May 26, 2023 • 51 mins
Friday pod, Hour 1
− The legacies of the Arizona football head coaches since Dick Tomey.
− Arizona Daily Star Sports Editor previews Arizona’s Pac-12 semifinal game against Stanford.
− A caller has coaching candidates picked out for when Jedd Fisch leaves for a bigger job.
− The legacies of the Arizona football head coaches since Dick Tomey.
− Arizona Daily Star Sports Editor previews Arizona’s Pac-12 semifinal game against Stanford.
− A caller has coaching candidates picked out for when Jedd Fisch leaves for a bigger job.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
This is I on the Ball withSteve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports
fourteen fifteen powered by Nova Insurance Services, Ensure Your most Prized Possessions, kat
z R two, SAG and iHeartRadio Station. Hey, good afternoon,
everybody. Welcome to II on theBall here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
I'm Steve Rivera. He's Jaken zoash. Did you want to just think
(00:24):
today? Off to No, man, I want to work on this Friday
because because you're you're Yeah, I'mhere. You work on a Friday.
You walk out the door and theskies open up, and you're you feel
good. You put in a goodweek of work. We've had a nice
week this week. We've had somefun guests. We had the big game
boomeron hold on up of softball coaches? Is it nine one one? Someone?
(00:48):
Someone stold Jay, it's been it'sbeen a fun. Spatic guy.
I'm five nine, Well okay,technically I'm just a little on your fine.
I have a big head. Yeahyou'll find it. If who's wearing
Dodger krap, Yeah you'll have noproblem. Well no, actually, in
two sons, there's you know what, there's a lot of guys look like
(01:10):
me running around a lot of Mexicanswith Dodgers shirt. Stubby Mexicans with big
heads and dodge it's too fast,that's not Hey, welcome everybody. Last
day for a while. We hopeto have some fun. Let's talk about
a guest real quick, so wewill forget about that, all right.
So you know, Arizona, youknow, moved into the semi finals of
(01:34):
the Pac twelve baseball tournament. They'retrying they're still trying to get into the
NC Double A tournament. There's somethought that if they win tonight against Stanford,
that could be enough. There's somethought that maybe they got to actually
win the tournament and get the automaticbid. But they're playing to night at
seven. Michael lev from the airsof The Daily Star, who's been covering
the team all year long and isup in Scottsdale with the team. Um,
(01:55):
he's gonna be on the show topreview the game a little bit.
Did you see the game last nightwith Stanford and Oregon? No, because
I'm following on Twitter and left said, it looks like Arizona is gonna play.
It looks like Oregon's gonna lose toStanford, and then I see that
it was a fantastic Oregon came backand win the game, and I stumbled
on it. I stumbled on thelast night. I was just combing through
some you know, numbers in andI saw a well I better stay it's
(02:16):
eating close game and then Oregon cameback. It was fantastic game. I'll
tell something very sad. I wasin bed by thirty least were you?
That's always I mean, the lightsweren't out, but I was. I
was in the sack and old,are you? That's about right? You
get up at six? I knowI don't. I don't have the tappy
yolka, I don't neat dinner atthree thirty any of that. Uh but
(02:38):
uh so I kind of shut downaround eight thirty or so. And but
I was found on Twitter and Isaw that Mike Left said that it looks
like Stanford's gonna beat beat Oregon,and that meant Arizona was gonna play Washington.
I stopped pat It was until thismorning that I saw that Arizona was
gonna play Stanford. Yeah, sothat should be interesting game because they would
have been able to play Washington.I don't know it didn't Stoppen forgot to
(02:59):
beat who you gotta being exactly whatI first thought was, you know,
you probably gotta beat Stanford, right. So we'll get to that point later
with Michael Evan a few other thingsin his role as the sports editor at
the Daily Start. And then inthe second hour, we're gonna have Jake,
our guy, Jake. I'm gonnaget on him for cheating on us
a little bit this week. Yeah, you know, what the hell,
(03:19):
But let's not say where he wassay that. He he'll he'll joke about
that, Okay, Cool? Cool. You know I was thinking, I'm
sure you let's talk about the basketballgame later. I was thinking, for
the first time in about a week, Uh, and I can't. I
wanted to ask you this, andmaybe we'll go back and forth with this.
Uh, you've been here a longtime, and I'm just gonna go
from the times I showed up hereand you were a prominent sportswriter back back.
(03:44):
Uh. I wanted to ask youindividually, and I'll say the same
thing. For the coaches. There'sbeen one, two, but five,
but nine coaches men's basketball and football, men's basketball, football, Uh,
their legacies, what did they leavewhen I say, Dick told me,
what do you think his legacy was? And we can get some calls on
the super So we're gonna go downthe list of the coaches and you could
(04:05):
be critical. Well, you knowthere's been four in basketball, five in
in football. I think I thinkDick Tommy left sort of a blue collar,
uh, hard working, uh youknow, diamond in the diamond in
the rough kind of program that youknow, I think I think Dick Tommy
was the was a coach that kindof understood what Arizona was and and coached
(04:30):
within that. Yeah. Yeah,you know, that's a good way to
put it. Right. He wasn'tgonna go out. I mean they tried
that one year to go out andget the five star and four star recruis
didn't get him. But you know, he was always finding guys and you
know, there there's some stars cameout of Arizona who shouldn't have been stars
or didn't think you didn't think we'regonna be stars, and so he kind
of created that. I don't wantto say blue collar because that but just
(04:53):
not you know nothing. It washis teams weren't made up of superstar high
school players. There were guys whocame here, worked hard, made themselves
better, and it was hard tosustain winning. Yeah, because those guys
are hard to find. Sure,they're harder to find than the fight stars.
The five star guy coached them upright. But you see a guy
like Chuck Cecil and you go,how the hell, you know, does
(05:14):
a guy like Chuck Cecil become reallygood? How the hell does a guy
like like Teddy Bruski become you know, America? Those are the guys that
Dick told me as Yeah, some. He was a father Flanagan type,
a guy who coached his guys upuh. And I think you're right.
Over the last thirty years, thirtyfive years since since this thing started,
(05:35):
uh uh kind of epitomizes the program. They are just a bunch of
dudes, a bunch of dudes whoworked their butt off and played above their
level. And I think people,uh, back when it happened, and
you know, there's gonna meet intwo thousand and you're thinking, Okay,
it's gonna be better. No it'snot. It turned out to be,
No, it's not. Twenty threeyears later, you're wishing for the wish
(05:57):
people are And that was where Isort of established my my uh feeling that
Arizona was a team that a programthat would win in cycles. Get a
group of guys coached him up,coach him up. Then they're gone,
and you kind of got to startover each time. And and you know
there were there there were two veryyou know good cycles. You know,
it cycled up in ninety three,you know, ninety four, a couple
(06:20):
of bad losses that you know,they missed the Rose Bowl by one game
in ninety four as well as ninetythree. Then there's the ninety eight team,
and then then ninety nineteen kind offell apart, and then you know,
then he couldn't It didn't look likehe was cycling enough. People got
to and he quit after after thetwo thousand season, where people got all
over and saying, what you know, he wasn't getting there. It wasn't
(06:43):
getting there to the next level.Okay, so we go from there to
Macovic dumper just a big steaming pilot. But put him in the dumper.
Yeah, just two years right too. Probably well he was here to year,
but the two and a half yearit was the worst thing that Living
Good did the whole time he washere. Jim living Good made that hire.
I remember when they hired him.I thought, Okay, let's see
what happens. But let me notto not to Jim. Not to I'll
(07:06):
buy Jim. But when you gohire somebody, you get the opposite of
what you just got right. Andhe was that. He was. He
was the the wine and cheese guy, wore a suit on the field,
that kind of control guy. Youknow, you saw that guy in the
locker room. You thought they're tuninghim out. The first time I met
him, I thought, holy hell, this program's in trouble for a while.
(07:29):
What was the situation. Uh,it was for a golf tournament that
that we started back during that time. They put a group together. It
was the Chuck Cecil, uh,you know, golf tournament to raise money
or the athletic department. And Iwas on the you know, we started
it. I was on a committeethat got that going. And we met
him. He was just he wasjust a big giant, yeah, very
(07:51):
pompous guy. Uh. You know, we needed him to do some stuff,
and he did the stuff, buthe sounded like a jerk doing it.
Um And I thought, this isgonna take a long time to fit.
Yeah, And the tw two anda half years. The player,
Well, yeah, but it tookand then it took Stoops another four years.
No, no one moved from Stoops. What Stoops legacy? Stoops Legacy
(08:13):
to me was a good guy,hard working guy, but he never accepted
being here. Was he either head? Was he a head coach? And
he was? And he I didn't. I think he was in over his
head as head. He was nota He was in over his head.
He knew what he needed to do, he just didn't want to do the
stuff. Besides, he didn't wantto do anything other than coach, coach,
(08:35):
coach. Well, the joke ornot, or the observation is Mark
was more of a head coach potentiallythan Mark than Mike. You got the
sense that Mike steps was uncomfortable withall the all the public, world side
stuff. He could have just coachedX and o's on the field, recruiting,
YadA, YadA, YadA. Thatwould have been fine, but that's
not what it takes to be ahead coach. You gotta have guys around
(08:56):
you that and then he was hissideline antics. You know that None of
that ever really bothered me, butit did a lot of people. But
it did a lot of people,and I think people saw him as a
guy who just was immature as asyeah, just had body for prime time.
Kind of not ready for prime time, right, Okay, So we
moved from there to uh to richRod. What was his legacy? Um,
(09:18):
that's tough, isn't it. Henever dug into Tucson. I felt
that he he always had his eyelooking for he was he wanted to win
really bad, as good as asmuch as anybody else wanted to win.
And he was, to me froma next is an old standpoint, the
best coach that maybe Arizona has everhad ever. Okay, you never thought,
(09:41):
Jimmy, Yeah, you never thoughtthat that Arizona was getting out coached.
Okay, now dat now. Hewas focused on offense. The defense.
You know it was not great,but you know he had he had,
you know, some some nice seasonswhere the offense just if he would
have I don't know if he wasspent some time with the defense or pomp.
The problem with the defense is thathe didn't make his defensive coordinator recruit.
(10:03):
He got the guy here by sayingyou don't have to recruit, and
then I think the defensive line coachalso didn't have to the old guys,
so so the old guys didn't haveto recruit, and I think that that
was I understand why he wanted toget him here, but I think the
defense suffered because of that, andthey didn't get the players they needed defensively
to be a notch or two aboveabove to where they got offensive league.
I mean he, to me,his teams were like indoor Football league teams.
(10:26):
You thought every time they got theball they could score. Yeah,
And that, to me, hislegacy was that. I always thought.
I think they had a wandering eye. I think that's fair because at the
end, when in South Carolina camecalling and whatever happened there. Yeah,
yeah, I think that's fair.I think that's fair because that's true.
You know, it came from thebig time, right. I think he
wanted to get to the time.I think he wanted to win so he
(10:48):
could leave. I don't know hereally wanted to win. I mean,
he was trying hardness hell to win. He did win, but I think
he was trying to win to gethimself out of here. Yeah. No,
I don't blame him for that.I think a lot of coaches do.
He was a Michigan dude. Yeah, yeah, you know he could
have had the ballad job. Suresure, no, No, when you
when you've tasted that taste, youwant to go back, right, you
(11:09):
wanted to go back to one ofthose Uh my my, I think that's
fair. I don't you know,scandals or no scandals or it may believe
scandals. That doesn't affect him.Um he what he won, he got,
He got him back to moo gameskind of consistently. He had some
great wins, incredible wins. Twowins over Oregon that went over Ohiowa,
(11:31):
the no that I but the twowins over Oregon, the Oklahoma State game,
the three those four games that clilTate had um three years, you
know, don't use c l Abunch of times got you know game Day
was here, you know, youknow because of him. Uh you know
it was a it was not abad stretch. Yeah. The guys that
(11:54):
the guys that I hang with saythat was the most fun stretch of years.
When you talk about a long stretchthat we've ever had, good like
Dick had a couple of good years, a couple of bad years. And
when I say bad, not losingI didn't have a losing season till late
but you know they weren't. Butbut the rich rod Gains were fun.
Every game was fun and entertain Okay. And lastly, someone, oh God
(12:22):
to me because from the day hewalked in the door. You know,
you knew he didn't want to behere, right mcavic. You thought he
was gonna try, but for hisown ego, right, someone didn't even
have that. Fummelin was just hereto collect the check and get the hell
out of town. And he justand he well, and he did that.
He drove the he drove the programinto the ditch the day he got
here, right. Uh, andwithout any um, no one even held
(12:46):
him to the fire. You don'twant it because no, he never had
a chance to get held to thefire in press commerces ring because he was
kind of a invisible Yeah, wedidn't have a chance to talk to him
about stuff, I could. Youknow. I went to his first spring
game, and I think I've saidthis before. I went his first spring
game. I just watched him onthe field and he just looked like a
guy who was so disinterested in whatwas going well. I think that was
(13:09):
just how he looked. I don'tknow why I came up with this.
And we'll talk to the we'll talkabout the guy side with Loot and then
some of the others afterward, youknow, up to and then we'll talk
about jet on the jet real quick. So far, you know, so
far a guy who he's trying reallyhard. You know, we're we're I
think he's still learning, you know, to be a head coach and and
(13:31):
all that it takes. I thinkhe came here with kind of a plan.
But I think he's he's he's thewhat's what's right away, He's the
little mouse on the wheel. Okay, let's as soon for a second,
and I agree, I agree withyou. He's been on that little mouse
for a long time. Let's saythis little mouse goes eight and four eight
four three years. People are loving, you know, not just people in
(13:56):
two songs, people, yeah,other places. But but you know,
I don't you know, is likesay they're playing you know, in the
end, he's still a guy whodidn't play college football. Well, if
you're gonna win, I know you'regonna win. But but but there's gonna
be you know, there's fan basesthat are gonna say, we don't want
that guy. Yeah, but youknow, the AD's gonna say, but
we do. But I think Idon't think it's a Michigan you know,
(14:20):
you know, Okay, those guysmaybe, uh, but we won't get
there until we get there. Yeah, if we bossibly get there. But
you know what I'm saying, whatI'm alluding to, I'm not one hundred
percent sure that that that he's thatat you. I would bet you would
be that. I bet you yourcard in my car. I want better
(14:41):
miles on that car. All right, well we'll talk about Yeah, we
can talk about that. I'm notI'm not a hundred percent sure. Well
that's we talked about that. Talkingabout basketball later. We got Michael Left
coming up. We're gonn talk aboutArizona baseball at the pack Off Tournament.
Let's stick around. For more thantwenty years, the Window Depot has provided
(15:03):
the best price and the biggest inventoryon in stock vinyl windows, and now
the Window Depot is more than awindow store, offering homeowners and contractors a
one stop warehouse offering interior and exteriordoors, granted in quartz countertops, in
stock cabintry, and skylights to finishyour project. Their team of professionals will
help with everything from pre kitchen designto custom orders from leading manufacturers like mill
(15:26):
Guard and Gelwyn. Order online orfind a location near you at a window
deepot dot com. Where do youbuy exercise equipment? Arizona Health Arizona Health
Arizona Health. Of course, tofeel better and look better, it makes
sense to buy your fitness equipment fromthe people who know it better than anyone
else. At Arizona Health, ourgoal is to help you choose the equipment
(15:48):
you need to reach your goals.Your health and fitness deserve the best you
deserve. Arizona Health the leading thisand exercise equipment on twenty seconds just west
of Wilmot. If you think nowis not a good time to buy a
refinance at home, think again.Interest rates are at all time lows on
most loan programs, and Paul Volpiof novahom Loans is ready to help you
(16:11):
find the option that best fits yourneeds. If you're looking for your dream
home or want to get cash outto refinance on a current home, visit
volpetem dot com. That's volpe teamdot com or call six two six Today.
It's a new year and time togive a Creative Award to your student
athletes winter and Spring awards seasons,as well as for grade school, middle
(16:33):
school and high school athletes. ScholasticAwards for those academic students just in time
to recognize all their achievements. VisitCreative Awards online at Creative Awards AZ dot
com or visit their Idea studio attwo twenty eight West Drachmann Street in Tucson.
It's also time to get your creativepromotional products for the upcoming conventions,
(16:53):
giveaways to promote your company and getyour employees new apparel to look sharp representing
you and your company. Come seeCreative Awards to twenty eight West Drachman Street
or online at Creative Awards AZ dotcom. Neck pain, back pain,
car accidents, headaches, sports injuryor Nellis Chiropractic's goal is to help our
(17:15):
patients achieve a healthy lifestyle. Combiningchiropractic care with physical medicine modalities, therapeutic
procedures and massage therapy not only reducedpain, but helps the body heal itself
as well as provide other health benefits. Or Nellis Chiropractic, we use a
natural approach to improve an individual's healthand wellbeing. Don't suffer any longer.
Call or Nellis Chiropractic Today. Theholidays are fast approaching after a difficult year,
(17:40):
wor shure everyone could use a littlefinancial help. Pyramid Federal Credit Union
is bringing back to Holiday Helper Loan, a low interest, short term loan
that can help get you through theholidays. In support of our community.
Pyramid is making our donation to theCommunity Food Bank of Southern Arizona from each
a loan. For more information orapply online, visit Pyramid SEU dot com
slash Holiday Helper. All those areon a Preme credit. Other restrictions may
(18:00):
apply. Pyramid Federal Credit Union InsuredMCUA. Did you know sports cards that
memorabilia are setting record sales last monthof nineteen fifty two, Tops Mickey Mantle
sold for twelve point six million,Lebron James Rookie sold for five points six
Also, collecting cards is a familyfun hobby that can be very profitable.
(18:21):
If you want to start a collectionor expand your collection, check out Showtime
Cards. They are one of theleading card shops in the country and have
served our local community for twenty fiveyears. They are located on E Speedway.
That's showtime cards Steve Rivera and JakinsSolis they have there. I am
a boy on two Suns sports station, Fox Sports fourteen fifteen. Well,
(18:48):
welcome back to win the volume onFox Sports Sports teen FIPI. I'm Steve
Rivera, he Jackins Alice now inthe Polia. Michael lev editor at the
Arizona Day Start and the Baseball Beatwriter. How are you doing, Michael
Hey? Long time, no talk? How are you? Yes? Yes,
into your position? But now youhave some fun to cover this weekend.
Have you had fun so far?And some games have been fun to
(19:11):
watch. I really enjoy covering collegebaseball, even though the games can be
really long and go deep into thenight. Sometimes us just a good vibe.
It's a lot less um, alot less secretive than football. There's
sort of pressure covering baseball than thereis football, So I think it is
(19:32):
a good time. I think thePac twelve Tournament, um, it's really
fun. I'm glad that the leaguedecided to finally have a postseason tournament.
It can the format this year,it's a little weird, but I think,
um, it's a net positive.Did you did you like the format?
We're done. We're done with theround robin, now the three team
round robins. Did you like thatand do you feel like it got us
(19:53):
to where you've got a good fourteams in the semi finals, or at
least who belongs there. Well,I mean it's stilted in favor of the
highest seeds. Right if you goone on one and you're one of the
top three seeds, you know,you advance to the semi finals. What
the other thing it accomplishes is itmakes it less unreal be you know,
(20:17):
you forgetting I think of four gamesa day the first couple of days last
year, and I mean you werehaving games going until one thirty in the
morning, you know. I meanit was really kind of borderline ridiculous.
This way, you get addition anadditional team into the field. Everyone gets
at least two games, and nobodyplayed more than four games. So I
(20:42):
think it's just overall a little betterbalanced, a little more equitable, and
a better way to go about it. Everyone has played pretty well in the
last two games, and played wellactually recently in all the games that you
played. What do you see goingforward with Stanford? Yeah, I mean
it would be stunning if this isn'ta high scoring game, right, Um,
(21:04):
these are the two best offenses inthe conference, without a doubt.
Um, there's really no one youcan pitch around. Once through seven and
both of their lineup the last timethey played the game was twenty one to
twenty. Arizona just kept blowing lightleads and they finally went ahead, and
they hung on for dear life.I think, honestly, what worries me
(21:27):
the most about tonight is that Stanfordis the home team and a lot of
these games lately has just kind ofcome down to, you know, whoever
has to last at back. Youknow, it's like, you know,
like Big twelve football games, whoeverthe ball last is gonna win. Um,
you know, it might just bewhoever gets to last up is the
(21:47):
one who's in that favored position.Hopefully for Arizona's sake, you know,
they got some confidence from the waythat that last game ended. Chris Brazza
a fantastic job of stranding runners umin the last couple of innings, you
know, enabling them to walk offthe the verse did you did you have
an expectation for Arizona going in?I mean, did you expect to see
(22:11):
see them in the semi finals sortof have a chance to win this thing.
But what were your thoughts about themgoing in? Yeah, I think
it was definitely, Uh, therewas definitely a decent, decent possibility of
that. UM. You know,they've played much better over the last month
or so. UM. They putthat ten game moving streak in the rear
(22:34):
view mirror. UM. Their offensehas just been on fire for weeks and
weeks now. UM. And it'skind of like a situation that they're they're
built for that, they were readyfor. UM. We've seen Arizona teams
in recent years twenty eighteen and twentynineteen or the two prime examples, they
(22:59):
did make n say tournament even thoughthey were playing exceptionally well at the end
of the season, and they werein that classification of, you know,
the team you wouldn't want to face, right, There was no fact twelve
tournament at that time. Now thereis, and Arizona is getting that opportunity
and they are proving that maybe theyare, you know, the team that
(23:22):
you don't want to face. It'sfunny do you talk about the offense being
on fire. Conversely, this remindsme of the Arizona basketball team where a
very good team obviously played very well, but there one flaw was that gave
up leads late in the game.You've seen it more than most in this
baseball team. They're playing very well. Two three run league boom gone.
Two three run league boom gone happeneda lot. And that's the issue,
(23:47):
right, it is, It reallyis, and these are you know,
for the most part, these arekind of the guys that you thought would
be some of their most reliable pitchers. You know, Dawston, matt ever
Long and Chris Brazza. He pitchedwell the other day, but he's had
his struggles as well. So theyreally need the bullpen to step up in
(24:10):
a big way. I don't knowwhether it can advantage or a disadvantage that,
you know, these teams that bakedeach other a lot, a lot
of the same guys on Stanford thatwe've seen for a few years now.
There's a lot of familiarity. Mquinn Matthews is starting on the mound for
Stanford. Arizona had faced him multipletimes. You know, there won't be
any secrets between the two. Youknow, it might just come down to
(24:33):
who played better. And one thingI think that's underrated about this Arizona team
is they played really good defense.They've made I think only two errors in
the first two games, maybe onlyone or two errors. Yeah, they
were both by Tony Bullard. Onewas on pop up that he kind of
locked in the sun, and thenthe other one was a row that he
rushed a little bit. Stanford.Meanwhile, I mean they wouldn't you know,
(24:56):
we wouldn't have this matchup if theyhadn't loan the lead um the other
night with bad defense. You know, there was a triple into the right
to the corner and Drew Bowser heovershot m third base on his relay through
by twenty I mean here into thebetting um, you know, enabling the
duck to score on a you knowwhat you call a little league comb run.
(25:18):
So it might come down to,you know, just which team axecutes
better, which seemed preked fundamental ballbetter. And that's one thing under tip
hail that this Arizona team an areawhere they've made a lot of stride.
So so, uh, you knowyou're talking about that twenty one to twenty
you know, slow pitched softball gameof a few weeks ago. I mean
it's you just Gotta said because ofthe pitching, that Arizone is going to
(25:41):
have to score fifteen runs to wintonight. I mean that isn't that something
that you you have to think youmight not be wrong, You really might
not be wrong. Um. Ioften asked my colleague Brian Peterson a desert
swarm at some point in the game. I'm like, what's the number today?
And he nailed it. The otherday he said thirteen and the score
(26:04):
ended up being thirteen to twelve.So I don't know what the number is
tonight, but it would not surpriseme at all if the winning side had
double figures, you know, Yeah, I mean last night there were I
think there were two games yesterday ofscores of it was six to five and
eight to six, something like that. You know, the two games,
(26:26):
the afternoon game in the night game, and those are relatively low scoring days.
I mean, offense is up,I think across the nation, the
leading RRA and the conference during theregular season. So it's just kind of
an expectation at this point that they'regoing to get involved in the kind of
shootouts, and from an offensive standpointanyway, Arizona is well built for that.
(26:48):
So forgive me for not knowing this, Michael, But have you covered
most of the games? Are youthere now covering them? One? And
two? How has three things now? And Charles Chip held up this year
and two? Three? Um,he's received a lot of criticism, more
more obviously than recently because this teamisn't Arizona like it has been in the
(27:11):
past. Right, I don't knowif that's warranted, But what do you
feel? Okay? First one,UM, I haven't covered nearly as many
games in person um as I havein recent years because of my other job
responsibilities. I have watched almost everyinning, um that you could watch this
season through streaming or whether if they'reon TV. So I'm as well versed
(27:37):
as I've ever been as far asChip goes, UM, I think he
has held up just fine. Ithink a lot of the criticism has been,
you know, has revolved around hisdecision to keep Dave Juan as the
pitching coach. UM. People havequestioned that and they still question that,
UM, And we'll see if hemakes a change at the end the season.
(28:00):
He really had not that involved inthe kitchen, you know, similar
to j Johnson like chapters involved inhitting, He's involved in fielding and he
kind of lets the kitchen coach dohis thing. So you know, we'll
see where that goes. So talkingabout some of the players, and Okay,
I've been watching Arizona baseball since Iwas in elementary school, so I
(28:22):
mean, you know, I feellike I've got a long history. I
covered the team for a couple ofyears. Chase Davis may have the nicest,
prettiest swing of any player I've everseen in Arizona. And I'm talking
guys like Terry Francine, or RonHassey, Dave Stagman, you know,
guys that go way back, someof the newer guys, guys who've been
in the major leagues. I sitthere and I just watch it over and
(28:47):
over again. That the home runthat he hit U in the Oregon State
game. I think it was theOregon State game leading. I mean,
I've watched that over and over andOvergon because you couldn't even see the ball
off the bat. He hit itso hard. I mean, it's unbelievable
to watch him play. I mean, is do you is he a step
above like that? At least inyour opinion. It's a beautiful swing.
(29:11):
There's no question I've talked about thiswith uh, you know, fellow baseball
nerds in the past, like whydo you left handed guys swings luther and
prettier than right handed guys. AndI think it's because when you're right handed
hit her. You know, whenyou hit the ball really well, you
still have across the plate and kindof chuck the bat behind you when you
run down to first where it's alittle bit of like a smoother operation for
(29:34):
a lefty to just kind of glideglide into it when he when he pulls
the ball, you know, intoright field and you get shot down the
first uh you know, after itleaves the park. But he has not
only a pretty swing, but isextremely powerful, yeah swing, and he
has I think he's made himself afirst round draft pick, which would be
(29:56):
um, you know, really cooland a really big deal. It would
be the it happened, it wouldbe the third time in four years that
Arizona has had a first round kickin the MLB draft. Um. So
yeah, I mean he's got thethird thanks the third third most home runs
in a single season UM in Arizonahistory, which again, like that's a
(30:18):
really big deal. He's in thetop five all time, and he really
only played two seasons. So justthink about that, and there's a couple
of career a career records or acouple of records that have snuck up.
You got Kiko Romero could break theall time single season RBI record. He
needs three. Yeah, I meanthat could happen tonight, right, yeah.
I mean he's two behind Ron Hackey'srecord of eighty six. And you
(30:44):
know, back in the day,like I mean, you had these different
bats, maybe different baseballs and acollege baseball it's just a much higher scoring
game and who were trending in thatdirection again, But Tico has been such
a valuable player for them because heprevents other teams from pitching around Chase David.
I mean it's like, do youstill at your own peril? Become
(31:07):
very much to pick your poison situation. And even after Chase, you know,
made an out and that the bottomof the ninth the other day,
Kiko came up and he came throughand knocked in the game winning hug.
And my guy, it's maybe becauseof me. I'm all glove, no
hit is the shortstop, the littlelong locks and the and the good defense
(31:27):
at short. Think about Nick McClary. He's not just all gloves. He's
like a good hitter too, youknow, I mean he's hitting around three
thirty. He's been a great sparkplug for them. He leads the team
and runs scored. Um. Ihave always had this theory that guys who
are interesting sectionally good in the fieldcoordination is such that they will eventually make
(31:51):
themselves into good hitters. I thinkOzzie Smith is a good example of that.
YadA Molina is another good example ofthat. And make the to me
um he falls into that category.He made himself into a good offensive player
at least in college, and hopefullyhe'll hear his name called at some point
during the MLB draft as well.Imagine, imagine you're talking about how good
(32:14):
they are offensively and the power init. Imagine it had they had a
Smith a little bit better, thisteam would be pretty dynamite. Yeah,
I mean, imagine if Tam Waltyhad been healthy from the start of the
season, you know, I meanhe he kind of delivered some of those
you know, Friday night shut downout and that you looked for. Once
he got healthy, they didn't havethat, you know, for about a
(32:37):
month at the start of the season, and um, you know they started
out with t J. Nichols isthe Friday guy. He's got an amazing
talent and amazing stuff, but forwhatever reason, it hasn't come together for
him. Tonkos Susak he was thenumber two starter and then he got hurt
had to be shut down for alittle while. So you know, you
really like to have that tone setterand that Friday night rolling and have that.
(32:59):
And then you know, as wetalked about, the bullpen has been
really up and down lately and hasleft them down and in a few too
many situations. So is it isit an all hands on debt kind of
night for Chip where he just says, everybody's got to be available and we'll
worry about tomorrow tomorrow or how's her? Do you know how he's approaching that.
(33:20):
I think that's the correct approach,because look, you automatically make the
NTA Tournament if you win the Pactwelve tournament. But Arizona has positioned itself
where there at least in the conversationnow and if you cannotch a really good
quad one win over Stanford, whichis going to be one of the top
sixteen teams um in uh in then s A tournament, it might not
(33:45):
matter what happens tomorrow night. Theymight have played their way into this tournament.
So I think you do take thatall out approach. They had a
day off yesterday which helps a lotin terms of the arms. They're going
to start off with left hander Bradand Dastro. I'm sure tonkos is going
to be available if Zastro Faulter isearly, and they should be able to
use just about anybody out of thatbulltime. And maybe one last question,
(34:07):
speaking of all hands on deck,how is your new job going? Given
you're busy and everybody on your staffis busy, It's been really interesting.
Um, it's been a great challenge, um to be sure, and I
would say this I have gained.I respected Ryan Finley a lot before.
(34:30):
I respect him even more now thathe handled this job with such um,
such grace. UM he like,you know, he kind of protected us.
I would say from like the businessside of things that you know,
us as journalist don't really like toget involved in. UM. You know,
(34:52):
it's it's a volatile time for thisbusiness. It can be really hard
at times. Goes to that it'sbeen it's been kind of ENLiGHT na um,
but you know it's been a it'sbeen a challenge and um, you
know what'll kind of few where thingshad from here? Super well, good
job. We'll see what happens tonight and we'll see you soon. Yes,
(35:12):
stay loose in case they need youout of the bullpen tonight. I
think I've called myself out of thebullpen, So get analogy. I like
not Thank guy, all right,Mike, thank you cool. That was
good. That was very cool.Michael levedarshen Daily start speaking out. I
mean, he's acting sports and he'she's I think he's a sports He the
guy. Now they don't have anybodyelse. All right, let's take our
(35:37):
break. We're gonna come back.We'll have uh time to call. We'll
finish off the basketball right well,the phone lines will be open and we'll
start talking about legacies of Arizona basketballcoach. Yeah, they've only been a
couple so yeah for that that minute. So but well we'll get into that
that That was a fun conversation,very fun. I promptu conversation. Be
right back. If you're an Arizonamen's basketball fan, you know it's been
(36:07):
successful. For newly forty years nowtake a look back at the Ludolson era
in my new book, Lessons fromLoot. It was a labor of love
through the eyes of twenty five formerplayers, coaches and friends to give insight
to the coach and the man wholed them, competed against them, and
inspired them. Twenty five chapters forhis twenty five years as Arizona's beloved coach.
Lessons from Loot is an insight tohow he built the program into a
(36:29):
national powerhouse. What one email meat Steve dot rivera ninety five at gmail
dot com. Hey, Walcat Nation, Jake Fisher here, I gotta tell
you about my winning team. Overat Arizona Health Insider, I was able
to get a customed private health insuranceplan with no deductibles, no co pays,
nationwide coverage, and I get topick my own doctor for lessons two
(36:52):
hundred dollars a month. If youwant to avoid getting gouged on the exchange
and you want real health insurance,call Arizona Health Insiders five twos zero eight
five zero six eight six six fivetwo zero eight five zero six eight six
six fair down. What's your goal? A new career? Or career advancement.
(37:12):
How about transferring to a four yearcollege. Pima Community College can help
you make Someday today and reach yourgoals affordably on your schedule. With over
one hundred programs to choose from andfinancial aid available, it's time to earn
the degree or certificate you need toprepare for the career you want. Pima
offers free career exploration classes so youcan choose the field that's right for you.
(37:34):
Learn how at Pima dot etu slashsomeday. Is your old AC system
struggling to keep your home comfortable duringthe summer, I'm wrong from picture rocks,
cooling, heating and plumbing. Doyou dread hearing that AC come on
because of high electricity bills? Replaceit now with a new high efficiency system
before the long hot summer with rebates, text credits and energy savings. It
(37:59):
just makes sense. Call five tozero four four zero for zero six nine
and coming. Need more affordable autoand home insurance while making sure your family
has the courage it needs when mayhemhappens. They've got you covered at the
Edmund Marcus All State Agency. Gosee Edmund Marcus. He's born and raised
in Tucson and a proud graduate ofthe University of Arizona. He's been an
(38:21):
All State agent for twenty five yearsand has an award winning agency which takes
care of his clients. Home todayat five two zero three two three nine
three three three for an auto andhome quote and let him save you money
and make sure you have the courageyou need. You're in good hands with
the Edmund Marcus All State Agency.Do you want to be part of a
winning team? A Team Security islooking for friendly, outgoing events security guards
(38:45):
and events staff to be a partof our team. We've been providing our
outstanding services to some of Arizona's biggestsporting events and concerts for over twenty years.
We want you to join the action. A Team offers a fun and
exciting opportunity to work in the sportsand entertainment industry, with flexible schedules that
are perfect for those looking for apart time job or a second income.
Come be a part of a winningteam the A Team Apply online today at
(39:07):
a Team security dot net. SteveRivera and Jaken Salez they have their eye
on the ball on two Sons SportsStage yet Fox Sports fourteen fifty streaming live.
I mean I heart radio. ArmHey, welcome back to trying about
here on Fox Sportsport teen Cookie onSteve, He's Jay. We have about
(39:28):
thirteen minutes if you guys give usa call. Good talk about baseball from
now in the heat of it,Michael lev One, let's continue our little
kind of talk about to right legacies. Legacies. We talked about football.
Now let's go to men's basketball.Okay. Of course Loot was here when
I got here, and he washere when you were here. Obviously his
(39:49):
legacy where do you start, right, I mean, he put as one
on the map. Yeah, heproficial on the map. Not only you
know Arizona basketball. He put hera whole town, that's true. And
and I've said that a bunch thattwo sons a very different place if what
happened when there's on a basketball doesn'thappen. Okay, So let me say
this because if let's say, BobbyEll, it's listening, and I won't
(40:12):
distribute with Bob that Fred Snowdon hada lot to do with it too.
He probably put the dot on theHe put the dot where two sons and
Luton made it bigger, right,And and the fact of the matter is
Fred left, Well, you know, he got fired. I mean,
you know so, but no,no doubt that that And it's been said
a million times and Bob says itall the time, is that Lute came
(40:36):
here because Fred was here. Ifthere's no Fred Snowden, there's no right
he saw that it was possible agreewith that, you know, And and
Fred left his own legacy of ofthat, of that this can be a
place for basketball, right, thatwas Fred's legacy. He brought an exciting
brand of basketball that was unusual,unheard of situation to the board, an
(40:58):
African American being an American coach,and brought all these guys. He brought
all these guys from Detroit and pieceslike that that you don't those guys don't
come to Tucson, Arizona. Soso Fred Snowden started that, he created,
He created a legacy buzz that thenmade a guy like lud Olson come
here. And then Luke built onthat. So Luke didn't start this.
(41:21):
Let's say that. I was like, he didn't start it, but he
took what was here and he builtthis place into something that nobody could even
imagined. Yeah, who got acall let's take this hire on the air
and I on the ball. Hey, you guys, this is a gabriel
Um calling from California. The onetopic I'm gonna talk you guys about,
(41:45):
I think, but the last timeI called to you guys this week,
Steve has something to talk to meabout. Yeah, I can't remember,
umm about about Tommy Lloyd. Iwasn't sure where you stood on the fence
when he was not doing when peoplewere criticizing him. Of where all the
(42:05):
players. I don't know about abouthis coaching. I don't think he's going
to be the guy, and thenall of a sudden he's come. He's
come on full board with a lotof good players. I can't recall if
you were one of the guys thatwere given him grief. Um. So
with with his roster, I'm prettyhappy. I'm pretty happy. I'm pretty
(42:28):
happy about with his rosher. ButI was just kind of concerned that um
that that I was kind of curscernerabout they worth but taking more time than
they need to with UM, okay, with taking players, but but I'm
pretty happy so far. So theyjust gotta go into the summer and start
(42:53):
practicing, right, So yeah,yeah, That was my concern because there's
been a Gabriel. You're not alone. A lot of you guys are out
there saying what's going on? What'sgoing on? Howcome? And it's not
happening soon enough? But we weresaying in time, it was going to
happen, right absolutely. That's wherey'all thought they needed more time. And
he, I mean he's still hewas last year, he was still two
(43:15):
months away from black roster. Butfrom where he is now, so plenty
of time. So the topic Iwanted to discuss with YouTube guys is so
is I was late. I waslistening to Jason Sheer Sheer and he and
his wife we're talking about um.They did a football pot one and pot
(43:36):
two about how their listeners are submittingquestions about about Arizona football. And one
the questions is one of the peoplethat says, are you concern about Jetfish
possibly going going to another job orbringing being offered some money that Arizona cannot
(44:00):
but let me but I want togive you my thoughts. So if jet
Fish Chuck starts winning of around eightgames or seven, I think I hope
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna guessor I'm not gonna. I just hope
that day he has some has alot of money stored in the stays for
(44:23):
Jetticas, just just to persuade him, Hey, please stay here. We
love you, keep working your assoff, we support you. But the
noticing stay of Florida because when hewas like a teenage year old, when
(44:44):
he was kind of like my age, he was basically working at Florida for
yourself. If that happen, Ithink wishing the best of luck and we
I think we need to find acoach that will take Arizonas in the next
(45:06):
level, like winning around nine totwelve games, are possibly going to the
college football Playoff. And I thinkand I have three kinda days. One
I know personally so on on theArizona football coaching staff. I think Brendan
(45:29):
Carol Pete Carroll's son is a goodchoice. UM. The one coach I
know personally is Ryan Grove. UM. Ryan Groves is a Washington, Washington
offensive coordinator and I know him becauseUm, I was an equipment manager at
Fradle's day when when he when fromtwenty eighteen to twenty twenty one. And
(45:55):
UM, I think the third thethird candidate is. I can't remember his
name, but I think he's adefensive coordinator at Utah. But we kind
of need a coach that's kind oflike Kyle Whittingham and just basically stays yeah
yeah, days that one program andnot just starts to jump. Well we'll
(46:19):
go. You wanna go? Whoyou want me to go? You know,
I'm just gonna say, we needto pump the brakes. Yeah,
yes, Gabriel, thank you forthe name. Appreciated game. But let's
get to one bridge before we crossthat, and then get to the next
bridge before you cross that. Thevery thoughtful Gabriel, We do appreciate that.
Yeah, thanks, thank you verymuch, Thanks for thanks for listening.
Yeah yeah, alright, let's getthe six wins first, exactly,
(46:44):
just real quick. I'm gonna say, when you're you're an Arizona, the
next step is a you know,a prominent program a Florida, uh,
you know, something like that.Jetfish doesn't just doesn't have the background to
be the next coach at one ofthose places. I'm im he's got to
win a lot more than two orthree years there. Right, we gotta
(47:06):
do that first. So we gottasee that first, Okay, okay,
real quick, we got Oh gosh, how you're on the Arona on the
ball? Hey Jay, this isdone? How are you doing done?
How are you? I'm done?All right, that's um. It was
a little bit trying to turn thatthing down. Go ahead, it's down.
(47:31):
I think you're there. I'm here. Okay, all right, we
can hear you. Okay, okay. Um. Now that we're into the
Pac twelve the baseball tournament, yesterdayseemed like a down day because Arizona didn't
play. And it's weird because we'rein you know, I mean, we're
in tournament season. We're used tothe girls being playing all the time.
(47:54):
So but I think Arizona tonight,I think Arizona's got a good a good
shot because we had that day's rest, so our pitching got to rest a
little bit. Our pitching didn't getoverly overly stretched out to get to hear
And whereas Stanford, they're not reallyplaying for anything because they're not going to
(48:20):
lose anything by losing. If theylose tonight, you know what are they
going to be. They're gonna bethe number number three national seed and and
they're gonna host the regional and ifthey win that the Superregional, so they
don't lose anything, right, I'mrunning this down right now, done,
done over evaluate someone? Well,no, because it's because I've been watching
(48:44):
them all year. Yeah, Imean the pitching has been Is it driven
you crazy? Is it driven youcrazy? It really has because the guys
that were supposed that that were thatwere good last year, Nichols and the
Closer. You know, you expectthe natural progression for them to you know,
(49:07):
be a little bit better, andyou know, who knows what what
has happened and to both of thoseguys, but you know, we have
the offense that can keep us ingames. Um My son texted me the
other day when we were up twelveeight on August eight. He goes,
it's too soon for the big lead. When it was twelve eight, I
(49:29):
said, twelve's not enough, it'snot enough. And it wasn't and it
wasn't and yeah, and I wasit was. It was a heck of
a time. Yeah. But Ido have I do have a tournament memory
I'd like to share because I thinkit's a really funny story. Back in
nineteen eighty, the Houston Astros hada day off and they came to play
(49:53):
the Tucson Toros and that was thatwas a team in nineteen eighty had Joe
Morgan, Nolan, Ryan Jr.Richard was on that team and those guys.
That same evening, Arizona was playingGonzaga for if they beat Gonzaga,
(50:14):
they're going to Omaha. This wasthe eighty team. So somewhere around the
fifth, sixth inning, Joe Morganhits a baseball to the second baseman who
throws him out at the same momentthat everybody in the stands had the radio.
We're listening to seven ninety K andhis tea. At the time,
Arizona gets a last out, theybeat Gonzaga, They're going to Omaha High.
(50:37):
Corbett Field goals crazy, and JoeMorgan's looking up in the stands like,
what in the heck did I doto these people? That's too funny,
that's too funny because everybody around us. And then like an evening later,
the PA announcer announces that Arizona hadwon and was going to omahas but
that Arizona had beat Gonzaga right atthat time, and Joe Morgan, who's
(51:01):
you know, everybody liked him asa player, and all of a sudden
he grounds out to the second basementmeaningless out and everybody's too fun. That's
too fun. That's a great memory. Don appreciate it. Thank you for
calling him. Hey, we gotwe gotta get out of here. We
got top of the hour. Sohey Don, thanks for the memory,
Thanks for the call. Have agood weekend, Don don call. I
(51:25):
have I have a vague recollection ofthat. I'm sure I wasn't at the
game, but I remember hearing thatthat team, that team won the College
World Series Terry Francona and that thatgroup, well, that was a very
good team. All right, let'slet's take a breakwad to come back to
the legacy thing on basketball, butwe're not breaking news at the top of
the hour. And then in thethen we're gonna have Jake Fisher. He'll
(51:46):
come in. We'll talk about whatever'son Jake's mind. Always something good,
so we'll grab back
This is I on the Ball withSteve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports
fourteen fifteen powered by Nova Insurance Services, Ensure Your most Prized Possessions, kat
z R two, SAG and iHeartRadio Station. Hey, good afternoon,
everybody. Welcome to II on theBall here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
I'm Steve Rivera. He's Jaken zoash. Did you want to just think
(00:24):
today? Off to No, man, I want to work on this Friday
because because you're you're Yeah, I'mhere. You work on a Friday.
You walk out the door and theskies open up, and you're you feel
good. You put in a goodweek of work. We've had a nice
week this week. We've had somefun guests. We had the big game
boomeron hold on up of softball coaches? Is it nine one one? Someone?
(00:48):
Someone stold Jay, it's been it'sbeen a fun. Spatic guy.
I'm five nine, Well okay,technically I'm just a little on your fine.
I have a big head. Yeahyou'll find it. If who's wearing
Dodger krap, Yeah you'll have noproblem. Well no, actually, in
two sons, there's you know what, there's a lot of guys look like
(01:10):
me running around a lot of Mexicanswith Dodgers shirt. Stubby Mexicans with big
heads and dodge it's too fast,that's not Hey, welcome everybody. Last
day for a while. We hopeto have some fun. Let's talk about
a guest real quick, so wewill forget about that, all right.
So you know, Arizona, youknow, moved into the semi finals of
(01:34):
the Pac twelve baseball tournament. They'retrying they're still trying to get into the
NC Double A tournament. There's somethought that if they win tonight against Stanford,
that could be enough. There's somethought that maybe they got to actually
win the tournament and get the automaticbid. But they're playing to night at
seven. Michael lev from the airsof The Daily Star, who's been covering
the team all year long and isup in Scottsdale with the team. Um,
(01:55):
he's gonna be on the show topreview the game a little bit.
Did you see the game last nightwith Stanford and Oregon? No, because
I'm following on Twitter and left said, it looks like Arizona is gonna play.
It looks like Oregon's gonna lose toStanford, and then I see that
it was a fantastic Oregon came backand win the game, and I stumbled
on it. I stumbled on thelast night. I was just combing through
some you know, numbers in andI saw a well I better stay it's
(02:16):
eating close game and then Oregon cameback. It was fantastic game. I'll
tell something very sad. I wasin bed by thirty least were you?
That's always I mean, the lightsweren't out, but I was. I
was in the sack and old,are you? That's about right? You
get up at six? I knowI don't. I don't have the tappy
yolka, I don't neat dinner atthree thirty any of that. Uh but
(02:38):
uh so I kind of shut downaround eight thirty or so. And but
I was found on Twitter and Isaw that Mike Left said that it looks
like Stanford's gonna beat beat Oregon,and that meant Arizona was gonna play Washington.
I stopped pat It was until thismorning that I saw that Arizona was
gonna play Stanford. Yeah, sothat should be interesting game because they would
have been able to play Washington.I don't know it didn't Stoppen forgot to
(02:59):
beat who you gotta being exactly whatI first thought was, you know,
you probably gotta beat Stanford, right. So we'll get to that point later
with Michael Evan a few other thingsin his role as the sports editor at
the Daily Start. And then inthe second hour, we're gonna have Jake,
our guy, Jake. I'm gonnaget on him for cheating on us
a little bit this week. Yeah, you know, what the hell,
(03:19):
But let's not say where he wassay that. He he'll he'll joke about
that, Okay, Cool? Cool. You know I was thinking, I'm
sure you let's talk about the basketballgame later. I was thinking, for
the first time in about a week, Uh, and I can't. I
wanted to ask you this, andmaybe we'll go back and forth with this.
Uh, you've been here a longtime, and I'm just gonna go
from the times I showed up hereand you were a prominent sportswriter back back.
(03:44):
Uh. I wanted to ask youindividually, and I'll say the same
thing. For the coaches. There'sbeen one, two, but five,
but nine coaches men's basketball and football, men's basketball, football, Uh,
their legacies, what did they leavewhen I say, Dick told me,
what do you think his legacy was? And we can get some calls on
the super So we're gonna go downthe list of the coaches and you could
(04:05):
be critical. Well, you knowthere's been four in basketball, five in
in football. I think I thinkDick Tommy left sort of a blue collar,
uh, hard working, uh youknow, diamond in the diamond in
the rough kind of program that youknow, I think I think Dick Tommy
was the was a coach that kindof understood what Arizona was and and coached
(04:30):
within that. Yeah. Yeah,you know, that's a good way to
put it. Right. He wasn'tgonna go out. I mean they tried
that one year to go out andget the five star and four star recruis
didn't get him. But you know, he was always finding guys and you
know, there there's some stars cameout of Arizona who shouldn't have been stars
or didn't think you didn't think we'regonna be stars, and so he kind
of created that. I don't wantto say blue collar because that but just
(04:53):
not you know nothing. It washis teams weren't made up of superstar high
school players. There were guys whocame here, worked hard, made themselves
better, and it was hard tosustain winning. Yeah, because those guys
are hard to find. Sure,they're harder to find than the fight stars.
The five star guy coached them upright. But you see a guy
like Chuck Cecil and you go,how the hell, you know, does
(05:14):
a guy like Chuck Cecil become reallygood? How the hell does a guy
like like Teddy Bruski become you know, America? Those are the guys that
Dick told me as Yeah, some. He was a father Flanagan type,
a guy who coached his guys upuh. And I think you're right.
Over the last thirty years, thirtyfive years since since this thing started,
(05:35):
uh uh kind of epitomizes the program. They are just a bunch of
dudes, a bunch of dudes whoworked their butt off and played above their
level. And I think people,uh, back when it happened, and
you know, there's gonna meet intwo thousand and you're thinking, Okay,
it's gonna be better. No it'snot. It turned out to be,
No, it's not. Twenty threeyears later, you're wishing for the wish
(05:57):
people are And that was where Isort of established my my uh feeling that
Arizona was a team that a programthat would win in cycles. Get a
group of guys coached him up,coach him up. Then they're gone,
and you kind of got to startover each time. And and you know
there were there there were two veryyou know good cycles. You know,
it cycled up in ninety three,you know, ninety four, a couple
(06:20):
of bad losses that you know,they missed the Rose Bowl by one game
in ninety four as well as ninetythree. Then there's the ninety eight team,
and then then ninety nineteen kind offell apart, and then you know,
then he couldn't It didn't look likehe was cycling enough. People got
to and he quit after after thetwo thousand season, where people got all
over and saying, what you know, he wasn't getting there. It wasn't
(06:43):
getting there to the next level.Okay, so we go from there to
Macovic dumper just a big steaming pilot. But put him in the dumper.
Yeah, just two years right too. Probably well he was here to year,
but the two and a half yearit was the worst thing that Living
Good did the whole time he washere. Jim living Good made that hire.
I remember when they hired him.I thought, Okay, let's see
what happens. But let me notto not to Jim. Not to I'll
(07:06):
buy Jim. But when you gohire somebody, you get the opposite of
what you just got right. Andhe was that. He was. He
was the the wine and cheese guy, wore a suit on the field,
that kind of control guy. Youknow, you saw that guy in the
locker room. You thought they're tuninghim out. The first time I met
him, I thought, holy hell, this program's in trouble for a while.
(07:29):
What was the situation. Uh,it was for a golf tournament that
that we started back during that time. They put a group together. It
was the Chuck Cecil, uh,you know, golf tournament to raise money
or the athletic department. And Iwas on the you know, we started
it. I was on a committeethat got that going. And we met
him. He was just he wasjust a big giant, yeah, very
(07:51):
pompous guy. Uh. You know, we needed him to do some stuff,
and he did the stuff, buthe sounded like a jerk doing it.
Um And I thought, this isgonna take a long time to fit.
Yeah, And the tw two anda half years. The player,
Well, yeah, but it tookand then it took Stoops another four years.
No, no one moved from Stoops. What Stoops legacy? Stoops Legacy
(08:13):
to me was a good guy,hard working guy, but he never accepted
being here. Was he either head? Was he a head coach? And
he was? And he I didn't. I think he was in over his
head as head. He was nota He was in over his head.
He knew what he needed to do, he just didn't want to do the
stuff. Besides, he didn't wantto do anything other than coach, coach,
(08:35):
coach. Well, the joke ornot, or the observation is Mark
was more of a head coach potentiallythan Mark than Mike. You got the
sense that Mike steps was uncomfortable withall the all the public, world side
stuff. He could have just coachedX and o's on the field, recruiting,
YadA, YadA, YadA. Thatwould have been fine, but that's
not what it takes to be ahead coach. You gotta have guys around
(08:56):
you that and then he was hissideline antics. You know that None of
that ever really bothered me, butit did a lot of people. But
it did a lot of people,and I think people saw him as a
guy who just was immature as asyeah, just had body for prime time.
Kind of not ready for prime time, right, Okay, So we
moved from there to uh to richRod. What was his legacy? Um,
(09:18):
that's tough, isn't it. Henever dug into Tucson. I felt
that he he always had his eyelooking for he was he wanted to win
really bad, as good as asmuch as anybody else wanted to win.
And he was, to me froma next is an old standpoint, the
best coach that maybe Arizona has everhad ever. Okay, you never thought,
(09:41):
Jimmy, Yeah, you never thoughtthat that Arizona was getting out coached.
Okay, now dat now. Hewas focused on offense. The defense.
You know it was not great,but you know he had he had,
you know, some some nice seasonswhere the offense just if he would
have I don't know if he wasspent some time with the defense or pomp.
The problem with the defense is thathe didn't make his defensive coordinator recruit.
(10:03):
He got the guy here by sayingyou don't have to recruit, and
then I think the defensive line coachalso didn't have to the old guys,
so so the old guys didn't haveto recruit, and I think that that
was I understand why he wanted toget him here, but I think the
defense suffered because of that, andthey didn't get the players they needed defensively
to be a notch or two aboveabove to where they got offensive league.
I mean he, to me,his teams were like indoor Football league teams.
(10:26):
You thought every time they got theball they could score. Yeah,
And that, to me, hislegacy was that. I always thought.
I think they had a wandering eye. I think that's fair because at the
end, when in South Carolina camecalling and whatever happened there. Yeah,
yeah, I think that's fair.I think that's fair because that's true.
You know, it came from thebig time, right. I think he
wanted to get to the time.I think he wanted to win so he
(10:48):
could leave. I don't know hereally wanted to win. I mean,
he was trying hardness hell to win. He did win, but I think
he was trying to win to gethimself out of here. Yeah. No,
I don't blame him for that.I think a lot of coaches do.
He was a Michigan dude. Yeah, yeah, you know he could
have had the ballad job. Suresure, no, No, when you
when you've tasted that taste, youwant to go back, right, you
(11:09):
wanted to go back to one ofthose Uh my my, I think that's
fair. I don't you know,scandals or no scandals or it may believe
scandals. That doesn't affect him.Um he what he won, he got,
He got him back to moo gameskind of consistently. He had some
great wins, incredible wins. Twowins over Oregon that went over Ohiowa,
(11:31):
the no that I but the twowins over Oregon, the Oklahoma State game,
the three those four games that clilTate had um three years, you
know, don't use c l Abunch of times got you know game Day
was here, you know, youknow because of him. Uh you know
it was a it was not abad stretch. Yeah. The guys that
(11:54):
the guys that I hang with saythat was the most fun stretch of years.
When you talk about a long stretchthat we've ever had, good like
Dick had a couple of good years, a couple of bad years. And
when I say bad, not losingI didn't have a losing season till late
but you know they weren't. Butbut the rich rod Gains were fun.
Every game was fun and entertain Okay. And lastly, someone, oh God
(12:22):
to me because from the day hewalked in the door. You know,
you knew he didn't want to behere, right mcavic. You thought he
was gonna try, but for hisown ego, right, someone didn't even
have that. Fummelin was just hereto collect the check and get the hell
out of town. And he justand he well, and he did that.
He drove the he drove the programinto the ditch the day he got
here, right. Uh, andwithout any um, no one even held
(12:46):
him to the fire. You don'twant it because no, he never had
a chance to get held to thefire in press commerces ring because he was
kind of a invisible Yeah, wedidn't have a chance to talk to him
about stuff, I could. Youknow. I went to his first spring
game, and I think I've saidthis before. I went his first spring
game. I just watched him onthe field and he just looked like a
guy who was so disinterested in whatwas going well. I think that was
(13:09):
just how he looked. I don'tknow why I came up with this.
And we'll talk to the we'll talkabout the guy side with Loot and then
some of the others afterward, youknow, up to and then we'll talk
about jet on the jet real quick. So far, you know, so
far a guy who he's trying reallyhard. You know, we're we're I
think he's still learning, you know, to be a head coach and and
(13:31):
all that it takes. I thinkhe came here with kind of a plan.
But I think he's he's he's thewhat's what's right away, He's the
little mouse on the wheel. Okay, let's as soon for a second,
and I agree, I agree withyou. He's been on that little mouse
for a long time. Let's saythis little mouse goes eight and four eight
four three years. People are loving, you know, not just people in
(13:56):
two songs, people, yeah,other places. But but you know,
I don't you know, is likesay they're playing you know, in the
end, he's still a guy whodidn't play college football. Well, if
you're gonna win, I know you'regonna win. But but but there's gonna
be you know, there's fan basesthat are gonna say, we don't want
that guy. Yeah, but youknow, the AD's gonna say, but
we do. But I think Idon't think it's a Michigan you know,
(14:20):
you know, Okay, those guysmaybe, uh, but we won't get
there until we get there. Yeah, if we bossibly get there. But
you know what I'm saying, whatI'm alluding to, I'm not one hundred
percent sure that that that he's thatat you. I would bet you would
be that. I bet you yourcard in my car. I want better
(14:41):
miles on that car. All right, well we'll talk about Yeah, we
can talk about that. I'm notI'm not a hundred percent sure. Well
that's we talked about that. Talkingabout basketball later. We got Michael Left
coming up. We're gonn talk aboutArizona baseball at the pack Off Tournament.
Let's stick around. For more thantwenty years, the Window Depot has provided
(15:03):
the best price and the biggest inventoryon in stock vinyl windows, and now
the Window Depot is more than awindow store, offering homeowners and contractors a
one stop warehouse offering interior and exteriordoors, granted in quartz countertops, in
stock cabintry, and skylights to finishyour project. Their team of professionals will
help with everything from pre kitchen designto custom orders from leading manufacturers like mill
(15:26):
Guard and Gelwyn. Order online orfind a location near you at a window
deepot dot com. Where do youbuy exercise equipment? Arizona Health Arizona Health
Arizona Health. Of course, tofeel better and look better, it makes
sense to buy your fitness equipment fromthe people who know it better than anyone
else. At Arizona Health, ourgoal is to help you choose the equipment
(15:48):
you need to reach your goals.Your health and fitness deserve the best you
deserve. Arizona Health the leading thisand exercise equipment on twenty seconds just west
of Wilmot. If you think nowis not a good time to buy a
refinance at home, think again.Interest rates are at all time lows on
most loan programs, and Paul Volpiof novahom Loans is ready to help you
(16:11):
find the option that best fits yourneeds. If you're looking for your dream
home or want to get cash outto refinance on a current home, visit
volpetem dot com. That's volpe teamdot com or call six two six Today.
It's a new year and time togive a Creative Award to your student
athletes winter and Spring awards seasons,as well as for grade school, middle
(16:33):
school and high school athletes. ScholasticAwards for those academic students just in time
to recognize all their achievements. VisitCreative Awards online at Creative Awards AZ dot
com or visit their Idea studio attwo twenty eight West Drachmann Street in Tucson.
It's also time to get your creativepromotional products for the upcoming conventions,
(16:53):
giveaways to promote your company and getyour employees new apparel to look sharp representing
you and your company. Come seeCreative Awards to twenty eight West Drachman Street
or online at Creative Awards AZ dotcom. Neck pain, back pain,
car accidents, headaches, sports injuryor Nellis Chiropractic's goal is to help our
(17:15):
patients achieve a healthy lifestyle. Combiningchiropractic care with physical medicine modalities, therapeutic
procedures and massage therapy not only reducedpain, but helps the body heal itself
as well as provide other health benefits. Or Nellis Chiropractic, we use a
natural approach to improve an individual's healthand wellbeing. Don't suffer any longer.
Call or Nellis Chiropractic Today. Theholidays are fast approaching after a difficult year,
(17:40):
wor shure everyone could use a littlefinancial help. Pyramid Federal Credit Union
is bringing back to Holiday Helper Loan, a low interest, short term loan
that can help get you through theholidays. In support of our community.
Pyramid is making our donation to theCommunity Food Bank of Southern Arizona from each
a loan. For more information orapply online, visit Pyramid SEU dot com
slash Holiday Helper. All those areon a Preme credit. Other restrictions may
(18:00):
apply. Pyramid Federal Credit Union InsuredMCUA. Did you know sports cards that
memorabilia are setting record sales last monthof nineteen fifty two, Tops Mickey Mantle
sold for twelve point six million,Lebron James Rookie sold for five points six
Also, collecting cards is a familyfun hobby that can be very profitable.
(18:21):
If you want to start a collectionor expand your collection, check out Showtime
Cards. They are one of theleading card shops in the country and have
served our local community for twenty fiveyears. They are located on E Speedway.
That's showtime cards Steve Rivera and JakinsSolis they have there. I am
a boy on two Suns sports station, Fox Sports fourteen fifteen. Well,
(18:48):
welcome back to win the volume onFox Sports Sports teen FIPI. I'm Steve
Rivera, he Jackins Alice now inthe Polia. Michael lev editor at the
Arizona Day Start and the Baseball Beatwriter. How are you doing, Michael
Hey? Long time, no talk? How are you? Yes? Yes,
into your position? But now youhave some fun to cover this weekend.
Have you had fun so far?And some games have been fun to
(19:11):
watch. I really enjoy covering collegebaseball, even though the games can be
really long and go deep into thenight. Sometimes us just a good vibe.
It's a lot less um, alot less secretive than football. There's
sort of pressure covering baseball than thereis football, So I think it is
(19:32):
a good time. I think thePac twelve Tournament, um, it's really
fun. I'm glad that the leaguedecided to finally have a postseason tournament.
It can the format this year,it's a little weird, but I think,
um, it's a net positive.Did you did you like the format?
We're done. We're done with theround robin, now the three team
round robins. Did you like thatand do you feel like it got us
(19:53):
to where you've got a good fourteams in the semi finals, or at
least who belongs there. Well,I mean it's stilted in favor of the
highest seeds. Right if you goone on one and you're one of the
top three seeds, you know,you advance to the semi finals. What
the other thing it accomplishes is itmakes it less unreal be you know,
(20:17):
you forgetting I think of four gamesa day the first couple of days last
year, and I mean you werehaving games going until one thirty in the
morning, you know. I meanit was really kind of borderline ridiculous.
This way, you get addition anadditional team into the field. Everyone gets
at least two games, and nobodyplayed more than four games. So I
(20:42):
think it's just overall a little betterbalanced, a little more equitable, and
a better way to go about it. Everyone has played pretty well in the
last two games, and played wellactually recently in all the games that you
played. What do you see goingforward with Stanford? Yeah, I mean
it would be stunning if this isn'ta high scoring game, right, Um,
(21:04):
these are the two best offenses inthe conference, without a doubt.
Um, there's really no one youcan pitch around. Once through seven and
both of their lineup the last timethey played the game was twenty one to
twenty. Arizona just kept blowing lightleads and they finally went ahead, and
they hung on for dear life.I think, honestly, what worries me
(21:27):
the most about tonight is that Stanfordis the home team and a lot of
these games lately has just kind ofcome down to, you know, whoever
has to last at back. Youknow, it's like, you know,
like Big twelve football games, whoeverthe ball last is gonna win. Um,
you know, it might just bewhoever gets to last up is the
(21:47):
one who's in that favored position.Hopefully for Arizona's sake, you know,
they got some confidence from the waythat that last game ended. Chris Brazza
a fantastic job of stranding runners umin the last couple of innings, you
know, enabling them to walk offthe the verse did you did you have
an expectation for Arizona going in?I mean, did you expect to see
(22:11):
see them in the semi finals sortof have a chance to win this thing.
But what were your thoughts about themgoing in? Yeah, I think
it was definitely, Uh, therewas definitely a decent, decent possibility of
that. UM. You know,they've played much better over the last month
or so. UM. They putthat ten game moving streak in the rear
(22:34):
view mirror. UM. Their offensehas just been on fire for weeks and
weeks now. UM. And it'skind of like a situation that they're they're
built for that, they were readyfor. UM. We've seen Arizona teams
in recent years twenty eighteen and twentynineteen or the two prime examples, they
(22:59):
did make n say tournament even thoughthey were playing exceptionally well at the end
of the season, and they werein that classification of, you know,
the team you wouldn't want to face, right, There was no fact twelve
tournament at that time. Now thereis, and Arizona is getting that opportunity
and they are proving that maybe theyare, you know, the team that
(23:22):
you don't want to face. It'sfunny do you talk about the offense being
on fire. Conversely, this remindsme of the Arizona basketball team where a
very good team obviously played very well, but there one flaw was that gave
up leads late in the game.You've seen it more than most in this
baseball team. They're playing very well. Two three run league boom gone.
Two three run league boom gone happeneda lot. And that's the issue,
(23:47):
right, it is, It reallyis, and these are you know,
for the most part, these arekind of the guys that you thought would
be some of their most reliable pitchers. You know, Dawston, matt ever
Long and Chris Brazza. He pitchedwell the other day, but he's had
his struggles as well. So theyreally need the bullpen to step up in
(24:10):
a big way. I don't knowwhether it can advantage or a disadvantage that,
you know, these teams that bakedeach other a lot, a lot
of the same guys on Stanford thatwe've seen for a few years now.
There's a lot of familiarity. Mquinn Matthews is starting on the mound for
Stanford. Arizona had faced him multipletimes. You know, there won't be
any secrets between the two. Youknow, it might just come down to
(24:33):
who played better. And one thingI think that's underrated about this Arizona team
is they played really good defense.They've made I think only two errors in
the first two games, maybe onlyone or two errors. Yeah, they
were both by Tony Bullard. Onewas on pop up that he kind of
locked in the sun, and thenthe other one was a row that he
rushed a little bit. Stanford.Meanwhile, I mean they wouldn't you know,
(24:56):
we wouldn't have this matchup if theyhadn't loan the lead um the other
night with bad defense. You know, there was a triple into the right
to the corner and Drew Bowser heovershot m third base on his relay through
by twenty I mean here into thebetting um, you know, enabling the
duck to score on a you knowwhat you call a little league comb run.
(25:18):
So it might come down to,you know, just which team axecutes
better, which seemed preked fundamental ballbetter. And that's one thing under tip
hail that this Arizona team an areawhere they've made a lot of stride.
So so, uh, you knowyou're talking about that twenty one to twenty
you know, slow pitched softball gameof a few weeks ago. I mean
it's you just Gotta said because ofthe pitching, that Arizone is going to
(25:41):
have to score fifteen runs to wintonight. I mean that isn't that something
that you you have to think youmight not be wrong, You really might
not be wrong. Um. Ioften asked my colleague Brian Peterson a desert
swarm at some point in the game. I'm like, what's the number today?
And he nailed it. The otherday he said thirteen and the score
(26:04):
ended up being thirteen to twelve.So I don't know what the number is
tonight, but it would not surpriseme at all if the winning side had
double figures, you know, Yeah, I mean last night there were I
think there were two games yesterday ofscores of it was six to five and
eight to six, something like that. You know, the two games,
(26:26):
the afternoon game in the night game, and those are relatively low scoring days.
I mean, offense is up,I think across the nation, the
leading RRA and the conference during theregular season. So it's just kind of
an expectation at this point that they'regoing to get involved in the kind of
shootouts, and from an offensive standpointanyway, Arizona is well built for that.
(26:48):
So forgive me for not knowing this, Michael, But have you covered
most of the games? Are youthere now covering them? One? And
two? How has three things now? And Charles Chip held up this year
and two? Three? Um,he's received a lot of criticism, more
more obviously than recently because this teamisn't Arizona like it has been in the
(27:11):
past. Right, I don't knowif that's warranted, But what do you
feel? Okay? First one,UM, I haven't covered nearly as many
games in person um as I havein recent years because of my other job
responsibilities. I have watched almost everyinning, um that you could watch this
season through streaming or whether if they'reon TV. So I'm as well versed
(27:37):
as I've ever been as far asChip goes, UM, I think he
has held up just fine. Ithink a lot of the criticism has been,
you know, has revolved around hisdecision to keep Dave Juan as the
pitching coach. UM. People havequestioned that and they still question that,
UM, And we'll see if hemakes a change at the end the season.
(28:00):
He really had not that involved inthe kitchen, you know, similar
to j Johnson like chapters involved inhitting, He's involved in fielding and he
kind of lets the kitchen coach dohis thing. So you know, we'll
see where that goes. So talkingabout some of the players, and Okay,
I've been watching Arizona baseball since Iwas in elementary school, so I
(28:22):
mean, you know, I feellike I've got a long history. I
covered the team for a couple ofyears. Chase Davis may have the nicest,
prettiest swing of any player I've everseen in Arizona. And I'm talking
guys like Terry Francine, or RonHassey, Dave Stagman, you know,
guys that go way back, someof the newer guys, guys who've been
in the major leagues. I sitthere and I just watch it over and
(28:47):
over again. That the home runthat he hit U in the Oregon State
game. I think it was theOregon State game leading. I mean,
I've watched that over and over andOvergon because you couldn't even see the ball
off the bat. He hit itso hard. I mean, it's unbelievable
to watch him play. I mean, is do you is he a step
above like that? At least inyour opinion. It's a beautiful swing.
(29:11):
There's no question I've talked about thiswith uh, you know, fellow baseball
nerds in the past, like whydo you left handed guys swings luther and
prettier than right handed guys. AndI think it's because when you're right handed
hit her. You know, whenyou hit the ball really well, you
still have across the plate and kindof chuck the bat behind you when you
run down to first where it's alittle bit of like a smoother operation for
(29:34):
a lefty to just kind of glideglide into it when he when he pulls
the ball, you know, intoright field and you get shot down the
first uh you know, after itleaves the park. But he has not
only a pretty swing, but isextremely powerful, yeah swing, and he
has I think he's made himself afirst round draft pick, which would be
(29:56):
um, you know, really cooland a really big deal. It would
be the it happened, it wouldbe the third time in four years that
Arizona has had a first round kickin the MLB draft. Um. So
yeah, I mean he's got thethird thanks the third third most home runs
in a single season UM in Arizonahistory, which again, like that's a
(30:18):
really big deal. He's in thetop five all time, and he really
only played two seasons. So justthink about that, and there's a couple
of career a career records or acouple of records that have snuck up.
You got Kiko Romero could break theall time single season RBI record. He
needs three. Yeah, I meanthat could happen tonight, right, yeah.
I mean he's two behind Ron Hackey'srecord of eighty six. And you
(30:44):
know, back in the day,like I mean, you had these different
bats, maybe different baseballs and acollege baseball it's just a much higher scoring
game and who were trending in thatdirection again, But Tico has been such
a valuable player for them because heprevents other teams from pitching around Chase David.
I mean it's like, do youstill at your own peril? Become
(31:07):
very much to pick your poison situation. And even after Chase, you know,
made an out and that the bottomof the ninth the other day,
Kiko came up and he came throughand knocked in the game winning hug.
And my guy, it's maybe becauseof me. I'm all glove, no
hit is the shortstop, the littlelong locks and the and the good defense
(31:27):
at short. Think about Nick McClary. He's not just all gloves. He's
like a good hitter too, youknow, I mean he's hitting around three
thirty. He's been a great sparkplug for them. He leads the team
and runs scored. Um. Ihave always had this theory that guys who
are interesting sectionally good in the fieldcoordination is such that they will eventually make
(31:51):
themselves into good hitters. I thinkOzzie Smith is a good example of that.
YadA Molina is another good example ofthat. And make the to me
um he falls into that category.He made himself into a good offensive player
at least in college, and hopefullyhe'll hear his name called at some point
during the MLB draft as well.Imagine, imagine you're talking about how good
(32:14):
they are offensively and the power init. Imagine it had they had a
Smith a little bit better, thisteam would be pretty dynamite. Yeah,
I mean, imagine if Tam Waltyhad been healthy from the start of the
season, you know, I meanhe he kind of delivered some of those
you know, Friday night shut downout and that you looked for. Once
he got healthy, they didn't havethat, you know, for about a
(32:37):
month at the start of the season, and um, you know they started
out with t J. Nichols isthe Friday guy. He's got an amazing
talent and amazing stuff, but forwhatever reason, it hasn't come together for
him. Tonkos Susak he was thenumber two starter and then he got hurt
had to be shut down for alittle while. So you know, you
really like to have that tone setterand that Friday night rolling and have that.
(32:59):
And then you know, as wetalked about, the bullpen has been
really up and down lately and hasleft them down and in a few too
many situations. So is it isit an all hands on debt kind of
night for Chip where he just says, everybody's got to be available and we'll
worry about tomorrow tomorrow or how's her? Do you know how he's approaching that.
(33:20):
I think that's the correct approach,because look, you automatically make the
NTA Tournament if you win the Pactwelve tournament. But Arizona has positioned itself
where there at least in the conversationnow and if you cannotch a really good
quad one win over Stanford, whichis going to be one of the top
sixteen teams um in uh in then s A tournament, it might not
(33:45):
matter what happens tomorrow night. Theymight have played their way into this tournament.
So I think you do take thatall out approach. They had a
day off yesterday which helps a lotin terms of the arms. They're going
to start off with left hander Bradand Dastro. I'm sure tonkos is going
to be available if Zastro Faulter isearly, and they should be able to
use just about anybody out of thatbulltime. And maybe one last question,
(34:07):
speaking of all hands on deck,how is your new job going? Given
you're busy and everybody on your staffis busy, It's been really interesting.
Um, it's been a great challenge, um to be sure, and I
would say this I have gained.I respected Ryan Finley a lot before.
(34:30):
I respect him even more now thathe handled this job with such um,
such grace. UM he like,you know, he kind of protected us.
I would say from like the businessside of things that you know,
us as journalist don't really like toget involved in. UM. You know,
(34:52):
it's it's a volatile time for thisbusiness. It can be really hard
at times. Goes to that it'sbeen it's been kind of ENLiGHT na um,
but you know it's been a it'sbeen a challenge and um, you
know what'll kind of few where thingshad from here? Super well, good
job. We'll see what happens tonight and we'll see you soon. Yes,
(35:12):
stay loose in case they need youout of the bullpen tonight. I
think I've called myself out of thebullpen, So get analogy. I like
not Thank guy, all right,Mike, thank you cool. That was
good. That was very cool.Michael levedarshen Daily start speaking out. I
mean, he's acting sports and he'she's I think he's a sports He the
guy. Now they don't have anybodyelse. All right, let's take our
(35:37):
break. We're gonna come back.We'll have uh time to call. We'll
finish off the basketball right well,the phone lines will be open and we'll
start talking about legacies of Arizona basketballcoach. Yeah, they've only been a
couple so yeah for that that minute. So but well we'll get into that
that That was a fun conversation,very fun. I promptu conversation. Be
right back. If you're an Arizonamen's basketball fan, you know it's been
(36:07):
successful. For newly forty years nowtake a look back at the Ludolson era
in my new book, Lessons fromLoot. It was a labor of love
through the eyes of twenty five formerplayers, coaches and friends to give insight
to the coach and the man wholed them, competed against them, and
inspired them. Twenty five chapters forhis twenty five years as Arizona's beloved coach.
Lessons from Loot is an insight tohow he built the program into a
(36:29):
national powerhouse. What one email meat Steve dot rivera ninety five at gmail
dot com. Hey, Walcat Nation, Jake Fisher here, I gotta tell
you about my winning team. Overat Arizona Health Insider, I was able
to get a customed private health insuranceplan with no deductibles, no co pays,
nationwide coverage, and I get topick my own doctor for lessons two
(36:52):
hundred dollars a month. If youwant to avoid getting gouged on the exchange
and you want real health insurance,call Arizona Health Insiders five twos zero eight
five zero six eight six six fivetwo zero eight five zero six eight six
six fair down. What's your goal? A new career? Or career advancement.
(37:12):
How about transferring to a four yearcollege. Pima Community College can help
you make Someday today and reach yourgoals affordably on your schedule. With over
one hundred programs to choose from andfinancial aid available, it's time to earn
the degree or certificate you need toprepare for the career you want. Pima
offers free career exploration classes so youcan choose the field that's right for you.
(37:34):
Learn how at Pima dot etu slashsomeday. Is your old AC system
struggling to keep your home comfortable duringthe summer, I'm wrong from picture rocks,
cooling, heating and plumbing. Doyou dread hearing that AC come on
because of high electricity bills? Replaceit now with a new high efficiency system
before the long hot summer with rebates, text credits and energy savings. It
(37:59):
just makes sense. Call five tozero four four zero for zero six nine
and coming. Need more affordable autoand home insurance while making sure your family
has the courage it needs when mayhemhappens. They've got you covered at the
Edmund Marcus All State Agency. Gosee Edmund Marcus. He's born and raised
in Tucson and a proud graduate ofthe University of Arizona. He's been an
(38:21):
All State agent for twenty five yearsand has an award winning agency which takes
care of his clients. Home todayat five two zero three two three nine
three three three for an auto andhome quote and let him save you money
and make sure you have the courageyou need. You're in good hands with
the Edmund Marcus All State Agency.Do you want to be part of a
winning team? A Team Security islooking for friendly, outgoing events security guards
(38:45):
and events staff to be a partof our team. We've been providing our
outstanding services to some of Arizona's biggestsporting events and concerts for over twenty years.
We want you to join the action. A Team offers a fun and
exciting opportunity to work in the sportsand entertainment industry, with flexible schedules that
are perfect for those looking for apart time job or a second income.
Come be a part of a winningteam the A Team Apply online today at
(39:07):
a Team security dot net. SteveRivera and Jaken Salez they have their eye
on the ball on two Sons SportsStage yet Fox Sports fourteen fifty streaming live.
I mean I heart radio. ArmHey, welcome back to trying about
here on Fox Sportsport teen Cookie onSteve, He's Jay. We have about
(39:28):
thirteen minutes if you guys give usa call. Good talk about baseball from
now in the heat of it,Michael lev One, let's continue our little
kind of talk about to right legacies. Legacies. We talked about football.
Now let's go to men's basketball.Okay. Of course Loot was here when
I got here, and he washere when you were here. Obviously his
(39:49):
legacy where do you start, right, I mean, he put as one
on the map. Yeah, heproficial on the map. Not only you
know Arizona basketball. He put hera whole town, that's true. And
and I've said that a bunch thattwo sons a very different place if what
happened when there's on a basketball doesn'thappen. Okay, So let me say
this because if let's say, BobbyEll, it's listening, and I won't
(40:12):
distribute with Bob that Fred Snowdon hada lot to do with it too.
He probably put the dot on theHe put the dot where two sons and
Luton made it bigger, right,And and the fact of the matter is
Fred left, Well, you know, he got fired. I mean,
you know so, but no,no doubt that that And it's been said
a million times and Bob says itall the time, is that Lute came
(40:36):
here because Fred was here. Ifthere's no Fred Snowden, there's no right
he saw that it was possible agreewith that, you know, And and
Fred left his own legacy of ofthat, of that this can be a
place for basketball, right, thatwas Fred's legacy. He brought an exciting
brand of basketball that was unusual,unheard of situation to the board, an
(40:58):
African American being an American coach,and brought all these guys. He brought
all these guys from Detroit and pieceslike that that you don't those guys don't
come to Tucson, Arizona. Soso Fred Snowden started that, he created,
He created a legacy buzz that thenmade a guy like lud Olson come
here. And then Luke built onthat. So Luke didn't start this.
(41:21):
Let's say that. I was like, he didn't start it, but he
took what was here and he builtthis place into something that nobody could even
imagined. Yeah, who got acall let's take this hire on the air
and I on the ball. Hey, you guys, this is a gabriel
Um calling from California. The onetopic I'm gonna talk you guys about,
(41:45):
I think, but the last timeI called to you guys this week,
Steve has something to talk to meabout. Yeah, I can't remember,
umm about about Tommy Lloyd. Iwasn't sure where you stood on the fence
when he was not doing when peoplewere criticizing him. Of where all the
(42:05):
players. I don't know about abouthis coaching. I don't think he's going
to be the guy, and thenall of a sudden he's come. He's
come on full board with a lotof good players. I can't recall if
you were one of the guys thatwere given him grief. Um. So
with with his roster, I'm prettyhappy. I'm pretty happy. I'm pretty
(42:28):
happy about with his rosher. ButI was just kind of concerned that um
that that I was kind of curscernerabout they worth but taking more time than
they need to with UM, okay, with taking players, but but I'm
pretty happy so far. So theyjust gotta go into the summer and start
(42:53):
practicing, right, So yeah,yeah, That was my concern because there's
been a Gabriel. You're not alone. A lot of you guys are out
there saying what's going on? What'sgoing on? Howcome? And it's not
happening soon enough? But we weresaying in time, it was going to
happen, right absolutely. That's wherey'all thought they needed more time. And
he, I mean he's still hewas last year, he was still two
(43:15):
months away from black roster. Butfrom where he is now, so plenty
of time. So the topic Iwanted to discuss with YouTube guys is so
is I was late. I waslistening to Jason Sheer Sheer and he and
his wife we're talking about um.They did a football pot one and pot
(43:36):
two about how their listeners are submittingquestions about about Arizona football. And one
the questions is one of the peoplethat says, are you concern about Jetfish
possibly going going to another job orbringing being offered some money that Arizona cannot
(44:00):
but let me but I want togive you my thoughts. So if jet
Fish Chuck starts winning of around eightgames or seven, I think I hope
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna guessor I'm not gonna. I just hope
that day he has some has alot of money stored in the stays for
(44:23):
Jetticas, just just to persuade him, Hey, please stay here. We
love you, keep working your assoff, we support you. But the
noticing stay of Florida because when hewas like a teenage year old, when
(44:44):
he was kind of like my age, he was basically working at Florida for
yourself. If that happen, Ithink wishing the best of luck and we
I think we need to find acoach that will take Arizonas in the next
(45:06):
level, like winning around nine totwelve games, are possibly going to the
college football Playoff. And I thinkand I have three kinda days. One
I know personally so on on theArizona football coaching staff. I think Brendan
(45:29):
Carol Pete Carroll's son is a goodchoice. UM. The one coach I
know personally is Ryan Grove. UM. Ryan Groves is a Washington, Washington
offensive coordinator and I know him becauseUm, I was an equipment manager at
Fradle's day when when he when fromtwenty eighteen to twenty twenty one. And
(45:55):
UM, I think the third thethird candidate is. I can't remember his
name, but I think he's adefensive coordinator at Utah. But we kind
of need a coach that's kind oflike Kyle Whittingham and just basically stays yeah
yeah, days that one program andnot just starts to jump. Well we'll
(46:19):
go. You wanna go? Whoyou want me to go? You know,
I'm just gonna say, we needto pump the brakes. Yeah,
yes, Gabriel, thank you forthe name. Appreciated game. But let's
get to one bridge before we crossthat, and then get to the next
bridge before you cross that. Thevery thoughtful Gabriel, We do appreciate that.
Yeah, thanks, thank you verymuch, Thanks for thanks for listening.
Yeah yeah, alright, let's getthe six wins first, exactly,
(46:44):
just real quick. I'm gonna say, when you're you're an Arizona, the
next step is a you know,a prominent program a Florida, uh,
you know, something like that.Jetfish doesn't just doesn't have the background to
be the next coach at one ofthose places. I'm im he's got to
win a lot more than two orthree years there. Right, we gotta
(47:06):
do that first. So we gottasee that first, Okay, okay,
real quick, we got Oh gosh, how you're on the Arona on the
ball? Hey Jay, this isdone? How are you doing done?
How are you? I'm done?All right, that's um. It was
a little bit trying to turn thatthing down. Go ahead, it's down.
(47:31):
I think you're there. I'm here. Okay, all right, we
can hear you. Okay, okay. Um. Now that we're into the
Pac twelve the baseball tournament, yesterdayseemed like a down day because Arizona didn't
play. And it's weird because we'rein you know, I mean, we're
in tournament season. We're used tothe girls being playing all the time.
(47:54):
So but I think Arizona tonight,I think Arizona's got a good a good
shot because we had that day's rest, so our pitching got to rest a
little bit. Our pitching didn't getoverly overly stretched out to get to hear
And whereas Stanford, they're not reallyplaying for anything because they're not going to
(48:20):
lose anything by losing. If theylose tonight, you know what are they
going to be. They're gonna bethe number number three national seed and and
they're gonna host the regional and ifthey win that the Superregional, so they
don't lose anything, right, I'mrunning this down right now, done,
done over evaluate someone? Well,no, because it's because I've been watching
(48:44):
them all year. Yeah, Imean the pitching has been Is it driven
you crazy? Is it driven youcrazy? It really has because the guys
that were supposed that that were thatwere good last year, Nichols and the
Closer. You know, you expectthe natural progression for them to you know,
(49:07):
be a little bit better, andyou know, who knows what what
has happened and to both of thoseguys, but you know, we have
the offense that can keep us ingames. Um My son texted me the
other day when we were up twelveeight on August eight. He goes,
it's too soon for the big lead. When it was twelve eight, I
(49:29):
said, twelve's not enough, it'snot enough. And it wasn't and it
wasn't and yeah, and I wasit was. It was a heck of
a time. Yeah. But Ido have I do have a tournament memory
I'd like to share because I thinkit's a really funny story. Back in
nineteen eighty, the Houston Astros hada day off and they came to play
(49:53):
the Tucson Toros and that was thatwas a team in nineteen eighty had Joe
Morgan, Nolan, Ryan Jr.Richard was on that team and those guys.
That same evening, Arizona was playingGonzaga for if they beat Gonzaga,
(50:14):
they're going to Omaha. This wasthe eighty team. So somewhere around the
fifth, sixth inning, Joe Morganhits a baseball to the second baseman who
throws him out at the same momentthat everybody in the stands had the radio.
We're listening to seven ninety K andhis tea. At the time,
Arizona gets a last out, theybeat Gonzaga, They're going to Omaha High.
(50:37):
Corbett Field goals crazy, and JoeMorgan's looking up in the stands like,
what in the heck did I doto these people? That's too funny,
that's too funny because everybody around us. And then like an evening later,
the PA announcer announces that Arizona hadwon and was going to omahas but
that Arizona had beat Gonzaga right atthat time, and Joe Morgan, who's
(51:01):
you know, everybody liked him asa player, and all of a sudden
he grounds out to the second basementmeaningless out and everybody's too fun. That's
too fun. That's a great memory. Don appreciate it. Thank you for
calling him. Hey, we gotwe gotta get out of here. We
got top of the hour. Sohey Don, thanks for the memory,
Thanks for the call. Have agood weekend, Don don call. I
(51:25):
have I have a vague recollection ofthat. I'm sure I wasn't at the
game, but I remember hearing thatthat team, that team won the College
World Series Terry Francona and that thatgroup, well, that was a very
good team. All right, let'slet's take a breakwad to come back to
the legacy thing on basketball, butwe're not breaking news at the top of
the hour. And then in thethen we're gonna have Jake Fisher. He'll
(51:46):
come in. We'll talk about whatever'son Jake's mind. Always something good,
so we'll grab back
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!