September 10, 2025 • 41 mins
USC footballs general manager, Chad Bowden, joins the show. UCLA is off to an 0-2 start and their problems run much deeper than just the product on the field.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, we continue on, Fred Rgan, Rodney Peat on
AM five to seventy LA Sports. Jack Harris at the
Times will join us next hours. The Dodgers try to
get things finished against Colorado tonight. Now interesting, Rodney, this
is somebody you know pretty well, obviously from USC. The
position of general manager of an athletic department's team is critical.
(00:24):
It's very different than it was, Rodney when you played.
You want to bring Chat on. He's your buddy. Yeah,
let's freak boone.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Come on, come on, man, come on, fight on. You
know it's the brotherhood. Man, feel easy coming on with
Rogan and Rodney. How are you doing?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
I'm doing great? How you guys doing?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
We are doing good? Never mind Fred? You know where'd
you go? Fred? Little? What was that school you went to? Then?
I went to Phoenix College, home of the Fighting Bears.
There you go, there you go.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I think they eliminated all sports after Fred left. I
think that's what happened there. All right, Chat, So you know,
thanks for coming on. First of all, I really really
appreciated and you know, Fred or it kind of chastised
me a little bit because I'm pretty excited that we're
(01:15):
two and oh right now. And I came in after
both weeks and I said, hey, how about them Trojans
two and Ohlways said, who have you played? Who have
you played? Why are you getting so excited? I said,
two and oh was two and oh? In this day
and age of college football and any kind of sports,
when you win, it's a good thing, am I right?
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Jed, that's right, absolutely, there is no doubt. And obviously
you see the start to the season, you know that
we're having. Man, we're really excited with what our guys
have been able to do obviously the first two games.
But you know, we're just focused on having the best
Wednesday practice and that's all we're focused on is every
(01:54):
single day maximizing our full potential, which is you know,
in the end, going to lead us to the results
that we want.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Now, now, Chad, I gotta I gotta ask you this, man,
because you you come from another iconic program, a big
time branded program in Notre Dame. You come there, you
come to sc How has that transition been for you?
Speaker 1 (02:20):
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Obviously when you're at Notre Dame it's much like USC
that eight people they bleed blue and gold and green
and gold back there in South Bend, Cardinal Gold you
bleed it out here. How has that transition been because
it's not often that you see someone at your level
come from Notre Dame to USC and then or vice versa.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Yeah, I think you know, to me, you know, not
to really touch on you know, the you know, my
previous employer. But USC was always the place I wanted
to be at. And you know that stem from you know,
being a young kid and I thought I was the
right handed Matt Leonard out at recess, in elementary school,
at middle school. So you know, this was always the
(03:05):
place I wanted to be. I have nothing but respect
for for you know, what we were able to accomplish
at the University of Notre Dame, in particular what we
did last year in twenty twenty four, to memory, I'll
live with me for a lifetime. But you know, USC
was always the place for me. I always wanted this.
I always wanted to work here. I always wanted to,
(03:26):
you know, be a part of this university everything that
it stands for. It's in the greatest city in the world,
in the city of Los Angeles, the city of Champions.
You know, it's it's not bad waking up every day
and it's seventy and sunny with no clouds in the sky.
The people are phenomenal. The way that me and my
wife Ava have been treated over the last seven months
have been here has been nothing but unbelievable within the
(03:49):
Trojan family. And I'm just blessed to be here. This
is this is the greatest opportunity of my entire life.
And you know, I'm just I'm just so blessed. Every
day i'm here, I'm just so incredibly grateful for because
I know all that have that have come to this
university before me, and uh, you know, I think in
a lot of ways, I've always bled Cardinal and Gold.
(04:13):
You know, I'm just glad that it's official now, see.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
That, Fred, See I'm not the only one. See that.
You know what the gentlemen us he pays the most.
That's what he just said.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Rodney, all right, anyway, Chad, that's not true.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
That's not true. Yeah, we're gonna cut you off. D uh, Chad.
Can you for people that don't really understand, describe what
the job of general manager is? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
I think the greatest and and everyone every GM in
college football has different roles at different places. I think
my role here at USC, you know, I think it's
to ensure that our coaches can really focus on the
players and focus on coaching. And you know, there's a
lot of different areas in the program, whether it's strength, nutrition,
(05:02):
you know, recruiting, n I L. You know, there's a
lot of different areas you know that that go on
in in an organization. And you know, it's my job
to make sure that we're you know, functioning at the
highest level in every single aspect, so our coaches can
focus on our players so they can reach their full potential,
and our coaches can be the best, you know, coaches
(05:24):
in the country, which we which we have, you know,
we have the we have the best coaches in the country,
and I just want them to be able to focus
on doing their job and you know, helping the Trojans,
you know, win some more football games.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
And and Chad you spoke of as the recruiting guru
when you were at Notre Dame man and and and
hopefully that continues that at USC. But but nowadays in
college football, how challenging is it when you've got the
transfer portal and guys can leave at a moment's notice.
I remember, you know, being recruited and and there was
(05:58):
big right ups about we had the top one and
the top five recruiting classes, and everybody came in as
freshmen and most of us red shirted, and then we
grew together and by the time we were juniors, we
were all bonded and we knew we were going to
be be pretty good.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
But it feels like that.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
That really doesn't happen anymore, because guys, even if you're
a great blue chip quarterback and you happen to not
win the job, you're a backup. You may not stay
to get your one year or two year opportunity.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
You may leave.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
How challenging is it for you building a program when
that option's on the table for the kids that you
recruit as freshmen coming.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
In, well, I think what you have to do is
you have to you have to be transparent with the
kids that you're bringing in, and you have to bring
in the right kids that value the place. You know, like,
this is a place I want to be a USC
for a long time. And I'm just giving you you know,
my I chose USC because this is where I wanted
(06:59):
to be. I don't want to go anywhere, and the
kids that I recruit, I want them to come here
because they value the education, they value the Trojan network
and what it can do for them for the rest
of their life. Obviously, we're going to recruit the best
players in the country. We have one of the best
classes in the country, but they also have to really
want to be here, and that helps with retention. And
then while they're here, while they're here and you're transparent
(07:22):
with them and they know exactly why they're here, and
kind of you know the timeline because everybody's timetables different.
There are guys that might not play for three years,
then all of a sudden play in year four in
their draft picks that've been around a lot of them,
and you know, you have to make sure that you're
being transparent with these kids. You're truly invested in their lives.
You're down there at academics every day, you're down there
(07:43):
at medical making sure that they're getting the best treatment.
You know, you're making sure from a nutrition standpoint that
we're helping them reach their full potential. When it comes
to their bodies. You have to be able to really
care about these kids because they could feel it and
if they feel it, they won't want to leave you.
And that's what we're trying to do here every single day.
(08:04):
And you know, just yeah, that's kind of why I
hit on, we had a great Tuesday practice. We have
to have the best Wednesday, you know that us he's
ever had. We have to have the best Wednesday we've
had up to this point. That's all we can focus on.
And we really have to do that, not only on
the football field, but we have to do that academically.
We have to do that, you know, with what we're
putting in our bodies. We have to make sure that
(08:25):
they're getting the proper sleep and they're understanding why that's
important every single aspect.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Of their day.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
They have to know that we care about are very
intentional and all that's going to do is help with
retention and all of a sudden, these kids are going
to stay because they know they're getting better.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah. I get I get that, but Jaed, you know that.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
You know you got a kid that is a five
star recruit coming out of modern day or somewhere in
southern California dreamed about playing at Sea's Old Life, like
you said, Matt Leonard Carson Palmer, all those guys, I'm
the next one.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
And you get here at Jackson.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Dark comes and next thing you know, there's a coaching
change and then uh, Caleb Williams comes in. I gotta
go because I'm not going to play the next three years,
so i gotta have aspirations of playing in the NFL.
That is the reality of where you know college football
is right now and when that happened, something like that happens.
(09:22):
I know you want everybody to stay, but you talk
about being transport, transparent and honest with the kids, do
you also have that counseling and that that compassion to
say to a kid like like a Jackson Dart, Hey, look,
we understand. If you need us to make calls, we'll
do whatever we can to find a home for you.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Yeah. I mean, if you really care about a kid
and you're you're you're gonna do what's what's best for them,
and you're going to be transparent with them if if
you feel like this isn't the place. But I think
you know, ultimately, whenever you're recruiting a kid, you know
you want to make sure or that that that person
understands like, hey, you know, everyone's time is different. You know,
(10:05):
we're not promising you that you're gonna come in and play.
We're not gonna We're not gonna lead that way. And
I think that alleviates the issues of them going into
the transfer portal. Obviously, I've recruited a lot of five stars,
and never is in my never has my m O been, hey,
you're gonna come here and start right away. The MO
is you're going to come in and develop, and you're
gonna you're gonna become the best version of yourself. And
(10:27):
and that's what these kids should, you know. And and
sometimes that's that's when you find out if they're the
right kid too, if you're transparent with them and they
like that, or if they're like, no, I'm not going
to go there because you didn't promise me something right,
you know, well, then okay, well then maybe we're not
the right place for you. We're gonna build a culture
around the right kids, you know not. I don't care
(10:49):
what they're rated. I don't care, you know about what
they're you know, stars are I care about acquiring the
right kid that's going to be best for this program.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Chad Bulden is with it's all right, let me ask
you this, Chad, because I've made this statement numerous times.
I don't think at the Division I level, and in
your position, you know, I think you'd have a better
understanding of it than anybody. I don't think at the
D one level where kids are trying to become pros
you can call them student athletes anymore. I think they're
more athlete students. They get paid, there's nil What do
(11:24):
you think of that analogy?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Yeah, I think you know, these are still eighteen to
twenty two year old kids, and I think if that's
how we start to view it, this becomes transactional, and
that's not what it is in this program, and it
won't be that way. This is about, you know, helping
these kids become the best version of themselves every single day. Obviously,
(11:48):
money is a part of it now everyone knows that,
you know, But that's not what I got into this for,
and that's not what a lot of us got into
this for. We got into it because we love young
people and we want young people to achieve their dreams
and goals. And you know, that's what I got into
this for, and that's that'll always be the main thing,
you know, for me. And it will be the main
(12:10):
thing in USC too, because what they get from the
education here, what they're going to get from this degree
is life changing and that's that's what this should all
be about, and what we could do for them every
single day, you know, to help keep them accountable and
discipline and these are things you know, we get them
(12:31):
for four years, it's going to impact the next forty
years of their life. And that's what's most important to me,
and it will be the most important thing in this program.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Hey, Chad, if you know right now.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Obviously it's exciting and it's really great for the players.
They have more opportunities now than they ever have in
the past. H But it also feels somewhat like a
little bit of like a talent without a sheriff a
little bit when you talk I nil and transfer portal
and things that are happening.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
If you had to.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Looking into a crystal ball and see what you would
like to see in the next five years or any
changes you'd like to see, what would there be? Is
there one or two that you would like? Man, we
could adjust this in a certain way.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
There's not one thing I could pinpoint, you know, I
think the way I've always operated with this stuff, especially nowadays,
because it feels like something changes every single day, you know,
and someone's tweeting out something that could happen every single day.
All I know is whatever's in the now, we're going
to execute at the highest level, and we're going to
make it about what's in the now. You know, there's
(13:42):
not one thing I could pinpoint that I want want
to see change or want to see, you know whatever. Obviously,
I love that players are getting paid, and I want
our players to get paid, and you know, I think
that's you know, it's phenomenal. They should be able to
use their name, image and likeness, and uh, you know,
(14:02):
we're we're as uh you know, we're as strong as
anybody in n I L when it comes to, uh,
you know, the new era of college sports, and we're
always going to be positioned for success. And it's because
we understand, you know, everyone else is uh, you know,
trying to come up with, you know, new models and
(14:24):
new new ways. We just we're operating the model that
you know, we currently have. Now we understand what could
be down the pipeline. There's there's multiple things that have
been discussed and we have multiple plans. We're always going
to be positioned to win, you know, and that's a
that's a huge benefit to USC is we have the
greatest city in the world. We have I mean, we
(14:45):
have better third party NIL deals in anywhere in the
country here at USC, which is a huge benefit to us,
and it will continue to be a huge advantage for us,
you know, whenever, when, when ever they figure out where
this thing is gonna go.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Chad, appreciate you coming on. Thanks for the info. Really
really do appreciate it. I love it, love it. Leave
that cargo and go baby, let's go.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Let's get it.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
There goes the GM of a USC football chat Bolt.
But what is happening cross town? You may ask? We
will answer that next.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
Make AM five seventy l a sports a preset before
you plug in your phone. Presets in the iHeartRadio app
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Speaker 2 (15:48):
That's right, Rogan and Rode and keeping it moving on
a Wednesday, a hump day. Many thanks Chad Bowden for
dmf USC. We're joining us and giving us a lot
of information. Man, it's a new world out there. Freddie
in college football, in college sports in general, and to
(16:11):
navigate that is not an easy task.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
I thought his response to what is your job? Yeah,
I thought that was a really good response. It's the
stuff you don't think about. Lincoln Riley makes a lot
of money, so it was coaches. The more they win,
the more money the school generates. Pretty simple. Revenue follows ratings, wins,
money follows wins. And in college football, yes, the coach
(16:39):
at staff and they would administer to things, but the
coach was really involved in all this stuff from nutrition everything.
He kind of oversaw it. Now they've turned it more
into the NFL model. I got you you guys, go coach.
I'll handle this stuff. And by the way, I'll find
you players too, because that'll be my primary job, not
(17:01):
coach the team and find players.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
And that was the biggest thing for college coaches that
they that they most of them didn't like, some of
them did, but most of them didn't like was the
recruiting aspect of it, because so much time would be
spent of them recruiting high school players and going out
and trying to evaluate high school players. Every coach had
a territory and they had as soon as the season
(17:25):
was over, they were on the road for three months
trying to find high school kids. And I could always
remember my dad, you know, on the road for two
months after the season. I was like, man, he's gone
every week scouting high school kids, going to talk to
coaches and all that kind of stuff. Now, like you said,
it's the NFL model where it's a whole department that
does that so the coaches can focus on coaching. Now,
(17:47):
the coaches still got to close you know, kids going
to parents and whoever's going to still want to meet
Lincoln Riley and feel comfortable. But for the most part,
the legwork, it's been done by a staff.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
All right. I was just I'm sorry, you know, so
you were sitting here. I just saw the story of
Charlie Kirk getting shot. I don't know if you know that.
I saw that pop up as well. It's just it's
just sad.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
He was on campus in Utah, believe, and yeah, someone
took a shot at him with a rifle from like
two hundred and something yards away.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Yeah, and it was pretty bad. Who was he. Let's
say he's a conservative pundit. It doesn't matter at this point, liberal, conservative, whatever,
this man was basically shot in front of a crowd
of people while on stage, and I just saw it
and it just struck me.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
On campus at a college on campus in front of students.
And there was another shooting I believe in Colorado, fred
Wood or at least two kids we were hit and
gone to the hospital. So, you know, I don't know,
it's it's a it's a tough world, you know. You know,
we don't talk Paul, but man, these shootings and things
(19:02):
like that, it just never ends.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Yeah, and Charlie Kirk a wife and two kids. It
just I don't know. I think we're one man's thought.
We're glorifying the wrong people, like the guy that shot
the president of the United Health. That guy turned into
a hero. He assassinated the president of United Health. We're
(19:26):
glorifying the wrong people. Okay, I'm sorry. Rodney had just
caught my eye, all right, So we talked about us.
See let's go across town to UCLA. Isn't it funny
You never realize it when you do it, but one thing,
one moment, one mistake, one word, can change everything. One one.
(19:50):
You see, LA's in trouble. Their football programs in big trouble.
They're not very good. Why I don't know. I guess
maybe you could play to Sean Foster the coach. Maybe
Martin Jarmond made a bad hire. Maybe they were trying
to be economical. I don't have it. I know they're
not very good. I know phant that the roseballer apathetic.
(20:13):
If they even show up, that's an enormous problem, an
enormous problem. The place is cavernous, and it looks like
Pierce College. And when you do one thing, the slightest thing,
and you don't it, maybe it means nothing. But then
it turns around at its perception and it means everything.
(20:36):
And the slightest thing that might have meant nothing. And
we'll excuse to Shaun Foster's opening news conference at Big
ten Media Days. You see la coach. That was terrible.
He didn't look like he should have been in that position.
But that's okay. You give him a break. It's the
first time he's doing it. He's going to grow into it.
Here's the thing this year when he set down his
(20:58):
media policy and we're not gonna talk to anybody, We're
not gonna answer questions. This is the way we're gonna
do it. He put himself on notice, and that notice
was you better be pretty damn good. Okay, we hear
the rules. This is what you choose to focus on.
You better be pretty good. Cause if you're good, then
(21:21):
it worked. But if you're not good, then you've got
a problem. Then people pile on and they exactly And
maybe it was just such a small thing, like a
couple of years ago, Lincoln Riley with the kid from
the Daily News trying to strong arm them, strong arm them. Well,
Lincoln Riley learned that you don't do that, not here,
(21:43):
and he got beat up for the rest of the
season over that. Okay, time has passed and he's changed,
he's learned, he's grown. But when Deshaun Foster said that,
and then you see the performance of the team on
the field, you know this isn't good. And I'll tell
you something else, and you can write it down right now.
(22:04):
If I'm wrong, I leave my words. It ain't gonna
get much better. They're bad. They are not good. I
don't know how you fix that. Yeah, and Rodney, the
bigger problem is they're not good, and the perception is
(22:24):
they're not good. That makes it worse.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Worse than that I think the players know now they're
not good, and that is recipe for real disaster. Getting
blown out at home opening weekend and losing the un LV.
(22:48):
It's disheartening. And then Fred, You've said this for years
and I believe it too. It's like at some point,
why you know, I get it. It's nostalgic to play
at the Rose Bowl. It's like cool, right, it's it's
one of those settings that it's been around for for
(23:10):
over one hundred years, and it's the granddaddy of them all,
and it's all of those things. But to play your
regular season games there, if you're not good, like you said,
that place, you're gonna hear echoes, and the way it's going,
I'd be shocked if they get fifteen thousand people by
(23:32):
the end of the year at those those games, which
is basically nobody right in one hundred and six thousand
seat stadium. So it's just it's been We had we
had Chad on from from USC, Chad voting on from USC,
and he, you know, he talked about USC and how
they've built up, you know, since the ni IL program
(23:55):
you know, started, and the third party money and all
that kind of stuff. That's happening at USC to help them,
you know, grow into this new age of college football.
And it doesn't seem like UCLA is making any kind
of debt. I'm not saying they're not making an effort,
but their level of commitment to it from a grand
(24:19):
scale financially, all of those things just seems inferior. Like
they can't they are not ever going to get over
this hump unless something dramatically changes.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
See, what they don't understand is this, and it's you know,
it's academia, it's education. Here's what they don't get. And
you have to have a school president and a board
that understands this. You may be the greatest school in
the world and kids may flock there and it may
be very tough to get in, but you know, to
(24:53):
operate the school, you're going to need so many kids.
Do you know, if they're not really smart or know
about the school, you don't what's going to send them
to your school, whether you like it or not. It's
the president of the board, winning teams. They want to
be in a place that looks fun. It's college. They
(25:15):
want to be able to say this is my school.
Why do you think why do you think universities invest
so much money in athletics. Why because there's a return
on the investment. Because people want to go to school
there because it excites them. They're part of something. Does
(25:36):
anybody really want to go to LSU? Seriously? Really? Does
anybody really? I know where I want to go to
school where? Alabama? Really you want to go to Alabama?
But I want to be down there. I like that
football program. They're fun, it's fun environment. Yeah. I want
(25:56):
to be a part of that environment, right, I like it.
I'm in. So when you're in a place like UCLA
where they don't invest as heavily because it's a public
university and the board of regents doesn't get it, this
is what you get. This is it. There was a
Division III school here? Should I use the name here?
(26:17):
Here is it? Because you've probably heard of it? Whittier?
What do your college find? School in the sky? At
Conference Division three? They had a president come in. You
know what. The president said, We're not investing in athletics anymore,
not like we did. It's not that important. That's not
(26:37):
what we're gonna stand for. We don't stand for that.
At Whittier. You don't you ended up standing for it nothing.
Your enrollment dropped dramatically, dramatically, Why why the hell are
you going to go there? Where's the school's spirit? Where's
the old fight on? No matter what school, Well, nobody's
(27:01):
gonna go fight out when your team is getting blown
out by forty two points in basketball, it's not gonna happen.
New president came in. They're much better now, much better.
They've invested in football. Why because they believe that they
will make the money back with a football program. And
in Division three there were no scholarships you have to pay,
(27:23):
so they know the importance of athletics. I don't think
the California Border Regents gets it quite frankly, they're academics.
They're the ones that said UCLA needs to pay bag
money to Cal. Poor Cal. Why doesn't anybody want col
because Cal blew. That's why nobody wanted col That's why
(27:46):
they didn't go to the Big Ten. Why they didn't
invest Why because the border regions didn't think it was important.
If UCLA wasn't in Los Angeles, if that same school
was in Tucson, you a Bay or well put them
in cor Dallas where Oregon State is. That's what they
(28:08):
would be they wouldn't be UCLA right now. U c
l A football is Mountain West football. It's Mountain West
football based in Los Angeles. Yeah, you get what you're
paying for. Yeah, and then you got your it's it is. Unfortunately,
go back to the road. You got the students having
(28:30):
the trick what on a Saturday an hour and a
half to get to the Rose Bowl?
Speaker 2 (28:37):
You know, and and in the contrast of you go
to a Saturday at USC and you see the flock
of students walking from campus to the coliseum, and it's
it makes a difference. So if you're not winning, how
many students on a Saturday in LA we know how
(28:58):
to You know, we always talk about you got to
win here because there's so many things to do, so
many other things, so many other distractions. Am I going
to beach? Or am I go to the Rose Bowl
and watch our team get blown out?
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Most of those students are going to beach. Of course,
there's no sense of family or fun. You want to
go to a football game like you're in Gainesville, Florida,
or ann Arbor, Michigan. That's where you want. Josh went
to Kansas State Manhattan, Kansas. I was at some of
those games. Let me tell you what those people were
(29:32):
crazy and they haven't happening time. It's happening on Saturday.
Yeah yeah, But when your team is getting blown out
and playing in this monstrous arena, I mean, it's going
to look like a colony of ants by the end
of the year. That's what the crowd is going to
look like. And you want to know another reason why
UCLA athletics or football program is the way it is.
(29:55):
Thank god mc cronin's a basketball coach. At least he's
got that screwed on straight. I want to know why.
You look at the border regents, you look at the
president of the school, you look at the people at UCLA.
Either out of lack of foresight, utter stupidity, or total arrogance,
they never thought building a stadium on campus was important enough. Yeah. Never,
(30:21):
Well we'll just play the Rose Bull. What kind of
decision is that? Who does that? That would be like
the Dodgers play in Anaheim, but they all everybody's from
Los Angeles. It's like their offices in LA. All the
fans are in LA, but they play in Anaheim. Why
would you do that? How do you build any sense
(30:43):
of camaraderie. You don't and you know, one decision affects
another in business down the road. So no one at UCLA.
And they kicked it around a couple of times riding,
but no one at UCLA sat there and thought, you
know what we need to do. We need to build.
I know the zoning in Westwood, I understand all of that. Well,
(31:04):
we're gonna have a problem with zoning and then we're
not going to get it approved. Guess what, you can
get approved anything you want to get approved if you
know the right people and you know how to do it.
And Rodney, you know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
I do, I absolutely do. I mean think about and
you think about the way stadiums are now where technology
and development. You can tuck stadiums into small spaces, not
like he used to be where you needed, you know,
eight hundred acres to do this and do that.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
You can tuck them in and they don't need an.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Eighty thousand sea stadium, a fifty thousand sea stadium on campus.
It could be perfect for them, perfect for them. And
like you said, if you want to get it but
done bad enough, there's always a guy.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
There is a guy. Do you want to get it done.
Apparently you didn't think it was important enough. So now
look now, look, this is where you're at a languishing program,
struggling beyond belief a B. Truthfully, you said it. The
(32:13):
players believe they're bad. So that's a kiss of death.
And you play two games. See, you have a coach
that is speaking in coach speak, Well, we got to
get better. Well, you know, I saw some good things.
Well we got some things to work on. If the
players are losing faith and the fans have given up,
(32:37):
what's next? What is next? You know what happens in
the NFL. When those stadiums are empty, they fire the coach.
Coach is gone. Those stadiums get empty, coach is gone.
By the way, college football the same thing. If they're
not making money and those seats are empty, the coach
(32:58):
is gone. On Well, there's nobody there anyway, you're gonna
fire Deshaun Foster after two games when you can pretty
much see what's going to happen. They need to make it. Yeah,
(33:18):
they need to overhaul that whole thing. Yeah, what do
you do though? I mean they're you know, we're an
age where you do got to pump not only do
the school. But the alums got to pump the money
into the program and the nil and the collectives out there,
and like you mentioned, they got it going for basketball,
(33:40):
you know, but what about football and the future of
football at UCLA. It doesn't look great right now. And look,
I've always been a proponent that I I always liked
it when both schools in town were really good. I
mean that's where I played, where both schools were competitive.
We were you know, my last three years we were
(34:02):
all and we were in the top ten going into
the season and during the season it was competitive, and
it was great for both programs and great for the city.
And so I root actually for UCLA to be pretty good.
But the way it's going it is, I don't know.
I don't know how. I don't know. I don't know.
(34:24):
I don't know how they survive FRED. They should not
be honestly, not polling on but wrapping up with this,
they should not be in the Big ten in football.
They probably shouldn't be in the Big Ten. The only
reason they're there is because they're based in Los Angeles.
That's the only reason. Their athletic program would not support
(34:45):
them being in the Big ten. The only reason they
are is because you want to have the La mar foketball. Football.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
Yeah, yeah, wouldn't support but but you know, women's basketball
has got it going. Men's basketball's got it going. Some
of the other sports, softball, they got it going. So
I want to lump all athletics. But football, where you
you're supposed to generate most of your money, Yep, they
don't do.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
It all right, big event coming up this weekend, and
a very important event coming up this weekend. We'll talk
about it next.
Speaker 6 (35:22):
Hello Rogan and Robbie listener. Did you know AM five
seventy LA Sports has a wide range of LA Sports podcasts,
shows like petros in Money. We are streaming mat Dodger
Talk with David Vasse.
Speaker 4 (35:36):
The Dodger Podcast of Record.
Speaker 6 (35:37):
Clipper Talk with Ada Moss, follow us all and many more.
Just go to AM five to seventy LA Sports on
the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Yes, keep it moving, Rodney, Pete, Fred Rogan, A beautiful
Wednesday afternoon. Hope you're enjoying your day and not stuck
in that traffic. But if you are, thank you for listening.
We are appreciated.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
The big event coming up this weekend. It's an event
I know, well because I've been many times. Is it
an event celebrating people's recovery from substance abuse alcohol? Doctor
Gary Sai oversees this event. He's going to talk more
about it, and he joins us. Now, doctor Si, thanks
for being.
Speaker 5 (36:20):
Here, Thanks for having us spread super excited to be here.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Pretty exciting stuff to talk about the event. I know
I've been there many times. But let's start by you
just talking about the event.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
So, our annual Olympics event is an Olympics style event
where we celebrate recovery from substance use in all its forms.
Speaker 4 (36:46):
We have.
Speaker 5 (36:48):
Clients, the community providers participating in sporting events like basketball, track, volleyball, weightlifting.
We host this every year every September in honor of
Nation Recovery Bunch. So it's really just a time for
us to celebrate recovery.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
Okay, So that's the headline. Now let me fill in
some blanks. Is that okay?
Speaker 4 (37:08):
Doctor absolutely?
Speaker 1 (37:11):
First of all, if you have gone through any kind
of substance abuse, you realize how difficult it is to recover,
to stop, to admit you've hit rock bottom. And what
these Olympic Games do? It shows that people who have
worked very, very hard, some of them coming from very
difficult circumstances, some of them going through unimaginable things and
(37:34):
putting themselves in harm's way, and two steps from death,
have recovered, have overcome, and they all march together, and
they all come together and they compete in these Olympic
style events. And I have to tell you the event
is at Harbor College, La Harbor College. It is jam packed.
(37:56):
I am not exaggerating because they have friends and family
who are there to support them, and they have others
watching that want to become what they have. It is heartfelt,
it is emotional, and it is jam packed with people. Okay,
(38:17):
doctor side, did I do a good job?
Speaker 4 (38:20):
You did an awesome job.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
And it's this Saturday, right Saturday, September thirteenth, Los Angeles,
Harbor College in Wilmington, California, from nine am to two pm.
Speaker 4 (38:31):
We hope everyone will come out.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Doctor. I don't want to put anybody on the spot,
so I know you confidentiality is a big thing, But
just for our audience sake, can you give an example
of someone who will be competing in those games? And
there are many, many people, but what they might have
gone through without any names.
Speaker 4 (38:49):
Yeah, I mean, you know, we have over thirty five thousand.
Speaker 5 (38:54):
People in Los Angeles County who go through our specialty
Substance Choose treatment system every year. And people who go
through our services may start out in residential substance use
treatment right receiving things like individual counseling group counseling medications
for their addiction, and then go through our continuum of
(39:15):
care to outpatient services for example. And you know, many
times people who are going through recovery, they are dealing
with a number of issues, life issues, sometimes co occurring
mental health issues. These are all things that our trained
practitioners help them to address along their recovery journey.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Doctor the County is there for them, am I correct one?
If anyone, if anyone listening now. And here's the thing
about going through recovery. You have to make the decision
to do it, and more often than not, you don't
do it until something pretty bad happens. That's really I
think the mind of the attic works. That you don't
(40:02):
do anything because you always think you can overcome it
until something really bad happens, and you want to take
care of this before that really bad thing happens. So, doctor,
if anyone is struggling, if anyone is considering recovery, if
anyone wants to change their life, what should they do?
Speaker 4 (40:22):
So a couple of things, you know.
Speaker 5 (40:25):
One is, you know, recognize that substance use disorders are
health condition, not a moral failing.
Speaker 4 (40:30):
Recognize that they're not alone.
Speaker 5 (40:33):
We have treatment services available at no cost to eligible
individuals across the county through medical We serve everyone regardless
of legal status, language preference, sexual identity, or orientation. And
we have a twenty four to seven call center at
one eight hundred eighty five four seven seven seven to
one that anyone can call to get connected with services anytime.
(40:57):
We also have our recover l a dot org website
or if you go on your mobile browser it looks
and feels like a mobile app if you go and
recover la dot org that you can connect with services
there as well.
Speaker 1 (41:13):
Outstanding. All right, Well, congratulations on putting on another one
and best of luck with the event. Doctor Si, thank
you so much for joining us.
Speaker 4 (41:22):
Thank you so much, and hope to see everyone out there.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
It really is a terrific event. I want to thank
doctor Say again for coming on. OK. As we continue
on here, Jack Harris of the Times will join us
as the Dodgers and Rockies get ready again
All right, we continue on, Fred Rgan, Rodney Peat on
AM five to seventy LA Sports. Jack Harris at the
Times will join us next hours. The Dodgers try to
get things finished against Colorado tonight. Now interesting, Rodney, this
is somebody you know pretty well, obviously from USC. The
position of general manager of an athletic department's team is critical.
(00:24):
It's very different than it was, Rodney when you played.
You want to bring Chat on. He's your buddy. Yeah,
let's freak boone.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Come on, come on, man, come on, fight on. You
know it's the brotherhood. Man, feel easy coming on with
Rogan and Rodney. How are you doing?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
I'm doing great? How you guys doing?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
We are doing good? Never mind Fred? You know where'd
you go? Fred? Little? What was that school you went to? Then?
I went to Phoenix College, home of the Fighting Bears.
There you go, there you go.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I think they eliminated all sports after Fred left. I
think that's what happened there. All right, Chat, So you know,
thanks for coming on. First of all, I really really
appreciated and you know, Fred or it kind of chastised
me a little bit because I'm pretty excited that we're
(01:15):
two and oh right now. And I came in after
both weeks and I said, hey, how about them Trojans
two and Ohlways said, who have you played? Who have
you played? Why are you getting so excited? I said,
two and oh was two and oh? In this day
and age of college football and any kind of sports,
when you win, it's a good thing, am I right?
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Jed, that's right, absolutely, there is no doubt. And obviously
you see the start to the season, you know that
we're having. Man, we're really excited with what our guys
have been able to do obviously the first two games.
But you know, we're just focused on having the best
Wednesday practice and that's all we're focused on is every
(01:54):
single day maximizing our full potential, which is you know,
in the end, going to lead us to the results
that we want.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Now, now, Chad, I gotta I gotta ask you this, man,
because you you come from another iconic program, a big
time branded program in Notre Dame. You come there, you
come to sc How has that transition been for you?
Speaker 1 (02:20):
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Obviously when you're at Notre Dame it's much like USC
that eight people they bleed blue and gold and green
and gold back there in South Bend, Cardinal Gold you
bleed it out here. How has that transition been because
it's not often that you see someone at your level
come from Notre Dame to USC and then or vice versa.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Yeah, I think you know, to me, you know, not
to really touch on you know, the you know, my
previous employer. But USC was always the place I wanted
to be at. And you know that stem from you know,
being a young kid and I thought I was the
right handed Matt Leonard out at recess, in elementary school,
at middle school. So you know, this was always the
(03:05):
place I wanted to be. I have nothing but respect
for for you know, what we were able to accomplish
at the University of Notre Dame, in particular what we
did last year in twenty twenty four, to memory, I'll
live with me for a lifetime. But you know, USC
was always the place for me. I always wanted this.
I always wanted to work here. I always wanted to,
(03:26):
you know, be a part of this university everything that
it stands for. It's in the greatest city in the world,
in the city of Los Angeles, the city of Champions.
You know, it's it's not bad waking up every day
and it's seventy and sunny with no clouds in the sky.
The people are phenomenal. The way that me and my
wife Ava have been treated over the last seven months
have been here has been nothing but unbelievable within the
(03:49):
Trojan family. And I'm just blessed to be here. This
is this is the greatest opportunity of my entire life.
And you know, I'm just I'm just so blessed. Every
day i'm here, I'm just so incredibly grateful for because
I know all that have that have come to this
university before me, and uh, you know, I think in
a lot of ways, I've always bled Cardinal and Gold.
(04:13):
You know, I'm just glad that it's official now, see.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
That, Fred, See I'm not the only one. See that.
You know what the gentlemen us he pays the most.
That's what he just said.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Rodney, all right, anyway, Chad, that's not true.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
That's not true. Yeah, we're gonna cut you off. D uh, Chad.
Can you for people that don't really understand, describe what
the job of general manager is? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
I think the greatest and and everyone every GM in
college football has different roles at different places. I think
my role here at USC, you know, I think it's
to ensure that our coaches can really focus on the
players and focus on coaching. And you know, there's a
lot of different areas in the program, whether it's strength, nutrition,
(05:02):
you know, recruiting, n I L. You know, there's a
lot of different areas you know that that go on
in in an organization. And you know, it's my job
to make sure that we're you know, functioning at the
highest level in every single aspect, so our coaches can
focus on our players so they can reach their full potential,
and our coaches can be the best, you know, coaches
(05:24):
in the country, which we which we have, you know,
we have the we have the best coaches in the country,
and I just want them to be able to focus
on doing their job and you know, helping the Trojans,
you know, win some more football games.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
And and Chad you spoke of as the recruiting guru
when you were at Notre Dame man and and and
hopefully that continues that at USC. But but nowadays in
college football, how challenging is it when you've got the
transfer portal and guys can leave at a moment's notice.
I remember, you know, being recruited and and there was
(05:58):
big right ups about we had the top one and
the top five recruiting classes, and everybody came in as
freshmen and most of us red shirted, and then we
grew together and by the time we were juniors, we
were all bonded and we knew we were going to
be be pretty good.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
But it feels like that.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
That really doesn't happen anymore, because guys, even if you're
a great blue chip quarterback and you happen to not
win the job, you're a backup. You may not stay
to get your one year or two year opportunity.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
You may leave.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
How challenging is it for you building a program when
that option's on the table for the kids that you
recruit as freshmen coming.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
In, well, I think what you have to do is
you have to you have to be transparent with the
kids that you're bringing in, and you have to bring
in the right kids that value the place. You know, like,
this is a place I want to be a USC
for a long time. And I'm just giving you you know,
my I chose USC because this is where I wanted
(06:59):
to be. I don't want to go anywhere, and the
kids that I recruit, I want them to come here
because they value the education, they value the Trojan network
and what it can do for them for the rest
of their life. Obviously, we're going to recruit the best
players in the country. We have one of the best
classes in the country, but they also have to really
want to be here, and that helps with retention. And
then while they're here, while they're here and you're transparent
(07:22):
with them and they know exactly why they're here, and
kind of you know the timeline because everybody's timetables different.
There are guys that might not play for three years,
then all of a sudden play in year four in
their draft picks that've been around a lot of them,
and you know, you have to make sure that you're
being transparent with these kids. You're truly invested in their lives.
You're down there at academics every day, you're down there
(07:43):
at medical making sure that they're getting the best treatment.
You know, you're making sure from a nutrition standpoint that
we're helping them reach their full potential. When it comes
to their bodies. You have to be able to really
care about these kids because they could feel it and
if they feel it, they won't want to leave you.
And that's what we're trying to do here every single day.
(08:04):
And you know, just yeah, that's kind of why I
hit on, we had a great Tuesday practice. We have
to have the best Wednesday, you know that us he's
ever had. We have to have the best Wednesday we've
had up to this point. That's all we can focus on.
And we really have to do that, not only on
the football field, but we have to do that academically.
We have to do that, you know, with what we're
putting in our bodies. We have to make sure that
(08:25):
they're getting the proper sleep and they're understanding why that's
important every single aspect.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Of their day.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
They have to know that we care about are very
intentional and all that's going to do is help with
retention and all of a sudden, these kids are going
to stay because they know they're getting better.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah. I get I get that, but Jaed, you know that.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
You know you got a kid that is a five
star recruit coming out of modern day or somewhere in
southern California dreamed about playing at Sea's Old Life, like
you said, Matt Leonard Carson Palmer, all those guys, I'm
the next one.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
And you get here at Jackson.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Dark comes and next thing you know, there's a coaching
change and then uh, Caleb Williams comes in. I gotta
go because I'm not going to play the next three years,
so i gotta have aspirations of playing in the NFL.
That is the reality of where you know college football
is right now and when that happened, something like that happens.
(09:22):
I know you want everybody to stay, but you talk
about being transport, transparent and honest with the kids, do
you also have that counseling and that that compassion to
say to a kid like like a Jackson Dart, Hey, look,
we understand. If you need us to make calls, we'll
do whatever we can to find a home for you.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Yeah. I mean, if you really care about a kid
and you're you're you're gonna do what's what's best for them,
and you're going to be transparent with them if if
you feel like this isn't the place. But I think
you know, ultimately, whenever you're recruiting a kid, you know
you want to make sure or that that that person
understands like, hey, you know, everyone's time is different. You know,
(10:05):
we're not promising you that you're gonna come in and play.
We're not gonna We're not gonna lead that way. And
I think that alleviates the issues of them going into
the transfer portal. Obviously, I've recruited a lot of five stars,
and never is in my never has my m O been, hey,
you're gonna come here and start right away. The MO
is you're going to come in and develop, and you're
gonna you're gonna become the best version of yourself. And
(10:27):
and that's what these kids should, you know. And and
sometimes that's that's when you find out if they're the
right kid too, if you're transparent with them and they
like that, or if they're like, no, I'm not going
to go there because you didn't promise me something right,
you know, well, then okay, well then maybe we're not
the right place for you. We're gonna build a culture
around the right kids, you know not. I don't care
(10:49):
what they're rated. I don't care, you know about what
they're you know, stars are I care about acquiring the
right kid that's going to be best for this program.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Chad Bulden is with it's all right, let me ask
you this, Chad, because I've made this statement numerous times.
I don't think at the Division I level, and in
your position, you know, I think you'd have a better
understanding of it than anybody. I don't think at the
D one level where kids are trying to become pros
you can call them student athletes anymore. I think they're
more athlete students. They get paid, there's nil What do
(11:24):
you think of that analogy?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Yeah, I think you know, these are still eighteen to
twenty two year old kids, and I think if that's
how we start to view it, this becomes transactional, and
that's not what it is in this program, and it
won't be that way. This is about, you know, helping
these kids become the best version of themselves every single day. Obviously,
(11:48):
money is a part of it now everyone knows that,
you know, But that's not what I got into this for,
and that's not what a lot of us got into
this for. We got into it because we love young
people and we want young people to achieve their dreams
and goals. And you know, that's what I got into
this for, and that's that'll always be the main thing,
you know, for me. And it will be the main
(12:10):
thing in USC too, because what they get from the
education here, what they're going to get from this degree
is life changing and that's that's what this should all
be about, and what we could do for them every
single day, you know, to help keep them accountable and
discipline and these are things you know, we get them
(12:31):
for four years, it's going to impact the next forty
years of their life. And that's what's most important to me,
and it will be the most important thing in this program.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Hey, Chad, if you know right now.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Obviously it's exciting and it's really great for the players.
They have more opportunities now than they ever have in
the past. H But it also feels somewhat like a
little bit of like a talent without a sheriff a
little bit when you talk I nil and transfer portal
and things that are happening.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
If you had to.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Looking into a crystal ball and see what you would
like to see in the next five years or any
changes you'd like to see, what would there be? Is
there one or two that you would like? Man, we
could adjust this in a certain way.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
There's not one thing I could pinpoint, you know, I
think the way I've always operated with this stuff, especially nowadays,
because it feels like something changes every single day, you know,
and someone's tweeting out something that could happen every single day.
All I know is whatever's in the now, we're going
to execute at the highest level, and we're going to
make it about what's in the now. You know, there's
(13:42):
not one thing I could pinpoint that I want want
to see change or want to see, you know whatever. Obviously,
I love that players are getting paid, and I want
our players to get paid, and you know, I think
that's you know, it's phenomenal. They should be able to
use their name, image and likeness, and uh, you know,
(14:02):
we're we're as uh you know, we're as strong as
anybody in n I L when it comes to, uh,
you know, the new era of college sports, and we're
always going to be positioned for success. And it's because
we understand, you know, everyone else is uh, you know,
trying to come up with, you know, new models and
(14:24):
new new ways. We just we're operating the model that
you know, we currently have. Now we understand what could
be down the pipeline. There's there's multiple things that have
been discussed and we have multiple plans. We're always going
to be positioned to win, you know, and that's a
that's a huge benefit to USC is we have the
greatest city in the world. We have I mean, we
(14:45):
have better third party NIL deals in anywhere in the
country here at USC, which is a huge benefit to us,
and it will continue to be a huge advantage for us,
you know, whenever, when, when ever they figure out where
this thing is gonna go.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Chad, appreciate you coming on. Thanks for the info. Really
really do appreciate it. I love it, love it. Leave
that cargo and go baby, let's go.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Let's get it.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
There goes the GM of a USC football chat Bolt.
But what is happening cross town? You may ask? We
will answer that next.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
Make AM five seventy l a sports a preset before
you plug in your phone. Presets in the iHeartRadio app
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Speaker 2 (15:48):
That's right, Rogan and Rode and keeping it moving on
a Wednesday, a hump day. Many thanks Chad Bowden for
dmf USC. We're joining us and giving us a lot
of information. Man, it's a new world out there. Freddie
in college football, in college sports in general, and to
(16:11):
navigate that is not an easy task.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
I thought his response to what is your job? Yeah,
I thought that was a really good response. It's the
stuff you don't think about. Lincoln Riley makes a lot
of money, so it was coaches. The more they win,
the more money the school generates. Pretty simple. Revenue follows ratings, wins,
money follows wins. And in college football, yes, the coach
(16:39):
at staff and they would administer to things, but the
coach was really involved in all this stuff from nutrition everything.
He kind of oversaw it. Now they've turned it more
into the NFL model. I got you you guys, go coach.
I'll handle this stuff. And by the way, I'll find
you players too, because that'll be my primary job, not
(17:01):
coach the team and find players.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
And that was the biggest thing for college coaches that
they that they most of them didn't like, some of
them did, but most of them didn't like was the
recruiting aspect of it, because so much time would be
spent of them recruiting high school players and going out
and trying to evaluate high school players. Every coach had
a territory and they had as soon as the season
(17:25):
was over, they were on the road for three months
trying to find high school kids. And I could always
remember my dad, you know, on the road for two
months after the season. I was like, man, he's gone
every week scouting high school kids, going to talk to
coaches and all that kind of stuff. Now, like you said,
it's the NFL model where it's a whole department that
does that so the coaches can focus on coaching. Now,
(17:47):
the coaches still got to close you know, kids going
to parents and whoever's going to still want to meet
Lincoln Riley and feel comfortable. But for the most part,
the legwork, it's been done by a staff.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
All right. I was just I'm sorry, you know, so
you were sitting here. I just saw the story of
Charlie Kirk getting shot. I don't know if you know that.
I saw that pop up as well. It's just it's
just sad.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
He was on campus in Utah, believe, and yeah, someone
took a shot at him with a rifle from like
two hundred and something yards away.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Yeah, and it was pretty bad. Who was he. Let's
say he's a conservative pundit. It doesn't matter at this point, liberal, conservative, whatever,
this man was basically shot in front of a crowd
of people while on stage, and I just saw it
and it just struck me.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
On campus at a college on campus in front of students.
And there was another shooting I believe in Colorado, fred
Wood or at least two kids we were hit and
gone to the hospital. So, you know, I don't know,
it's it's a it's a tough world, you know. You know,
we don't talk Paul, but man, these shootings and things
(19:02):
like that, it just never ends.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Yeah, and Charlie Kirk a wife and two kids. It
just I don't know. I think we're one man's thought.
We're glorifying the wrong people, like the guy that shot
the president of the United Health. That guy turned into
a hero. He assassinated the president of United Health. We're
(19:26):
glorifying the wrong people. Okay, I'm sorry. Rodney had just
caught my eye, all right, So we talked about us.
See let's go across town to UCLA. Isn't it funny
You never realize it when you do it, but one thing,
one moment, one mistake, one word, can change everything. One one.
(19:50):
You see, LA's in trouble. Their football programs in big trouble.
They're not very good. Why I don't know. I guess
maybe you could play to Sean Foster the coach. Maybe
Martin Jarmond made a bad hire. Maybe they were trying
to be economical. I don't have it. I know they're
not very good. I know phant that the roseballer apathetic.
(20:13):
If they even show up, that's an enormous problem, an
enormous problem. The place is cavernous, and it looks like
Pierce College. And when you do one thing, the slightest thing,
and you don't it, maybe it means nothing. But then
it turns around at its perception and it means everything.
(20:36):
And the slightest thing that might have meant nothing. And
we'll excuse to Shaun Foster's opening news conference at Big
ten Media Days. You see la coach. That was terrible.
He didn't look like he should have been in that position.
But that's okay. You give him a break. It's the
first time he's doing it. He's going to grow into it.
Here's the thing this year when he set down his
(20:58):
media policy and we're not gonna talk to anybody, We're
not gonna answer questions. This is the way we're gonna
do it. He put himself on notice, and that notice
was you better be pretty damn good. Okay, we hear
the rules. This is what you choose to focus on.
You better be pretty good. Cause if you're good, then
(21:21):
it worked. But if you're not good, then you've got
a problem. Then people pile on and they exactly And
maybe it was just such a small thing, like a
couple of years ago, Lincoln Riley with the kid from
the Daily News trying to strong arm them, strong arm them. Well,
Lincoln Riley learned that you don't do that, not here,
(21:43):
and he got beat up for the rest of the
season over that. Okay, time has passed and he's changed,
he's learned, he's grown. But when Deshaun Foster said that,
and then you see the performance of the team on
the field, you know this isn't good. And I'll tell
you something else, and you can write it down right now.
(22:04):
If I'm wrong, I leave my words. It ain't gonna
get much better. They're bad. They are not good. I
don't know how you fix that. Yeah, and Rodney, the
bigger problem is they're not good, and the perception is
(22:24):
they're not good. That makes it worse.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Worse than that I think the players know now they're
not good, and that is recipe for real disaster. Getting
blown out at home opening weekend and losing the un LV.
(22:48):
It's disheartening. And then Fred, You've said this for years
and I believe it too. It's like at some point,
why you know, I get it. It's nostalgic to play
at the Rose Bowl. It's like cool, right, it's it's
one of those settings that it's been around for for
(23:10):
over one hundred years, and it's the granddaddy of them all,
and it's all of those things. But to play your
regular season games there, if you're not good, like you said,
that place, you're gonna hear echoes, and the way it's going,
I'd be shocked if they get fifteen thousand people by
(23:32):
the end of the year at those those games, which
is basically nobody right in one hundred and six thousand
seat stadium. So it's just it's been We had we
had Chad on from from USC, Chad voting on from USC,
and he, you know, he talked about USC and how
they've built up, you know, since the ni IL program
(23:55):
you know, started, and the third party money and all
that kind of stuff. That's happening at USC to help them,
you know, grow into this new age of college football.
And it doesn't seem like UCLA is making any kind
of debt. I'm not saying they're not making an effort,
but their level of commitment to it from a grand
(24:19):
scale financially, all of those things just seems inferior. Like
they can't they are not ever going to get over
this hump unless something dramatically changes.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
See, what they don't understand is this, and it's you know,
it's academia, it's education. Here's what they don't get. And
you have to have a school president and a board
that understands this. You may be the greatest school in
the world and kids may flock there and it may
be very tough to get in, but you know, to
(24:53):
operate the school, you're going to need so many kids.
Do you know, if they're not really smart or know
about the school, you don't what's going to send them
to your school, whether you like it or not. It's
the president of the board, winning teams. They want to
be in a place that looks fun. It's college. They
(25:15):
want to be able to say this is my school.
Why do you think why do you think universities invest
so much money in athletics. Why because there's a return
on the investment. Because people want to go to school
there because it excites them. They're part of something. Does
(25:36):
anybody really want to go to LSU? Seriously? Really? Does
anybody really? I know where I want to go to
school where? Alabama? Really you want to go to Alabama?
But I want to be down there. I like that
football program. They're fun, it's fun environment. Yeah. I want
(25:56):
to be a part of that environment, right, I like it.
I'm in. So when you're in a place like UCLA
where they don't invest as heavily because it's a public
university and the board of regents doesn't get it, this
is what you get. This is it. There was a
Division III school here? Should I use the name here?
(26:17):
Here is it? Because you've probably heard of it? Whittier?
What do your college find? School in the sky? At
Conference Division three? They had a president come in. You
know what. The president said, We're not investing in athletics anymore,
not like we did. It's not that important. That's not
(26:37):
what we're gonna stand for. We don't stand for that.
At Whittier. You don't you ended up standing for it nothing.
Your enrollment dropped dramatically, dramatically, Why why the hell are
you going to go there? Where's the school's spirit? Where's
the old fight on? No matter what school, Well, nobody's
(27:01):
gonna go fight out when your team is getting blown
out by forty two points in basketball, it's not gonna happen.
New president came in. They're much better now, much better.
They've invested in football. Why because they believe that they
will make the money back with a football program. And
in Division three there were no scholarships you have to pay,
(27:23):
so they know the importance of athletics. I don't think
the California Border Regents gets it quite frankly, they're academics.
They're the ones that said UCLA needs to pay bag
money to Cal. Poor Cal. Why doesn't anybody want col
because Cal blew. That's why nobody wanted col That's why
(27:46):
they didn't go to the Big Ten. Why they didn't
invest Why because the border regions didn't think it was important.
If UCLA wasn't in Los Angeles, if that same school
was in Tucson, you a Bay or well put them
in cor Dallas where Oregon State is. That's what they
(28:08):
would be they wouldn't be UCLA right now. U c
l A football is Mountain West football. It's Mountain West
football based in Los Angeles. Yeah, you get what you're
paying for. Yeah, and then you got your it's it is. Unfortunately,
go back to the road. You got the students having
(28:30):
the trick what on a Saturday an hour and a
half to get to the Rose Bowl?
Speaker 2 (28:37):
You know, and and in the contrast of you go
to a Saturday at USC and you see the flock
of students walking from campus to the coliseum, and it's
it makes a difference. So if you're not winning, how
many students on a Saturday in LA we know how
(28:58):
to You know, we always talk about you got to
win here because there's so many things to do, so
many other things, so many other distractions. Am I going
to beach? Or am I go to the Rose Bowl
and watch our team get blown out?
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Most of those students are going to beach. Of course,
there's no sense of family or fun. You want to
go to a football game like you're in Gainesville, Florida,
or ann Arbor, Michigan. That's where you want. Josh went
to Kansas State Manhattan, Kansas. I was at some of
those games. Let me tell you what those people were
(29:32):
crazy and they haven't happening time. It's happening on Saturday.
Yeah yeah, But when your team is getting blown out
and playing in this monstrous arena, I mean, it's going
to look like a colony of ants by the end
of the year. That's what the crowd is going to
look like. And you want to know another reason why
UCLA athletics or football program is the way it is.
(29:55):
Thank god mc cronin's a basketball coach. At least he's
got that screwed on straight. I want to know why.
You look at the border regents, you look at the
president of the school, you look at the people at UCLA.
Either out of lack of foresight, utter stupidity, or total arrogance,
they never thought building a stadium on campus was important enough. Yeah. Never,
(30:21):
Well we'll just play the Rose Bull. What kind of
decision is that? Who does that? That would be like
the Dodgers play in Anaheim, but they all everybody's from
Los Angeles. It's like their offices in LA. All the
fans are in LA, but they play in Anaheim. Why
would you do that? How do you build any sense
(30:43):
of camaraderie. You don't and you know, one decision affects
another in business down the road. So no one at UCLA.
And they kicked it around a couple of times riding,
but no one at UCLA sat there and thought, you
know what we need to do. We need to build.
I know the zoning in Westwood, I understand all of that. Well,
(31:04):
we're gonna have a problem with zoning and then we're
not going to get it approved. Guess what, you can
get approved anything you want to get approved if you
know the right people and you know how to do it.
And Rodney, you know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
I do, I absolutely do. I mean think about and
you think about the way stadiums are now where technology
and development. You can tuck stadiums into small spaces, not
like he used to be where you needed, you know,
eight hundred acres to do this and do that.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
You can tuck them in and they don't need an.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Eighty thousand sea stadium, a fifty thousand sea stadium on campus.
It could be perfect for them, perfect for them. And
like you said, if you want to get it but
done bad enough, there's always a guy.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
There is a guy. Do you want to get it done.
Apparently you didn't think it was important enough. So now
look now, look, this is where you're at a languishing program,
struggling beyond belief a B. Truthfully, you said it. The
(32:13):
players believe they're bad. So that's a kiss of death.
And you play two games. See, you have a coach
that is speaking in coach speak, Well, we got to
get better. Well, you know, I saw some good things.
Well we got some things to work on. If the
players are losing faith and the fans have given up,
(32:37):
what's next? What is next? You know what happens in
the NFL. When those stadiums are empty, they fire the coach.
Coach is gone. Those stadiums get empty, coach is gone.
By the way, college football the same thing. If they're
not making money and those seats are empty, the coach
(32:58):
is gone. On Well, there's nobody there anyway, you're gonna
fire Deshaun Foster after two games when you can pretty
much see what's going to happen. They need to make it. Yeah,
(33:18):
they need to overhaul that whole thing. Yeah, what do
you do though? I mean they're you know, we're an
age where you do got to pump not only do
the school. But the alums got to pump the money
into the program and the nil and the collectives out there,
and like you mentioned, they got it going for basketball,
(33:40):
you know, but what about football and the future of
football at UCLA. It doesn't look great right now. And look,
I've always been a proponent that I I always liked
it when both schools in town were really good. I
mean that's where I played, where both schools were competitive.
We were you know, my last three years we were
(34:02):
all and we were in the top ten going into
the season and during the season it was competitive, and
it was great for both programs and great for the city.
And so I root actually for UCLA to be pretty good.
But the way it's going it is, I don't know.
I don't know how. I don't know. I don't know.
(34:24):
I don't know how they survive FRED. They should not
be honestly, not polling on but wrapping up with this,
they should not be in the Big ten in football.
They probably shouldn't be in the Big Ten. The only
reason they're there is because they're based in Los Angeles.
That's the only reason. Their athletic program would not support
(34:45):
them being in the Big ten. The only reason they
are is because you want to have the La mar foketball. Football.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
Yeah, yeah, wouldn't support but but you know, women's basketball
has got it going. Men's basketball's got it going. Some
of the other sports, softball, they got it going. So
I want to lump all athletics. But football, where you
you're supposed to generate most of your money, Yep, they
don't do.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
It all right, big event coming up this weekend, and
a very important event coming up this weekend. We'll talk
about it next.
Speaker 6 (35:22):
Hello Rogan and Robbie listener. Did you know AM five
seventy LA Sports has a wide range of LA Sports podcasts,
shows like petros in Money. We are streaming mat Dodger
Talk with David Vasse.
Speaker 4 (35:36):
The Dodger Podcast of Record.
Speaker 6 (35:37):
Clipper Talk with Ada Moss, follow us all and many more.
Just go to AM five to seventy LA Sports on
the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Yes, keep it moving, Rodney, Pete, Fred Rogan, A beautiful
Wednesday afternoon. Hope you're enjoying your day and not stuck
in that traffic. But if you are, thank you for listening.
We are appreciated.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
The big event coming up this weekend. It's an event
I know, well because I've been many times. Is it
an event celebrating people's recovery from substance abuse alcohol? Doctor
Gary Sai oversees this event. He's going to talk more
about it, and he joins us. Now, doctor Si, thanks
for being.
Speaker 5 (36:20):
Here, Thanks for having us spread super excited to be here.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Pretty exciting stuff to talk about the event. I know
I've been there many times. But let's start by you
just talking about the event.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
So, our annual Olympics event is an Olympics style event
where we celebrate recovery from substance use in all its forms.
Speaker 4 (36:46):
We have.
Speaker 5 (36:48):
Clients, the community providers participating in sporting events like basketball, track, volleyball, weightlifting.
We host this every year every September in honor of
Nation Recovery Bunch. So it's really just a time for
us to celebrate recovery.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
Okay, So that's the headline. Now let me fill in
some blanks. Is that okay?
Speaker 4 (37:08):
Doctor absolutely?
Speaker 1 (37:11):
First of all, if you have gone through any kind
of substance abuse, you realize how difficult it is to recover,
to stop, to admit you've hit rock bottom. And what
these Olympic Games do? It shows that people who have
worked very, very hard, some of them coming from very
difficult circumstances, some of them going through unimaginable things and
(37:34):
putting themselves in harm's way, and two steps from death,
have recovered, have overcome, and they all march together, and
they all come together and they compete in these Olympic
style events. And I have to tell you the event
is at Harbor College, La Harbor College. It is jam packed.
(37:56):
I am not exaggerating because they have friends and family
who are there to support them, and they have others
watching that want to become what they have. It is heartfelt,
it is emotional, and it is jam packed with people. Okay,
(38:17):
doctor side, did I do a good job?
Speaker 4 (38:20):
You did an awesome job.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
And it's this Saturday, right Saturday, September thirteenth, Los Angeles,
Harbor College in Wilmington, California, from nine am to two pm.
Speaker 4 (38:31):
We hope everyone will come out.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Doctor. I don't want to put anybody on the spot,
so I know you confidentiality is a big thing, But
just for our audience sake, can you give an example
of someone who will be competing in those games? And
there are many, many people, but what they might have
gone through without any names.
Speaker 4 (38:49):
Yeah, I mean, you know, we have over thirty five thousand.
Speaker 5 (38:54):
People in Los Angeles County who go through our specialty
Substance Choose treatment system every year. And people who go
through our services may start out in residential substance use
treatment right receiving things like individual counseling group counseling medications
for their addiction, and then go through our continuum of
(39:15):
care to outpatient services for example. And you know, many
times people who are going through recovery, they are dealing
with a number of issues, life issues, sometimes co occurring
mental health issues. These are all things that our trained
practitioners help them to address along their recovery journey.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Doctor the County is there for them, am I correct one?
If anyone, if anyone listening now. And here's the thing
about going through recovery. You have to make the decision
to do it, and more often than not, you don't
do it until something pretty bad happens. That's really I
think the mind of the attic works. That you don't
(40:02):
do anything because you always think you can overcome it
until something really bad happens, and you want to take
care of this before that really bad thing happens. So, doctor,
if anyone is struggling, if anyone is considering recovery, if
anyone wants to change their life, what should they do?
Speaker 4 (40:22):
So a couple of things, you know.
Speaker 5 (40:25):
One is, you know, recognize that substance use disorders are
health condition, not a moral failing.
Speaker 4 (40:30):
Recognize that they're not alone.
Speaker 5 (40:33):
We have treatment services available at no cost to eligible
individuals across the county through medical We serve everyone regardless
of legal status, language preference, sexual identity, or orientation. And
we have a twenty four to seven call center at
one eight hundred eighty five four seven seven seven to
one that anyone can call to get connected with services anytime.
(40:57):
We also have our recover l a dot org website
or if you go on your mobile browser it looks
and feels like a mobile app if you go and
recover la dot org that you can connect with services
there as well.
Speaker 1 (41:13):
Outstanding. All right, Well, congratulations on putting on another one
and best of luck with the event. Doctor Si, thank
you so much for joining us.
Speaker 4 (41:22):
Thank you so much, and hope to see everyone out there.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
It really is a terrific event. I want to thank
doctor Say again for coming on. OK. As we continue
on here, Jack Harris of the Times will join us
as the Dodgers and Rockies get ready again
Roggin And Rodney News
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