:52:59.239 we brought him in. You know, Matt's Matt's a great guy. Matt, 2306 01:52:59.279 --> 01:53:01.720 you know, like Matt as a as a person and 2307 01:53:01.800 --> 01:53:03.840 as a player. I thought, you know, you hit you 2308 01:53:04.000 --> 01:53:07.119 talked about production. I don't think he lit up the 2309 01:53:07.159 --> 01:53:10.199 production side of things. He certainly helped us with his 2310 01:53:10.319 --> 01:53:14.079 movement and that type of thing, but he also you know, 2311 01:53:14.119 --> 01:53:17.560 we also we needed some production from that position as well. 2312 01:53:17.600 --> 01:53:20.960 And that's part of the genesis of us bringing Diogo 2313 01:53:21.000 --> 01:53:23.319 here as well, is because we felt he was someone 2314 01:53:23.399 --> 01:53:25.439 that was going to be more goldening, just was going 2315 01:53:25.520 --> 01:53:28.359 to produce more from a similar position. And you know, 2316 01:53:28.399 --> 01:53:30.960 so from that standpoint, we thought, you know, Jyoga coming in, 2317 01:53:31.479 --> 01:53:34.039 you know, allows us to grant Matt and his family 2318 01:53:34.079 --> 01:53:36.279 their wish essentially and get them back together. 2319 01:53:36.399 --> 01:53:39.000 Yeah, entirely fair about the numbers and the production. I mean, 2320 01:53:39.039 --> 01:53:40.720 don't take this the wrong way, but every time I 2321 01:53:40.760 --> 01:53:43.640 heard somebody talk about how far he ran, I'm like, cool, 2322 01:53:43.800 --> 01:53:46.359 but you know, like let's get some assistants, some goals. 2323 01:53:46.399 --> 01:53:47.880 I mean, I'm not saying you had to work hard, but. 2324 01:53:48.039 --> 01:53:49.840 It wasn't just how far, but it was, you know, 2325 01:53:50.039 --> 01:53:52.600 just the he ran very you know, and maybe the 2326 01:53:52.680 --> 01:53:55.159 satica to sound equally maybe boring to you, but he 2327 01:53:55.199 --> 01:53:58.079 did run very intelligently in terms of, you know, the 2328 01:53:58.439 --> 01:54:01.000 timing and direction of his runs, the pace and how 2329 01:54:01.039 --> 01:54:04.239 it created space for guys like andreasen Chico and Luna 2330 01:54:04.279 --> 01:54:07.000 at times, and you know how he filled He's a 2331 01:54:07.039 --> 01:54:09.239 very intelligent player, how he filled the gaps that others 2332 01:54:09.319 --> 01:54:12.239 last in order to continue and maintain our structure in 2333 01:54:12.279 --> 01:54:14.960 certain times when we were when others were a little 2334 01:54:14.960 --> 01:54:18.079 more fluid and kind of doing whatever they wanted. He 2335 01:54:18.760 --> 01:54:20.359 was a little bit of a blue guy that kind 2336 01:54:20.359 --> 01:54:23.600 of made sure that our game model was still being 2337 01:54:23.640 --> 01:54:26.319 implemented and that the team still had the right structure. 2338 01:54:26.399 --> 01:54:28.399 No, I totally get it. You're not wrong, But run 2339 01:54:28.439 --> 01:54:30.199 intelligently and get your head on a ball. Let's get 2340 01:54:30.239 --> 01:54:32.479 a couple of intelligent goals and assists. That's all I'm saying. 2341 01:54:32.479 --> 01:54:34.960 But you're not wrong, Kurt, You're not wrong. Yeah, but 2342 01:54:35.000 --> 01:54:37.279 you're yeah. And you and I talked about what I 2343 01:54:37.279 --> 01:54:40.279 proceed to be a very professional approach to the season 2344 01:54:40.319 --> 01:54:43.159 from Anderson Julio last year, who I just thought was 2345 01:54:43.319 --> 01:54:47.199 called upon oftentimes to step in in tough scenarios, and 2346 01:54:47.399 --> 01:54:49.960 I thought he did a good job. Now this wasn't 2347 01:54:50.000 --> 01:54:51.880 a hey, you're going to move on without getting some 2348 01:54:51.920 --> 01:54:53.920 things in return, but same question take us through the 2349 01:54:53.960 --> 01:54:55.640 mindset of moving on from Anderson Julio. 2350 01:54:57.319 --> 01:55:00.039 Yeah, and it was a great guy, worked hard. He 2351 01:55:00.039 --> 01:55:01.840 he learned a lot and developed, you know, even though 2352 01:55:01.840 --> 01:55:03.399 he didn't come here as a twenty year old. He 2353 01:55:03.479 --> 01:55:05.560 came here a few years after that, but he he 2354 01:55:05.640 --> 01:55:08.479 developed a lot in his time in ourselves had a 2355 01:55:08.479 --> 01:55:11.439 great year last year. And you know, when you've got 2356 01:55:11.720 --> 01:55:14.720 a player around that age, as they're heading towards their 2357 01:55:14.760 --> 01:55:17.560 thirties and they're having a career year, you know, you 2358 01:55:18.000 --> 01:55:20.520 have to think about our you know, can you make 2359 01:55:20.560 --> 01:55:22.600 a move here at at or near the kind of 2360 01:55:22.600 --> 01:55:25.239 top of his market, top of his value, and if 2361 01:55:25.239 --> 01:55:27.319 we get enough in exchange, is it worth it? And 2362 01:55:27.399 --> 01:55:29.880 so we thought we thought that's kind of the situation. 2363 01:55:30.039 --> 01:55:32.399 And we were able to get obviously some money, which 2364 01:55:32.439 --> 01:55:35.199 is important, but also a piece that solves a bit 2365 01:55:35.399 --> 01:55:38.680 of death and competition for us on the back line 2366 01:55:38.720 --> 01:55:41.760 and Sam Junkwa who can push guys in two different 2367 01:55:41.800 --> 01:55:45.520 spots and give us solid solid death and two positions 2368 01:55:45.560 --> 01:55:47.840 along the back line, So it was kind of a 2369 01:55:47.880 --> 01:55:48.840 win win all around. 2370 01:55:49.640 --> 01:55:52.640 I apologize for another uncomfortable question, Kurt, but I'm gonna 2371 01:55:52.640 --> 01:55:55.359 throw it at you anyway. I mean, look, the numbers 2372 01:55:55.399 --> 01:55:58.239 are the numbers, and you set a club record for points, 2373 01:55:58.279 --> 01:56:01.520 you set a club record for goals score as you 2374 01:56:01.600 --> 01:56:05.640 reference the ending unceremonious, you qualify for the postseason, austed 2375 01:56:05.640 --> 01:56:08.039 in the first round. You want trophies. I want you 2376 01:56:08.079 --> 01:56:11.279 guys to get trophies. I get it. But with all 2377 01:56:11.319 --> 01:56:14.359 of the moves that have been made juxtaposed to what 2378 01:56:14.560 --> 01:56:17.640 was a historic season, with the data, what does that 2379 01:56:17.760 --> 01:56:18.640 say about the group? 2380 01:56:18.680 --> 01:56:19.920 What does that say to the locker room? 2381 01:56:19.960 --> 01:56:22.279 What does that say about the connectivity or lack thereof 2382 01:56:22.319 --> 01:56:22.760 of the group? 2383 01:56:24.720 --> 01:56:27.319 I think it would send the message of trust to 2384 01:56:27.359 --> 01:56:30.439 the players that that we have kept and are going 2385 01:56:30.479 --> 01:56:32.960 to rely up on honestly, Like you know, we brought 2386 01:56:33.000 --> 01:56:35.640 in you know, we talked a lot about this last summer, 2387 01:56:35.680 --> 01:56:37.840 and we brought in a lot of guys last summer 2388 01:56:37.880 --> 01:56:40.279 and fit the you know, made the cap stuff all 2389 01:56:40.279 --> 01:56:43.319 work together, so we could add them then. But but 2390 01:56:43.439 --> 01:56:45.560 we knew that part of bringing a lot of those 2391 01:56:45.560 --> 01:56:49.600 guys in was almost preemptively replacing some guys that we 2392 01:56:49.680 --> 01:56:51.640 might have to move on from in the winter. So 2393 01:56:52.119 --> 01:56:54.840 you know that some of that work was done six 2394 01:56:54.880 --> 01:56:57.800 months ago. But again, when you talk about guys like 2395 01:56:57.840 --> 01:57:02.479 Dominique Marshao, Tiogo Loon, you know, guys in the middle 2396 01:57:02.479 --> 01:57:06.279 of midfield, No Hata and Mecca Poblowiez coming back from 2397 01:57:06.319 --> 01:57:09.920 injury as well, those types of things like those Nelson Placia, 2398 01:57:10.079 --> 01:57:12.680 like those. You know, we're putting our trust from those guys, 2399 01:57:12.720 --> 01:57:15.079 and I think they should feel that and that should 2400 01:57:15.079 --> 01:57:17.279 fill them with confidence and give them the ability to 2401 01:57:17.920 --> 01:57:19.600 play with you know, without fear. 2402 01:57:20.239 --> 01:57:22.199 Yeah, well said, And I do want to get into 2403 01:57:22.199 --> 01:57:25.079 the space of the players that you're bringing in so 2404 01:57:26.760 --> 01:57:28.479 and look, I honestly, I don't know if you can 2405 01:57:28.520 --> 01:57:30.640 comment on some of this stuff. I just have some 2406 01:57:30.680 --> 01:57:32.840 of the reports that are out there, and I'm certainly 2407 01:57:32.880 --> 01:57:36.359 not an expert with Brazilian goalkeepers Raphael. 2408 01:57:35.960 --> 01:57:38.840 Cabral, I'm thirty four years old, know nothing about them. 2409 01:57:39.439 --> 01:57:42.520 But acording the reports, you guys have signed this Brazilian 2410 01:57:42.680 --> 01:57:45.000 keeper Kurk, can you shed some light on this transaction. 2411 01:57:46.359 --> 01:57:49.800 I can't deal with reports. 2412 01:57:49.680 --> 01:57:50.600 It's not official yet. 2413 01:57:50.640 --> 01:57:55.560 Okay, we've signed a veteran, yeah, veteran international goalkeeper that 2414 01:57:55.720 --> 01:57:58.920 has you know, experience playing in some of the top 2415 01:57:59.000 --> 01:58:02.239 leagues in Europe and in South America, and so you know, 2416 01:58:02.279 --> 01:58:04.840 we think he's going to come in and add some 2417 01:58:05.720 --> 01:58:08.359 just experience in the locker room, but also some quality 2418 01:58:08.399 --> 01:58:10.239 and goal and give us a little bit of a 2419 01:58:10.239 --> 01:58:10.960 different look there. 2420 01:58:11.560 --> 01:58:15.279 Can you do discuss us sending Gavin Beavers on a 2421 01:58:15.359 --> 01:58:17.680 loan to a Danish club? Are you able to discuss that? 2422 01:58:20.039 --> 01:58:23.199 Yeah, Look, Gav's on his way out. It's not alone, 2423 01:58:23.399 --> 01:58:26.880 but not official yet either, but we're certainly working on that. 2424 01:58:27.079 --> 01:58:29.960 But you know, Gas a really good young keeper and 2425 01:58:30.119 --> 01:58:32.039 you know, played a lot of minutes for us last year. 2426 01:58:32.119 --> 01:58:35.720 And you know, when we talk about where like obviously 2427 01:58:35.720 --> 01:58:37.800 where he's going is kind of within a little bit 2428 01:58:37.840 --> 01:58:40.079 of our family or cousins, whatever you want to call it. 2429 01:58:40.560 --> 01:58:43.560 And it was actually a really productive process to just 2430 01:58:44.079 --> 01:58:48.359 collaborate across our ownership group and different clubs and decide 2431 01:58:48.439 --> 01:58:51.560 what is what is the best thing for ourselves, what 2432 01:58:51.640 --> 01:58:54.039 is the best thing for Brumby, what is the best 2433 01:58:54.079 --> 01:58:57.079 thing for Gavin Beavers and and make the right decision 2434 01:58:57.119 --> 01:58:59.079 for all parties. But you know, I think for him 2435 01:58:59.279 --> 01:59:02.920 it's getting exciting step in his career. You know. For us, obviously, 2436 01:59:03.279 --> 01:59:05.239 you know, it makes my job harder when we lose 2437 01:59:05.279 --> 01:59:09.159 players that, you know, homegrown players or players on a 2438 01:59:09.199 --> 01:59:11.840 sub a roster who actually can contribute. So that makes 2439 01:59:11.880 --> 01:59:14.960 my job harder a little bit. But but it you know, 2440 01:59:14.960 --> 01:59:16.760 it makes sense for all parties to let him go. 2441 01:59:16.880 --> 01:59:20.000 And yeah, that's why you saw, you know, Mason Statuahar 2442 01:59:20.079 --> 01:59:21.800 come in today from from Orlando. 2443 01:59:22.760 --> 01:59:24.399 I'm glad you said the name because that's where I 2444 01:59:24.439 --> 01:59:26.479 was going next. Okay, Mason Statue. 2445 01:59:26.359 --> 01:59:28.439 If I got it right. To be fair, I probably 2446 01:59:28.439 --> 01:59:30.319 need to go check on that, but I tried. 2447 01:59:30.520 --> 01:59:33.920 Well, I'll trust you as opposed to the guest that 2448 01:59:34.079 --> 01:59:35.039 was about to lob out. 2449 01:59:35.079 --> 01:59:36.199 But that one is official. 2450 01:59:36.199 --> 01:59:38.520 It is on the website, as is Kobe Henry correct 2451 01:59:38.520 --> 01:59:39.079 center back. 2452 01:59:39.960 --> 01:59:43.680 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Mason was is someone you know, again, 2453 01:59:44.319 --> 01:59:45.920 I think the other thing we didn't really touch on 2454 01:59:46.079 --> 01:59:48.680 is is Zach is you know, Zach's looking like he's 2455 01:59:48.720 --> 01:59:51.319 going to miss some significant time early in the season. 2456 01:59:51.439 --> 01:59:54.600 So obviously we've we've brought in an experienced guy to 2457 01:59:55.159 --> 01:59:57.720 be the guy. And then you know, Mason comes in 2458 01:59:57.840 --> 02:00:01.399 as as someone with MLS starting experience that we think 2459 02:00:01.800 --> 02:00:05.359 at competition and good depth is in the in the 2460 02:00:05.359 --> 02:00:08.560 goalkeeper group. And then you know we've revamped it otherwise 2461 02:00:08.680 --> 02:00:10.920 completely with with the college kids coming in as well. 2462 02:00:11.640 --> 02:00:14.640 All right, there's a report and I know you can't 2463 02:00:14.640 --> 02:00:16.600 discuss reports, but like you. 2464 02:00:16.520 --> 02:00:17.880 Know, this is the deal. I got to ask you. 2465 02:00:17.800 --> 02:00:20.079 You can tell me to kick Rocks and he's an 2466 02:00:20.079 --> 02:00:23.239 Australian forward. Here we go. Okay, it's a new year. 2467 02:00:23.359 --> 02:00:25.319 My goal is to just say yes and try things. 2468 02:00:25.720 --> 02:00:29.000 Ariath Peel, I don't know, no idea, but it's out 2469 02:00:29.000 --> 02:00:31.399 there that you're bringing in Australian for what is it close? 2470 02:00:32.279 --> 02:00:36.119 I feel like that was close. If I had to 2471 02:00:36.359 --> 02:00:39.199 guess his name, I would say maybe the Arif Pole 2472 02:00:39.960 --> 02:00:44.439 maybe like that. Yeah, I mean, look, obviously we brought 2473 02:00:44.479 --> 02:00:48.399 in Locklmbrook last year. Australia is the market that we're 2474 02:00:48.439 --> 02:00:50.720 looking at more and more. You know, we like to 2475 02:00:50.760 --> 02:00:54.800 bring in talented young players. So signing like that, you know, 2476 02:00:54.920 --> 02:00:56.239 would would make a lot of sense. 2477 02:00:56.960 --> 02:00:59.159 Oh wow, Well that's as close as we're going to 2478 02:00:59.159 --> 02:01:00.000 get to a curded a mission. 2479 02:01:00.439 --> 02:01:02.960 What okay, where are the goals coming from? 2480 02:01:03.119 --> 02:01:06.119 We've already topked and by the way, as you referenced, 2481 02:01:06.439 --> 02:01:08.399 you brought in a lot of players during the summer 2482 02:01:08.439 --> 02:01:11.239 window that I think people are excited about once we 2483 02:01:11.279 --> 02:01:13.600 see them with a training you know, a full training 2484 02:01:13.640 --> 02:01:14.520 camp under Pablo. 2485 02:01:14.920 --> 02:01:16.520 I think everybody loves the Marxian kid. 2486 02:01:16.560 --> 02:01:18.159 I mean, you got a lot of bright options, and 2487 02:01:18.399 --> 02:01:21.199 lest we forget, maybe your most skilled player, Diego Luna 2488 02:01:21.239 --> 02:01:23.560 is still on the roster, so all is not lost, 2489 02:01:23.600 --> 02:01:25.159 but you lost a lot of goals. 2490 02:01:25.199 --> 02:01:26.760 Where are those goals coming from, Kurt? 2491 02:01:27.840 --> 02:01:30.439 I mean, I think you started it already. Look, I 2492 02:01:30.479 --> 02:01:33.399 think we came in. You know, if you go back 2493 02:01:33.439 --> 02:01:36.079 in time a year ago and going in twenty twenty 2494 02:01:36.079 --> 02:01:39.319 four season, you know, it seems like a no brainer now, 2495 02:01:39.520 --> 02:01:44.760 But us relying on Luna and Andreas to come in 2496 02:01:44.920 --> 02:01:48.560 and give us quality minutes and high level production like 2497 02:01:48.640 --> 02:01:51.800 that wasn't a no brainer move at that time either. 2498 02:01:51.880 --> 02:01:54.000 And you know, we thought we had two talented young 2499 02:01:54.000 --> 02:01:55.640 players that were going to take a step up, and 2500 02:01:56.239 --> 02:01:59.279 they did, and credit to them, and so I think 2501 02:01:59.359 --> 02:02:02.359 we're looking at something similar this year where you know, 2502 02:02:02.399 --> 02:02:04.960 I think again Luna's still a young player, that is, 2503 02:02:05.159 --> 02:02:07.600 you know, I think it's take even another step in 2504 02:02:07.640 --> 02:02:11.199 his development and grow and in his production. You know, 2505 02:02:11.279 --> 02:02:14.079 Jogovinsolve is someone that came in and you know, maybe 2506 02:02:14.159 --> 02:02:16.960 didn't quite catch the league in the first few months, 2507 02:02:16.960 --> 02:02:19.560 but it started preseason well, and we we have high 2508 02:02:19.600 --> 02:02:21.479 hopes for him coming in. And as I said before, 2509 02:02:21.520 --> 02:02:23.960 I think he's someone who's from that position who's more 2510 02:02:23.960 --> 02:02:28.159 goal dangerous, you know, dominic Is. I mean, he'll get 2511 02:02:28.199 --> 02:02:30.520 goals too, but I think he's just going to serve 2512 02:02:30.600 --> 02:02:33.399 up some of the easiest goals ever for for whoever 2513 02:02:33.560 --> 02:02:35.159 three or four other guys that are going to play 2514 02:02:35.159 --> 02:02:37.680 with him in the attack. And so I think he 2515 02:02:37.720 --> 02:02:40.319 can he can definitely score himself and get some assists 2516 02:02:40.479 --> 02:02:43.359 and then look what you know at the ninth you know, honestly, 2517 02:02:43.439 --> 02:02:46.199 I think I think, you know, I probably said it 2518 02:02:46.239 --> 02:02:48.520 earlier today. We're not going into the season, you know, 2519 02:02:48.600 --> 02:02:51.279 playing a man down, like We're going to have a 2520 02:02:51.319 --> 02:02:53.479 guy playing center forward that's going to do the things 2521 02:02:53.479 --> 02:02:55.920 that we need in our game model, and our game 2522 02:02:55.960 --> 02:02:59.159 models geared to creating chances for guys in our attack, 2523 02:02:59.279 --> 02:03:02.720 and you know, we confident that the committee of attackers 2524 02:03:02.720 --> 02:03:05.640 that we have will will score those goals. 2525 02:03:05.840 --> 02:03:08.039 And before I said you loose, you know, I think 2526 02:03:08.079 --> 02:03:11.079 we just forget, like your central midfield is pretty stacked 2527 02:03:11.079 --> 02:03:13.960 because you get Pablo Luiz back, and of course a 2528 02:03:14.039 --> 02:03:16.840 Mecca has he's going to the national team camp and 2529 02:03:16.840 --> 02:03:19.399 he's he's really shown to be a very bright player. 2530 02:03:19.439 --> 02:03:20.920 And then there there's. 2531 02:03:20.760 --> 02:03:23.000 Also brian A Hayda, Right, so you have that kind 2532 02:03:23.000 --> 02:03:26.359 of three headed monster and I guess that central holding 2533 02:03:26.680 --> 02:03:29.239 mid area, forgive my my language, how do you think 2534 02:03:29.279 --> 02:03:30.119 that's going to play out? 2535 02:03:30.119 --> 02:03:31.720 And how's Pablo looking now that he's back? 2536 02:03:32.840 --> 02:03:36.039 Yeah, yeah, And I mean we forgot about Nelson Palacio 2537 02:03:36.079 --> 02:03:39.560 as well, who is a very talented player. And you know, 2538 02:03:39.560 --> 02:03:41.720 I look at Pablo has been out, you know with 2539 02:03:41.840 --> 02:03:44.039 the exceptional kind of the beginning of last evening. He's 2540 02:03:44.079 --> 02:03:47.520 now for eighteen months. And so for us with Pablo, 2541 02:03:47.600 --> 02:03:51.119 it's about bringing him along in the right way so 2542 02:03:51.159 --> 02:03:54.399 that a he stays healthy and also he like gets 2543 02:03:54.439 --> 02:03:56.840 his sea legs under him, right. It's not something where 2544 02:03:57.119 --> 02:03:59.399 you bean out more or less for that long. You 2545 02:03:59.479 --> 02:04:01.600 just pop up in and it's like nothing ever happened. 2546 02:04:01.600 --> 02:04:04.279 It's something you gotta you gotta get into. So you know, 2547 02:04:04.359 --> 02:04:07.199 I think Paba is obviously a very talented player that 2548 02:04:07.239 --> 02:04:09.920 can add a lot to us, especially in possession, and 2549 02:04:10.359 --> 02:04:11.760 you know, we're going to bring him along the right 2550 02:04:11.760 --> 02:04:13.479 way so we can be a top contributor for us. 2551 02:04:13.479 --> 02:04:16.239 But it's not a situation where we have to rush 2552 02:04:16.319 --> 02:04:18.600 him in because, as you said, we've got a met 2553 02:04:18.680 --> 02:04:20.840 we've got to hate it. We've got Nelson, you know. 2554 02:04:20.880 --> 02:04:24.039 So we have a good rotation of players, even with 2555 02:04:24.199 --> 02:04:26.239 the number of games we've got playing this to play 2556 02:04:26.239 --> 02:04:26.600 this year. 2557 02:04:26.720 --> 02:04:30.000 You you sleep in a night, you're hydrating, you're getting food, 2558 02:04:30.159 --> 02:04:33.159 Like what, dude, You've been insanely busy. 2559 02:04:33.239 --> 02:04:35.680 One for I'm usually one for three or two for 2560 02:04:35.800 --> 02:04:37.840 three of those three things most days. 2561 02:04:38.279 --> 02:04:40.279 All right, man, well it's usually the one I missed in. 2562 02:04:40.760 --> 02:04:41.640 Fortunately I'm with you there. 2563 02:04:41.680 --> 02:04:43.600 Well look, you're a smart guy, so we'll trust you 2564 02:04:43.640 --> 02:04:46.560 and we'll hope that things pan out. Not easy decisions, Kurt, 2565 02:04:46.560 --> 02:04:47.800 Thanks for the time, man, have a good. 2566 02:04:47.640 --> 02:04:50.239 Week, Okay, thanks man, appreciate it. 2567 02:04:50.319 --> 02:04:53.119 Kurt Smid, he's the technical director for Raal saw Lake 2568 02:04:53.199 --> 02:04:56.920 means he is the main decision maker, the sporting director, 2569 02:04:57.000 --> 02:05:00.600 essentially the general manager. Soccer teams have different terms and 2570 02:05:00.680 --> 02:05:02.760 I am very curious to see how this is going 2571 02:05:02.840 --> 02:05:05.159 to play out. I mean, when you just simply look 2572 02:05:05.199 --> 02:05:10.079 at the stats last year, they're five of their six 2573 02:05:10.199 --> 02:05:12.560 leading scorers scorers are gone. No excuse me, four of 2574 02:05:12.560 --> 02:05:17.840 their five leading scorers are gone, chi Cho Andress, Anderson, Julio, 2575 02:05:17.960 --> 02:05:21.319 Matt Crooks, Diego's back, and you know Alex Catroanas's back 2576 02:05:21.359 --> 02:05:23.760 and Mecca's back. Oh, and they're making a bevy of 2577 02:05:23.800 --> 02:05:27.319 moves or there's nothing that is more anxiety inducing than 2578 02:05:27.359 --> 02:05:29.800 getting ready to interview Kurt. While I have like seven 2579 02:05:29.880 --> 02:05:31.439 names on the list where I'm like, dude, I've never 2580 02:05:31.520 --> 02:05:34.479 heard of this player and I have no idea how 2581 02:05:34.520 --> 02:05:37.520 to say this name. It is wild to see this 2582 02:05:37.640 --> 02:05:39.800 roster turn over there. I guess we'll see how it 2583 02:05:39.800 --> 02:05:40.199 turns out. 2584 02:05:40.239 --> 02:05:45.119 No, I mean, it's it's crazy to see the turnover 2585 02:05:45.159 --> 02:05:48.600 that we talk about in college football, is, you know, 2586 02:05:48.760 --> 02:05:52.319 something new and wild to see it on a professional 2587 02:05:52.399 --> 02:05:55.319 soccer club over the course of one off seasons. That's 2588 02:05:55.319 --> 02:05:59.159 something you don't see very often. So we'll be tightly 2589 02:05:59.199 --> 02:06:00.960 tuned in to see how they handled it. 2590 02:06:01.479 --> 02:06:05.079 Mason Stadge Doohr nailed its stag Dohar, Yeah, you know, 2591 02:06:05.319 --> 02:06:07.479 Orlando FC. So if you missed it, if you're an 2592 02:06:07.560 --> 02:06:11.000 RSL fan, we'll get that up online because Kurt answered 2593 02:06:11.039 --> 02:06:12.640 a lot of questions that I think we've all had. 2594 02:06:12.760 --> 02:06:14.680 Zach McMath is going to be out for a good 2595 02:06:14.720 --> 02:06:17.800 portion of the start of the season. Gavin Bievers has 2596 02:06:17.880 --> 02:06:20.880 been moved on to a club Danish club. Two new 2597 02:06:20.960 --> 02:06:23.479 keepers in the fold, and more moves on the way 2598 02:06:23.520 --> 02:06:25.720 their first match. I don't know, it's like four weeks, 2599 02:06:25.760 --> 02:06:27.760 five weeks away, cocky caff right around the corner. 2600 02:06:27.800 --> 02:06:30.119 It's such an insane short offseason.