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Vanderwealth Bandwealth dot com got a great show for you.
Hopefully you had a wonderful weekend spending time with friends
and family members, consuming all of the wonderful sporting events,
both in the NFL and obviously on the hard with
with BYU basketball. Getting that dug in that victory over
the Mighty Utes of the North sent him home with
a fairly convincing loss. It definitely wasn't as close as
it was the first go round. BYU and AJ de
Bonsa I thought took it to him pretty well. They
did let them squeak back into the game a little
bit towards the end, but goodness, gracious meal, my forty burger,
AJ was able to drop on the utes. I believe.
AJ put it out on Instagram and stated that this
one was personal. It was a personal vendetta. He didn't
know about the rivalry prior to signing and committing to BYU.
I think he got a good taste of the rivalry
and that's why you saw what you saw at the
Marriott Center and one of the most iconic performances from
a freshman shoot all time for a BYU cougar dropping
forty three on the heads of Alex Jensen and the
mighty utes of the no So we'll break that down.
So don't go anywhere a ton of get a ton
to get to today here on your UTI ESPN radio network,
make sure you keep us dialed in that one oh
three nine FM dol in Utah County, the ninety eight
point three FM down in Soul like Davison Weaver Counties.
You can get us still on the ESPN nine to
sixty am dial, the Legacy Dial, But if you'd like
to stream us espnefan dot Com, ESPN the Fan the
app as well, asten to tune in and app download
those apps from the respective app store. Hey you're smart speaker, Hey,
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Google Playing Music, iHeart Radio, Spotify. Give us a rating,
give us a review. We appreciate it. When you do,
you can follow us on x at ESPN the Fan,
follow me at Crittle Benjamin without further ado, Why don't
we fired up the ESPN the Fans starting lineup and
I can introduce you to my co host and the
rest of the Star City Cash you wanting us for
this Monday, January twenty six edition of Cougar Sports. Can't
believe we're already almost done with January. That means we're
inch and closer towards March Madness. Got a little bit
of taste of the March Madness on Saturday. We're gonna
get a true taste of the madness of March. I
believe tonight at the Marriage Center as the BYU Cougars,
welcome in the Bobcats of Tucson. That's what they are.
Those are Bobby Wildcats. They're these little inny bitty bobcats
that roam around. They're like there's a slightly bigger housecats,
is what they are. Hopefully the Kougs show up, show
out tonight at the Marriage Center. Let's welcome into the
show behind the glass up in Salt Lake City, Executive producer.
We got Ronald and three and man, we were behind them. Mike, Ronnie,
how you living?
Speaker 4: I'm living good. I got the experience in person. The
forty three point performance. I know Washington get on TV
is great, but I'm always gonna say experiencing something in
person is way better, whether it's tragedy, heartbreak for your team,
or an incredible moment. Because I love all sports. It's crazy.
I would love to see the lebron block in person.
Not the case, though, that's how it goes. Order Jordan
Aka with Utah Jazz, Spenser says, push off. But it
was remarkable being standing room only in that Utah game.
I was just amazed again. Every time we're on press row,
not supposed to celebrate. We try our best, but we
just are always taking back, grabbing each other like this
kid that's wearing number three is ridiculous. I don't know
when I know what happened, but I believe at some
point a lot has to happen. I believe his jersey
will be up in the raptors because he had a
bear Bachmeyer type moment and those.
Speaker 5: Puts you in the history books at Bay.
Speaker 4: You to drop forty three and not just forty three,
Ben on a day where college basketball was crazy just
in itself. I loved what I saw and yes that
was the first round atmosphere type game, but tonight Ben
will be an elite a type game.
Speaker 2: Can't wait to break it all down. Let's also welcome
in Brett always bringing the hammer hammer time show what's happening? Brother?
I'm happy to be here. I am you sound happy
to be Yeah, I'm unwell.
Speaker 1: My wife had laryngitis for the last week, which I
realized I didn't contract laryngitis, That's not what I'm saying,
but through her having larenitis, she missed I think three
four like she teaches school for people who. Yeah, so like,
you can't really teach a classroom of thirty second graders
if you don't have a voice. She had like a
you know, yeah, I was like get them, but like
she like she couldn't even whisper, so like I'd just
be sitting there and I got like, like all of
these she's just like she's literally texting me and I'm
not responding.
Speaker 2: I'm just sitting there like reading her text. Gave her
a whiteboard.
Speaker 1: Anyway, somehow, someway, I ended up contracting.
Speaker 2: So I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 1: But you know what, it's gonna make it even better
when the Boy Cougar is cure my sickness tonight, when
they bring down the power the spirit of Gimmermania and
everyone else in the rafters and they take down.
Speaker 2: The number one team in America in the Arizona Wildcats. Hey,
I would love to see the Bayu Cougar's knock off
the the IDYBD two Sons Bobcats. He'd be fantastic. It
would be be Hey, they are man. Hey, look you
gotta realize we have a bit of a house divided
within the Crittle Home because we grew up in Arizona.
We have two of my brothers that attended you of
A one for uh. Two of both of them from
undergraduate and one for a graduate degree and becoming a
medical doctor. Went to medicals there. So they are They
are tried and true Wildcat fans, both of them and
secondarily only when like I don't. I don't think they're
BYU fans right now because neither one of their younger
brothers are playing for Billy. But they had to root
on BYU once upon a time. Sure, uh. And I
told them I sent them, and we may have to
play it in the nitty gritty, I may have to
send it to Ronnie. But Elder Holland and Elder Oaks
rest in peace, Rest and love Elder Holland. Not too
long ago, to celebrate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary,
I pulled it up. I checked tape. Okay, I pulled
up the video podcast in the quote. Okay, uh, I
pulled it up. It's a in Essen's Elder Oaks and
Elder Harland. They bore testimony that Brigham is the University
of the Lord, the Lord's university. They said it. I
didn't say they said it, And I had to show
that to him, like, Michael, you're you've fallen away, You're
falling astray. You know, the prodigal son must return. He
is the oldest, he is the eldest, and he's rooting
for the wildcatch to night. And I told him, like,
what would Elder Oaks do? What would Elder Holland do
be cheering on? What would Elder rash Man? And who
else was that? Who else? Elder Christofferson, Elder Benner? What
would they do? They cheer for Brigham baby, this is
true and Neil Anderson, they're all there speaking of the
Lord's School.
Speaker 1: Though I forgot to ask you guys about this, so
I don't know if you saw it, But on X
there were some mock ups of the jersey patches on
the logo. So I made a video because somebody had
mocked up the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint.
Speaker 2: Let's go and man, there.
Speaker 1: Were some people who really loved it, and of course
there were some people who really hated it. And I
honestly don't know how I feel about it.
Speaker 2: It's interesting. I see both sides.
Speaker 1: Part of me is like, oh, man, that's so cool,
and then part of me is like, yeah, but is
that like like you know, Jesus is flipping tables because
people are selling stuff in the temple. Like, I'm not
really sure how I feel about the logo of the
church being put on a jersey.
Speaker 2: Who says they have to pay for it, this is
their university.
Speaker 1: But even they don't, I think there will still be
that sentiment.
Speaker 2: So that's why I'm like, I don't I don't know.
I could see it either way. Yeah, I mean the
waybe we put that out, Like, how would you feel
if the Christians if that if that logo the church
that Jus Christ the letter says logo was on the jersey.
You they are the sponsoring institute. They sponsor this institution.
They are the sponsoring entity of of of Brigham Young University.
And when you see the emblement the logo of Christ,
you think of them, right, do you not? I mean,
look at what look at what Tim Tebow did with
with his scriptures on the EyeBlack point and and it
was controversial at the time, but it it made people
go to their scriptures too. That's comp Why don't you
highlight that? Why not? To me, I think we're getting
to the point, in my opinion, where there shouldn't be
this this fear of what other people will say when
you wear your religion on your chest. And it's not
like you're monetizing it. It's not like bay All were
monetizing it. No, we are the churches just Christ of
Latinday Saints and Brigham Young. We sponsor them. This is
our institution. It should be faith centered. It is faith centered.
Once you stop being fearful of what other people think
and say and do, your vision of who you're supposed
to be and what you're supposed to do becomes a
whole lot more clear in my opinion, Okay, in my
humble opinion, it's about creating conversations around what's most important
and that you are a represent What do you do
with a what's that plaque supposed to be on your
chest when you're out serving as a missionary. It's not
to highlight necessarily your name rights. It should be highlighting Christ.
In fact, you should probably put the christas signal insignia
on that placard. Yeah, we are representatives and so like
to me, I think it's interesting. I know you went
off on it on Instagram. Bret always bring the Hammer
Hammertime Show, and you're gonna get the negative and the positive.
Those that don't want, you know, the individuals that want
to point out how all of the students at BUYU,
and all of the athletes at b YU, and all
the teachers and all the administrators, they all fall short
of perfection of the standard that they've set, and they're
willing to Hey, you, you're falling short. You're not a
good representative. You're not. Is that a bad thing to
fall short when you're striving to represent that, you're trying
your best to represent that. I had a conversation with
a big Utah fan about this, about like falling short,
and he's like, well, how does the honor code operate?
I'm like, I think they're still figuring it out. I
think they don't want to publicly stockcate their student athletes
when they fall short. Well, why don't they just suspend
Cannard Davis Junior for the for the rest of his career?
I'm like, is that what christ would do? Like, I
don't know, Like, I think they're trying to figure it out,
and they're gonna go buy the spirit of law now
if it gets into legality and he's proven guilty. That's
when you have to Okay, they're proven guilty, et cetera.
But you know there's certain things that you're like, okay,
like we're gonna fall short. Just Jake, did Jake Retslov
deserve to be publicly stockaded. For some people, they say yes,
because it became a legal issue. It was a civil case.
I think everyone's trying to figure it out and when
their way the right way. But I don't think that
I don't see anything wrong with having the conversation about
putting the insignia on your jersey if that's what you
truly want to represent, if that's what you truly are
striving for. That's my opinion. I think we need to
stop being fearful of what other people are saying about
us and embrace who we are and then engage actively
in positive fruits. Go out and serve, go out and
try to one body guard. Because as soon as you
put that, right when you had that placard on your chest,
you're like, I gotta raise the level. Yeah, I gotta
raise my game. I need to be more christ Like, right, yeah,
So like.
Speaker 1: What would you have thought, like, so go back to
your time playing and I want you to envision that
there is that in the same way that you had
the placard for being a missionary. I want you to
imagine you're playing in the Holy WARLRI, You're playing the
University of Utah, and you have Christ on your chest.
Speaker 2: How does that make you feel? Ah? Man, I feel
like I have to prepare well, I have to execute well.
I have to play with good sportsmanship always because I
still see.
Speaker 1: Guys now who do like the cross high black like
or they'll have crosses tattooed and something.
Speaker 2: I have to play with true sportsmanship. I have to
give my best effort. I got to put my body
in line. I have to be self sacrificing for my team.
I have to embody the attributes of Christ in the
spirit of competition. That's what I gotta do. It raises
you to that you raise me up, right, it raises
you up You're not you know, you're you're not as
prone to maybe the the uh, the follies that that
sometimes we fall into. Anyway, as my opinion of it,
I think it's a really like fascinating discussion.
Speaker 1: Yeah, because on the one hand, I do see like
because I was trying to think of like, what are
all of these don't it is NCAA approved.
Speaker 2: Now you can put logos on your jerseys if you've
missed that correct, So like sponsorships and stuff like that.
So we're like, okay, the funny thing that could happen is, well,
the sponsoring institution, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latteritie Saints,
is going to put the Christians on the on the jersey. Yeah,
I think it was.
Speaker 1: I want to say it was top tier Koog's on
X who put it out over the weekend. That's where
I saw it, and that's what got me started thinking
about it. And I was trying to think, like what
of all the angles because I want to make sure
that everyone feels like understood and included, Like I don't
want to go overboard. So yeah, it's it's an interesting discussion.
Obviously you have people who are like of the Muslim
faith and like is that gonna make them uncomfortable?
Speaker 2: Also like the Muslim fate Islam believes that Jesus was
a prophet and they're great reverence and and and respect.
What about people who aren't Christian?
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, but that's the spot you sign up
exactly you signed up to go to a Christian university.
This is this is the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latteritay Saints School, right is what you signed up. So
if you didn't want to be associated with that, then
you probably.
Speaker 2: So Yeah, Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I
think it's a great conversation. I think you gotta embody.
I think you got to know who you are, was
you stand for, and move forward with vision, with clarity,
and without as they say in Espanol, sim verguenza, right,
without that fear of what others will say, without any
sort of you know, embarrassment a century in central Essentially, guys,
we got a great show for you. We're gonna get
into the k Y postgame Utah sound In the postgame,
aj de Bon said, Rob right, the third Talk in
the University of Utah. We're gonna welcome in Drake Toll
at three thirty, host of the Lotto on Big twelve Network. Uh,
don't miss that at three thirty. We got Brian Jefferies's
voice of the Arizona Wildcatch at four o five to
get to know the po Jackson paint at four thirty
and a Cougar beat and then Jonathan Debinari, the Brazilian
bomber the feature and uh get a little postgame analysis
and also highlight this U of a b YU match up.
All that and more here on your Utah ESPN Radio
network that was brought to you by Orthoprosiutah Orthoprosifutah dot Com.
Let's get into the nitty gritty brought to you by
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Speaker 3: Too, So anyways, let's get down.
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So BYU basketball, let's get into this. What a game,
what a night? Ajd bonsadz Bonsa has dropped a freshman
record four to three points as the number thirteen BYU
Cougar's soared past the Utah utes ninety one to seventy eight.
Speaker 3: UH.
Speaker 2: AJ was in Fuego. AJ was unstoppable. You saw a
different speed from AJ. I don't know if you guys
noticed this. That was a motivated this is personal AJ sometime,
Like I've said this before, like I believe he has
the ability to have what I would deem as an
MJ Kobe, that mamba mentality at the killer instinct. I
don't know if we've always seen it consistently this year,
but you know he has it. Sometimes it'll be a
little lackadaisical with his body movement. Not always, but you'll
see a sometimes. I feel like he can be at
ninety percent and he's winning reps, he's winning sets, he's
winning it on the court. Does that make sense offensively
and defensively? We saw one hundred percent of AJ when
he was willing and ready to turn it on the hell.
Speaker 1: Early in that game, Like I think it was like
the first three possessions, he was driving to the rack.
He said, you're either gonna found me or I'm gonna
score here. But I'm getting buckets today, dude.
Speaker 2: It was a different speed that we saw AJ playing at.
He wasn't trying to be this smooth operating some of
the movements that were employed on Saturday night. You realize
real quick why he has been dubbed the number one
overall drafting. Now, I know there's been competition Darren Peterson,
Carlos Boozer or any other guys that they've discussed, right,
there's been plenty of towns, but you saw them in there.
The ceiling. It's all about remember the talent, the ceiling.
We've had this conversation about talent, the seiling. There's no
doubt that ajd Bonsai these Bonsas is the most talented
player to ever come through Brigham Young University. I don't
think there's any question after what we saw that night.
Now you can say, well, Danny Ames was more talented
in all these different sports. Yeah, but I'm talking about
just pure basketball talent, length, athleticism, his speed, his quickness,
and then on top of that the polished scoring that
he has, the great defensive effort that was showcase. This
kid is so unique and we got we finally got
to see what that ceiling looks like. And that's what
was so impressive despite an even first half, right bwa
is is Billy ever going to be a second a
first half team. I don't know, Probably not, maybe hopefully
in March. Hopefully in March is when we see the
best of BYU basketball in the first half at any
rate debots. It was unstoppable, and you also had a
twenty one point showing from point guard Rob right the
third He's trending in the right direction right now. It
was impressive to say the least. And uh so the
team earned forty eight points in the paint too, So
that is a note. Throwing down three dunks in the process,
a lot of a lot of Mamma jamas there at
the Marriott Center, and the Cooper's out rebounded Utah forty
to twenty four and allowed just eighteen points from the
interier that the post defense has been extremely impressive. You
don't get any easy shots when you're trying to get
to the rack. Guys, let's get into some of the
sound Kevin Young post game. Kevin, your thoughts on AJ's
forty three point performance.
Speaker 6: I was impressive. You know, while he was doing it,
I just in my mind, I was like, man, this
is a special, special player. I've said it a lot.
I think he's the hands down to clear cut number
one pick in the NBA draft upcoming, and it was
on full displayed tonight. He was doing it every which way,
and I think the thing I like about it more
anything is, you know, it's coming off his worst performance
of the year. You know, he didn't wasn't good at
Texas Tech and came out tonight with a unfhazed and
had a clear uh want to, I think, to just
go out and dominate a game, and he got going.
I also got to give a credit to the team,
you know, I thought, you know, the execution was probably
as good as it's been all year. You know, we
were moving him around a little bit more than we
usually do because of how they guarded him up there,
so we want to get him on the move more
and it was harder to double team him, and our
guys did a good job of screening and getting him
the ball, and you.
Speaker 2: Know, it was fine.
Speaker 6: Hopefully for everybody this a night, everyonet to look back
on and have fond memories of it.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Number one overall pick is what he says. I
believe look up to this point in the season, over
the last four months, I feel like all the mocked
rashes put Darren Peterson at number one, even.
Speaker 1: The ones that came out last week, even the ones
that came out last week, because I was checking those
as well, because I was like, you know, like to
start the season, we thought it was you can say
whatever you want now that you've seen Darren Peterson only play.
Speaker 2: In half half.
Speaker 1: Yeah, ten out of twenty of Kansas's games has Darren
Peterson played in. And that's not including the ones where
he's subbed himself out. Even up until the mock drafts
of last week, given the injury history, they still say
he's number one overall. So and part of that had
to do with maybe he had his worst performance ag
I did it versus Texas Tech.
Speaker 2: It's like, oh, I'll see it. Look at what happens
when he goes up against you know, a physically gifted, fast,
physical team such as Tech, and maybe there's some I
get it, there's probably some validity to that. Like you know,
there were always reaction there. We're gonna neede jerk reaction everything.
But then we saw the potential, we saw the ceiling.
And is Utah a good basketball team. I mean they're
good enough, they're talented enough. Alex Jensen is a good coach.
A lot of respect on both sides of the floor
from these coaches. And it's still extremely impressive getting a
forty burger, even if it's on your home court versus
a Utah team that has had their ups and down
their undulations this season.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think you get a couple points boosted,
you get some stat ratings up. When you're playing in
a rivalry game, things throw you go out the window.
Interesting quote though, today from a man who knows ball,
Brian Windhors today on the Hoop Collective podcast. Quote, I
think aj Debonta is gonna be the number one pick.
People I talk to think he's gonna be the number
one pick. And this is why I tell people like
you can't always buy into mock drafts.
Speaker 2: Yeah, because what you have to understand is, if I am.
Speaker 1: Let's just say, for example, the Utah Jazz, I don't want,
or if you're the Oakland Raiders or whoever your favorite
team is, you don't want everyone else in the league
to know who you want.
Speaker 2: You want it to be pretty under wraps.
Speaker 1: So that's why you'll see a lot of like these
main insiders, they don't put out mock drafts because the
information that they're being given is legit. Where some of
these guys who are putting out mock drafts, they have sources,
but those sources know, hey, if I tell them something,
it's it may end up in a mock draft. So like,
what information do I want out there to the public.
And so it's interesting that you're seeing some of these
mock drafts. Darren Peterson number one, and then someone almost
no one who knows better knows ball better than Brian
Windhorse at over at ESPN saying I think he's gonna
be number one, And everyone I talked to says AJ
is gonna be number one.
Speaker 2: You know, my my conspiracy theory is that you know,
eventually he's gonna be picked up by the jazz, like
the Jazz are gonna get him and next year saying.
Speaker 1: We saw conspiracy last year for the MAVs to get
the number one overall pick. Is Ryan Smith working on
something with Adam Silver to get number One's been in
work for a long time.
Speaker 2: Okay, that's my that's my conspiracy theory that eventually the
Jazz are gonna end up with a j no matter
where he's he's slotted at whenever the Jazz are slotted at.
Speaker 4: Jeff went on the podcast man, he has a podcast
that he does, and he says, come on now, he's
like the Utah getting the picked they taken aj Come on, man.
Speaker 5: He came to Utah played and be you he going
up north like.
Speaker 4: There wait wait wait, so Jeff T said it, yeah, yeah, yes,
Jeff said he believes.
Speaker 2: In jazz are and going to get Yes. I gotta
tell you, I've been talking about this for probably about
a year. I'm like, look, this is a this is
gonna go down, this is gonna happen, and uh so
get excited. Get ready. He'll be a franchise player. He
loves Utah, he loves b Yu, he loves the Jazz
he's been going to the games. Look, that's that's the trajectory,
and that's what I believe is going to happen at
any rate. How glorious would that be? Though? Because was
it in this last NBA draft? I'm not just saying
didn't was it. Weren't the Jazz the most likely to
be the to receive the number one overall pick? And
the lottery I think they were.
Speaker 5: They were the Jazz, the Wizards, and I think the Hornets.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, And so it's gonna it's gotta come back
in the world of entertainment. It's gonna We're gonna figure
it out.
Speaker 1: Lottery odds number one was Jazz tied with the Wizards
and the Hornets and the Avericks.
Speaker 2: I told you, that, told you, And somehow they got it.
They got it because of the ad the trade, right,
the eighty trade, Yeah, Luca eighty and Lebron puppeteering from
from from behind it all anyway, So let's get back
to some of the sound bites real quick. A couple
more sound bites from Ky post game. Kevin, Uh, you
guys shot what sixty from three? Uh? Were they making shots? Sorry?
I don't I don't know what this, uh, this particular
question is. But he was talking about sixty percent from
the three point line where they making shots. Were you're
not happy with the perimeter defense three of them. I
wasn't happy with the rest of them.
Speaker 6: I thought they really shot the ball well, you know,
But at the same time, you know, mckenry and Brown
are so good. I mean, that's that's as good of
a one to two backcourt punch that I've seen since
I've been doing this in college. And so they put
a lot of stress on you, and you got to
kind of help, you know. We wanted to, well, I say,
show them a crowd, and some of it was that
and trying to make other guys beat you. I thought
with McHenry in particular, I thought our closeouts weren't good
in the first half. That was frustrating. But like the
three I was referring to that we were helping off
the corner too much. And then the rest of them
you kind of live with.
Speaker 2: But I mean, look, they go eight to ten.
Speaker 6: And from three in the second half is impressing me
that honestly, that game should have been a lot more
of of a lead than it was. But you have
to give them credit for making shots.
Speaker 2: Give them credit for making shots. They got in Fuego
a little bit in the second half. A j was
also hot in the second half. Was the thought just
to ride the hot hand and give him the ball.
It was funny.
Speaker 6: And one of the timeouts, I was like, I want
to run this play and I didn't say who for,
and then coach Hooight was like, no, let's.
Speaker 2: Just keep going to the hot hands.
Speaker 6: So, you know, like I said before, we try to
put them in different spots to get the ball, and
the guys did a good job of screening form.
Speaker 2: Yeah, sometimes you know, you want to set play. Other times,
you know, that is the nuanced nature of coaching. When
to you know, call the time out, set up a
half court set, or just let your guys play ball.
That that's tough to do, I mean, because we criticize
his fans in his media either way. Yeah, you know
what I mean, Like we'll say bravo letting them play
and then if they get a horrible shot, they get
a horrible look. Right, why did you call time out?
Why didn't you set up your offense? Why didn't you
get a set play there? And so kudos to the
coaching staff. Eight, let's just keep going with the hot hand.
Let's go aj and see what he can do. Kevin,
was it a calculated decision to play a lineup of
four guys that are six foot ten or plus taller?
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean similar to last year. You know, guys
just they just put their hand up and say you
gotta play me. You know, all ot trace Toart last year,
and so I think, uh.
Speaker 2: You know, Hadeem's guy like that.
Speaker 6: You know, my high low has been in that space
as well, and positionally does it work. It does because
Mehilo is as he's a skilled player and he can
give you some perimeter stuff. And then it works with
Hadeem because he can he can guard a guard on
the perimeter. So there's just no substitute for size, you know,
particularly wing side. I think it can be kind of
you can swallow teams up a little bit, and I do.
Speaker 2: Think it's something we can do more moving forward. So
you know that you are as extremely long, and you
wonder if there's a little bit of h I know
they've been working on it in practice, especially as the
game is closer to March and they're looking at this
big twelve Godling. You know Houston's long, obviouly, Texas Tech
is pretty long and athletic too, Ronald, When you see
this lineup being showcased, what did what do you ponder?
What do you think upon here?
Speaker 4: Well, I'm gonna tease it for the next a little
bit because I asked the question about a certain development
player coach, because there's a certain guy that didn't attempt
to shot, but he was a plus eleven on the floor,
and I think that just speaks to that defense sometimes matter.
I've said it on this program multiple times, the Texas
Tech the.
Speaker 5: Arizona the Houston game.
Speaker 4: You're gonna need guys and go deep into your bench
that just play defense, that just want to lock in
and grab boards and look, Ben, that's why they failed
last year. It wasn't because they were a bad basketball team.
They didn't have the athleticism to keep up. And now
that they deal with me, when they have a lineup
of four guys that are six ten plus, that's crazy
to think about, but that's what you need to do,
because that's how Houston was able to make a deep run.
That's how Arizona's been able to make good runs all
of the other teams. Look at the National Championship teams,
go look at their rosters and the athleticism and the.
Speaker 5: Guys that they have. Bau now finally has that depth.
Speaker 2: I love. I love the like look hadem. It was
so impressive defensively in that Tech game. I think you're
gonna need him tonight. What's the injurort right now?
Speaker 4: Guys Canard Davis Junior is the only one questionable. I
believe Ben he went out early too in that Utah game.
And Haidim actually stepped up about tremendously.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so something to keep an eye on, no doubt,
Let's continue, Let's get through this year. You only had
eight turnovers. Is that the kind of clean game you're
going to need against Arizona? Kay? Why? Yeah?
Speaker 6: I mean that's gonna be a major possession battle. I
think we're the top two offensive rebounding teams in the
Big twelve, and so possession game is going to be
very critical. But I mean, I think that's part of
who we are, who we have been for the most part.
We haven't had many games where we've been a super
high turnover team. I give Rob a lot of credit
because he's that's a night Rob right, his Knight's probably
gonna go kind of unnoticed. But I thought he was tremendous.
I thought his floor game was amazing. I thought he
played the game like a true point guard, scored when
he needed to and then realized AJ was going. Thought
he did a good job of orchestrating so that that
plays into that low turnover number, And honestly, I think
he should have been six.
Speaker 2: We had two like after we suck to be honest
at the end, are you seeing talk about the different
speed we're seeing from AJ. I think over the last
two three games, we've been seeing a different screen from
Rob Wright too. Not to say that he's like, hasn't
been quick and cat like and Mangoo's like, I mean
he's he's been bouncy, he's been quick, he's been athletic,
his handle I think is improved. He's he's he's more
of an orchestrator and creator like it's it's a fine
line between the two kind of the roles that he
plays as a creator and orchestrator and distributor for others.
But I'm seeing a little bit of a different speed
from from Rob Wright the third as well.
Speaker 1: Right now, I also think it's easier to notice that
when you're coming off of AJ's worst performance of the season.
Like I do agree with you, I think he is
playing better. But also I think a lot of times,
I think almost every game Rob Wright plays out like
out of this world, but he doesn't get all of
the credit because he's playing next to the number one
overall pick. So frankly, I'm glad that we're getting to
notice this from Rob right and we're not letting it
get swept under the rug just because he's playing next
to AJ.
Speaker 2: Ben.
Speaker 4: I got some numbers for you, because I know you
lack numbers. Check this give us Gregor Beel Rob Wright
the last five games twenty two point eight points, fifty
percent from the field, my goodness, thirty nine percent from
three goodness gravy, ninety five percent from the free throw line,
four point four assaysts, two point seventy five assist to
turnover ratio forty mounds and thirty four excuse me, thirty
seven and a half minutes to play with one personal
foul per game.
Speaker 5: And then check this out.
Speaker 4: Been zero fouls are committed against Utah by k Baketa,
Rob Wright, and AJ all combined, but they drew sixteen
fouls together.
Speaker 2: There you go, So is he fifty forty ninety?
Speaker 4: Is that what you He's close to it almost? Yeah's
thirty nine percent, but he's close to it.
Speaker 5: Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 2: So he's almost fifty forty ninety.
Speaker 5: Wow, that's absurd.
Speaker 2: I don't know if a BYU basketball basketball player has
ever at that volume shot fifty forty ninety. And we've
had closer than Jimmer again and we've never remember, never
had twelve play before. Yeah, Jimmer and Elijah Bryant are
your most most efficient. I think score is in the
modern era in that in those three statistical categories, efficiency, rankings,
and ratings. So anyway, last thing here, A couple last
things here. Can you speak to Jordan Brady? Is this
Ronald's question?
Speaker 5: This is mine?
Speaker 2: Yes? Yeah, little player development conversation. The player development coach
Hadeem had a stretch where we had two rebounds of
block and a forced tone over without fouling. Jordan Brady
has been pretty impactful.
Speaker 6: Speak to him now, I mean, Jordan's a guy known
for twenty years.
Speaker 2: I trust him. He knows exactly what we want to do.
Speaker 6: He has our player development program extremely organized, and there's
a team of people behind him as well, and had
Deem has been a beneficiary that, you know, I think
that's something that we pride ourselves on here. And obviously
the whole NBA thing gets talked about a lot, but
like what what does actually mean? And so it's an
infrastructure of development and an environment where guys can really
truly get better and the guys that utilize the resources
that we have here, which are a plenty, really benefit
from it. And Jordan's ahead of that, along with a
lot of other people.
Speaker 2: A couple of last things here, aj has one of
his tougher performances, or had one of his tougher performances
against Texas Tech. What does it say about his ability
to learn from his mistakes after this game? Watching what
he was able to showcase.
Speaker 6: I think he just speaks to his mentality to be
honest with you, and that's something that that I'd like
to see him tap into more. And I don't mean like, oh, dude,
go have forty three every night. I'm not saying that,
but you know, there's a there's a humble I don't
even know, it's like a humble arrogance. If you will
of just understanding that every time you step on the floor,
you're an elite basketball player. And uh, you know, I
think because he plays the game the right way, maybe
sometimes that that mentality that I'm talking about sometimes isn't
as present as maybe it should be, or as I
would like it to be. And that's a challenge for
him as he continues to learn who he is as
a player. And you know, it's fun when he taps
into it like he did tonight.
Speaker 2: Love that breakdown from k Why. Uh, like I've said
many times, AJ is different because of his mentality. Uh
you know, like I said, I feel like he's got
Mama mentality, MJ mentality, Candada Killering stink. He may be
a slot lower than them right now, higher into the NBA.
I wonder how sustainable it.
Speaker 5: Is he's got it for an you know what I
mean year old.
Speaker 4: I think it's that at the peak of where it
could be for his age, right because.
Speaker 5: When he gets older. But he's been too.
Speaker 4: He came out on the court and I know he
jokes about the Utah thing and then not BNBA teases
some stuff for later, but he came out on the
court beforehand and he just the way he like the
way he like puts fear into the opponent.
Speaker 5: He looks at them of like I'm going to destroy you.
Speaker 4: Like the way he just stares at them like he's
and he doesn't get technical fouls.
Speaker 2: I don't know if he always plays at the page
now no, no, he didn't. Does that make sense?
Speaker 5: And that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2: Young, I don't know if he always plays at that page.
Speaker 4: But it's exciting for the like when he gets to
the NBA playoffs, that he can turn it on like
y yeaheah, yeah, because if he's able to do that, Ben,
when he gets older than like what prime him like
twenty seven, twenty eight, constantly he's going to be unstoppable,
like because he put Honestly, when I see him play
him like that put the he would put the fear
of God in the man, honestly, And I'm not trying
to be sacrilegious like playing because when he get when
he turns it on, you cannot stop him.
Speaker 5: He literally is unstoppable, you know. And again eighteen year
old guys, you know the twenty six going at it.
But he's phenomenal. It is great.
Speaker 2: A couple last things here, what practice or prep we
get into before the Arizona game.
Speaker 6: Yeah, we'll be able to have some great discussion with
our players, and we already started after the game, just
talking about the similarities of the game playing tonight and
with that, how that sort of, like I said, the
similarities that we can draw from it for the Arizona game.
So I actually like when the regular season schedule gets
funky because I think it prepares you well for the postseason.
You know, you never know kind of like how quick
your turnarounds are going to be and that kind of thing.
Speaker 2: So especially when you.
Speaker 6: Have to do it, you get ready to play a
good team with is what will happen in March, and
so I think it'll be a good I think we
can reference even later in the year for that.
Speaker 2: I mean, it's quick turnaround, baby, not a whole lot
of time to prep. You know, what do you do?
You know? You know, Sunday can be a recovery day, right,
and you can pull up film and things that nature
and send out messages to everybody. You don't have to
get physically on the court. But I'm sure they went
through their walkthroughs this morning and shoot around et cetera.
So that's what you can do. You can do some
walk around, you know, walkthroughs and shoot arounds, and that's
what you do. A couple last things here. You've been
really outspoken about the top twenty five of the AP voters.
What does this game speak to you about where your
position should be in the top twenty five.
Speaker 5: Well, I don't know if I would say outspoke.
Speaker 6: I made one comment about it, But.
Speaker 2: Look, dude, I don't know.
Speaker 6: I'm still learning how college basketball works. Honestly. Well, here's
what I do know about the rankings and the common
I'm made it. They don't really matter.
Speaker 2: You know, you want to be able.
Speaker 6: To put yourself in a position one to be playing
your best basketball later in the year at the right time.
But more than anything, it's you know, it's all about
the seed line, right, And so I don't know. I mean,
theoretically the AP rankings shouldn't.
Speaker 2: Factor into that.
Speaker 6: I think there's probably a little human element probably that
goes into that with the people that do the ranking
or the seeding.
Speaker 2: I should say, you guys are.
Speaker 6: Know better than me, because you guys probably have more experience,
you know, I'd be curious Matt what you think on that,
But that's really it. I'm still kind of learning how
the whole thing works.
Speaker 2: All right, there you have it. Yeah, I would look
more towards like ken Palm analytics. That seems to be
more in lockstep in line with how the net rate
at KWA. That's a nice and analytic too, to kind
of give you a better pulse on on where by
you will be seated. Not necessarily A people, but we
love the A people. It's a conversation, and look, you
want as many you know, I want as many data
points as possible when I'm when I'm a valued teams,
I do want the human element. I do want the
the A people, which has a long standing relationship of
voting for these teams both in football and basketball, to
still have a part in the conversation. So yeah, I'm
with Kevin Young.
Speaker 1: The A people doesn't matter in college basketball, certainly not
the way it doesn't football, because in basketball, everybody who's
in the top twenty five is getting into the postseason,
where that's not necessarily the case with football. And again
to Kevin Young's point, it doesn't matter because there's not
even really a direct correlation between the A people and
what your seed line is going to be, So all
you really are working off of is like what seed
are we projected to get? Because that's really the only
thing that matters. The other thing I love about Kevin
Young is.
Speaker 2: A lot of coaches.
Speaker 1: A lot of coaches pretend like they don't pay attention
to this stuff, and I commend them for it.
Speaker 2: They don't.
Speaker 1: They don't have to talk to us about the me
and the rankings and all those kinds of things, but
they lie to us and say they don't pay attention
to it when we know that they do. I love
that Kevin Young's like, yeah, I pay attention to it.
I don't put that much stock in it. But I'm
not gonna lie to you and tell you that I've
never seen this before because I have.
Speaker 2: Yeah, oh no doubt. I mean, look, you want to
stay aprest of all information that's being disseminated, right, you
want to be briefed on it. You don't have to
understand it all. It's like, Okay, I guess, but he's right,
he's it's it's valid. Uh, it doesn't matter, it's it's
it's more so net And I think even Ken Palm
and now I do believe there is a a a
an analytic that that that other coaches are leaning into,
at least coaching staffs. They're looking at VNBA Cowey's as
well because they like that analytic as well. Let's go
to break, guys. We'll get into our question Pull of
the Day coming up next. That was a great segment, Bronze.
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This is Cougar Sports on three nine ninety point three
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Speaker 5: Help me in my fight, Brick.
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Speaker 5: Esp money right then, right then, that's right there.
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Nobody does it better than Vanterwealth. Uh, Ronald the three
Man Weaver and Brett always bringing the Hammer have chosen
the song the band of the day. I don't know
who this is really, really, guess you could guess, you
could guess, you could guess. Very very popular, round very popular. Really. Yeah,
he hasn't released music in a while, but how when
was this song released? Oh?
Speaker 5: Let me look it up real quick, let me type
it in as we keep going.
Speaker 2: You know this guy? I do I know this guy?
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's the it's the voice that gives it away,
like the high pitched okay, twenty thirteen this song thirteen?
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna play it again for you, gonna
start it over this. Oh this isn't a log and
it's a clean version, but it's in the log for sure.
Let's let's go back eight only eight. Look I've had
I've told that I have to play certain music in
a certain place, and look this is on.
Speaker 5: So if they're mad at me, you put it there.
Here we go again, and my fight.
Speaker 2: Very popular.
Speaker 5: Come on, you gotta hit in.
Speaker 2: This guy just Travis Scott earlier than Travis Scott, like
up there with like eminem Yes, that era Tucci, right man.
Speaker 5: We start with the L next and then the next
next name starts with the W.
Speaker 2: Little little Way. Yeah, yeah, that's little think about you
the voice at no word.
Speaker 5: I ain't got no wor the you ain't basketball, ain't
got no worries, you know.
Speaker 2: All right? My like I like li Way. I think
he's got some good stuff. I don't necessarily like that song,
but you guys like it.
Speaker 5: It's just to get your higher. It's about it's a
hype song.
Speaker 2: It's not really my freshman year high school.
Speaker 5: That was for yeah, exactly sophomore year of high school.
So it hits that's what it was.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I may have to I may have to choose
a few rappers from my era, you know, and introduce
you to you guys to him a little bit.
Speaker 5: You couldn't get pumped up to that one, all right,
No pumped up is to get hyped. It's not a
really a good one.
Speaker 2: I guess. Yeah, I could get it to it a
little bit. Yeah, okay, workout not really like that.
Speaker 4: I'm not gonna play it in the car like that's
not that's not a vibe with that. But no worries
tonight against number one worries, you know, worries.
Speaker 2: We're gonna get them. We're gonna beat up on them.
U of A Wildcats the podcasts and bobcasts little bobcats.
Look them up. See what a little wildcat and two
son looks like a little baby bobcats.
Speaker 4: Yeah, no, I'm taking shots and you gonna catch a
straight baby bobcat north for feed a baby bobcat.
Speaker 2: You know. Yeah, he's a little baby bobcat. One hundred
percent of you is. He's returning to Tucson to rep
the U of A wodcast. It's gonna be a big game,
uh this next season for the coops. Guys. Uh, that's
our Bandit That day brought to you by Royal Army
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Purchase all your BYU Licensed to Peril at Royal Army
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off your order. That's ESPN giving you ten percent off
your order. I want to get in to a J
and Rob Wright comment Terry post game b Yu versus Utah.
I love these guys. They're balling out right now, playing
their best basketball of the season. Rob right the third.
This was his opening statement post game after the win
over the Utes. It was a great win today.
Speaker 7: We came out in the second half, executed a game plan.
AJ plays spictacular, made some great shots open up for Christmas.
Speaker 2: Getting it opened it up.
Speaker 4: These guys don't like media. I'm convinced that they just
do it because they have But they're Shawn Lynch because
Rob Rob. Okay, this is gonna sound terrible, Ben, but
Bear Blaka my Rob have a lot in common. They
don't say a lot, but they ball out on the court.
That's how it goes.
Speaker 1: And look, as long as you ball, I don't care.
You don't have to say anything in media. Others out
there and breathe.
Speaker 2: Be up there and yeah, just drink some water. A J.
What point did you know you were gonna have a night.
You were gonna go off tonight?
Speaker 8: When I hit like twenty six, I had him and
Tyler was I was saying, like, yo, keep being aggressive
of Tyler actually said, Yo, you about to get forty.
I looked about the scoreboard. It was like eleven minutes
stef and I was like, I mean I might be
able to get it, and I kept going off. I
can't paying shots.
Speaker 2: Nothing wrong in setting a mark, a threshold, setting a
goal in a game. I don't think anything wrong with that.
I feel like any of the shots were forced.
Speaker 1: I mean honestly some and some of those threes at
the end, I was like, I don't know if that's
aja shott, but you know what it went in. So
who cares if I feel like it's forced because it worked.
Speaker 2: He was in fuego bro.
Speaker 1: He was in Jimmer mode. Like he truly was in
Jimmer mode on those last three threes that he hit straight.
Speaker 2: Yeah, what was the most impressive bucket? Would you say?
Was it the dunk at the end that was the
most fun one?
Speaker 1: But that one, well, here's what I will say, that
to me was impressive because the reason he got that
dunk was why because he was going to take a
three they closed out. He said, see uh, and then
the lane was wide open, but it was only open
because of the three threes that he had hit.
Speaker 2: Prior to that, So I think you can make argument
for that one. Yeah, like that that one got everybody
up and rising and shouting. He looked like the Jumpman
logo when he did that legs spread wide open, it
looked like the logo. Yeah, there was a yamp sandwich.
Ronnie your thoughts, it's tough.
Speaker 4: I think the two I have to go with is
when he's on that because he scored thirteen points in
three minutes to give himself that forty piece.
Speaker 5: He was going crazy.
Speaker 4: It's either the second to last shot that he hits
at the top of the key or the one against
Don't ever switch Haron Brown on to aj A, you stupid.
That's like switching me on to Jonathan Tavnari's cookies for
JT all day. I think those because look, it's a
ball that you get is a guy you're moving to
your left and you just take a step back. It's
a bad shot because you're just catching it, you going.
And the one at the top of the key, the
one before he just pulls it like these are These
are contested shots, man, That's what I'm saying. They're not
wide open or good scheme passes any drill.
Speaker 5: Both of them.
Speaker 4: But what I loved is he did not deny the
heat check. He demanded the ball, and that's what you
like to see out of a guy. So bad shots
absolutely did. They go in one hundred percent, and therefore
it's not a bad shot. It's like he had a
Steph Curry moment, even though he's not Steph Curry, because
he says, give me the basketball and I'm going to
go to work, and that's exactly what he did. So
I think the last two threes just because of the moment,
because we see guys trying to have heat checks been
and they don't succeed, and he hasn't been a good
three point shooter, and I think it's just they haven't fallen.
I don't think he's a bad three point shooter. They
just haven't gone in because the mechanics are there. And
to finally have him go down, I think it was
It was amazing to see that from aj Aj.
Speaker 2: You were part of a historic day for freshman in
college basketball. One dropping forty six, another dropping forty two.
It might be the first time that three freshmen to
drop forty plus points in the same day. Do you
know about either of those performances? Before the game was played.
Speaker 8: Yeah, we're actually watching Ted versus Houston, so I've seen
Kingston live. When he hit that forty two mark, I
was like, at least freshman going crazy to I feel
like we have a crazy class.
Speaker 2: I think we have one of the best classes in
recent years. Is that why Cooper flag Re, you know,
just reclassed absolutely literally because he's a man that is heavy,
that's heavy. It was right. It was the right decision
for Cooper flag no doubt was it. What was it
like to be a part of that freshman What is
it like to be a part of this freshman class?
Pretty impressive? I mean I feel good.
Speaker 8: I've been playing against these guys since I was fifteen,
starting at UIBL and different camps and Heckey Academies and
Curry Camps and stuff like that, so I've done seeing
these guys grow.
Speaker 2: It's just amazing to be a part of it. Definitely
something special cooking in this freshman class. It's even more
impressive that Agent could be the first overall pick per
many experts in the industry, especially after watching that Utah
game and him taking it over. Now, Rob, what is
it like to watch a guy like that go off,
even though you've had some pretty good performances and a
good performance in your own right. It is great for me.
Speaker 7: I mean, I know Aj since I was like sixteen
fifteen years old, So just to see him grow and
just keep getting better and then go out there and
get forty points, it's just amazing.
Speaker 2: It is, you know, it's it's impressive. I mean, both
these guys are extremely impressive. These two acquisitions, one via
you know you top Prep and then rob Right the
third from Baylor pretty pivotal. You wonder just how good
b what you could be if they were running on
all cylinders of Dawson Baker and they Pickens. I wonder
how good this team would.
Speaker 4: Be, undefeated like Arizona undefeated. I mean, I mean probably,
like you know, I think still, I think.
Speaker 1: If you win that Texas Tech game, if you have
Dawson Baker, and I think they had Dawson for the
uk that's it.
Speaker 2: But if they have Dawson, they win Texas Tech. He
didn't have, you had Kamba went out early with the concussion,
and did can Cannard play in that Yukon game?
Speaker 4: He didn't, But that all that has to stand to
a factor, you know, but I mean, well, yeah, but
I don't think Nate Pickens would have been a problem.
Speaker 5: The big man were the problem in that game. Lack
of depth.
Speaker 4: Now, if they would have had Beato been and ha
Deem would have been playing now, then yes, I think
I think they are undefeated.
Speaker 2: But that's you know, a j You said, a freshman
scoring record previously held by Danny Ainge. What does it
mean for you to break that record? I mean it
feels good.
Speaker 8: I mean it feels good to break any record, if
it was Dan or not. I just think my teammates
for just give me the ball on the right spots
and guy was on my side on hand shot how much?
Speaker 2: What thing you got to realize is like AJ didn't
grow up a BYU fan. You can tell it, and
you can tell that when when he's discussing the rivalry,
for instance, he's like, yeah, I didn't know about it
and I'm not supposed to wear red. Remember who played
some of those those comments. Does he appreciate and have
respect for Danny Ainge and the record he was broke, Yeah,
of course, But like it's not like he grew up
like wanting to beat that record, You know what I mean?
Or he's like, I'm going for a forty burger. I'm
gonna eat it up. You know, Maruss and the and
the crew. You know, they they were pushing him. They
set the bar for him in the game. They gave
him a standard to beat all. He's the only reason
he knows Danny Ainge because he knows that's his future boss. Like, hey, Bob,
you used to play at BUYU. That's cool. I went
to school there too. But oh yeah, you're you're my
boss here at work. Guys, right, that's right. What do
you got from me? Ronnie? Were you gonna chat that
on this? Yeah?
Speaker 4: I think I think what you guys said is the
correct way. And actually I'm gonna stop talking. Let's get
in next answer and I'll tell you everything.
Speaker 2: All right, let's go. How much does it mean to
you to do what? To do that to Utah, to
do it against Utah?
Speaker 8: See me, like I know too much about the rivalry,
Like I'm from Boston, but people were just dragging it
the whole time, talking about Utah this Uta. So I
was like, I guess, I guess I'll go on for y'all.
Speaker 2: I guess I'll go off for y'all. I'm not buying it.
Speaker 1: He's okay, because we've heard him talk about how it
was personal, and then we turned we heard him when
he was playing at the Huntsman Center and they're chanting
overrated and he's like, Oh, I'm gonna go off, and
then all of a sudden, it's like, oh, yeah, it's
just like it's not a it's just like another game.
Speaker 2: Like I'll do it for you guys, but like, I
don't really know that much about this. Really really, I'm
not buying that at all. But yeah, he posted on
Instagram that this was personal, apparently not because he sits
at the post game going, I'm doing this for you guys.
This is for me.
Speaker 5: I think because I want to get you hyped away
from the mic right now.
Speaker 4: I think the reason why I been he posted he posted,
and I think Utah just as escapegot in this. I
think the rivalry and everything is building up. I think
he did want to beat Utah having been on the team.
I don't think he necessarily cared that he dropped forty
three on them. I think he cared the national media saying,
oh they turned off his water, Tony Jones calling me out, Tony,
you know you called me out too.
Speaker 5: You've commented on.
Speaker 4: My Twitter straight up said, you know, this is the
first time I've seen someone turn Aj Debonnce's water.
Speaker 5: Remember that Texas that game, Brett.
Speaker 4: You saw it, then you saw everybody said yep, there
is yep se Darren wouldn't have let this have so
that narrative and he heard that, and he sat on
that for a week and he was upset about it,
and he says, Okay, we'll check this out. Flemming's gonna
drop forty two. I'm gonna drop forty three. Oh boy,
gonna drop forty six. I got a forty piece my own.
So I think the national tension is what made him mad,
and I think Utah just had to be had to take.
Speaker 5: The l on it.
Speaker 4: But I don't think that was the main motivating I
think it was probably ninety to ten ninety percent national
attention and ten percent Utah.
Speaker 5: That's how I personally feel about it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but wasn't Aj at the football game yu Utah
if I remember correct. Yeah, but they he was having
a I I'm not arguing like, oh yeah, he's pretending
like he didn't grow up a bou fan. I understand
he didn't know anything about BOYU before he got here.
Speaker 2: Yeah, however, he's.
Speaker 1: Pretending like he's been here for four or five months
now and he doesn't know anything about this when he
went to the football game he played at the Huntsman
Center a week and a half ago, where they were
chanting overrated ye and then he happens to drop a
forty three piece against you, or at drops a forty
piece against Utah, Like, I don't know. He just seemed
way too nonchalant, like I did this for you guys,
but like I don't really care about the rival you're getting.
Speaker 2: You're getting mixed messaging from AJ here. Yeah, you definitely are.
It's just he's pulled back way too much in that answer.
Is why I feel. Look ever since the interview with
Steven A. Smith when he announced that he was going
to BYU right live on television, okay for million millions
of viewers, and the way that he acted in a
comical collective manner with like torts to Stephen A. Smith,
the biggest face and voice in the sports media world.
I can't play you everyway. You yep, you know, like
you're not gonna come watch me. You're not gonna come
watch me. You're not gonna cheer on b A this year?
Oh I will? I will when you're playing, right, Steven
A said, so like that tells me everything I needed
about about a j for for some reason, it's it's natural.
It may be it may be also learned. But he's
been trained up to handle the media pretty well. You
know what I mean. It's a little miss messaging there,
but I dig it. I dig hey. You know, nonchalant
being all cold is BYU.
Speaker 8: Y Khan.
Speaker 4: Now, if I remember correctly, the reports were the last
four teams it was Kansas.
Speaker 3: North Carolina b YU.
Speaker 2: I'm not sure.
Speaker 5: I think Alabama did that.
Speaker 4: And I thought you were gonna pick North Carolina because
of the ACC and the duke North Carolina rivalry.
Speaker 2: That's what I thought was going. I can't be right.
He could play due and be Yu like when you
get Steven H. Smifton, you caught him got well, it's
just you don't really hear stephen A doing all that.
All that much I got said, AJ is nice in
front of the mike, A nice in front of the camera.
One more for you been here we go, Yep. I'm
gonna watch b YU basketball for the first time. Man,
you're not watching this year? No, you know who this year.
Speaker 5: No, I'm not watching them much this year. I will
be watching them next year.
Speaker 2: I will.
Speaker 5: I will watch practically everyone. If you're around, I'm gonna watch.
Speaker 2: I'm not gonna have you on the show. And to
ignore you. You know, first of all, you got a
fan of me. He's not gonna watch this year.
Speaker 5: No, No, I watched him this year.
Speaker 2: I mean I watched him as a season progressive. I
really listen between football and professional basketball.
Speaker 8: I'm inundated with a lot of stuff as March Madness approaches,
and I really really pay attention to.
Speaker 5: Who's in the mix and what they're gonna do.
Speaker 4: I don't miss March Madness game, so I'll definitely be
watching that.
Speaker 2: This is a Stephen A.
Speaker 1: Smith, by the way, mind you who asked ESPN to
be on their NBA Draft Night show. He wanted to
be breaking down the picks and everything. Jager was a
projected lottery pick at that point. So for you to
sit there and say I'm not watching I don't know
anything about by U when one of the guys that
you're supposed to be breaking down in the upcoming NBA
Draft would have been at bou at the time.
Speaker 2: That tells me, I mean, Steven A.
Speaker 1: Smith's getting flamed today because he was talking about a
coach on Denver that hasn't coached all season.
Speaker 2: Like he just just tell me you don't know ball.
Just tell me you don't know ball. It's hard to
stay at the date on every single lment. You get
paid double digit millions of dollars. If you're gonna your
mouth and be like declarative, like, you better be right.
If you're gonna draw the line, you know you better
you better be pretty on point with the information that
you're opining on. That's all the background information. Better be
on point. You can't be saying things about coaches that
are haven't been coaching all season. Yeah, that was That's
a rough look.
Speaker 1: He's getting flamed for that one right now, as he
should look like he's getting.
Speaker 4: He's gotten flamed the last couple of weeks. That just
I'm not trying to make a lot of harder situation.
I don't want people think of moving it. But and
I'm being serious when I say this, you mistaken a
wide receiver's name for a tragedy that happen he's had
some bad looks. Man, then he's had some bad looks
the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 2: Like love the man.
Speaker 5: He's done well.
Speaker 4: He's got himself to this point. But you can't make
that mistake though on national televion.
Speaker 2: You better have like a personal assistant that's data aggregating.
You better have like AI tools that are data aggregating
for you to keep sure he does.
Speaker 1: I'm sure he has an assistance to take care of
all of this. Here's my question, though we haven't really
gotten official word that.
Speaker 2: Stephen A has. I don't know if he's if he's
tweeted about any of AJ's games. He even watched BYU,
That's what I want to know.
Speaker 5: I don't know. That's a good question we have.
Speaker 2: He wasn't at the Clemson game. Is that Madison Square
Guard game?
Speaker 5: Step by I think us in the media and they
just said I can invite him, but he has to.
Speaker 2: It's on him.
Speaker 5: You know, he might be busy good but he did
extend the invites.
Speaker 2: So tonight would be the game time. I would be
the game playing number one.
Speaker 5: Actually, you know, not just tonight. I actually think two
games tonight.
Speaker 2: Bretton.
Speaker 5: I also think Saturday, Yes, agreed.
Speaker 4: I would be surprised being if stephen A and other
people weren't in the house, Like how many other people
played at Kansas, you know, Hall of famers or guys
maybe Curly in the league that are off for I
anticipated if people aren't there to night Ben and by
the way, I'm sitting up pie, let's how you know
how many national people are there? But Saturday, I can
anticipate a lot of people because everybody's gonna have eyes
on that.
Speaker 5: I'm gonna do.
Speaker 2: You know what game day is this Saturday?
Speaker 1: Oh? Is it?
Speaker 2: Oh? Oh?
Speaker 1: Yeah? Oh it is Kansas b YU in fog Gallen
Field Houses College.
Speaker 2: This is the first time, right, I think it's the
first time b a U basketball got college game day. Yeah,
not marriage center, right.
Speaker 4: But can I be honest they're gonna have two this
year because I think that one. I think they're gonna
come to provo though February seventh. There's no way of
by you beats Arizona been tonight orbas Kansas this week.
Speaker 2: You just need one win.
Speaker 4: You can't take two l's. There's no way that college game.
He doesn't come into Provo next week. Houston b Yu
come on now like there's no way.
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, uh, it's nice to be featured. It'd be
even nicer to have Steven A. Smith help us be featured. Steven,
you promised. We're just asking you to be We're not
asking you could do anything. You didn't see. You didn't
have to watch this last year with the agor going
sweets of seam. We didn't ask you for that. Like you,
you don't want to watch, but you promised A J
and A s you'd be watching.
Speaker 4: You said you wouldn't have him on the show and
do that and way yet I haven't seen you. I
haven't spotted that forehead yet.
Speaker 1: I haven't even seen a tweet pretending like you watched
the game. Other ESPN people were tweeting. Lewis Riddick was
tweeting about AJ to Bondson.
Speaker 2: Jay, will you know you know it would be really
nice to do. Let me give you it'd be really
nice to see who the orchitect orchestrator the tier of
how you know, keeping it quiet right? A J being
on Steven A. Smith Show to announce his commitment to
b YU and then Ryder Lions getting off the Pat
McAfee show to commit to b YU. Who do you
think it is?
Speaker 1: Is it?
Speaker 5: It's a good question.
Speaker 2: I don't know who is it? Ryan?
Speaker 1: Probably, I mean friends with We know he's friends with
Pat because he's been on the show.
Speaker 5: Yep, this is true.
Speaker 2: I think possibly. I think Ryan Smith could be influential
in that regard.
Speaker 5: I could buy that that, Yeah, I could buy that.
Speaker 4: I mean, the man's got the what the hockey game
at Rice Ecle Stadium. No one thought that would have been.
I mean, this man definitely knows what he's doing, you.
Speaker 2: Know what I mean, Like you wonder who who Puppeteera
because that's pretty good PR moves and the other one
that I would say, Tyson Hutchins. I think he's probably involved.
Speaker 5: Somehow social media team.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, one hundred percent. Yeah yeah. I feel like,
you know, some of the connections maybe he's made, but
you know, you got to you gotta point towards Hey,
it's got it's got to be a connection.
Speaker 5: And look, I respect all of it.
Speaker 4: Do what you gotta do because b AU deserves to
be a part of the national brand, which they already are.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yep, uh. A couple lessons from AJ and Rob Wright.
You put in a lot of work over the years
with your jump shot. How was it to go? Uh,
to be so efficient from the perimeter Tonight? Not feels good?
Speaker 8: Like, I mean, I've been in like I want to say,
a slump. I mean, I'm behind shots, but it's been
like like fifty to fifty like and I know I
put a lot of reps.
Speaker 2: I know I put a lot of work in my reps.
I've been putting in work. He says, fifty fifty ain't
good enough. Fifty percent for field ain't good enough. Asian.
Your thoughts on facing undefeated Arizona Copete, Uh, tonight at
the Marriage Center. That's gonna be a tough game. But
this is what you live for.
Speaker 8: Like, this is why I came to the Big twelve
to play teams like this, obviously known color for the
past three years, winning three gold medals with him. I've
been playing against Brandon Burry's with SMG guys like damn. Mean,
it's gonna be a great environment. We're looking at hand
him the first loss. Maybe I said, let's go behind us,
and we're prepared for.
Speaker 2: Him, prepping for him. Uh, the focus next game is Arizona.
But a week out you're facing Darren Peterson Kansas.
Speaker 8: Your thoughts on that batchup, It's gonna be great bump again.
We're gonna focus on Arizona first, but looking ahead to Kansas.
I mean, they're a good team down a road right now,
I think on the winning streak, but we're trying to
go into the islanfield US. I know it's a tough
environment to play and I heard about that, but it's.
Speaker 2: So going there and with throwin, this is the game,
the Kansas game. They like hammer time and and Ronald
who's been geeking out about like the schedule was released,
that Daron Peterson actually shows up. Yeah, show Darren may
have a stub toe or like a bunion or like
you know, like an ingrown hair. He's like, I can't
play tonight, ingrown hairy guys, load neck, I got irritable back,
I'll syndrome. I can't play tonight. You know what I mean.
I got ibs scramping up. I just you know what
I mean.
Speaker 5: I tweaked fingernail. I can't plays.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I got an ingrown toenail. I just I got
a pail situation going on right now. It's just the
whole thing. Yeah, yeah, I'm telling you there's gonna be
some excuse and.
Speaker 4: He's ducking smoke. But there's one guy being not duck
in smoke. I cued that up for you.
Speaker 2: All right, Let's get into it in terms of environment,
like in Lawrence, Kansas, places like the meryor Center. Are
these places you dream to play? Yeah?
Speaker 8: Like I was also like just one of the reasons
why I picked BYU just to be able to play
in these different type of environments that I know that
get loud, Like I know at Take is loud at Arizona,
at Kansas, and I know that here gets loud. So
I didn't want to duck any smoke. I just wanted
to play the best basketball I think in the best league.
Speaker 3: I think.
Speaker 2: That's agent not ducking any smoke, will he That's why
he came to bring him to go to these places
to play against the best, to go into the gauntlet
of the Big twelve, the university, the university, like I
call the g league with university the logos for a reason.
You're seeing the reality of it. Not none of this
SEC football gauntlet Shenanigan's tomfoolery poppycock. No, this is tried
and true gauntlet in the Big Twelve.
Speaker 5: That it is that it is, sir, And look there's
a look.
Speaker 4: AJ's not ducking smoke, but somebody who is low managing
gets ducking smoke.
Speaker 2: So there. Yeah, if you got a stat of the day,
don't you and we will get into it. Let's talk
about stat segment coming up next before welcoming in Drake C.
Toll of the Lockdown Big Twelve Network.
Speaker 1: Speaking of ducking smoke, there is one team in the
Big twelve, only only one team that is yet to face.
Speaker 2: One of the Big twelves nationally ranked teams.
Speaker 1: There's only one person in the Big twelve who hasn't
played a ranked Big twelve team yet.
Speaker 5: I know who it is.
Speaker 2: That is the Arizona Wildcast.
Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, everyone has played a ranked team in
the Big twelve except for University of Arizona. Now, I
don't know that that means that like they're fraudulent or
they're being overhyped.
Speaker 2: I still think they're that good.
Speaker 1: But it is interesting that everyone has played at least
one ranked team in the Big twelve except for the
team who's undefeated in college basketball right now.
Speaker 2: Crazy times, guys, that's our segment brought to you by
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Let's take a time out, Let's come back with let's
talk about stats segment. Then we'll welcome in Drake Toll
of the Lockdown Big twelve podcast. This is Cougar Sports
on one of three nine Not to youwo point three