October 30, 2025 - The Bulldogs Football Hour With Head Coach Matt Entz & OL Julian Polendo, Hosted by Paul Loeffler

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
On the Bulldog Sports Network from Learfield. This is the
Bulldog Football Hour, brought to you by Table Mountain Casino.
Welcome to the table. Pepsi, official soft drink of Fresno
State Athletics. See Geek, the official ticketing partner of Fresno
State Athletics, EECU Smarter Banking since nineteen thirty four, and

(00:24):
by bud Late, Easy to drink, Easy to enjoy. Now
live from the Point Pettio Baring Bistro. Here's your host,
the voice of the Bulldogs, Paul Leffler.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Well, good evening, it is the Bulldog Football Hour.

Speaker 3 (00:40):
We've got perfect weather again.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Man, We're getting spoiled and looks like good weather for
Boise this weekend as well. The Bulldogs and the Boise
State Broncos. Presno State will try to end the longest
home winning streak in the country. Boise State and Alabama
are tied right now and the Dogs like to put
an end to that. On the Blue Saturday twelve thirty
our time. The pregame coach Matt Enz is here to

(01:02):
talk about it. Julian Polendo, one of his offensive linemen,
will be here before we're done. If you come join
us at the Point, Patiobar and Bistro. You can win
some prizes. We have the giveaway for the next home game.
Never seen this before, a customize timeout bobblehead for the
Native American Heritage Night theme against Wyoming. You can even

(01:24):
make time out play the tribal drums. Pretty cool bobblehead.
We have two of them to give away. We're also
going to give away some basketball tickets because Monday night's
the season opener for the guys and the ladies. And
speaking of the men's team, they're here tonight too. They're
hanging out inside the Point, We're hanging out here on
the patio. And before I just keep ramblin and ramblin,
we need to have our first guest properly introduced.

Speaker 4 (01:45):
Ladies and gentlemen, Boys and girls, please welcome the man
that will lead his team on to the smurf turf
in Boise Saturday afternoon. His model win the week and
they will head Coach your bulldogs.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
Matt Ence appreciate it, Thank you, Thank you, Matt Lee Avery.
You'll hear his voice at Valley Children's Stadium on November fifteenth. Coach,
We're kind of part of the same generation. There I'm
sure you remember the Smurfs, so the Smurf Turf reference
doesn't fall on Death Pears.

Speaker 5 (02:15):
I do remember them slightly. Yeah, Saturday Morning Cartoon.

Speaker 6 (02:20):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
I was going to say, who's your favorite Smurf? But
I don't remember that many Smurfs remember Papa Smurf.

Speaker 6 (02:24):
That's That's about it.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Smurfed the bad Guy at arcol.

Speaker 6 (02:28):
Wasn't a whole lot of watching them, the Smurf.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, just an awareness. You ever been to the Blue
Turf before?

Speaker 5 (02:37):
No, I don't know if you're asking me that adjust
or being serious.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
Well, I mean, you could have gone there without a
being for a game.

Speaker 7 (02:45):
I have not. I have not been there.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
When you took this job, you talked about your view
from a distance of Fresno State historically. You had some
connections to the program, having played for or a coach
with Denny Wagner, who had coached here under Pat Hill,
And you've talked about the four Pobble Dog and anybody
anytime anywhere. I'm sure you had a sense of Boise
State football in that program over the years too. Are
there some things that when you look big picture as

(03:11):
opposed to being a rival, that you look at that
program and say yeah, I really respect that, or maybe
even some things that you want to be able to
say about your program that the Broncos have been able
to do well.

Speaker 5 (03:20):
I mean, it's just a level of consistency, you know,
over the you know, last decade plus you go back
to it was probably called BCS at the time, but
the you know, the the big win over Oklahoma over
an Adrian Peterson, you know, Oklahoma in the was it
the Orange Bowl or.

Speaker 6 (03:42):
Excuse me? And so.

Speaker 5 (03:45):
You know, just that win, some other you know, huge
opportunities CFP last year, you know, having a having a
top drafted player, I think, uh, you know, they've continued
doing a really good job and I've gotten to know, uh,
I got to know coach Spencer real well, and I
really have a ton of respect for how he does it,

(04:06):
his approach and that level of consistency and sustainability is
something that we want to have here at Freslo State.
Not that we're gonna mimic exactly what they do, but
you know, we want to be you know, winners like that.
We want to always be in the conversation for conference
championships or big time games.

Speaker 2 (04:25):
Well, and if you win this game, you kind of
insert yourself back into the picture from a realistic standpoint.
Every year is different, every team is different. I mean
the obvious headline is Ashton Genty, who should have won
the Heisman Trophy last year, is not there anymore. This
is still a real solid team that hasn't lost a

(04:45):
conference game in a long time, hasn't lost at home
in a long time. What are some of the superlatives
you see when you watch the Broncos on film?

Speaker 6 (04:53):
Well coached.

Speaker 5 (04:54):
You know, a battery of backs that all have a
little bit of different wiggle to them, a little bit
of different skill set, but very effective.

Speaker 7 (05:04):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (05:04):
They have some kids on the perimeter, uh that are
that are really good that can take the top off too.
In particular that I can think of just off the
top of my head. And then I think an athletic, big, long,
athletic offensive line. I think they average sixty five pounds
and and I think that's that's awesome. You don't need
to be three thirty, you don't need to be three forty.

(05:26):
You need to be able to be athletics so you
can be in condition to play the whole game.

Speaker 7 (05:30):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (05:30):
Defensively, you know, you can tell they've they've spent some
time in the recruiting world emphasizing, uh, speed in the secondary,
the ability to play man coverage, because there's gonna they're
gonna play a bunch of it. Uh, they're a pressure
oriented defense. They play a little bit of quarters, you know,
if they want to get into zone. But as our
fan base knows, quarters is just man coverage with no

(05:52):
pressure and so you know, I mean it's man and
more man. And uh, they do a really good upfront.
They got some player, they got some interior d tackles
that can are really good pass rushers as well, complimentary,
you know, both sides of the you know, both situations.
They're good against the run, they're good against the past.

(06:12):
So you could tell they've they've done a really good
job of recruiting, and not just recently. There's a lot
of these players that have been there for four or
five years, and so they have built depth through the
recruiting part of it. High school kids maybe if you
you know, I know there's Nichols from a transfer from
Notre Dame, but after that, I can't think of a

(06:33):
whole bunch of transfers on defense. I mean a lot
of them have been there, and so it tells you
the value of recruiting and how they go about their business.

Speaker 2 (06:40):
We're talking to coach Matt Enttz here at the point
patti Obarnbistro. It's the Bulldog Football Hour. We'd love to
have you come join us. You could win some bulldog
basketball tickets. You could win one of these bobbleheads before
anyone else gets the the newest bulldog bibblehead.

Speaker 3 (06:53):
It's a time out.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
It has springs on the hands so it can play
the drums, and that's going to be given away on
the November fifteenth home game against Wyoming, which will be
Native American Heritage Night. If you want to win, you've
got to be present here on the patio at the
point where the weather is perfect, and coach I mentioned
the weather looks pretty solid for Boise on Saturday. How
often do you take a glance to see if that

(07:17):
forecast has changed.

Speaker 6 (07:18):
A little bit here and there.

Speaker 5 (07:20):
We talk about it early in the week when we
start talking about our opponent, just to make sure that.

Speaker 6 (07:24):
Our kids understand that it's going to be a decent day.

Speaker 5 (07:28):
We don't need to have winter gear on, we don't
need to go anything extra it's going to be, you know,
sixty degrees partly sunny, probably feel even warmer than that
in the stadium.

Speaker 7 (07:37):
I would anticipate that'll.

Speaker 2 (07:39):
Be a twelve thirty our time start on Saturday, one
thirty Mountain time, the Bulldogs and the Broncos with that
Milkcan trophy on the line and practice this week, that
trophy was out there reflecting some Central Valley sunshine. What
do you want your players to think about when they
walk past that thing or touch it or check to
see if they've got anything in their teeth, because it's

(08:00):
so reflective. What was your mindset behind putting that trophy
out there?

Speaker 5 (08:04):
Just the competitive nature that it's we're going to be
required to play with to retain it.

Speaker 6 (08:10):
It more than practice.

Speaker 5 (08:11):
It was at every if we were in the weight room,
if we're in a meeting, it was everywhere we were.
And so, you know, kudos to Boise State, but again
they've done a tremendous job. But that's where we want
to be. That's that's that's what I want this program
to be. And so you know, I said it the

(08:32):
other day, if if you want to be the best,
you have to go play them. And you got to
beat them at some point.

Speaker 2 (08:37):
And the Broncos are unbeaten in conference play atop the
league at four and oh, they have won fifteen straight
games against Mountain West opponents, trying to make it sixteen
as the Bulldogs look to end that streak on Saturday
afternoon in Boise. You know the trophy, Does that mean
it has its own seat on the plane.

Speaker 3 (08:56):
I don't think it fits in an overhead.

Speaker 6 (08:57):
It went on the semi.

Speaker 3 (09:00):
Oh, it's on the truck.

Speaker 6 (09:00):
It's on the truck, so that way it's there when
we get there.

Speaker 2 (09:03):
All right, Maybe we shouldn't tell Boyse that they may
want to try to pull our truck over.

Speaker 3 (09:07):
That'll pull some high TI.

Speaker 6 (09:08):
I think I think we'll be okay.

Speaker 2 (09:09):
Have you ever heard any of those stories, Like back
in the day in these rivalry games, like Fresno State
used to have a victory bell and it's rivalry with
cal Poly. There were some other things with the Pacific
rivalry where schools would vandalize their opponent or steal whatever
the prize was, or going to paint it or burn
the grass.

Speaker 5 (09:27):
I've seen some of that stuff firsthand. I've seen some
painted statues. I've seen some round up. They got pored
in stadium when grass was in vogue. Nobody plays on
grass anymore, so that that tricks out. But I'm sure
you know there's been I bet there's been painted turf
here there.

Speaker 6 (09:45):
You know, you know a lot of things.

Speaker 2 (09:48):
Maybe we shouldn't give them any ideas.

Speaker 6 (09:50):
You're exactly right.

Speaker 2 (09:51):
One more thing before the break, you know you mentioned
you've gotten to know Spencer Danielson, Boise.

Speaker 3 (09:55):
State's head coach. Really well.

Speaker 2 (09:57):
Everyone remembers last year in the run of the car
football playoff, but they kind of overlook what happened the
year before, and you know, Andy Abolos was there. They
starts to struggle. They lose that game here at Valley
Children's Stadium. Malik Sharad, who's now playing for them, had
the kickoff at the end of the first half. You know,
if time runs out and he's tackled, half's over. But

(10:18):
he makes it all the way to the end zone
and scores. It was a wild game, but that kind
of was the beginning of the end for the Abolos regime.
Danielson gets promoted all of a sudden, they go on,
they win the league, They have the great year last year.
I'm thinking about that. I'm thinking the impact of leadership
and how setting a culture and finding a way for

(10:38):
players to believe can make such a difference. We saw
that with Boise State. You and I talked about this
a little bit the other day. But how do you
guys as a staff try to inject that that kind
of belief in your players, especially if they hear, hey,
you're a big underdog on the road against that team.

Speaker 5 (10:55):
Just trying to be throwing our approach and detailed in
the preparation. You know, we talk at you know, when
when all of a sudden your confidence starts to wobble,
what do you lean on? You lean on your energy,
your confidence, and your belief in what we're doing. And
so trying to give our kids answer solutions. Uh, try
to be the example of confidence. If our coaches are

(11:19):
walking into position meetings and they look hasn't it Uh
they look nervous, well, guess what a whole We're going
to an entire football team. And so you know, we
we we continue to practice really well. I'm excited about
what we're doing. We're recruiting at a high level. Our
kids are are understanding what we're trying to accomplish. It's
been a positive week and so we're looking forward to

(11:40):
and we got to compete to the level of our
returns that we want. If you want to beat the best,
you got to compete to that level. If you if
you want to if you want to be a conference
championship team, you got to compete to that level. And
nothing's given away these days. It's all earned well.

Speaker 2 (11:55):
The Bulldogs trying to earn something special which would translate
to bull eligibility if they get it done. Saturday in
Boise twelve thirty to kickoff ten thirty our pre game,
and we'll be back right after this. Coach Ens is here,
Julian Polendo on his way. We'd like to have you
on your way. You might win one of these bobbleheads
before anybody else gets one. The point Patti Obaran Bistro
The Bulldog Football Hour on the Bulldog Sports Network from Learfield.

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Speaker 2 (15:16):
Go Dogs, Welcome back to the Bulldog Football Hour. We're
here at the Point Patio bar and Bistro. You know
where it is, the northwest corner of Willow and these boy,
the food is fantastic here. They debuted a new menu
at the start of this month. How to October go
buy this fast? Tomorrow's Halloween. I guess I should ask Coach.
It's about that. Coach matt Ends is here. Julian Palendo,

(15:37):
one of the offensive linemen, will be here shortly. We're
here till six thirty. We're giving away Bulldog basketball tickets.
And by the way, a lot of the Bulldog basketball
folks are here tonight with the Timeout Club. They're inside,
so when you're done outside winning prizes, you can go
say hi to Coach Wahlberg, a former Bulldog Tyler Johnson,
who's on the staff now. I haven't seen the players yet,
but they may be here too. The Point Patio Bar

(15:58):
and Bistro, Northwest Corner and knees. You's gotten anything new
on the menu here tonight, coach.

Speaker 5 (16:05):
I'm thinking about something. I took a quick peek of
it earlier and Halloween.

Speaker 2 (16:12):
Were you a dress up as something when you were
a kid growing up in Waterlighted?

Speaker 6 (16:16):
Did it a little bit? A couple of times? Probably?
It was always the same thing.

Speaker 2 (16:20):
Football player, Yeah, any particular football player.

Speaker 5 (16:23):
No, just whoever, Yeah, whoever was good at the time,
probably tried to. Yeah, we did something. My wife and
I did something during COVID as you know. Uh, we
had a drive up trick or treat in Fargo, so
no one had to get out of their cars. And

(16:45):
I dressed up as a dark vader.

Speaker 3 (16:47):
Nice.

Speaker 5 (16:47):
She dressed up as a witch, so very good, very good.
But all our players dressed up too, and so it
was basically, you know, a trick or treat made so cars.

Speaker 6 (17:00):
I think we had three thousand people come through.

Speaker 2 (17:02):
Did you have a James Earl Jones voice modulator?

Speaker 6 (17:06):
No, I just spoke my normal voice.

Speaker 2 (17:08):
But uh, I was just picturing you as a kid
growing up in Waterloo, maybe like painting one of your
teeth black, pretending to be Jack Lambert or something to
Neil Pittsburgh Steelers.

Speaker 5 (17:20):
No, well, I'm I'm a Steelers fan. That wasn't that
wasn't it. I'm trying to think who I might have
dressed up. You know, probably did probably dress up as
Terry Bradshawll the time I bet number twelve. Yeah, yeah,
there was probably some other I used to have a
Kansas City chiefs.

Speaker 6 (17:34):
Hetlement, so.

Speaker 5 (17:36):
You know, back in college or you know, older years,
I might have dressed up as like Christian Nakoye or
someone like that.

Speaker 3 (17:44):
I heard he was here last week.

Speaker 2 (17:46):
The Nigerian Nightmare was in town raising money for a cause.
So the chiefetmet was that like the old single bar
yon Stoo. Yeah, all right, more of there you go,
there you go. You know, Jan stener Rude actually played
for coach Jim Sweeney at Montana State up was on

(18:06):
the ski team there and Jim found out he could
kick and gave him his start. Great story there, We're
taking all these little rabbit trails. But you mentioned Terry
Bradshawn and said, hey, I better ask him about the
quarterback position, since I'm sure you're not tired of talking
about that. And I haven't checked all the messages on
the XAP with the hashtag ask fs, but there's got
to be some of them about the quarterback position. Made

(18:29):
the change last week against a team that's now number
two in the country and defense in San Diego State.
Maybe that's not the fairest gauge of a first time
FBS starter in Carson Conklin, But what were some of
the good things you saw from the new quarterback and
what are some of the things that you say they
need to improve this week to have a chance to win.

Speaker 5 (18:49):
Well, I thought he did a decent job of sitting
in the pocket and letting the pocket. You know, he
didn't seem like he was looking at the rush but
trying to keep his eyes downfield. You know, we got
to continue to help him out in all areas. I
think there are some plays we left on the field.
I had a fair number of them, you know, decision making, communication,

(19:11):
huddle wise, it felt like it was solid. Again, those
are things that we can continue to grow. I think
people saw that Carson's a tough kid. He got hit
a couple of times and popped it was first one up,
got popped right up and got right back in the huddle.
So he's got a little moxie to him and he
knows that it was you know, it was a change
of speed for what he was used to. But again,

(19:33):
I think he's competitor. He wants to be really good.
He wants to he wants his team to compete at
a high level.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
You know, when it comes to Bronco quarterbacks, a lot
of Bulldog fans are familiar with some of the history there.
Ever since Ryan Dinwitt, he came here and knocked off
David Carr and the eighth ranked Bulldogs on my birthday,
by the way, back in two thousand and one.

Speaker 3 (19:52):
That was a tough day.

Speaker 2 (19:54):
They're familiar with Kellen Moore, a couple of quarterbacks ago,
Taylor Green, really good runner, say Maddox Madson is somewhere
between a Tailing Green and a Kellen Moore on that
running quarterback spector.

Speaker 5 (20:05):
Yeah, he does a tremendous job. You can tell he's
been in the in the program for a number of years.
Has great control of the offense, extremely confident. Uh you know,
I use the word moxie, but he walks out. He's
a winner. Look at what he's done over the course
of the last couple of years, as he's been a
starter and he makes people around him better, and I

(20:25):
think that's a trade of a great leader. So I
have a ton of respect for how he plays, how
he has the people around him play.

Speaker 6 (20:33):
But he does.

Speaker 5 (20:33):
He can extend plays, he can hurt you with his legs,
and he can hurt you in the five step pass
game as well.

Speaker 2 (20:40):
We didn't see a whole lot of situations in the
San Diego State game where it made sense for for
Carson to take off running. But you guys seem to
have some confidence that he can be effective in that
game as well, when when the situation calls for it.

Speaker 6 (20:52):
And when the situation arises forward. He does have.

Speaker 5 (20:55):
Some some athleticism, some speed, and the ability to run
some the foot and as you tell, he's not afraid
to do those things. I mean, again, we see it
in practice. We need to continue to mean he's a
young kid. We got to continue to build him physically
so he has a little more armor on his body
as we as he continues to grow and develop in
the program.

Speaker 2 (21:14):
He told me the other day. He can still dunk
a basketball, So I guess that speaks to us that thought.

Speaker 6 (21:18):
I wouldn't be sure that that would not shock me.

Speaker 2 (21:20):
He didn't say what size basketball. I'm assuming it's regulation.
That he's got some hops was the point. Here's a
question that came in on the x app from Fresno's
Finest said, given Boise States record at home tied with Alabama,
longest home win streak in the country, how are you
and the current coaches on staff who have coached there
on the blue, how are you helping this team to

(21:41):
prepare in that environment, in that setting.

Speaker 6 (21:45):
There's been noise.

Speaker 5 (21:46):
We practiced in the stadium so we could be a
little bit louder venue, especially offensively, trying to make sure
that we are prepared to handle the crowd, noise, you know,
just the excitement of the game. So I think that's
it's a huge thing being able, is it?

Speaker 6 (22:02):
You know?

Speaker 5 (22:03):
Are we going on silent cadence, clap cadence, verbal cadence,
all those things? We have to have answers and solutions
during the course of the game. You know, tried to
minimize the blue because you know, I've never been there,
even though some people think I have, but it's still
one hundred yards long and fifty three and a third

(22:23):
yards wide. It's the same field that we have right here.
It's just painted a different color.

Speaker 2 (22:28):
And I'll explain the reference for some of the people
here at the Point Patio, Barnbistro, or who are listening.
You have a news conference every Monday, and you were
asked a question Monday about having coached there a couple
of years ago. That was the University of North Dakota. You,
of course coached the more successful, our tribal North Dakota State,
and it sounded like maybe you've had those two mixed

(22:50):
up before, and it doesn't sit too well from someone
who coached the Bison.

Speaker 6 (22:54):
No, you can't make that mistake.

Speaker 2 (22:57):
And you're not smiling or kidding, No.

Speaker 7 (22:59):
I'm not.

Speaker 6 (23:00):
That's serious. You can't. You can't mix them.

Speaker 2 (23:01):
Up, and I'm sure no one around here ever will again.
Time for another break. Matt Ants Bulldog football coaches here,
Julian Polendo, offensive lineman on his way. We've got basketball
tickets to give away, We've got bobbleheads to give away.
Great food on the menu here at the Point. Whatever
you want to drink. We're hanging with beautiful weather on
the patio. Come join us for the rest of the

(23:22):
Bulldog Football Hour on the Bulldog Sports Network from.

Speaker 13 (23:24):
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and subtle flow. The Point is Fresno's best place together
with the people you love to be with. Located at
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(23:44):
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(24:19):
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Speaker 15 (24:26):
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Speaker 16 (24:58):
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Speaker 2 (26:24):
Go Dogs, it's the Bulldog Football Hour. Here at the
point Patti Obar and Bistro hanging out with coach matt
Enza's Bulldogs have a chance to become Bowl eligible and
shake up the conference standings a little bit as they
try to hold onto that milkcan trophy. It's been in

(26:45):
Bulldog hands since that big win in twenty twenty three.
You know, that was the crazy thing. In twenty twenty two,
the Bulldogs won the conference championship game on the blue turf,
but Boise State said, no, you don't get the trophy.
That only counts for the regular season. Never figured that
one out. Coach to me, if you play each other
at a conference championship game, that's an even bigger deal.

Speaker 3 (27:06):
You should definitely get the rivalry trophy.

Speaker 5 (27:08):
I'm not sure how that works. I'm sure you know
when you get in the conference championship trophy is pretty
good too.

Speaker 2 (27:14):
And yeah, they had a little fun with that trophy.
In fact, there's some photos around with a bare chested
Jay Cane or a cigar and the trophy somewhere. Speaking
of Jay Can or Tim's representing with the j can
or T shirt. Here today we were talking about your
quarterback carts and Conklin a little bit. We're gonna have
one of your offensive linemen join us here shortly. Julian Polendo. Uh,

(27:35):
what do you want to see from that O line
and how big a function. How big of a function
of the running game you're trying to have is a
little more consistency on that O line.

Speaker 6 (27:48):
Well, that's a huge piece of it.

Speaker 7 (27:49):
You know.

Speaker 5 (27:50):
We want to one, we gotta we got to stick
with it, probably a little bit more than what we
did last week, you know, but you know, the ability
to play with a lot ton of energy and to
play with the high level of execution. You know, we
we need to stay our way from second and long
So we got to get into second and mediums. We
have to you know, be balanced in our approach and

(28:10):
keep uh, you know, any opponent on their heels a
little bit. It gets It's tough, especially when you're when
you're trying to start a young quarterback or a quarterback
that doesn't have a ton of experience to al of
a sudden ask him to throw the ball forty two times.
So I think we learned a lot just about who
we were. We've seen ups and downs with our offensive line,
and again, those guys are are are practicing at a

(28:32):
high level. Coach Crabtree, uh coach has our coaches have
done a tremendous job with them. The young man that's
coming in to night you know, uh sixth year opportunity
to start. You know, sometimes the best stories take it
take a long time to develop. Julian as one of
those guys. I wish we had a team full of
guys who cared about the Bulldogs like Julian does.

Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yeah, that that investment can make a difference, and it
does rub off over time, especially when you extend await
it from practice this week, what's the biggest thing you've seen,
you know, from a general sense from the team that
tells you, you know, what we can do this. We
can go up there and find a way on that
ugly blue turf to get it done.

Speaker 5 (29:13):
There's been an elevated level of energy at practice. There's
been a level of intensity that I think has you know,
been heightened a little bit. I think our guys are
they're intrinsically motivated. We have some guys on our football team,
some leaders on our team that you know, just weren't
weren't happy with with with how we're playing. And that's okay.
I want them to be that way. I want them
to be prideful of the product they put on the

(29:35):
football field. But it starts with great practice. It starts
with preparation. It starts with you got to do a
little bit more than maybe just come to practice. You
got to find time to watch some film, get in
and talk to coaches. You know, there's there's a there's
twenty three twenty twenty hours of the day that I'm
not with you.

Speaker 7 (29:51):
What are you?

Speaker 5 (29:52):
What are you doing during those hours to continue to
help yourself be the best version of yourself? And that's
kind of the thing that we're trying to in ill
right now on our football team.

Speaker 2 (30:02):
You know, you've got this season, your first season at
the Helm, but you also have this big picture and
we've heard you talk a lot about building a program
that can sustain success.

Speaker 3 (30:11):
Year after year after year.

Speaker 2 (30:14):
A lot of people have been asking me lately, well,
how's recruiting look And we talked a few weeks ago.
You're not allowed to talk about recruits who haven't signed yet,
but there was a big commitment to the Bulldogs at
the quarterback position. For the rest of what you're trying
to recruit.

Speaker 3 (30:28):
How would you.

Speaker 2 (30:29):
Evaluate where you guys are in this recruiting season and
is there anything else that you're kind of hoping is
going to develop in the weeks and months ahead.

Speaker 5 (30:36):
Well, from a high school standpoint, I think there's we're
down to the last couple knock on wood commitments in
the future. We currently have twenty three commitments, you know,
a lot more than what I think is probably the norm.
You know, and and will we utilize and there's a
there's a junior college player that's in that in that

(30:56):
mix as well, they'll probably be a handful of few
other junior college players, some other transfers in there, not
to the extent that we were at last year. But
again with the transfer portal around the corner, nobody knows
what it looks like.

Speaker 6 (31:09):
And then you know, Pete way above my pay grade.

Speaker 5 (31:12):
But college football and intercollegiate athletics have become much more
fluid than they were, you know, seven, eight, ten years ago.

Speaker 2 (31:20):
I know you haven't lived through it yet, but do
you think it's going to be easier for you and
your staff to have just one portal window?

Speaker 5 (31:27):
I think that's going to be better for the game.
I think having I mean, there's no other sport out
there that had two free agents pit two free agent
periods in it. I mean you look at MLB, NFL, NBA,
I mean there's there's one opportunity to make a decision
and let's move on. I mean, it'll be nice when
you come back in the month of January to know that, hey,
this is probably this is what our team looks like,

(31:49):
versus all of a sudden, you know, crossing your fingers
and hoping in May that you don't get negatively impacted again.

Speaker 2 (31:56):
It looks like your fabulous meal at the point, Patti
o'barnbistoe just arrived at your seat, and I don't want
it to get cold. So one last question before we
take the break. We'll have Julian Palendo join us. You're
feeling the pulse of the community. You've made a great
effort to get out in the community and meet people,
and everyone was pretty energized when there were five.

Speaker 3 (32:15):
Straight bulldog wins.

Speaker 2 (32:16):
Sure right, Yeah, in the last couple of weeks, they've
been disappointed like you've been. What's your message to those
fans who are looking for something to latch onto again.
What are you seeing that maybe they can get excited about.
With regard to the rest of twenty twenty five, Well, I.

Speaker 5 (32:31):
Think I still think there's a ton of growth, there's
a ton of opportunity out there. We still have four
winnable games. You know, I think we're we're trending in
the right direction. People are are buying into the vision,
into the mission that we have. It's significantly different than
what it's been maybe the last couple of years. You know,
the big thing that we got to battle right now is,

(32:52):
you know, end a year letdown. And you know it's real.
You look at the last couple of seasons, there's been
a you know, a dip in performance. We got to
figure out why. We gotta we gotta. My job is
to make sure that doesn't happen. And we still have,
you know, a tremendous opportunity. This week we got two
more home games. We don't weave the state of California
in the month of November. We have four winnable games.

(33:13):
We got to take them one at a time. We
got to continue to develop our young people. We had
a great recruiting class a year ago. We have, you know,
young men of value that are doing it the right way.
We need to continue to to to to promote those
push those guys to to the front. We need we need,
we need more. I know it's it's cliche and and

(33:34):
dog wired individuals in this program. And so that's what
we're doing in recruiting, is making sure that we're being
really thorough in our approach and making sure that we
get the right people for the Central Valley.

Speaker 2 (33:43):
Here sounds like a playing coach. Look forward to seeing
you and boyse enjoy the rest of the evening here
at the Point.

Speaker 6 (33:48):
I appreciate it. Thank you.

Speaker 2 (33:49):
Paul matt 's Bulldog football coach with us here at
the Point, Patti Obar and Bistro. He'll be hanging out
a little while, but we get to talk to Julian Palendo,
Bulldog o Lineman when we come back here till us
when we give away the prizes, come hang out on
the patio with us. The Point Patio, Bar and Bistro
Bulldog Football Hour on the Bulldog Sports Network from their field.

Speaker 16 (34:08):
Fresno State Football on iHeartRadio k CDL Fresno, KHD Y, Bakersfield, Kwsxtckton.

Speaker 13 (34:16):
Hey, college football fans, I know you'd do anything for
a win on game day and an iced cold bud light.
Because whether you're tailgating in the parking lot or parked
on the couch, sitting on your lucky stool at the
bar or standing in the fans section all game long.
The clean, crisp taste of bud Light turns a win
into a win win, And there's nothing easier to enjoy

(34:39):
than that bud Light. Easy to drink, easy to enjoy,
enjoy responsibly Anheuser Busch bud Light Beer. Saint Louis, Missouri.

Speaker 20 (34:47):
Producers Dary, your hometown favorite, is now the official milk
part number of Fresno State Athletics. For over ninety years,
they've nourished our community with the freshest, most wholesome milk
straight from Valley farms. Being the privilege of serving generations
of Red Waves supporters, they're also committed to fueling our
local legends on and off the field. Producer's Dairy official

(35:10):
milk partner of Fresnel's State Athletics. Wish is the Bulldogs
a truly legendary season.

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Speaker 21 (35:48):
Being part of each community we serve is at the
core of who we are and as a proud partner
of the Fresno State Bulldogs, we're your headquarters to help
you cheer on your favorite team. Show up any of
your local safe marks to score big savings with our
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plus explore a collection of Fresno State gear that showcases
the spirit and pride of the Bulldog community. Go Bulldogs,

(36:13):
Save Mart, Valley Fresh, Valley Made, Valley Proud.

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Speaker 3 (36:46):
It's eleven three twenty.

Speaker 23 (36:47):
Five, It's game day and raising cans. If you want
to order like a chap, it's action off the field.
You need to focus on. The only play you're running
is chicken. So what condour are you picking? Make it
a peri season. We've got tailgates of hand battered cook
to order, chicken fingers and cane sauce, and jugs of
freshly made tea and lemonade, all available to order online.

(37:10):
Are on our Appa now. This season is about to
be unbeatable. Raising Cane's chicken fingers one love.

Speaker 2 (37:21):
Welcome back to the Bulldog Football Hour. We're hanging out
on the patio of the Point Patio Bar and Bistro.
See a bunch of Bulldog fans coming up here with
their tickets to win.

Speaker 3 (37:30):
If you grab one of these.

Speaker 2 (37:31):
Little blue tickets sticking in the Bulldog helmet, you might
win an exclusive bobblehead presented by a Table Mountain Casino Resort.
These are going to be given away the next home game,
November fifteenth against Wyoming Hey was a sellout. Last home game.
How about a hand for the Red Wave packing the stadium,
leading the nation in attendance outside the Power four again,

(37:52):
So a chance to sell it out again November fifteenth,
and some of you will get this Timeout bobblehead where
timeout is a sitting on a block and playing the
drums and you can even make them tap that drum.
So we're giving away two of those bobbleheads tonight. The
rest will be at the game on the fifteenth. We
also giving away some basketball tickets. Bulldog basketball starts on

(38:12):
Monday at the Save Mart Center. I want to say
a quick thank you to Tyler Maxwell, Mayor Jerry Dyer
and the Fresno City Council. They honored our Central Valley
Honor Flight group at City Hall today and declared it
Central Valley Honor Flight Day in the City of Fresno
here on October thirtieth. So we appreciate that support, and
Bulldog football has been connected to that from the beginning.

(38:33):
All those heroes of the game you've seen at the
stadium this year have been on our Honor Flight and
that won't change on the next one. Let's introduce our
next guest, back to the Voice of Valley Children Stadium
mister Matt Leaver, Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please
welcome sixt year senior offensive Lineman number seventy four.

Speaker 3 (38:48):
He is ready on Saturday.

Speaker 4 (38:50):
He just told me, Julian Polindo, thank you for having me.

Speaker 2 (38:59):
Julian, if you ever had an introduction quite like that
anywhere you've gone to eat.

Speaker 7 (39:02):
I don't think it's gonna get better than that.

Speaker 2 (39:05):
Move that microphone a little closer to their mouth for me.

Speaker 7 (39:08):
I'm good.

Speaker 3 (39:08):
Have you eaten here at the Point before?

Speaker 7 (39:10):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (39:10):
I have. What's your go to?

Speaker 24 (39:12):
Their burgers are pretty good, either the Point Burger or
the Wagu Burger.

Speaker 3 (39:16):
I just got all right. I hear you, I feel you.

Speaker 2 (39:20):
Why don't you tell everybody where you grew up and
what your journey to Fresnoe State kind of looks like.

Speaker 24 (39:26):
Ah, So, I'm from southern California, Pond Springs area. I
was born and raised with my grandparents, and you know,
they just I was very brought up on the old
school type of way.

Speaker 7 (39:36):
You know, hard work, you know, reaped the.

Speaker 24 (39:38):
Benefits and stuff like that, and you know, just taught
you know, go to school, get good grades, stay out
of trouble, you know, that's the one thing that my
grandparents really told me and make sure I got across
and so, you know, and then coming to Presno State,
you know, I started getting recruited by coach ted for
that first back in my junior year and that staff,
and it was kind of even if it's just a

(40:01):
crazy journey, you know, and for me, you know, I
never thought i'd you know, be coming to college, if
you know, growing up, you know those were onren't things
talked about and things like that. And you know, as
I got older, you know, seeing the possibility you know
of like sports being able to take me to college
just being a you know, changed my life. And you
know it brought me here and you know, coming to
President State, it was just a good a good choice

(40:21):
for me. You know, it was big on tradition, you know,
the people that come for it before us and things
like that, and you know that was something that you know,
like my high school taught me and you know, just
instilled in me and things like that. And so, uh yeah, Well.

Speaker 2 (40:33):
And one thing Coachenz talked about is that you've been
here a while. This is your sixth year now here
at Presno State, and you're finally getting a chance to
start and playing well. Pat Hill, you know, he sits
next to me every game, but we're talking for probably
four or five hours every Saturday, and he gets excited
when he sees you out there doing your thing. I know,
he's really proud of you. Let's go back though to

(40:58):
the early days. You talked about your grandparents. It's kind
of your.

Speaker 3 (41:01):
Early football experiences.

Speaker 2 (41:03):
Did you want to be an old alignment or did
you have some other positions that you thought you could
excel at.

Speaker 24 (41:08):
No, I was always the big kid. I was always
a big kid growing up. It was just kind of
put on me, you know. Growing up. Actually I didn't
play organized football too. You know, I got into about
like eighth grade. You know, growing up, we couldn't really
you know, get the funds together and things like that.
And as I got ordered, like went to the Boys
and Girls club and you know that's where you know,
I would snap the ball and be able to run

(41:28):
a route and stuff like that. You know, now it's changed,
but you know, and then as I got ordering, you know,
like I was just always the big kid, you know,
the big kid. And my grandpa, you know, he just
you know, before going into high school, you know, because
it was something that I wanted to play, and he
told me, you know, like we're gonna do what we
gotta do and get things right, and you know, here
we are now.

Speaker 7 (41:48):
Love it.

Speaker 2 (41:48):
Love to hear those kind of stories and our friends
with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Presnel County. I'll
be excited to hear that too, because they have that
kind of impact on a lot of young people there
in our community. Were there ever any other sports you thought,
you know what I might be good at that one?

Speaker 25 (42:01):
Well?

Speaker 24 (42:01):
I played like kind of all sports growing up. You know,
you played them growing up, like basketball. I did wrestling
in high school, just you know, just to kind of
help me with you know, I know that would help me,
you know, with football and things like that. I threw shotput,
you know, so I was just a pretty active kid.
But again I glown. I was just always the big
kid that was bigger than everybody else.

Speaker 3 (42:23):
What was your career best in the shot put? Your
your pr.

Speaker 24 (42:27):
I think I wasn't the greatest ad and my technique
wasn't the great. I think I had maybe like a
thirty eight or thirty eight somethinghere around there.

Speaker 2 (42:35):
Did you ever try the discus or the hammer or
any of that stuff.

Speaker 24 (42:38):
We didn't had a hammer at my school. At the disc,
I was not very good at the disc. I was
only throwing the shot put. That was the last year
was getting familiar.

Speaker 2 (42:46):
Well, there's a long history of football linemen that we're
pretty good at the shot put. What's made the difference
for you this year? Because I mentioned coach reference, you're
a six year guy. We haven't seen you on the
field a lot before this year. Was there a moment
where something clicked for you, or you saw an opportunity
or just committed to something different. What do you think

(43:09):
has made the difference to put you in that starting
lineup for good?

Speaker 24 (43:12):
You know, just uh, you know, coming into this last year,
you know, I just was coming in with the mindset,
you know, like you know, just give it everything I have,
give it all I got, you know, and you know
when Coach An's got here, you know, he kind of
told us what we wanted. You know, he wanted big
physical guys. You know, we're gonna be running the ball
and things of that nature. And you know, I thought
it'd be somewhere I could thrive, you know, being a
being a very physical you know football player.

Speaker 7 (43:32):
I like to call myself. You know, that's felt like
it was something I could thrive off of.

Speaker 24 (43:36):
And you know it was just really you know, God
just giving me that chance. You know, at the end
of the day, you know, you know, like I said,
I've been here for six years. You know, I've been
you know, I've seen a lot of guys coming and go,
and you know, been in competition with a lot of
those guys coming going, you know, but it's just, you know,
I know everything happens for a reason, and you know
it might be a little bit later than others, but
you know it, I'm here now, and you know, I'm

(43:58):
just grateful. You know, I'm grateful all of how and
lows and you know, I just wanted to go out
the right way.

Speaker 7 (44:04):
That was the biggest thing.

Speaker 2 (44:07):
Well, and you know, you're kind of unique in that
you've stayed here that whole time. In today's college football,
that's that's so much more rare than it used to be.
And you've got a few guys on this team, you
guys ever tell stories about what things were like five
years ago for the new guys to just give my
taste of things.

Speaker 24 (44:26):
Nah, yeah, we do. We definitely had those conversations. You know,
you know we talk about you know, even some of
the Bulldog greats over these last couple of years, you know,
like Jay Hayner, Krab, Lavelle Bailey, all those guys. You know,
guys are asked about them and stuff like that. But
you know, just like stories that we have about each
other and the bondings.

Speaker 7 (44:42):
We have and now, yeah, you definitely are right.

Speaker 24 (44:46):
I have seen a lot of people come and go,
come in the locker room and things like that, and
it's just it's been a great experience for me.

Speaker 2 (44:53):
So twenty twenty two red shirt sophomore saw a lot
of action on special teams that year, on all the
kicking units. Do you remember that West Championship game on
the blue.

Speaker 7 (45:05):
Yeah, that was that was a great day. That was
a great day.

Speaker 24 (45:08):
That was a great day to be a bull to
or definitely yeah, yeah, I remember when Nico took that
punt back to the house where it's like after that,
I just felt like it was rolling after that.

Speaker 2 (45:20):
So have you reminded some of your teammates about that
this week or told some of those stories.

Speaker 24 (45:24):
I mean, definitely, you know, going to going up there
and things like that, you know again also back in
twenty eighteen, you know, they also won a championship on
the blue and you know, you know, for a while,
you know, you just kind of that's the things that motivates,
you know what I mean, going to go do it again,
and wanted to do that, you know what I mean,
because it's possible. You know, I believe in everything we've
accomplished this week and you know, all the previous weeks,

(45:45):
and we've been on a pretty good, pretty good couple
of weeks, you know, trying to just get get it
going because you know, we've had to put a really
good them, really put a good game, playing together and
things like that, and I'm just really excited to go play.

Speaker 2 (45:59):
How often do you wear that ring from twenty twenty two?

Speaker 7 (46:02):
I have a sitting on my bedside.

Speaker 24 (46:03):
I have a sitting there, you know, because that that
year was just a crazy year, you know, from us
going one and four, winning ninth straight that I mean,
that was that was just something you don't You couldn't
write that any better.

Speaker 3 (46:15):
You sure couldn't. That was a wild ride. It was
a fun ride.

Speaker 2 (46:18):
And the last time you played Boise State, you were
part of that game too. Mm hmm, Yeah, that's the
milk can.

Speaker 3 (46:25):
Yeah. How much time have you spent with that milk can?

Speaker 7 (46:29):
A lot.

Speaker 24 (46:29):
We've been seeing it all week in a way room,
going out to praise and things like that. You know,
there's only one job this week, and you know that's
to go. You know, go get the win and bring
back the milk can back home.

Speaker 2 (46:40):
That is the assignment. The Bulldogs battle Boise State and
the nation's longest home winning streak on Saturday twelve thirty
our time, one thirty. If you're making the trip there
to southern Idaho, the weather's going to be spectacular fifty
five to sixty degrees at kickoff at one thirty mountain
time on Saturday. Final break time. Here at the Point

(47:02):
Patti Obarbistro more with Julian Polendo, Bulldog right guard. When
we come back, if you've got a question for him,
you can send it our way on the xAPP.

Speaker 3 (47:10):
Use that hashtag ask FS and.

Speaker 2 (47:13):
We'll be right back from the point the Bulldog Football
Hour on the Bulldog Sports Network.

Speaker 15 (47:17):
From their field, there's nothing quite like the passion of
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Welcome back to the Bulldog Football Hour, coming down the
home stretch for this pre Milkcan Rivalry game edition of
the program. A reminder next week is a bye week,
so we won't have a program out here on the
patio of the Point Patio Barbistro. We will return the
following week on Thursday, November thirteenth, ahead of that next
Bulldog home game against Wyoming. That home game is when

(50:45):
a bunch of fans are going to take home these
time out bobbleheads where he's playing the Native American drum
as part of Native American Heritage Night on November fifteenth.
You can get your tickets at Go Bulldogs dot com.
A couple of you are going to win these bobbleheads tonight.
Just reminder that the Bulldog basketball season opens Monday night
at the Stave Mart Center. The women play at five,
the men at seven thirty, a doubleheader against Fresno Pacific.

(51:08):
We're talking to Julian Polendo, offensive lineman for the Bulldogs,
and Julian o' lineman usually have a little bit of length.
Some of the best Bulldog o linement over the years
were actually pretty good high school basketball players. Logan Mankins
actually played point guard for the Mariposa Grizzlies. If you
can believe that, what's your basketball game?

Speaker 3 (51:26):
Like?

Speaker 24 (51:27):
I was always big in the post, you know, get
the rebound, throw it out to my guard, set a screen,
pick and roll, picking pop Ie had the greatest shot.
But you know in the under the free throw line,
I was able to, you know, do some work.

Speaker 2 (51:41):
Yeah, we were talking before about the opportunity you have
to play now. Were there ever times, you know, in
this six year stand at Fresno State, I know you've
been in the classroom working hard and getting things done
and all that. Was there ever a time where you thought,
you know what, I don't know if my opportunity's ever
gonna come.

Speaker 24 (51:57):
I mean definitely, you know, I think sometimes you know,
you have those thoughts, you know, going with anything you
do in life, you know might not be going the
way you want, and so you know, you know, definitely
there was some negative self talk, but you know when
it comes with that, there's also you know, positive self talk,
you know, like you know, I am here for reasion,
and you know, what I'm doing is working, you know,
and so I just kind of have to stick to it.

(52:18):
You got to go through the rainy days to enjoy
the sunny ones, and so I just reeping everything you
know that I've been working for and stuff like that.
But nah, definitely, and then it's just that's where you
got to gain that mental toughness to tell yourself, you know,
like you what I'm doing is for a reason, and
you know I am here for a region and so
but no, I mean, I mean definitely, I kind of
just think that's life though.

Speaker 2 (52:40):
Well that is, And that's why I asked the question
because it's relatable for anybody here and anybody listening. Everyone
goes through hard times or challenges, and sometimes people want
to give up. And that's what I was curious, what
was it that kept you focused in believing, you know what,
that opportunity is coming on. I'm going to keep working
and not worry about when it comes.

Speaker 24 (52:58):
This is my faith in God. Just keep them off
fighting God and just knowing that you know, this was
for a reason. And then you know, like still had
a you know, like my family. You know, my family
was you know a big part of you know, keeping
me going, you know, no matter what was going on.
You know, whether it was a game I was just
on the kicking unit, or you know it was a
game I didn't play.

Speaker 7 (53:15):
You know, when my family would come to as many
games as they.

Speaker 24 (53:18):
Could, you know, beat it for me, love me, support me,
and you know that's kind of just you know, but
really just kind of gave me going, you know, because
just to be able to you know, to play for
in a jersey, you know, with my last name, you know,
the whole the whole jersey.

Speaker 7 (53:31):
You know, everybody watching on TV scene my last name.
Of course we're playing for the Bulldogs in the front.

Speaker 24 (53:35):
You know what I mean a hundred percent, but you know,
just to be able to play for my family and
my last name.

Speaker 7 (53:41):
You know, that's everything.

Speaker 2 (53:43):
And you said earlier when you described your childhood raised
by your grandparents and Palm Springs really became like your parents,
that college wasn't really on the radar that you know,
Boys and Girls Club helped you get into football.

Speaker 3 (53:54):
Here you are, now your sixth year.

Speaker 2 (53:57):
What have you been able to achieve academically that you
and your family now are taking pride in.

Speaker 24 (54:03):
I mean, I'm a college graduate. You know, that's something
that nobody could ever take away from me.

Speaker 3 (54:08):
Amen.

Speaker 24 (54:08):
I graduated with my bon bachelor's degree in sociology and
spring of twenty three, and then after this season in
decemberrobably getting my master's in curriculum and instruction.

Speaker 2 (54:20):
So sounds like you're halfway to being a coach already.

Speaker 24 (54:24):
Man, one day, definitely, one day, that's something I would
like to do.

Speaker 2 (54:28):
And I mentioned Coach Hill and how fun he is
of you. How much does it pump you up when
he's hanging out of practice and grilling you guys or
giving you a little pep talk.

Speaker 7 (54:36):
That's awesome.

Speaker 24 (54:37):
I've seen Coach Hill around a lot, you know, this
year and especially over the years, but you know it
just he's out there happy.

Speaker 7 (54:43):
You know, he likes being around with us. You know,
he's a.

Speaker 24 (54:45):
Very hands on coach, so he can't do too much,
but you know, telling us things like that and always
trying to motivate him. It's great just to have him
around again. That's one of the founding fallows of Bulldog football.
And you know what has made bulldof football what it is.
And so just a had a man. They're always around,
you know, being in our ears, supporting us, you know,
telling us when things are good, even getting on us

(55:07):
when it's not. That's what it's supposed to be. You know,
he's still that guy. And then you know that's just
that's just a blessing you could have.

Speaker 2 (55:14):
You know, you talked about your family and your faith
and for people that aren't here at the point Patio Barnbistro,
they can't see it.

Speaker 3 (55:22):
If they are here, they can.

Speaker 2 (55:23):
You've got a big gold football that's hanging around your neck. Yeah,
there's a little more meaning to that than meets the eye.

Speaker 3 (55:32):
You want to explain that a little bit.

Speaker 24 (55:33):
Yeah, So, like I said, you know, you know, I
was raised by my grandparents ever since I was six
month years old, and you know they loved me, took
care of me. You know, never called me grandson. It
was always you know, a son. I called them mom
and dad. And you know, two thousand and three, my
grandfather had passed away, and you know, he was he
was like my everything.

Speaker 7 (55:51):
You know, he.

Speaker 3 (55:53):
Just you know, he's twenty three, yeah, twenty.

Speaker 24 (55:56):
Twenty three, sorry, yeah, twenty twenty three, and you know
he was just a and that you know, taught me
just anything's possible. You know, my grandfather, he he was
he's from blythe California, I don't know, Bandon, California, run
those parts for growing up, you know, he worked on
the farm with his grandfather and you know, he just
always knew about hard work.

Speaker 7 (56:13):
And when he.

Speaker 24 (56:14):
Was pretty young, he had got an accident one night
working where his leg had got cut off on one
of the machines, and thankfully somebody was there, you know,
rescued him and you know, took him and he lived.
But you know, my grandfather only had you know, one leg,
you know, my whole life, I would have, you know,
see him in a wheelchair. He was hopping around, you
know what I mean, we would you know, just but

(56:35):
he still got it done, you know what I mean,
No matter what, my dad found a way and that
was just something that you know, motivated me and pushed me.
So in that twenty twenty three he had passed away,
and so later that year, my grandma, my mom, you know,
she got me this gift for so they we had
got him cremated and so they had put his ashes
in here. So you know, I kind of were everywhere,
you know, I go, you know, when we play awake games.

(56:56):
You know, I have been hanging up at home, you know,
just like my dad's alway with me, you know, and
I know he loves me, and I know he's proud
of me, and you know, I just try to keep going.

Speaker 3 (57:04):
He could live through me, and I know he is.

Speaker 2 (57:08):
And I'm just imagining growing up with a father figure
like that who only has one leg. You probably didn't
get to complain a whole lot.

Speaker 7 (57:17):
Huh Nah, not at all. I mean not at all. Yeah,
it's just not at all man Ian.

Speaker 24 (57:25):
He always made it happen regardless, you know, he didn't
you know, he couldn't always work with working you know,
a real job, but you know he'd make a way.
You know, I'm in a holiday time, he would go
around selling the Christmas trees out of a van.

Speaker 7 (57:36):
You know, he needed some help and.

Speaker 24 (57:38):
Stuff like that, you know, but my my grandfather always
found a way. There was nothing you could tell, nothing
you could tell him. If you told him he couldn't
do something, he'd laugh at you. And that's just it
was the type of person he was.

Speaker 2 (57:48):
And he lived to see you win a Mountain West championship.
And I'm thinking about another guy who was a part
of that championship, Jalen Moreno Cropper also had a grandfather
who really raised him, coached him, got him in the sports,
and after his grandfather passed, he would have kind of
a routine before every game where he'd have kind of
a moment he told us he talked to his grandpa
Jimmy or it had a little prayer before the game.

(58:11):
If it's too personal, you don't have to answer. But
do you have something that you do before a game
that just reminds you of that investment that he and
others have made in you.

Speaker 24 (58:19):
I mean all the time, you know, you know there's
times where I'm you know, driving on the way home,
going somewhere. You know, I just sit and I just
talk to him because I know he's with me. You know,
I believe in that he's always with me and things
like that. And so even before the games, you know,
I'll sit down, I mean know, go over you know,
before we go out there, I'll sit down, go over
my thoughts and then you know, listen to some music
you know that makes me think about him again. You know,

(58:41):
my grandfather was older man, So I listened to some oldies,
you know, Brent Wood and things like that, Tonic, So
I mean, things that remind me of me, you know,
just so I know he's with me. And of course,
like you know, I always get this a kiss before
I go out on the field, or you know, give
it some love before you know it's time out there
to go go play.

Speaker 2 (59:00):
Well, Juli and I wish we had more time. We're
just about out. But thanks for letting us into your
world a little bit. And good luck on that ugly.

Speaker 3 (59:06):
Blue surf on Saturday.

Speaker 7 (59:07):
No, thank you, appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (59:08):
For Julian Polando, number seventy four on the Bulldog o Line,
thanks for joining us today the Bulldog Football Hour. We're
back here in two weeks at the point Patio Barnbistro
on the Bulldog Sports Network.

Speaker 1 (59:19):
From their fields, you've been listening to the Bulldog Football Hour,
brought to you by Table Mountain Casino.

Speaker 3 (59:33):
Welcome to the Table.

Speaker 1 (59:34):
Pepsi, official soft drink of Fresno State Athletics. See Geek,
the official ticketing partner of Fresno State Athletics, EECU Smarter
Banking since nineteen thirty four, and by bud Late, Easy
to drink, easy to enjoy. The preceding has been a
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