WED POD @SpenceChecketts on Utah @ WYO, BYU/Big 12, RSL v SKC + more

Catch “The Drive with Spence Checketts” from 2 pm to 6 pm weekdays on ESPN 700 & 92.1 FM. Produced by Porter Larsen. The latest on the Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, Utes, BYU + more sports storylines.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Currently we are looking at eighty six degrees in sunny
here in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. We're gonna cool
out a little bit over the weekend in the seventies.
It looks like a lovely ten day forecast is ahead.
Gotta love the month of September. Of course, football back
the weather's awesome fives are high here in downtown sol
Lake City, Utah, and our Broadway Media studio Spence checkets

(00:21):
behind the Mike, Porter Larsen beyond the glass today producing
the program. And of course you know the deal as
it is every day. It's good to have you along
for the ride. A lot to do on this Wednesdays.
We get you halfway through that work week. We'll get
you one day closer to the weekend here on the
program with a really good guest list. High speed ahead
to week two of pro football. It's gonna get going tomorrow.

(00:41):
After a really fun first week in the NFL, I
think great Thursday night till don't forget. We are your
home of NFL football in the market. College football as well.
Biggest and best football games in the market can be
found here on ESPN seven. Hun Are We're going to
get going Tomorrow night with a little Thursday football in
Green Bay, Wisconsin at the hallowed ground of lambeau Field,

(01:04):
where the Packers will take on the Commanders, two kind
of sneaky picks to maybe go to the Super Bowl
and do something fun this year. So we've got a
great Thursday Night till right out the gates coming out
tomorrow and a full slate of Sunday games includes the
Bills it met Life to take on the Jets, an
old school rivalry but not so much anymore.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
Giants, Cowboys.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
We're gonna see Ben Johnson back at Ford Field to
take on the Lions.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
It will be the Bears and the Lions.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
We have a rematch of the Super Bowl from a
year ago Sunday afternoon in Kansas City where the Eagles
and the Chiefs will do battle. Philly took care of
the Giants week one, while Kansas City went down to
South Polo and lost to the Los Angeles Chargers. Sunday
night game in Minneapolis after Young JJ McCarthy announced his
arrival on the scene with a Sunday Night miracle. He'll

(01:56):
welcome in Michael Pennock Junior and the Atlanta Falcons. We'll
dip on Monday nights on ESPN and ABC Buccaneers and
the Texans.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
Then it's the Chargers and the Raiders.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
So big weekend ahead in the world of pro football,
and then move over.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
To the college football scene.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Of course, we are high speed ahead the Utah and Wyoming.
I want to remind you that that kick in Laramie
is six o'clock on Saturday on CBS Sports Network, but
our coverage will begin at two o'clock with Porter Larson
and a cast of former Uthes including Trevor Riley, including
Zach Moss and others. So set your alarm on Saturday

(02:36):
for two o'clock and tune into ESPN seven hundred for
game day coverage of Utah football. By you want to buy,
my feelings on that are well known. I think it's
way too early to have a buy. BYU is gonna
have a couple of buys. Most teams of college football
will this year, which I also find unnecessary. So BYU
preparing for East Carolina, as we've talked about, probably a

(02:59):
little bit of Sarah dipity for Brigham Young this year,
having a very simplistic start to their season. Probably you're
not going to learn a lot about them until we
see them play Utah down in Provo. They've got a
really easy start to the season. They've already dispatched at
Portland State and Stanford very easily. They'll be on the
road next week at East Carolina, and then they'll be

(03:19):
in Boulder at Colorado. Colorado one of the worst teams
in the Big Twelve, so is West Virginia. I think
at Arizona will be an interesting I'm still kind of
waiting to learn a little bit more about Arizona.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
Of course, they've got a good quarterback under center.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
And then we're all already looking forward to that game
down in Provo, where both Utah and BYU, in my opinion,
have a real shot at being six to oh prior
to that matchup. Now for Utah not as fortunate. CBS
Sports believe Utah has the hardest schedule in the Big
Twelve this year. Of course, already UCLA and cal Poly

(03:53):
go to seven thousand plus feet elevation to take on
a Wyoming Cowboy team they should handle pretty well. And
then Texas Tech roles into town. Fox Big Newon Kickoff
rolls into town coming up two weeks a week from Saturday,
week and a half from right now, it's a ten
am kick I know a lot of you aren't just
about that, but it'll be fun to have a Fox
Big newon kickoff. Here we are efforting Joel Klatt, We

(04:15):
are efforting Gus Johnson. Gus has been on the show
a number of times. Good friend of the program. So
we'll see what we can do there. The Big Twelve
continues to take a shot after shot from a lot
of people who don't believe this conference is any good
this year Big twelve slate.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
We'll get going on Friday.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
I believe the Case State Arizona game is not a
conference matchup. I believe that was scheduled when Arizona was
a member of the Pac twelve. But Colorado and Houston
will do battle. Houston's offense looks better than it did
a year ago. Colorado is going to make a change
of quarterback. Will inform you what that is, and then
not a lot of great non con Big Twelve opportunities.

(04:52):
Those opportunities have been presented over the past couple of
weeks and unfortunately have not been capitalized upon by most
of the Big twelve team. So, as we have already
mentioned and of course, we'll talk about a lot throughout
the rest of the week. Utah Wyoming, Baylor welcomes in Sanford,
Texas Tech welcomes in Olympian.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
Oregon State Beaver team.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
It'll be West Virginia Pitt Cincinnati, who I still think
might be in this thing. They're going to take on
Northwestern State. Iowa State is clean, they're three and oh
they probably have the best resume in the Big Twelve.
They're going to be in Jonesboro, Arkansas to take on
Arkansas State, Adelaine Christian against TCU, and then Texas State
Arizona State.

Speaker 2 (05:31):
So a lot of dog games in the Big Twelve.

Speaker 1 (05:34):
And of course I'm the guy that bitches about the
schedule all the time, and I will continue to because
these games are horrible for the consumer. Now, speaking of
the consumer, new data through the course of three weeks
of college football from our friends at Sports Media Watch
indicate that college football ratings up twenty five percent year
over year, and so far that would be the third

(05:55):
straight year of heightened consumption. Transfer portal nil. They have
not injured this sport, and we've had a lot of
really good early season matchups. We have a decent slate.
As far as the national big picture goes, we'll see
if Oregon can keep their their momentum going. They're on
the road at Northwestern, and we've got a couple of

(06:16):
other games.

Speaker 2 (06:16):
Kind of keeping an.

Speaker 1 (06:17):
Eye on Bamba bounce back last week, and welcome in
Wisconsin to Tuscaloosa. Probably the biggest game in Knoxville. It's
going to be Georgia and Tennessee and yeah, we'll go
from there. South Florida looks to continue their hot start
to the season. They're down taking on Miami and then
the world's largest cocktail party. LSU's off to a good
start this season. Florida limping a little bit, but down

(06:39):
in Baton Rouge, a big college football rivalry. Florida taken
on LSU A and m is in South Bend to
take on Notre Dame. So some pretty good national college
football games, but kind of a quiet weekend concerning the
Big Twelve. And of course Utah football high speed had
to Laramie.

Speaker 2 (06:58):
So we'll get you ready for the game.

Speaker 1 (06:59):
We'll talk a lot of college pro football in the
program today.

Speaker 2 (07:02):
Not a lot of news outside of that.

Speaker 1 (07:04):
Mariso Pochatinos side actually looked pretty decent with a two
zero win over Japan.

Speaker 2 (07:10):
Diego Luna.

Speaker 1 (07:11):
RSL's star midfielder came off the bench and played in
the second half and look solid.

Speaker 2 (07:17):
Team looked good.

Speaker 1 (07:17):
It was probably the best performance we've seen from the
US men's national team.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
As we are nine months away.

Speaker 1 (07:23):
From the World Cup that will be hosted of course
in our region, RSL will be back out of coming
up on Saturday at seven thirty against Sporting KC.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
Hockey fans, are you ready? Today's a big day.

Speaker 1 (07:34):
Rookies have reported for the Utah Mammoth Coach Tourney is
doing some media rounds better known as Bear and then
we are, I believe, five days away from the Vets reporting.
The odds came out yesterday for playoffs in the world
of the National Hockey League and the Utah Hockey Club
is favored to make it this year.

Speaker 2 (07:54):
Oh I called them the Utah Hockey Club.

Speaker 1 (07:56):
The Utah Mammoth is actually favored to make the playoffs
this year.

Speaker 2 (08:00):
So there you go.

Speaker 1 (08:01):
More betting allegations. In the world of pro and college basketball.
There's a lot of noise around this Kawhi Leonard situation,
but got a lot of stuff going on in the
NBA right now, so our coverage is pretty football centric
in and during the football seasons. On Wednesday, we typically
turn our attention to looking ahead as opposed to continuing

(08:21):
to looking back on what happened last weekend in the
world of pro and college football.

Speaker 2 (08:26):
So we will do that on the show today.

Speaker 1 (08:28):
Our first guest live and studio, Richard Smith, forty years
with Utah Jazz, will kind of bounce around and do
a little bit of everything with Smithy today. The voice
of the Utes is Bill Riley. He stops by the program.
Danny Cannell, one of the loudest college football voices in
a good front of the show, will stop RSL midfielder
Johnny Russell will join us later on and then we

(08:48):
will go from there. On this Wednesday show, Richard Smith,
Bill Riley, Danny Cannell, Johnny Russell, Me Spence check ITTs,
all of you the great listeners, and that guy Porter Larson.
On a Wednesday of Porter Larson Bowl Week where Utah's
headed up to Laramie, did you just continue to be
getting more giddy and giddy and giddy as if you
feel you like a kid waiting for Christmas, waiting for

(09:10):
Santa on Saturday.

Speaker 3 (09:11):
You seeing a top twenty team play football and Laramie, Wyoming.
Where else would you rather be? Where on this earth
would you rather be? Well, don't ask me, we need
to ask you. That's why it's the Porter Larson. There's nowhere,
there's nowhere, There's nowhere I'd rather be. So yeah, looking
forward to it, a little giddy, as you said, heading

(09:31):
into what forty eight hour rule tomorrow and then we'll
be off to Laramie on Friday and watching some football. Man,
It's listen, I think we know what to expect from
the matchup. This is a team that Utah should beat
by a couple scores, maybe three, but who knows what
happens with the weather, with the stuff out there. Just

(09:55):
don't look ahead too much. Texas Tech's gonna be fun
looking ahead to that matchup, but got to take care
of business in Wyoming first.

Speaker 2 (10:02):
Yep, no doubt, no doubt.

Speaker 1 (10:04):
So looking forward to hopefully a fun, anxiety free trip
to Lara Me if you missed our conversation yesterday with
a Voice of the Cowboys, really good guy, and ultimately
he gave you a bunch of recommendations of places you
go grab a beer, Go grab a steak, Go grab
some food if you are making the track to laram Me.
Of course, with the new reality of Utah football being

(10:25):
in the Big twelve, some of the road trips are
not as convenient as they once were. Although this year
you've got three pretty decent options. If you made it
down a southern cow for the Rose Bowl, that's a
fun little road trip. Larre Me just a few hours away,
and of course by you will host Utah, so a
little forty mile John down south. You could do worse

(10:45):
than that. All right, our first guest today, Smitty's going
to join us. Always enjoy our conversations with the legend himself.
But on this Wednesday afternoon before Smitty stops by courtesy
of our good friends, and you're good friends too at
Prize Picks, it's sign out for your opening tip.

Speaker 2 (11:00):
Welcome to the.

Speaker 4 (11:00):
Drive with Spence Check its on Utah's number one sports talk.
Now into the studios of ESPN seven hundred to set
the scene for the show. The opening tip of the
Drive is brought to you by Prize Picks. Use the
code ESPN seven hundred and run your game with Prize Picks.

Speaker 2 (11:18):
All right, kids, listen up. Hear this.

Speaker 5 (11:20):
You hear that.

Speaker 1 (11:21):
That's me tapping the papers against the microphone because I
have good news for you. Prize Picks is essentially hooking
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Speaker 2 (11:39):
I utilize it. It's a lot of fun.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
I'll tell you my Thursday night Prize Picks football picks
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(12:01):
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(12:22):
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It is good to be right. It's also good to
be right in the world of college football. And I

(12:44):
was thinking about this listening to a little recap of
what we saw during Week two when it came to
a couple of the marquee matchups that we saw Ton
Eyes and I referenced this earlier. Sports Media Watch came
out today with the ratings for the first three weeks
of college football. They are up twenty five percent year
over year. That is the third straight year, at least

(13:07):
so far, the college football has seen an increase in consumption.
So I think there's a tremendous amount of issues when
it comes to the business of the sport that still
need to be solved. I think there are a tremendous
amount of scheduling issues that it is beyond me why
they haven't been able to sit down and have scheduling
uniformity these some of these early season matchups are just pathetic.

(13:30):
I mean, Florida State beat East Texas A and M
seventy seven to three last week, Like, what are we
even doing?

Speaker 2 (13:35):
What's the point?

Speaker 1 (13:37):
My old radio partner, Gordon Monson used to call this
essentially prostitution, was the term you would use. It's a
wham bam, thank you ma'am. You go up there, you
get rocked, then you take a check home, and from
the consumer point of view, it's just beyond boring. I
don't know who's watching these games now. The widespread acceptance
and leaning into legalized gambling has benefited sports overall, has

(14:03):
benefited live sports overall. I think it's a little bit
of a slippery slope. I've already talked about this on
the program before, and we saw a couple of other
stories today about college basketball players and Malik Beasley in
the NBA being investigated for their role in potentially fixing
games to make some money on the side through gambling outlets.

(14:24):
This is not anything that I think should have been
accepted widespread. I understand the revenue streams, and I understand
the desire for more money if you're running a business,
But at what point are you sacrificing the integrity of
your product? At what point are you sacrificing the integrity
of your business just in the name of a couple

(14:44):
of other one hundred million dollars when you don't really
need it right Like It kind of reminds me of
the conversation we have about the expanded CFP when the
Big ten was kind of like, hey, let's go to
like twenty eight teams or whatever.

Speaker 2 (14:56):
Yes, I understand your premise.

Speaker 1 (14:58):
I understand more content it means more attention, and I
understand we live in an attention economy now, which I
also think is problematic that Hey, I'm just a guy
with a sports socc radio show, and I get that
more games means more revenue, more AD revenue, more live
TV right revenue. I understand that, But there is a
point where enough is enough. There is And with some

(15:19):
of these early season games, they've just been brutal because
it's an unfair fight, and oftentimes it makes for a
really bad watch. But they were breaking out Oklahoma Michigan
today on College Football Live. And Oklahoma has a really,
really good football team, and they've got a really, really
good quarterback who played at Washington State last year, who
right now has to be considered one of the top

(15:41):
three or four favors to win the Heisman this job.
And Tier kids a really good player. He can throw it,
he can run it, he's big, he's athletic. They're good
in the trenches. But Michigan has this wonder kins freshman,
Bryce Underwood, who initially was not he's a Michigan kid,
he's from the state. I believe he was going to
LSU if I remember correctly, that was in his initial

(16:02):
commit And then when Michigan realized they were going to
lose McCarthy, the Michigan alumni got together, the boosters got together,
and they paid Bryce Underwood a lot of money to
play football in Ann Arbor. And he's thought to be
the next generational quarterback, not just for Michigan but in
the Big Ten and maybe in a couple of years,
the best quarterback in the country. And you can tell
there's some intoxicating talent there with the kid. If you

(16:25):
just watch the Michigan's played a couple of games already,
but Oklahoma's defensive coordinator is Brent Venables, who's one of
the most well respected defensive coordinators in all college football.
And what Brett Venables in Oklahoma's defense that was thought
to be their achilles hill this year did to Bryce
Underwood last week as Oklahoma took care of Michigan relatively

(16:46):
easily twenty four to thirteen. It made me think about
the dynamic of Morgan Scaley as a defensive coordinator and
what he should be able to do when Utah and
BYU play. And yes, there are plenty of games between
now and then. I do believe, as I said to
open the show, BYU has almost a comically easy start,
not just to their schedule overall, but their Big twelve schedule.

(17:08):
The way it starts, they should be six and oh
before Utah rolls down to Provo. ESPN'SFPI has them heavily
favored in the rest of their games prior to the
Utah BYU game down in Provo in October. It's East
Carolina on the road eighty percent chance to win that,
Colorado and Boulder seventy two percent chance.

Speaker 2 (17:29):
To win that.

Speaker 1 (17:29):
West Virginia at home eighty seven percent chance to win
that and then down in Tucson against Arizona sixty eight
percent to win that game. So I do think there's
an excellent chance that BYU is six and oh before
Utah rolls in a provo. I think there is a
chance that Utah is in the same place. Now, again,
the problem of a very weak non conslate because it's

(17:53):
not just BYU. Utah has a week non conslate as well.
And as I said yesterday, it's not Yu's fault at
Stanford stinks. Stanford, once upon a time under David Child
was a really, really good program. You schedule this game
a number of years ago, you have no idea there's
going to be this massive shift with coaching changes and
Troy Taylor's gone and Frank Reich is in as an

(18:14):
introim Andrew luck is the GM trying to get that
turned around. But they don't have very good players. They
were okay on defense. The physicality up front I thought
was fine, But the truth of the matter is BYU's
offense was put in great positions by their defense over
and over and over and didn't capitalize enough. Was the
game ever in doubt? No, I never thought Stanford was

(18:34):
going to be close BYU covered easily and BYU in
the same way. Utah is built, has this really stout
defense that's going to keep them in a bunch of games.
And I didn't believe that the Jake Retz laugh news
was anything that should cause you to summarily dismiss BYU
as a contender this year in the Big Twelve.

Speaker 2 (18:52):
But when you name a.

Speaker 1 (18:53):
True freshman to that position, the most important position in sports,
you're probably just acknowledging that at some point along the way,
he's gonna get God somehow. And BYU fans remember the
Kansas game a year ago. Everybody talks about the Arizona
State game. It was the Kansas game in Provo. It
turned out to be the thing that really got them
and derailed what could have been a special season. And

(19:15):
for Utah, I will say, I think there is a
chance they're six to zero. But Utah has Tech. We
need to learn more about Texas Tech. But if you've
seen the highlights from them against subpar competition, again back
to the problem of the early season in college football,
where these matchups are just unfair fights, and it makes
it impossible to know what's real, but they look pretty

(19:37):
overwhelming so far. Again against two teams that are really,
really bad. I'll be interested to see what the line is.
It'll come out after this week's game where Utah's taken
on Wyoming, but Texas Tech, whether it's here or there,
no matter what neutral field, that's a tough ask. Utah
should be able to handle West Virginia. Initially the Arizona
State game here in Salt Lake looked like it would
be a tough task and maybe it still will be.

(19:59):
I'm not one it smarily dismisses one team after one
or two weeks. Again, observation not conclusion is what we
talk about on the show quite a bit. But what
it comes down to when we do the way to
early preview of this stuff, which I don't do all
the time, but we're kind of leaning into it at
this point. Morgan scally has to be looking at the

(20:20):
opportunity as a defensive coordinator and licking as chops with
a true freshman on the other side. And if you're
a BYU fan, just like Michigan fans experienced a week
ago with Brett Venables in Oklahoma, the one thing that
really scares you about Utah coming down to provo is
what Morgan could potentially do against a true freshman quarterback

(20:42):
that at that point we'll have six games under his belt.
But I've heard players say this over and over and
over through the years. It really doesn't matter how much
experience you have. You're not prepared for a Utah BYU
football game unless you've actually played in it.

Speaker 2 (20:57):
And of course Devin Dampier hasn't played in it either.

Speaker 1 (20:59):
Right is a seasoned college football vet, while bear Bachmeyer
is a true freshman that still has a big learning
curve in front of them.

Speaker 4 (21:07):
He's deprived of Norwich, Connecticut and an adopted son of
Salt Lake City after forty years with the Utah Jazz.
There's no one better to talk some hoops. Richard Smitty
Smith is back on the Drive on ESPN seven hundred.

Speaker 1 (21:22):
All Right, got some breaking news, some more bad news
for the Niners. Kyle Shannan has said brock Perty can
now misquote multiple weeks with a left shoulder and a
toe injury. This follows the news yesterday the George Kittle
is headed to the ir So we have Week two
of the NFL getting going tomorrow with some Thursday Night
football of course, high speed ahead of the weekend ahead

(21:43):
in college football. Our next guest, one of our favorites,
live in studio after I stole his iPad, but it
has been returned. Let's get Smithy's mic on if we
could the great Richard Smith live in studio for an
entire hour Smitty, Happy Wednesday, sir, how are.

Speaker 6 (21:57):
You, Bence.

Speaker 7 (21:58):
It's good to see you and you returning. I know
all of the secrets that I had on that iPad
from all of the years of my work in the
NBA that you didn't go through it. I know you
didn't take both of those secrets off there, and so
I appreciate that. But you know what, my iPad is

(22:19):
probably worth about two dollars and fifty cents if you're
looking at any relevant information.

Speaker 6 (22:25):
Than anybody who wanted to get off of it.

Speaker 1 (22:27):
No, when I opened it up, I searched for a
Raul Lopez scouting report.

Speaker 6 (22:31):
There you go.

Speaker 8 (22:32):
That was the first one I wanted to say, Hey,
you know what you would have found, though, you would
have found a note on here that I sent to
Bart Taylor, who's now the vice president player Personnel for
the Jazz back when He was a new guy with
the Jazz in twenty fourteen and Bart was helping us
set up our database scouting efforts and stuff at the time,

(22:53):
and I sent him a note and I said, hey, Bart,
can you make a file on this young fourteen year
old playing in Madrid on the youth team.

Speaker 7 (23:07):
His name is Luka Doncic and he's from Slovenia, but
he just joined the youth program in Madrid and I'm
watching him play in this under eighteen tournament, Europepean Tournament
for the real Madrid youth team and as a fourteen
year old, he's playing with seventeen eighteen year olds and

(23:31):
he's the guy running the show. So we need to
make a file on him and start following this guy
because you know, there may be may be something we
need to keep track of and follow up on as
appropriate and all that kind of stuff. And that's that's
one of those expense we've had. We've had hundreds and
hundreds of those over the years, and most of them

(23:53):
obviously don't pan out, and guy's plateau out or they
get injured or something happens, so they don't they're better
at at age sixteen than they are at age twenty
two or whatever. But Doncic was one of those guys
who you could see early on was had a special
feel and touch on the.

Speaker 6 (24:13):
Floor and just kind of knew what was going on.

Speaker 7 (24:15):
And as his body matured and he grew into it,
you know, they moved him up, you know, from the
youth team when he was seventeen onto the main team.
And the main team is one of the big programs
and powerhouse programs in Europe, and he ended up becoming
the MVP of the euro League Final four and MVP
of the EuroLeague when he was eighteen and nineteen. And

(24:36):
obviously we know what he's been doing in the NBA
the last six seven years.

Speaker 1 (24:41):
So I wanted to ask you before we get into
some of the other stuff I have today. There's an
interesting dynamic going on with the way Kilani has built
YU football and kind of best practices with the way
Kyle kind of built some of that stuff up.

Speaker 2 (24:55):
But we talked about this last weekend.

Speaker 1 (24:57):
You were so good to give us perspective on coach
So coach Mac honored at Utah's game over the weekend.
At halftime, he goes into the Ring of honor second
inductee to Alex Smith, who was in last week, and
I just had a chance to say hello to him
very quickly. It was a big day for him. He
had his Hawaiian leon. He looked like he was having

(25:18):
a good time. But a lot of people want a
little bit of coach Max. So I just went over
and shook his hand and said hello. But he looked
really touched like it looked like it genuinely meant a
lot to him, which was nice for me.

Speaker 7 (25:28):
This meant a lot to him and his family. Spence
and I actually talked to his lovely wife, Vicki earlier
today and I was asking her, Hey, how do you
think everything went on Saturday? And she said, oh, it
was so great, And you know, Mac was so touched
and was emotionally draining because of not just of the

(25:50):
the honor, but of all the people that showed up
on his behalf, all of his former players and coaches
who came from all over the country and even outside
the country to travel here to honor him. And she
was telling me that, you know, she used to she
used to lament with Patty Edwards, the wife of Lavelle Edwards,

(26:13):
about events like this where everybody would come at them,
meaning the wives, about tickets and seating and all this
stuff and for events of this nature, and how they
always were the ticket brokers and they always would talk about, well,
someday we won't have to do this because we'll just
be able to sit back and enjoy the ride. And

(26:35):
she says, now here we are, and you know, and
and and I'm still the ticket broker for all these people,
and I'm still trying to figure out how many people
get in a picture. They want an official picture of
Mac and his family and a few other people for
the event. And she said, and all of a sudden said, okay,
are you people over here for the picture? And all
the former players came, and everybody came and started crowding in,

(26:58):
and the photographers going no, no, no, no, we just
need to know we have.

Speaker 6 (27:02):
To uh G.

Speaker 7 (27:03):
And there's like one hundred people standing there going, oh,
I'm getting in the I came here, I'm getting in
the official picture with Max.

Speaker 6 (27:10):
So you know, here we go. And she said it
was such a.

Speaker 7 (27:13):
Great event and they had such a great time with
their family, and I know that it meant the world
to him, not just the honor, but maybe even more
so how everybody responded to him personally about receiving the
honor that was That was really what took him.

Speaker 1 (27:33):
What is it about Ron McBride, Frank Laden, you know,
the elderly statesman that we've had here in our state.
It's one thing to be very good at what you
do and coach teams up where you win, and coach
teams up where you have some success. But there have
been plenty of really really good coaches that have won
at a high level that don't have the type of respect,

(27:56):
adoration of love that men like that have.

Speaker 2 (27:58):
What's the secret sauce there?

Speaker 7 (28:00):
Well, you know, and it's the same thing with the
with the coach Edwards, of course, Lavelle Edwards.

Speaker 6 (28:05):
It was the same thing. You know.

Speaker 7 (28:07):
They they appeal to people because they're so humanizing, if
that's a word. Uh, and how they approach everyday life.
They it's not just about their sport. It's about uh,
the young men that they're working with. It's about caring
for them. Uh, it's about uh, the people who who

(28:29):
you're trying to show a certain path that can be
successful for you, not just in in your sport, but
in life in general. If you adopt these these principles
that we feel are important and uh, and all of
those guys, you know, we're we're people, uh people person first,

(28:50):
if that's such a phrase to use, because they cared
about their players, and they cared about more than just uh,
the basketball, the football that was going on. And the
players feel that Spence. Players know when you care about them,
or when you care about yourself and what's going on

(29:10):
with you. And with those guys that you mentioned, all
of their players would understand as they went along for
the ride that those coaches cared about them as individuals
more so than what was going on. And when you
have that and you have that kind of buy in
from your players, then you can not only have a

(29:32):
lot of success, but you also build a bond for
them that is that is life long.

Speaker 1 (29:38):
Yeah, and you know, I don't know that anyone embodied
it more than Frank. You're good to mention Lavelle and
obviously Mac and to see the former players and you know,
I had a lot of them on the show last
couple of weeks just expressing how much they appreciate and.

Speaker 2 (29:53):
Care about them.

Speaker 1 (29:54):
I just imagine that that is something that's very special
for Mac and we had a Bill Bush on the
show yesterday who coached at Utah. I coached for Mac,
he coached for Urban, and then he spent one year
with Kyle, So it was kind of interesting to hear
him bridge the gap a little bit. But there's an
interesting actually, you know, before we get there, I don't
really want to talk about the game. It was sixty

(30:15):
three to nine, but it's interesting. Last week you and
I discussed a lot of the issues that I believe
are real with college football, and I believe a lot
of the issues that are really plaguing the sport are
behind the scenes with the business of the sport. Because
Sports Media Watch came out today with their first three
week rating report and college football is up twenty five

(30:37):
percent year over year. It would mark the third straight
double digit spike in consumption for college football.

Speaker 2 (30:43):
But these early season games.

Speaker 1 (30:46):
Like Florida State eats East Florida whatever, seventy seven to
three last week BYU like Portland State looks like they'd
struggle with Corner Canyon and cal Paly didn't look like
they should be on the same field with Utah. I know,
you know, the economics of what this FBSFCS thing does
for the smaller schools. But I foresee this to be

(31:07):
an issue with the sport. These lopsided results based off
of two teams that don't like, don't look like they
should be on the same field with each other.

Speaker 6 (31:14):
Well, you're always going to get spence.

Speaker 7 (31:16):
Those games have always been, you know, a commonplace in
the early part of the schedules, the late August into
mid September games. Uh, they're always called in in the
in the scheduling world, the money games for the smaller
school they get they get paid X amount of money
guarantee that that helps them tremendously more often than not

(31:39):
with their athletic budgets at their schools. So they understand
they have to come in and hey, do you did that?
You know, not that long ago when they would go
to schools like Nebraska in the early season and get
pummeled or something and come home with five hundred thousand
dollars or seven point fifty for the budget and whatever,
and and that's just you're talking about economics. That's just

(32:02):
the economics for those for those unproven or smaller programs.
How about the one in last week or Florida, Florida,
you know, invited what's the day the who I forget
who they it was Florida Atlantic usfah South Florida and
and invited them to come to Gainesville. And uh and
the USF beats them and not only gets to win,

(32:24):
but also takes home the check for five hundred thousand dollars. Says,
thank you very much. And that's the danger you have
if you're one of those schools that that is just
playing those so called money games to pad your your
win loss or record. But but I don't I don't
see those things going away anytime students spends because everybody
tries to get you know, set themselves up with you know,

(32:45):
if you can a three and oh record going into
your conference schedule, because that makes gives your guys some confidence,
whether it's false confidence or not, uh in how they're
playing and and and gives them a little bit of
boost going into the FIR the conference games and uh,
you know, and then we then we see how they roll,
you know, once they get into that, and the you

(33:05):
is gonna have that Hey, uh, they supposed to win
at Wyoming this week?

Speaker 6 (33:10):
Yeah I think so, Uh, but says who.

Speaker 7 (33:13):
I mean, you know, Wyoming is going to see this
as a big opportunity for them to have a so
called big boy neighbor. If you will come in and uh,
and they're gonna be ready to try and play and
and and stand up with them and and see what
they can do. And the you better not be overlooking
them because you know that could be a setup game,

(33:33):
uh where they get they get upset, and if that's
the case, then they're going to be they would be
coming home, uh, you know, licking their wounds and and
yet having to get ready the next week for a
conference opener at home against Texas Tech team that you
know will be ready to play. So every game you play.
I know it's a cliche, Spence, but it's really true.
You have to focus on that one game. You have

(33:55):
to be ready to go each week and and focus
just on that one thing and make sure that you
have all your eyes dotted and your tea's crossed and
ready to go, because otherwise you're going to find yourself
in a Florida type game in the fourth quarter, which
nobody who's a Utah fan wants to see.

Speaker 1 (34:14):
So it's led to this interesting conversation that's taking place
about kind of best practices and how best practices are shared.
I know what happened with you guys are the Jazz
a lot because Greg Popovich himself talked a lot about
wanting to build the Spurs the way that Jerry and
Scott built the Jazz and Kevin and you know, so

(34:36):
what happens in every league. I had Kalanie on the
show two weeks ago. Kilani played for livel of course,
he coached for WIT for about a decade defensive coordinator,
And there's this interesting dynamic. One of the things that
I think makes BYU Utah not just a great game
or a great rivalry is the interconnectedness between the two

(34:57):
programs and almost like this incestuous feel where guys played
at Utah and they coach at BYU. Guys played at BYU,
they coach at Utah, they coached at by they coach
at Utah, vice versa, and even you go up to
Utah State, Gary Anderson's coach everywhere. Like it's a really
interesting thing when you juxtaposed it to the way that
a lot of fans feel about the game and how
much venom the fan bases have with each other when

(35:19):
there's just seems to be there's a lot of respect
between the coaching staffs. But I asked, Kalani, Klodie's been
on the job ten years now, this is year eleven.
And if I read a national outlet talk about BYU football,
and certainly the past couple of years, and they write
about their belief on what the team is, if you
just took BYU off the heading and blacked out the names,

(35:42):
you would think they're writing about Utah because they're talking
about this fast, physical defense. And if bear Bachmeyer, this
young freshman can at least be average, BYU football will
be in most every game, and Utah football year after year,
if the offense comes to the party, they compete for championship.

Speaker 2 (36:00):
That's just what they do under Kyle.

Speaker 1 (36:01):
So I asked Kloney, as you've built this thing up
for a decade, how much of this is yours? How
much of this is things you learned from coaches you
coached with or coaches you played for? He said, none
of it's mine, right, Like this is all that. These
are all things I learned from Lavelle and Kyle and Morgan.
And you know, a Rod's down there. He was up
here for a while. J Hill. I, look, we could

(36:22):
keep going. I just find it a really interesting thing
that for a football game that is thought by fans
to be this knockdown, drag out battle and we just
hate everything about the other side. The coaches, they share
their plans and they build these programs up in pretty
similar ways.

Speaker 7 (36:38):
Yeah, and also now spends with the with the new
transfer rules and everything. Now you got the same thing
going on with players. So you got the players from
Weaver State, you know, left Weaver State when Jay Hill
went went to BYU, and all of a sudden by
has got a bunch of guys who were at Weaver State.
But oh they can play at the BYU level. Well
apparently they can, you know. And uh uh the same

(37:00):
thing with other coaches that that that move around and
the players are able to follow with them of course
to you uh being a big example of that this year,
you know, with the new Mexico with the dam Pierre
coming up, and and Jason Beck coming and and being
the offst of coat coordinator and and uh and now
playing at this level and and uh, you know, this

(37:22):
level whatever that means that at the moment, we'll see,
We'll see when they get into the Big twelve. I know,
You've been talking about the potential, which obviously is still
there because it's it's real at the moment, although it's early. Uh.
Both b y U and Utah have to play six
games before they get to the game in provo in
the middle of October against each other, and they're four
and oh right combined, and so everybody here is is

(37:46):
hoping crossing their fingers that there could be a potential
six and oh b YU team versus a six and
oh Utah team in a conference game in the middle
of October, which would really be heightened up. But you know,
is that gonna happen? You know, that means both teams
have to win, you know, four games in a row
coming up. You know, I don't know, you know, I'm

(38:08):
not sure, you know, in the uh, in the grand
scheme of things, you know, which side I would take
in that if they're both going to go undefeated by
the time they get you know, usually somebody trips up
somewhere along the way, or a team loses twenty three
to twenty on a on a bad call or a
miss call or something, a minute to go whatever, and
so so that part's going to be interesting. But if

(38:30):
they both move in that direction, they both get to
six and zero. It's going to be interesting because, as
you say, the coaches know each other, the coaches know
what's going on. Kilani is exactly right. I mean, it's
the same thing you know in the NBA. You know,
you'd ask coaches, you know, how much of this stuff
is the new innovative stuff, and guys who go, you know,

(38:51):
I got all this stuff from this guy and that
guy and the other guy, and we just tweak it
a little bit, or you know, we happen to have uh,
you know, my old the old anecdote I used to
give about, you know, how good teams can be. And
I'd say, well, you know, all you need to do
is have Magic and Kareem on your team, and you
know your team is going to be pretty good no
matter who's coaching.

Speaker 9 (39:11):
You know.

Speaker 7 (39:12):
So you got to have the players, You got to
have the guys execute. And the kid at b YU
looks like he's a tough nut, you know. And who
who comes into a program Spence as a transfer true
freshman from another school and says, yeah, I want to
be the starting quarterback and oh you know, I'm gonna
wear a number forty seven. Yeah, which is my number

(39:33):
as a linebacker, you know, from my pee wee team
or whatever it was. And you know that takes something
just there, just a mindset to say I'm going to
be that kind of different guy. But the toughness he's
brought and and and the skill level that Devin dan
Pier is showing at Utah in the first few games
is uh has got both fan bases really really amped up.

Speaker 1 (39:56):
Yeah, it just continues to strike me as far how
far we come as a college football market, you know,
compared to where we were once upon a time. I
know we already talked about this, but I was getting
nostalgic about it with the Max stuff over the weekend
and your points well taken. Doing this job is and
I always say this, like, you know, if you're gonna
do like a power poll or a power ranking or

(40:19):
you know, there's a lot of noise around the Apeo
pole right now because a young lady who writes for
the So Call newsgroup and covers USC essentially she's an
AP voter. And you already referenced with Florida lost to
USF last week. Well, she moved Florida up to spots
and didn't put USF in the top twenty five and
then did a video trying to trying to explain her logic.

(40:41):
It's it's just clear that she didn't even know that
the game had happened. So I find it impossible to
try to analyze this sport based off of projections because
to your point, ever, you never know what can happen.
So the way I analyze it is what I've already seen, Right,
what have you already done? And like how good are
you based off of the games we've seen, Because trying
to project and move forward from a sports talk radio

(41:03):
standpoint in Salt Lake City, Utah, I'll bang the drum
to hope that Utah and by You were both six
and oh prior to that game in October. But trying
to predict this stuff as an exercise and futility.

Speaker 7 (41:14):
Yeah, Well, the one thing that I think the Utah
program the first two games, to your point, is that
their offense has been very, very efficient with Dan Pierre
and you know, and he's it looks like he's the
kind of guy who is smart enough at that position
to just try and go get the play that's in

(41:34):
front of him. Yeah, it looks like he doesn't try
to do too much. He doesn't try to be the
hero flinging the ball all over the place. It looks
like you can get checked downs and just just dump
it off for five yard game and come back the
next play and that kind of thing. And and the
Bachmart kid and by U looks like he's really a
tough nut, and you know, and he's he's willing to

(41:57):
stick his head in there and try and get an
extra couple of yards. And whether whether the coaches want
to do that or not maybe another thing. But but
they both are showing the ability to be take leadership
roles early in the season. And that that's the thing.
That's that's key, Spence, if you have guys at those
positions and they're willing to do the things that can

(42:20):
help you to win. Now, of course their games haven't
been really competitive in that regard, uh, but they're they're
getting you know, what I would call a live practice
against another team in front of fans, and so they've
got all that energy going on and they're showing how
they can handle it and react to it. And then

(42:40):
we see, we'll see what the U does, uh this
weekend in front of a hostile crowd at Wyoming and
and uh and then coming back and playing a Texas
Tech team to start off the uh the conference season
at home. And then b YU goes on the road
next week at East Carolina, which again is supposed to
be uh another uh, fairly easy game for them.

Speaker 6 (43:01):
But hey, the same thing, Spence.

Speaker 7 (43:03):
They got to travel across the country, they got to
play a team that's excited for a two and oh
b YU team to come into their place and and
maybe make a mark like USF did last week in Gainesville.

Speaker 10 (43:16):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (43:16):
You know, so those things.

Speaker 7 (43:18):
I never count any of those games out because, uh,
you never know how the emotion and the game is
going to play out, and obviously you never know what's
gonna happen during the course of the game in terms
of injuries or guys getting dinged up or just your
your your reference point a few minutes ago about San
Francisco forty nine ers who had a nice win on
the road at Seattle, and now they find out that

(43:40):
two of their main offensive guys might be out for
a while. So you know, you know, you just gotta
gotta play those things, you know, one one week at
a time, and and uh and you go about your business.

Speaker 1 (43:51):
Richard Smith is live in studio or a guy who
joins us every single week.

Speaker 2 (43:56):
We have some breaking news.

Speaker 1 (43:57):
This is not a political show, but in case you
haven't heard, Charlie Kirk, a right wing commentator who was
speaking of UVU, he was shot earlier today and according
to the Solid Tribune, he has passed away, which is
just super sad and I cannot believe it happened in
our state. And I'll leave that there. He has a
wife and two young kids. That's tragic. There's no other

(44:20):
way to put that.

Speaker 5 (44:21):
For Call Fridays every.

Speaker 3 (44:23):
Week and your party.

Speaker 5 (44:28):
On ESPN seven nine A.

Speaker 1 (44:31):
M all right, some really horrible, horrible news breaking about

(44:59):
ten minutes ago. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who's the CEO
and co founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA.
He's a right wing influencer. He has died after being
shot today at an event at Utah Valley University. President
Trump just sent out a statement.

Speaker 2 (45:16):
Of his own.

Speaker 1 (45:18):
So you know, it's just super tragic, very sad. Don't
really have the words for it. Probably not qualified to
handle things like this in a space like that, thinking
of everybody down there, UVU. Charlie has a wife and
two young kids. And if you make this about anything political,
I think that's pretty disgusting at a time like this,
so very sad, very sad day here locally, a lot

(45:39):
of news surrounding this event. So Charlie Kirk was speaking
at UVU, he was shot and according to President Trump,
he has now passed away. All right, Richard Smith live
in studio Smithy, you have had quite a busy travel
schedule and you have quite a month coming up. You know,
I grew up in the Sam Presagasi era of US

(46:04):
men's tennis, and then of course there was the Federer, Djokovic,
Nadal run and I'm no expert. I don't talk a
ton of tennis. I don't watch a ton of tennis.
I only played it here or there growing up. This
Alcoraz kid man in Center two like these two when
they play. I don't love comparing eras. It's one of
the things whenever I would have Jeff Van Gunny on

(46:26):
the show and I tried to go there, he would
summarily dismiss the conversation. Whether it was Lebron, Jordan or whatever.
They just seem more powerful than any of the other players. Yeah, yeah, Look,
I know you have to talk about surface surfaces and
Nadal en Claire or whatever. But when you see Center
and Alcaraz play, doesn't it feel generationally different.

Speaker 7 (46:45):
Well, they've been doing it for a while now, Spence
in their age groups, growing up as teenagers. You know,
there's a great Netflix documentary for anybody who's interested in
that on the day that Spanish Netflix did and they
overdubbed it with subtitles last year on Alcaaz and and

(47:09):
just a I think it was a three part mini series,
but it was on him growing up and all the stuff,
and he he and his people gave Netflix full access
to him a year ago and it just came out
about six months ago, and where he's talking about his
training and all the stuff and all the pressures on

(47:30):
him and with his family and all the stuff. You
don't you really don't pay attention to, you know, as
as sports geeks just watching you know, whatever sport is
you're interested in, but all the stuff that goes on
behind the scenes to try and get you there, and
especially in individual sports like tennis or golf, where you're
really your own business. Yeah, and you're an independent contractor

(47:54):
and and everybody who you're friends with, you can be
friendly and be friends with, but everybody else you're playing
against is hoping the worst for you, even though they'll
never say it, because it could potentially help them, right,
because everybody's out on their own. And this is a

(48:15):
great thing with Alcarez on camera in this documentary talking
about the fact that he doesn't know, you know, how
he's going to how his career is going to unfold
because he's only twenty He was twenty one at the
time of filming and he's twenty two now. But you know,
whether he wants to do things that make him happy,
he wants to do things that provide him a life

(48:37):
outside of tennis, and he doesn't know if he has
the inner fortitude of a Nadal he mentioned specifically, or Djokovic,
who who these guys just had that tunnel vision all
of their career about this is what I want to do,
so I'm blocking out everything else, everything in life is

(48:58):
not in my purview trying to get this done at
this part of my life. And it's an interesting thing
for people who might be interested in that kind of
insight to go go look that up and.

Speaker 6 (49:13):
Watch that.

Speaker 7 (49:13):
But these guys have been doing it since since they
were younger guys in the U sixteen, seventeen eighteen junior tournaments,
and now as long as they stay healthy, it looks
like it's going to be the two of them, you know,
with some other young guys. Jaka Menshic, the young kid
in the Czech Republic just turned twenty. Jile Fonseka, eighteen

(49:36):
year old in Brazil. Both played at the US Open
one matches there. Those guys are have a chance to
come up and be in the next group of guys.
A good friend of mine, Kevin Kempin, who is just
retired from being the CEO of Head North America, lives
here in Salt Lake.

Speaker 6 (49:54):
Shout out to.

Speaker 7 (49:54):
Kevin and he he was telling me last year that
that a lot of the better guys he is now
tend to be bigger guys now. Alcaaz is an exception
because he's six foot uh one seventy, but he's such
a strong, powerful guy and has a solid lower base
that really can attack his shots. But guys like Sinner

(50:15):
who is sixty four, Zeverev who's six', Five Taylor fritz
is six,' five all these top Guys uh sisipas is.
Sixty four all these top level players are bigger guys
who are getting more on their more power on top
of their serves and especially on the. Faster, surfaces uh

(50:37):
they can get, those shots those serves off at one thirty.
Five PLUS and i watched a kid AT The us
OPEN when i was there a couple of. Weeks, ago
uh the pericard kid From from france who's six, 's
eight and he was bombing them. At one and he's
gonna he has an interesting path if he continues on

(50:59):
there where he may he may be showing some stuff
in the next.

Speaker 6 (51:02):
Few years he's a young guy at.

Speaker 7 (51:04):
Twenty four but the game of men's tennis anyway is
now one, of power no matter what surface. You're on
And the Center and alcaraz seem like they're at the
top of that pile.

Speaker 1 (51:16):
Right now of all the events you've, BEEN to i
talk about this all. The time, you know there's something about.

Speaker 2 (51:24):
The show that pro football.

Speaker 1 (51:25):
Puts on as an, in person, you know just, a
consumer a fan going TO an nfl, football game a
lot of people equated to like the Modern day gladiators
with just the feel of. The stadiums, you KNOW what
i mean, and like and, you know it was a
lot of fun growing up going To, met Live seeing
giants games And seeing. Jets games and, you know we've

(51:46):
Got the Raiders in, vegas now so it's just a
little bit of a skip and a jump if you
want to go to.

Speaker 2 (51:50):
A legion broncos aren't too.

Speaker 1 (51:52):
Far away the best spectator events that you've, ever attended what?

Speaker 2 (51:57):
Is it and why is there one you can?

Speaker 5 (51:59):
Land THAT The.

Speaker 2 (52:00):
Us open that's a that's a it's A box a
lot of people.

Speaker 6 (52:03):
On, here yeah.

Speaker 7 (52:04):
It's that's a big, time event spence because it culminates the.
Tennis season The four majors Start in australia in H
in january and and then of course they Go To
roland garros In, late may and then they Go to
wimbledon and In, early july and then they culminate at

(52:24):
the End of August early september and WITH The. Us
open so it's the big culmination of. The Year Arthur
ashe stadium is the biggest tennis venue in the world
at twenty three. Thousand spectators, you know it's just the
Energy Of new york and all of that that that
that feeds into it you're talking. About football, you know
it's people who would would be interested in this kind.

(52:46):
Of thing dichotomy. Of it go check out. On YouTube
george carlin used to do a great routine on the difference,
between sports and between particularly baseball, and football and he
used to talk about football being.

Speaker 6 (53:02):
The military and the army and we're on the grid
iron and we're marching down the field and it's first
and ten and you better get there before the fourth,
down comes and, you know all of this kind.

Speaker 7 (53:16):
Of stuff and he, used to, you know juxtaposed that,
with baseball where, he, says yeah baseball players they play
on a field and they're out in the field playing
and they're running around and they don't know where they're running,
to next depending on where somebody hits. The ball and,
he said and, in baseball you don't know when it's.
Gonna end there's, no clock so it could go, on forever.

(53:37):
You know and he, used to, you know go back.
And forth but it's really a, funny thing but it's it's.
Really True and i've often thought that. About football the
guys are in their helmets and they're in their pads
and THERE and i said this To. To linda, you
know the other day we were watching a GAME and,
I said i don't know who would want to play
football as a kid growing up when you have other

(54:00):
choices in the neighborhood or whatever, it is and, you,
DECIDE yeah i want to put on some pads in
a helmet and see how many times somebody can hit
me right in the gut as hard as. They can
who wants to? Do that but there's a lot of
guys who want to, do it.

Speaker 10 (54:14):
You know And.

Speaker 1 (54:14):
There's smitty there's something about this sport that makes it
somewhat teflon because over, the years and we discussed this
a little bit a couple of weeks ago for our
listeners that don't, know this the most watched basketball game
in the history of the sported basketball took Place In Salt.
Lake city it's just a couple of miles away At The.
Delta Center was jordan's well last game With. The bulls

(54:37):
mike came back a couple, of times but it was
It was. MICHAEL'S shot i was, thus shot Crossing Over
brian russell after stealing It. From carl the most watched
basketball game in the history of the sport actually took
place Here In. Salt lake we're a great basketball Market
with Magic and larry At The, huntsman center and, you
know the most watched college games to watch college game

(54:58):
of all time the history Both Be, utah Basketball, Stut Moral.

Speaker 2 (55:01):
Utah state obviously you were With the jazz for.

Speaker 1 (55:03):
Forty years there was this time WHERE the nfl AND
the nba we're kind of in lockstep, with interest, with ratings,
with numbers. With revenue and THEN the nfl caught this
cannon and just went boom and just shot. Shot up
and after that point in, the nineties the separation is
wild AND, THE nba i don't think will ever close.

(55:24):
The gap and WHETHER, it's cte whether it's, domestic violence
whether it's, players misbehaving whether it's political, this that. Or
whatever you always hear pun, and, say, okay WELL the
nfl has got to be careful with. This one nothing
stops the momentum of. Pro football it just continues to, gain,
momentum revenue. Generate interest why what is it about football

(55:47):
That captures? America's, attention well that is.

Speaker 6 (55:49):
A, Good.

Speaker 7 (55:50):
QUESTION spence i Don't think i'm qualified to. ANSWER that i. Know,
that look in, the Spring The super bowl is now
usually An, early, february right and then you have a
month off. Or whatever everybody takes, a breath and then
they start talking about the draft and NOW The. Nfl
draft did you see the Spring In? Green bay they

(56:11):
had two hundred thousand people out on the, PLAZA outside
i mean people there to watch your team pick some
guy From southeastern wyoming state who you never, heard of
and everybody's hooting.

Speaker 6 (56:29):
And hot like what? IS that i.

Speaker 7 (56:32):
DON'T know, I mean i don't know if it's the
way they, package it the way they. MARKET it, i mean,
you know look our radio. Station here as soon AS
the u football program gets to one hundred, days away
they're counting, down baby seventy two days. From kickoff, you know,
like whatever what is that? THE fascination i. Don't know
is it?

Speaker 6 (56:51):
The physicality? Is it is it? Hitting people?

Speaker 7 (56:54):
Is it is it like, you say, you know short
of a version of The Old roman coliseum and the
gladiators and somebody's gonna die, out there or somebody's gonna
get carried off on a stretcher.

Speaker 6 (57:05):
OR something i.

Speaker 7 (57:06):
Don't know it's it's fascinating to me how it's gotten to.
This point but you're. Exactly right the numbers. Have risen
the numbers you're talking. About nil you Don't. Know, spence
now who's really on your college? Football team you're excited
to go watch them because this new kid is supposed to.

(57:27):
Be something but he transferred In From, new mexico or
he transferred In, from stanford or he came from some other,
You Know western kentucky's school, and whatever and and you
know all these guys who are just coming through the
door and, the turnstile and the next year it's going
to be a different group. Of guys and and you

(57:49):
would think your fan base, would, GO well i don't
even know who these, guys, are now WHY am?

Speaker 6 (57:54):
I rooting it's just.

Speaker 7 (57:55):
The opposite, it's, like oh we got new guys and
they're supposed to. Be GOOD so I guess i'd better
get my seat before somebody else gets, my SEAT because
i want to see what's. Going on and that part
of it is fascinating. TO me i, DON'T know i
don't know what, you know the whys and what fors,
of it but it is it is something that people are.

Speaker 1 (58:17):
Responding, to yeah, it's uh it continues to be this
behema and look the second most consumed Sport in america's.

Speaker 2 (58:24):
College, football yes and there's a.

Speaker 1 (58:26):
HUGE gap i BELIEVE the nba is, still third but
third by a, long, Shot right like it's it's not.
Even close and there have always been these things that
people think would. Derail it but the train just keeps
keeps on rolling down. The track and you know the
other FUNNY thing smidi is fans almost they almost view
it and speak about it in like reverent.

Speaker 7 (58:47):
Religious tones well it's the way they. PACKAGE it, i
mean they just shove it down your throat. YEAR round,
i mean what are we doing with two weeks of
PROMOS on esp to tell you THAT The nfl draft
is ten days away and it's gonna be three days
of activities and we're gonna, show you you, know Who

(59:10):
The jacksonville jaguars picking the. Fifth round you're gonna want
to be tuned in, for that, you know like like
like why WHY would i? Do that and yet they
they promote it so much that somehow they get into
the psyche of the general sports fan, to, say, well
this whatever it's, gonna be is Something that i'm not supposed,

(59:33):
to MISS so i better pay attention. To it Because
otherwise i'm gonna be the guy left standing out on
the curb when the bus. Goes by and so whatever,
that is they've done a great job of promoting it
and hyping it up and making sure people are paying attention.
To it and, you know drafting guys that half of

(59:54):
them you won't see Come come september in the start
of the season.

Speaker 6 (59:58):
Or whatever but but.

Speaker 7 (01:00:00):
That part of it is whoever's in charge, of that
whoever thought of that and promotes and spends a lot
of money, doing it, you know the other guys who
are winning.

Speaker 1 (01:00:11):
The game the other thing that strikes me is different
when it comes to the way people consume, this sport
is there's SOMETHING and i do talk about this oftentimes
with the, college game where people just feel differently about.
Their school there's a good chance you met your wife.
In college there's a good chance you met all of

(01:00:32):
my friends to, this day, OR guys i met it,
to you like my community is built around my time
At the University. Of utah all five of my siblings
met their PARTNERS. At byu my parents were high, school
sweethearts WENT to. Byu together there's something that draws you
in when you're cheering for. Your school it's almost, more
emotional and there's a. Community feel. You know you talk

(01:00:55):
about the countdown we do on the STATION and i
have FUN with i poke fun with.

Speaker 2 (01:00:58):
IT too i mean.

Speaker 1 (01:00:59):
It's porters it's a very reverend Thing for peter loves.
Our countdown but when we hit like thirty Days before,
utah FOOTBALL and i live up on campus now close,
to Campus the ute flags, are out, you Know the
ute football. Signages out folks are walking around campus With
a youte.

Speaker 2 (01:01:16):
Football Gear and i'll go Over.

Speaker 1 (01:01:18):
To buddy's House on sunday and his wife will be
Wearing her, rams jersey, you know like hanging out with
us watching GAMES where i don't think any other sport really.
Gets out there's something about a community draw with the school,
you ATTENDED and i think a lot of it is.
Deeped in maybe you met your employer when you're when you're.
In school maybe you found your career, in school you

(01:01:42):
met your partner, in school you met your friends. IN
school i think there's something that's like a little bit
less tangible that ties people to their college football teams
in a WAY that i don't think any other sport Really,
Gets yeah.

Speaker 7 (01:01:53):
It's, INTERESTING too I, THINK spence i think you spot
on with the whole thing of the human, can condition
of the fabric of people wanting to belong to something
uh that's a collective where other people have a like
interest as. You DO and i also think some Of it,
spence's is uh is our society now five, years later

(01:02:16):
coming OUT of covid where everybody was stuck in their
house and you weren't supposed to talk to, your neighbor
and you can't go to the grocery store and you
got to keep your distance and all these things that
really took a lot of that communal aspect to to
sports AND and uh getting getting together in those kind
of events away. From us and now we're just coming

(01:02:38):
out of that and people are getting back back into
the flow, of THAT and i think, there's something whether
it's subliminal, OR subconscious, i think, you know people, Are,
going okay now we get to do. This again And
so i'm going to cherish it even a little MORE
than i, did BEFORE because i realize it can be
literally taken away from me at, any moment And so

(01:03:01):
i'm going to pay the extra money whatever it is
to go to the, football game or to go to
the THE b yu basketball game with twenty thousand other
people or whatever and have this communal experience and and
AND then i think also there's a there's a good
part of part of that, that's uh you know that
you have to give the credit to the marketing people

(01:03:22):
who just, you know kind of, you know shove it
down your throat in some respect and, just, say, hey
hey you you don't want to miss This. On saturday
you better if you're not at, the game you better
be in your seat at home WITH the tv turned
on and the and the, popcorn ready because this is gonna.
Be something and, you know whether it turns out to
be something, OR that i, don't know but but whether whether,

(01:03:45):
it is the next week they do it again and
they hype it, up again and, so, it's uh it's
fascinating to me how we respond as as human beings.
To this but it's also fun to be part. Of
it and it's fun to be part of a group
that has a like minded approach to whatever your team

(01:04:05):
is and whatever the sport is that you're, ENGAGED.

Speaker 1 (01:04:08):
Here i think you hit something like you hit the
nail on the head with something you said there when
it comes to people's innate desire to be part of,
a community whatever, that is, you know and there are
a lot of COMMUNITIES that i, don't understand whether it's
religious or political, or WHATEVER but i understand the desire
to belong to something that makes you feel like you're
part of something that makes you maybe, you.

Speaker 2 (01:04:30):
Know because life.

Speaker 1 (01:04:31):
Is hard you want to escape life for a. Little
while you want to throw on the ute jersey and
walk up to the tailgate and just go.

Speaker 6 (01:04:35):
See.

Speaker 2 (01:04:35):
People. Right yeah the other.

Speaker 1 (01:04:37):
Dynamic, Is, this smitty we have Five more utah home games.

Speaker 2 (01:04:41):
This year five there Are.

Speaker 7 (01:04:43):
Five.

Speaker 1 (01:04:43):
Saturdays right you look AT an, nba calendar or you
look at a, baseball calendar, you're, LIKE oh i don't
need to go To the jazz. Game tonight i've got
forty more opportunities to do this, this year or when,
they're good maybe fifty but they're not going to be
good for a. Long time or if You're A Major league,
BASEBALL fan i don't need to go Tonight because i've
got eighty one more, of these. YOU know i do

(01:05:04):
think there's something to the sprint nature and the prescient
feel of every game because there just aren't as many, of.

Speaker 6 (01:05:11):
Them RIGHT and i agree.

Speaker 7 (01:05:12):
WITH that i think that's because you have the long
haul all during the week of talking about it and
analyzing what happened the previous weekend and then looking forward
to what you think may happen this, coming weekend and
it builds up and everybody talks about it around the
water cooler at work or or with your friends at
lunch or whatever. It is and and, YOU know i

(01:05:35):
remember talking, to guys you KNOW when I when i
was IN, the nba and guys who would, play overseas
and and remember one time one of THE guys i
was talking to Playing, in greece and, he said, you know,
it's uh, you know the fans get really Rowdy. In
greece but, you know it's it's kind of like a
football IN the us in that in the domestic leagues

(01:05:56):
a lot of Times in europe sometimes you only play
once a week and you play on. The weekend so he,
would say if we got on a three game, Losing,
streak okay we lost three weekends in, a row we
hadn't won a game in almost, a month and the
fans would. Be merciless and he said that was the,

(01:06:20):
hardest thing because you're trying to practice, all week waiting
to get to the, next game to try and get
that monkey off, your back. You know AND and i
think there's something to that in terms, of football where
it's once a week and the fans get excited, about
it and if, you're winning like the local teams have,
so far, you know then fans are getting even more

(01:06:40):
jacked up about the next game and about the hope
and the possibility that you could go on some kind
of a special run from week to week if you
can keep. That, going hey look do you had that?
LAST year i mean the the, you know the The.
Cam rising it was in the middle of game four

(01:07:01):
and they were about to win the game to go
four and oh and everybody's all, all excited and, you
know here we get this is what. We thought here,
we go we're on. This train and he gets hurt
and bingo. Bango bongo they lose six and the next
seven or whatever, it was and and that fell apart
because he was such a key a key member of
that and with other injuries and. So forth but those

(01:07:23):
things can get get derailed.

Speaker 6 (01:07:24):
Real.

Speaker 7 (01:07:24):
Quickly uh but but the fans want to be part
of something that's a collective where you all have the
same mindset and you all are supporting. Each other and by, Doing,
that spence YOU and i are fans of a certain
team and we share those those, common feelings and when,
we do we're really affirming to each other that, that
hey you know what you're. Talking, about, yeah yeah you

(01:07:46):
know what you're. Talking, about yeah, all, right guys here,
we go, You know and and that makes you feel
good and and that makes you feel part of. This show, That's,
why spence one of the greatest phrases in sports, is,
oh yeah we won the game, last weekend or, they,
say oh they lost the game.

Speaker 6 (01:08:05):
Last weekend.

Speaker 7 (01:08:06):
It's easy it's easy to hear the fans who want
to be considered part of it when. It's positive but
it's those guys when. They, lose right we win and.
They lost and that's that's the phrase a lot of. Fans,
use right.

Speaker 1 (01:08:23):
It's true, All, right SMITTY before i say, you lose
you've got a pretty exciting box that will be checked. This,
month right you're hitting your. Sinna state.

Speaker 7 (01:08:32):
That's, right well, You, know spence we talked last last
YEAR about, i had, you know spent a lot of
my life going to, baseball games a big, baseball fan
and and finally in the last Few years LINDA and
i were able to travel a lot and and uh
and count off the last handful of, baseball STADIUMS and
i finished off all thirty baseball parks last summer as

(01:08:54):
a so called bucket.

Speaker 6 (01:08:54):
List deal and then it, came, up well what's my?

Speaker 7 (01:08:57):
NEXT thing i, don't know but BUT then i started
thinking about it during the winter, and, realize hey You
know i've been to with all my travels work and
personally very fortunate to have traveled to forty eight of the.
Fifty states AND so, i, thought well that's got to, be, something,
RIGHT like I gotta i gotta finish, that off whatever.
That means so so THIS spring i went to my forty,

(01:09:17):
ninth state Which Was, north dakota to my nephew's wedding
shout Out to Oliver And abbey NELSON and i Got,
Married Bismarck. North dakota and then the end of, This
month i'm gonna get off my fiftieth and last state
by Going. To ARKANSAS and i had a lot of

(01:09:38):
trips From the jazz over the years planned there for,
scouting opportunities and they always got canceled because of weather
in the middle, of winter ice storms. And whatnot but
at the end of, The month i'm going to GO
to Uh, To fayetville arkansas And Watch notre Dame at
ARKANSAS awesome sec. Football Game notre dame football game on. The,
Road awesome and that'll be a fun way to tick

(01:10:01):
that box and and finish. That off and looking forward. To,
that smitty you are. The man great to. See you
glad you're reunited with. Your iPad it was fun to
play a little golf with you over. The weekend oh that.
Was great how about? Your dad that, was great, you
know being able to hang out. With dad and FIRST
time i Ever met jason christ and what a nice man.
He is and and we had fun time agetting to

(01:10:21):
know each other a little bit and and that.

Speaker 6 (01:10:24):
WAS fun i appreciated you including me.

Speaker 2 (01:10:26):
In that nobody broke any, course records but we had a.

Speaker 7 (01:10:28):
Good time they well they don't do they keep course
records for most strokes on around.

Speaker 2 (01:10:34):
Oh, good point?

Speaker 1 (01:10:34):
Good, Point yeah Berdie my bertie on one and then
it was. All downhill it was all downhill. After that,
that's right but it's great to see. My, friend, Okay.
THANKS bence i had The Great richard smith stops by
today courtesy of our friends AT I Fa. Country stores
with I F a Step four Fall and winter, long
food you'll get stronger roots now and an early green up.

Speaker 2 (01:10:52):
Next spring it's the ultimate line.

Speaker 1 (01:10:54):
Owner power move more at your local I f a
or at I F a Dot. Co Op bill riley
Voiced the, it says our guest coming up on the.

Speaker 2 (01:11:01):
Other side all righty show rolling.

Speaker 1 (01:11:03):
Along today Our friend Melissa From Sound sleep medical is
live in studio.

Speaker 2 (01:11:06):
Once, again melissa how are you?

Speaker 1 (01:11:08):
Doing great so we're helping people who suffer from sleep apnea.

Speaker 2 (01:11:12):
Sleep better that's what. We're doing, all, right period end.

Speaker 1 (01:11:15):
Of story but what are some warning signs that folks
should look out for to indicate maybe they are suffering from? Sleep, Apnea,
okay well.

Speaker 11 (01:11:22):
A really common one. Is snoring, you know there's a
lot of people out there who are sleeping in separate
rooms because the partner just can't handle the noise the
other one. Is making or maybe you've noticed that your
partner is. Stopping breathing even if you're single and you, feel,
Like yeah. I'm snoring? Who cares nobody else is getting
bothered by. That noise it's a red flag that essentially

(01:11:45):
you're trying to breathe through a pinched airway like kind
of a, Pinch straw and what that means is you're
not getting the oxygen. You need so it's way more
than just an. Annoying noise if, you're snoring it's likely
meaning you also have low oxygen during.

Speaker 1 (01:12:02):
The night and what are the adverse effects on your
health if you're currently suffering from?

Speaker 2 (01:12:06):
Sleep apnea, Good question.

Speaker 11 (01:12:08):
Things, like, anxiety confusion serious stuff down the road, Like
dementia so that's all, brain stuff but even things with
your heart like high. Blood pressure i've seen people with
a fib and also stroke unfortunately down. The road so
storing or sleep apne is not something you want.

Speaker 1 (01:12:28):
To ignore it's.

Speaker 11 (01:12:29):
Really serious let's get you tested and find out if
you have, a problem and if, you do we can
fix it in a really.

Speaker 1 (01:12:35):
Easy way typically people with sleep apnea have been sold
a seatpap and ultimately it's a bulky thing that makes
it hard. To travel you guys have developed a, much
smaller more convenient oral appliance to solve.

Speaker 9 (01:12:47):
This.

Speaker 2 (01:12:47):
Problem melessa let's hear.

Speaker 11 (01:12:48):
About, it yeah it's like a custom. Made mouthguard it's
so small and slim it could essentially you throw it in.
Your pocket it will stabilize your lower jaw, at night
your oxygen level, stay up your airways open enough that snoring,
goes away apnea, is gone you wake up. Feeling good
and it is easy to use as like bleach trays during,

(01:13:08):
the night.

Speaker 2 (01:13:09):
And it's covered by most major.

Speaker 1 (01:13:11):
Medical insurances there's also a warranty on, all devices so
don't worry about anything along.

Speaker 2 (01:13:16):
Those lines they'll take care.

Speaker 1 (01:13:17):
Of you At Sound, Sleep, medical melissa what's the special
offer you have for. Our, listeners okay call.

Speaker 11 (01:13:22):
Right now the number is eight, oh one three three
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Speaker 6 (01:13:25):
Two four if, it's easier go.

Speaker 11 (01:13:27):
Online and schedule at soundsleepmedical. Dot com we've got, six
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do at home in your. Own bed bring it back,
to us we'll, download it give you a free sleep
consultation with one of our specialists to explain the report
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Speaker 1 (01:13:47):
A Problem as, melissa mentioned Six, Locations, Clearfield Murray Sandy
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soundsleep medical today during the show to take advantage of,
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Speaker 12 (01:13:57):
Family receivers way the right hand side on to the
left hand side on second down at nine from The
cal paly forty five deep in bock fires wide to.

Speaker 5 (01:14:06):
The outside.

Speaker 9 (01:14:06):
It's picked it's gonna go to The House jackson benny.

Speaker 10 (01:14:12):
The streak is alive twenty two straight years.

Speaker 1 (01:14:17):
With a pick Six For utah benny with a. House
doll the dulcent tones of the voice of the Utes One,
bill riley who joined us On this, Wednesday Afternoon Ryle's, Happy,
wednesday sir how are.

Speaker 5 (01:14:30):
You spent Some good how are? You doing.

Speaker 2 (01:14:32):
I'M good i appreciate the, Time.

Speaker 1 (01:14:33):
Today bill so let's just let's get to some of,
the things some of the particulars from a, week ago
and let's start With something i've not been able to
really dig in with you as a Guest coach mack
Into the Ring of. Honor there, of course that was a,
great day had a chance to just. Say hello he was,
very busy very decked out In his hawaiian legh and

(01:14:54):
a lot of people wanted a piece Of. Coach mack
but what was that like for you To see ryle's
and What does ron McBride?

Speaker 12 (01:14:59):
Mean, FOOTBALL well i was Lucky enough spence in the
week leading up to the event to be able to
sit down with Both coach Mac And roy jefferson and
just kind of walk down memory lane for longer form sit,
down interviews and it was it. WAS great, I mean
max's been a friend for a long long time and
it's a very very. DESERVED honor i, ASKED him, i,

(01:15:22):
said so how many people do you think are going
to have coming to the game as part of.

Speaker 5 (01:15:26):
The event, he, said oh a, few, Hundred.

Speaker 12 (01:15:29):
Perfect but jefferson had a, good crowd but, you know
everybody That knows mac is, a friend and it was
it WAS just i was just so happy for Him and,
roy too because, You know roy had a great pro
career and he was a great two. Way player But,
for MAC and I think i've said this with, YOU
before I just i think he's one of the three
or four most important Figures in University of utah.

Speaker 5 (01:15:51):
Football history what we have.

Speaker 12 (01:15:52):
Today doesn't happen If if ron McBride doesn't take the.
Job back in nineteen ninety and, you know change the,
cult sure and make the program a winning program and
instill pride and toughness and everything Else to. Utah football
he laid. The foundation urban came in and had a
nice couple of year run kind Of a utah football
cool and Then obviously kyle's greatest coach in football history

(01:16:16):
here At the University. Of utah But, without mac none of.
That happens AND so i was so happy. For HIM
and i Didn't Know roy jefferson At, all SPENCE but
i had always heard about Him, from john My Friend,
john peas because they were teammates back in the. Early
Sixties and john always, told, me says best FOOTBALL player
i ever played With Was, roy jefferson and he used

(01:16:38):
to tell. Me stories and so for me to be
able to have a chance to sit Down with roy
and talk to him and recount his Time at utah
was a lot. Of FUN so i thought it was
really really cool to put those guys got put In
the ring.

Speaker 5 (01:16:49):
Of honor you know.

Speaker 1 (01:16:50):
What is interesting to consider for listeners that. Don't know,
you know Obviously coach wit has a Tie To, coach
Mac but morgan has a tie to Coch. Coach mack
he was recruited, By him He Hired jason beck and,
and look you could keep going sharif like the majority
of the coaches On both utah and BYU's roster have

(01:17:11):
a direct Tie to.

Speaker 2 (01:17:12):
Ron McBride for our listeners who didn't, know, that.

Speaker 12 (01:17:15):
Well YEAH and I Mean, LUTHER ellis I asked MAC
when i talked, TO him, i said, you know because
he had to come in and change the culture when
he took over. THE job, i said, you know was
there a player that was most instrumental in you turning
the program around And turning utah into? A winner and he,
Didn't hesitated, He Said. Luther ELLIS when I got luther

(01:17:35):
to commit and he, came here it. Changed everything And
now luther is a defensive Tackles Coach lewis pallet. Coaches
ends he was recruited and Played for.

Speaker 5 (01:17:43):
Ron McBride.

Speaker 12 (01:17:47):
Colton swan played For coach Mac At weaver state and
then coached with Him At. Weaver state so there are
so many Ties and mac is kind of the through
line on all of.

Speaker 1 (01:17:57):
This, stuff, Yeah yeah so a really special day to
say hello To. Coach mack and he looked Really, touched
BILL which i thought was really. Really cool, you know
they looked like that also meant a lot. To him
is that fair?

Speaker 4 (01:18:09):
To?

Speaker 5 (01:18:09):
SAY oh i.

Speaker 12 (01:18:10):
Think so he got a little choked up when he
was talking about it with me in, the interview and
it was HALFTIME and i was still kind of on,
the AIR but i had my binoculars, watching HIM and
i think he might have worn those sunglasses on purpose
just to kind of maybe hide those eyes that might
have been welling up with, some TEARS because i think
to have his name up on that stadium meant, A

(01:18:31):
ton i, really do.

Speaker 1 (01:18:32):
No doubt and also the man responsible For making utah
relevant in, the RIVALRY beat byu, six times a couple
conference championships Prior To. Coach mack it was sixteen and
two during an eighteen. Year stretch also a, master recruiter as,
you referenced twenty one Players Drafted, Jordan Gross, Jamal Anderson,
Luther Ellis.

Speaker 2 (01:18:52):
Steve smith But the.

Speaker 1 (01:18:53):
DYSON brothers i could, keep going and we could probably
do a five hour Show On. Coach mack but let's
move OVER to i Don't know. RILES well i perceived
to be more of like a. Fun Celebration the utah football, is.
BACK right i mean that was kind of the feel around.
The game just, good Down have. Utaugh football we only
get six of. These, THINGS man i say it, every
year so enjoy.

Speaker 5 (01:19:10):
The, moment, YEP yeah.

Speaker 12 (01:19:12):
I agree, span said you, know again the opponent wasn't
on the LEVEL of ucla or probably even on the
level Of.

Speaker 5 (01:19:17):
What wyoming will be.

Speaker 12 (01:19:18):
This weekend but what they did was they, went out
they didn't turn the, football over they scored nine times
in the, red zone didn't kick any, field goals just,
scored touchdowns got out of the, game healthy got to
backup some Key Time bird ficklin showed. Some STUFF so
i think they just kind of went about it business

(01:19:40):
like and kind of checked off a lot of the
things you want to do when you're playing a.

Speaker 5 (01:19:45):
ONE double a.

Speaker 12 (01:19:46):
Caliber OPPONENT and i think they've, you know they've had two.
Good weeks They'll have wyoming on, the road which will
be a little bit of a test this.

Speaker 5 (01:19:54):
Weekend too it's.

Speaker 12 (01:19:55):
Never easy to Go to laramie, to PLAY but i
think after two weeks it's hard to argue coaches will
always be able, to nitpick and there's certainly still some
questions because, the competition especially a Week, from saturday is
going to get a lot Tougher With.

Speaker 5 (01:20:09):
Texas TECH but.

Speaker 12 (01:20:10):
I think after two weeks Of seeing, utah play there's
really a lot to like about.

Speaker 1 (01:20:15):
THIS team, I agree, I agree and so let's move
into the space of what you feel like you know
and it. IS difficult ucla gets Beat by Vegas, cal
poly not a worthy opponent all, Due respect so keeping
the opponent, in mind what do you feel confidence saying
that you know About this utah team through?

Speaker 7 (01:20:33):
Two?

Speaker 5 (01:20:33):
GAMES why i think they're.

Speaker 12 (01:20:35):
REALLY talented i think, the defense what you can see
is athleticism and you can see effort. And motor one
of my big questions was the. Defensive line how are
they going to generate? Pass rush, you know the last
couple of years they've been, pretty good but they've had
to get a little bit more exotic to pressure, the QUARTERBACK.

Speaker 10 (01:20:54):
And i wanted to know how would the defensive ends and.

Speaker 12 (01:20:56):
Tackles Perform John henry daily was the highest graded Defense
And College's Powerful college football. Last weekend he's been a really.
Nice find he was in the program a year ago TRANSFER,
from byu and he kind of bited his time behind
some of those veterans, last year and now he's got
three sacks and, two GAMES so i you, Know, Him, Cash, Dylan,
Lance Holtzklaw. Paul Fitzgerald Obviously logan fano got he, suited

(01:21:20):
up but he didn't play. Last WEEKEND so i think
THAT they're i THINK that i feel pretty good. ABOUT
that i think the offense is good and it's going
to be hard to defend because they've got so. Many options,
you know would you like to have that five star superstar.
Wide receiver. Probably so but, you know eleven different guys

(01:21:40):
ran the ball and nine different guys caught the Ball
for Utah. On saturday that just tells me that they've
got guys that can make. Some plays and it's it's
they're going to distribute the ball around and make it
a little bit more difficult on defenses to focus on
where that ball's going. This YEAR so i THINK that
i think the offense is. VERY diverse i think the,
offensive line even with a couple of guys sitting out,

(01:22:01):
last weekend. Looked GOOD and i think the defense. WAS solid,
i mean they gave up three field goals To, cal
polly didn't let them in the end zone even when
the backups. Were IN so i think there's a lot.

Speaker 1 (01:22:11):
Of life So was shan so far has the longest
rush and the longest catch fifty two. Yard catch, you
know it was kind of like last YEAR. Versus suu
Now was shan is certainly going to be in, the
mix if not at some point maybe take over.

Speaker 2 (01:22:26):
That job even though the cars looked good.

Speaker 1 (01:22:28):
As well but last year when The De jon stanley
kid caught a couple of wild open wheel routes where
you could have scored bill, due respect.

Speaker 2 (01:22:35):
We all, were, like hey they do they have a.
Secret weapon but, you know.

Speaker 1 (01:22:39):
A lot of conversation on like lack of big. CHUNK
plays i don't necessarily fall into the category being concerned
about it because there's two trains. Of thought maybe not
a ton of, chunk plays but also you're dump trucking
the teams you played. So far any concern from you
on what a lot of people have been talking about
maybe not a lot of ex explosive plays from the, offense,

(01:23:00):
yet well they had.

Speaker 12 (01:23:01):
SOME sound i mean they didn't have. A lot there
were a lot of longer DRIVES, against UCLA but i
mean you Mentioned it parker with a fifty two, Yard
play parker with a forty three, Yard Run.

Speaker 5 (01:23:10):
Berd fickland with a thirty eight.

Speaker 12 (01:23:12):
Yard play so there were some, in there and then,
you know you got.

Speaker 5 (01:23:15):
Some of those.

Speaker 12 (01:23:16):
RUSHING touchdowns I think rogers had a thirty eight yard
reception out of. The backfield They Found dallan bentley for
a nice ball up. The SIDELINE so i think it
was better. THIS week i think it's one of those
things that will come to, good news is, you know
with that offensive line and you know that you could
run the ball and play. POWER football i think they're
still figuring out with some of, these weapons who are

(01:23:37):
going to be those big. Play GUYS but i think
we've seen some glimpses in a couple.

Speaker 1 (01:23:40):
Of weeks, you, KNOW ultimately I think devin has passed
the first couple of tests with. Flying colors there are
maybe some moments where he looks a little hesitant with
the footwork just to. Unleash it and, YOU know i
was thinking. ABOUT this i was reading a Preview, For
georgia tennessee coming up, this weekend and the rider just pontificated, on,
like look maybe a lot, of Questions Maybe gunner stockton

(01:24:03):
isn't necessarily a top, tier quarterback but he Plays, for
georgia and if you Play, for georgia you just rely
on the team. Around you and it kind of felt
that feels that Way. ABOUT devon, i mean as Long
as devin relies on these, two backs both of them
can really. TOTE it i know the weapons on the
outside still have, some questions but of course the old,
line like it's, one thing ye nitpicky about The way,

(01:24:24):
devin's looked and that's tough to do after two. Blowout
wins but it's got to be Nice for devin to
look around and just have this group around him to
know that that side of the ball is solidified for
the most part while we wait to learn more about the.

Speaker 2 (01:24:36):
Wide, RECEIVERS well i.

Speaker 5 (01:24:38):
THINK too, i mean here's.

Speaker 12 (01:24:40):
The, thing yeah he's not had a lot of big passing,
number days but he's completed seventy five percent of his
passes basically in, two weeks and when the play hasn't,
been there he's been able to make something out of
it with. His LEGS so i think the bigger plays, Will,
COME spence. I do, i think, you, know again two

(01:25:00):
weeks in more chunk plays This week but he's almost
to me in this offense like a, point guard just
distributing to the. Open man and there's a lot of
open men to get the, ball TO and i think
he's just doing a good job of distributing and taking
what the defense. Gives him they, HAVEN'T really, I mean
i don't think. THIS weekend i think IN the ucla
game early they forced a couple, balls DOWNFIELD but i

(01:25:23):
didn't feel like Against cal poly they really. Forced anything
and when it, wasn't there he just would go pick, up,
five six.

Speaker 1 (01:25:28):
Seven YARDS since i asked you what you, feel like
you know through, two games what are you still waiting?

Speaker 2 (01:25:33):
To learn.

Speaker 9 (01:25:35):
The big big?

Speaker 12 (01:25:36):
PLAY stuff i think the down the field stuff is still.
To Evolve, jackson benny we saw him catch a seventeen
Yard or he's run some deep routes and. Looked Good,
tobias merriweather he had the thirty six yard GRAB. Against
ucla i'm, you know those big plays are.

Speaker 5 (01:25:52):
Gonna come who's it?

Speaker 12 (01:25:53):
Gonna be we know who kind of the short and intermediate.
Guys are, you know who's the guy that kind of
takes the top off or threatens the? Defense Deep so
i'm still waiting to, See THAT like, i think like,
everybody is and, YOU know i think it's just what
will this look like when the competition. Gets better utah
is doing exactly what you're supposed to do against teams
that you're. Better than they're BETTER, than ucla they're better Than.

(01:26:15):
Cal pauly we'll see what they Do Against wyoming saturday.
UP there i think they're Better, than wyoming but you've
got to go. Do it But Then, texas tech that's
the first really really big test of a team that's
on the, you know equal footing with you from a,
talent standpoint from a, ranking standpoint from an. Expectation standpoint
so they've got to take care. Of Business but i'm,

(01:26:37):
you know it's good to. Do it and they've done
exactly what you're supposed. To do run it up against those.
Lesser teams but a Week from saturday is going to
be really interesting. To me and obviously we'll talk about that.
Next week but when You Play, Texas tech.

Speaker 1 (01:26:50):
So when it comes, to There and devin talked about this,
post Game and wit talked about a postgame and during Media,
on monday The cal poly game obviously was never.

Speaker 2 (01:27:01):
IN doubt, i mean it was a Low.

Speaker 1 (01:27:03):
Anxiety saturday there was no way that that was ever
even gonna be kind. Of close there were a few
mental lapses. That manifested sharif during his media this week was.
Very blunt gave his group a GRADE of c minus
so far and said he was actually being generous with.
THOSE grades i Just, for bill, For me i've talked
about this. All week we always forget how young these,

(01:27:24):
players are and certainly in the modern day and age
of the inundation, of information they know the score With,
cal poly they know what time. It is you come
off an opening week statement At The rose bowl where
it's the final marquee game of the college football Weekend,
on fox and everybody's watching you go CURB. STOMP ucla
i think it's just human nature for young people to

(01:27:46):
maybe lose a little focus here or there in a
game where you're up by. A million i know the
coaches will tell you they want their, players focused working
hard at, all times but you cannot change. Human nature
just is what it is when you're. That young none
of the. Mental errors, And look i'm just a guy
who blabs on. The radio i'm Sure, for kyle he
actually maybe enjoys some tape he can show his players

(01:28:07):
as far as what they can. Approve upon did any
of the, mental lapses, the penalties the out of position
in the secondary concern you at All Against Kyle poly
or is it just young people probably just naturally not
maybe playing as hard as they want to against the
team they know they're going to beat by. A.

Speaker 5 (01:28:22):
MILLION yeah i didn't think anything.

Speaker 12 (01:28:24):
WAS egregious i think the early penalties are just frustrating
as much, as ANYTHING because i think they only had
three total PENALTIES against ucla and the opener on the
road against a. BETTER team i don't know what goes,
into IT but i didn't think there was anything wildly
Egregious that. Utah did it set back a couple of,
early drives but. Nothing major and again that's kind of,

(01:28:47):
you know coaches will never, Say this spence because. They
can't but that's what some of these games are about
early in, the season before you begin, conference play is
working some, things out getting everybody on the. Same page
get a couple of those procedure penalties or that hold
out of. The, way now get your technique a little
bit better against a team that you're, better than and

(01:29:07):
that way when you line UP against ASU and Byu And,
texas tech you know your, your technique in your in
your stance is a little.

Speaker 5 (01:29:16):
Bit BETTER so.

Speaker 12 (01:29:17):
I wasn't, i mean there was nothing that, you know
that bothered me at a standing egregious or something that
happened repeatedly that, you're like, oh man this is going to.
Be PROBLEMATIC so i think that's a lot of that
as coaches just coaching the heck out of these guys
to make sure it. Doesn't happen as we get a little,
further on.

Speaker 1 (01:29:33):
You already said, his NAME but I believe I've heard
kyle say The Name jackson benny four or five times
over the.

Speaker 2 (01:29:39):
Past week he gets the.

Speaker 1 (01:29:41):
Pick six that's twenty two, straight years which is just
wild to. Think about but it Feels like kyle really
wants to see him. Featured offensively and obviously he's, Got
wheels obviously he's got.

Speaker 2 (01:29:52):
Ball skills any idea what that's going to look like?

Speaker 12 (01:29:54):
Moving, forward yeah he's been he's been playing. WIDE receiver,
i mean he had that seventeen yard CATCH. Against ucla
he's one of the fastest guys on the.

Speaker 5 (01:30:01):
Team. Too spetch he's really a.

Speaker 12 (01:30:03):
Freakish athlete he, played volleyball he, played basketball he, played
rugby he. PLAYED football i mean his Uncle Is. Danny
raine his brothers have played football. As well this KID is,
i mean he's an. Excellent safety he can play. Slot
corner they moved him over to wide receiver because he
was just such a good athlete and he's playing out.
WIDE there, i just, YOU know i think this guy's

(01:30:25):
the Limit For. Jackson benny and if he's a two, way,
guy great if it's just as a safety or if
he just moves to. Wide RECEIVER but i think you're
gonna see him making plays. This year he's really really
good and WHETHER and i THINK it's i think you're
gonna see some of that in the past game, as
WELL because i think he's. Tall too he's a little lanky,

(01:30:46):
right now and he's at about one, ninety maybe but
he goes about six foot TWO and i think he's
got about a forty inch. Vertical jump so he's a really.
Freakish ATHLETE and i think they're going to find ways
to try to get him the football as this thing.

Speaker 5 (01:30:59):
MOVES forward i.

Speaker 2 (01:31:00):
Wanted to bring you into.

Speaker 1 (01:31:00):
A conversation i was watching some of the recaps Of
The oklahoma michigan game, last week one of the, prime time,
you know ranked games that we.

Speaker 2 (01:31:10):
Actually had we didn't have a ton in.

Speaker 1 (01:31:12):
Week two we had a good Slate in, week two
but a lot of people honed in on that game
specifically to, you know kind of watch two of the
banner blue blood Programs. In America And, Brett venables oklahoma's,
defensive coordinator one of the most highly respected defensive Coordinators.
In america And This bryce underwood Kid the. Michigan has
you can tell he's, got juice you can tell he's.
Got Potential but venables really put him in. A BLENDER

(01:31:36):
and i know it's too early For THE utah, byu
THING but byu schedule is shaping UP where i think
they will be and should be six and oh prior
To the. Utah game utah's got some. Different challenges you.
REFERENCE tech i Still Think arizona state is going to.
Be good but if You're a, utah fan to draw,
a parallel you've got to be licking your chops At

(01:31:56):
What morgan scalley would be able to draw up for
a true Freshman, and BACHMEYER because byu this year is
a little Bit like utah Has. Been underwit their defense
is fast and physical, and nasty but the offense against
A compromised stanford team stalled a lot. Of time they
didn't take advantage of, the opportunities had some red, zone
ISSUES and i, just think EVEN though i don't believe

(01:32:18):
the Rets laugh news really changed overall their ability to.
Be good when you start a, true freshman at some
point he's going to get GOD and i just have
to Believe that morgan will have the ability to confuse.

Speaker 12 (01:32:29):
The kid it's going to be interesting because he did
that a couple of. Years ago you remember The Kid,
dante moore WHO'S now i think He's at. Oregon, thriving
yeah but he got his first career Start at utah
and it was a rough day.

Speaker 5 (01:32:44):
That day they.

Speaker 12 (01:32:45):
Sacked, HIM boy i think they sacked him six or.
Seven times he threw a pick six in. That game,
it's tough but that Was In Salt lake city and
THAT was i think the second or third game of.
The year the One thing i'll Say about bachmeyer is
he'll have about five under his big by the time
he gets To playing utah and he'll be DOWN at
byu in a little bit more. Friendly confined but, You're

(01:33:06):
right morgan's been very good over. THE years, i, MEAN
shoot i remember that He And john peas Did The
jared goff who was a senior In A heisman trophy
candidate and was a top. Ten pick, you know he
came in here through. Five interceptions so good defensive coordinators
can do that because the one thing you, can't do
even with a, YOUNG quarterback i mean you're even seeing

(01:33:27):
it a little bit With arch, manning too is there's
no substitution for reps in. Game experience and he will
see a lot in, five games there's no doubt, about
that but he won't see what a lot of quarterbacks
have seen when they have a full season under their
belt or two seasons under. Their belt so that will be,
you know that will be the task when that game

(01:33:49):
comes rolling Around, in october is to try to give
him a lot of looks and things that he hasn't,
seen before because you just can't know what you, don't know,
you know.

Speaker 1 (01:33:59):
For sure speaking of Freshman, with juice didn't know Much
about bird right outside of what the coaches have, been
Saying and i'm knocking.

Speaker 2 (01:34:06):
On wood We want devin under center.

Speaker 1 (01:34:08):
All year but with what we've Seen From bird fickland,
so far there's a lot to like about. This kid
what's your understanding of the backup quarterback Situation with utah
as we sit, Here, today.

Speaker 12 (01:34:21):
Well it feels LIKE and I think kyle addressed this
the other Day that bert obviously They like bird a
lot and what he can do in. That system obviously
he played a quarter and. A half, You know isaac
didn't get on the field the. Other DAY so i
think they're really interested in Seeing what bird. Can DO
and i think his skill set really fits well With
what utah.

Speaker 5 (01:34:39):
Does.

Speaker 12 (01:34:39):
OFFENSIVELY now i think he runs the ball. Very well
he's got a very. LIVE arm I asked kyle On
The coaches show last night to se him the best
arm of. The room, He'd, LIKE oh i don't know.
ABOUT that i don't know if he does, for sure
but his arm. Is live he made some really, good
throws worked way down, the field but with pressure in.

Speaker 5 (01:34:57):
His face so a lot of what you Say.

Speaker 12 (01:35:00):
On saturday with some of the stuff that was happening
in spring Ball, with utah and they were wildly impressed
because he, came in he graduated early from, HIGH school
i think he was still seventeen when he got on
campus and had a really good spring, and then like
a lot of, people do they have up and down
fall camps when you're a. True freshman but he's come
out of it and played. Really Well now devan's.

Speaker 5 (01:35:20):
Got this year and.

Speaker 12 (01:35:20):
Next year it's not it's not making the bird Fick
glend eric quite Yet because devon's.

Speaker 5 (01:35:24):
Awfully good but.

Speaker 12 (01:35:26):
Just glimpses of what, we've seen he's got a very,
bright future, All.

Speaker 1 (01:35:30):
Right roles before he set You Loose groundhog's day With the,
BIG twelve i don't know. WHO'S good i mean most
of the non con opportunities have gone by. The wayside
Of course utah where you WENT, Over ucla baylor Went
to dallas AND. Got smu but now that, we have,
you know three weeks, sample size if You Include, iowa
state who probably has the most impressive resume, so far

(01:35:52):
who do you think is good in?

Speaker 2 (01:35:53):
This conference before he sets?

Speaker 5 (01:35:54):
YOU loose I Think iowa.

Speaker 12 (01:35:56):
STATE'S good i mean They Beat, kansas state who's turned
out to be not, so good but that was an
opening Game. In ireland then they came home and destroyed
a one double, a team and then they beat their
in State rival iowa who was supposed to be an
Upper Tier big ten team. This YEAR so i, think that,
you know if anybody's laying claim to the best team

(01:36:16):
in the conference and you're basing it on what, WE'VE
seen i Think It's iowa state. RIGHT now I think
utah is right there with them because they had a
really nice road WIN against ucla and then came home
and backed it up with a, you know a decimation
of a one DOUBLE a byu looks, pretty good but
they haven't played a. Lot Yet texas tech has blown

(01:36:39):
out to also, ran opponents but that's what you're supposed
to do against also. RAN opponents i was really IMPRESSED With.
TCU spence I Know north carolina is a, hot mess
but that was a road game in a, hostile environment
at least for. A quarter i think TCU's pretty. Good
too AND then i don't think it's a bad lie,

(01:37:00):
ospray issue but it's a.

Speaker 5 (01:37:01):
Road loss but the two teams.

Speaker 12 (01:37:03):
Outside of utah that have impressed me the most early
on ARE probably Tcu And.

Speaker 1 (01:37:07):
Iowa state what does success look like driving Home, From, Laramie.

Speaker 12 (01:37:12):
Well well it's success is not driving Home. From laramie
it's hoping that the airplane works and that we Fly home.
Saturday night it is not driving home and Stopping in
Rawlins Or. Green RIVER but i think it's getting out
of there with a w and just kind of. Building on,
you know if you can have another game where you
don't turn the. Ball over they've got back to back
games with. No turnovers force a, few turnovers stay healthy

(01:37:35):
and get out of there with, a win and then
turn your Attention To.

Speaker 5 (01:37:37):
Texas tech, all.

Speaker 1 (01:37:38):
Right buddy thanks for, the time have a, great call and. Travel,
safe okay. Thanks bets utah football Heads to wyoming, this
week looking to continue their hot start AFTER dismantling ucla
And CAL poly byu is on a buy a lot
of good games on the slate though week two of.
Pro football we'll get going tomorrow with a Really good thursday.
Night game our next guest of the show stops by

(01:38:01):
from time, to time the, legend Himself The Great danny
canel On a. Wednesday, Afternoon Danny, happy, wednesday sir how?

Speaker 2 (01:38:06):
Are you i'm.

Speaker 10 (01:38:08):
Good man it's good to. Be on it's becoming a
little annual TRADITION which i love catching up. With you
it's been a fun start to the college. FOOTBALL season
i felt coming into this season it was gonna be,
a like really really, a fun entertaining season that was really,
wide OPEN and i think that's. Played out i'm not great,
at predictions but THAT one i feel pretty confident in.

Speaker 1 (01:38:29):
So, far, Well predictions danny and this sport. ARE impossible
i mean they've always, been impossible but now they're, like impossible,
you know with all.

Speaker 2 (01:38:36):
The changeover with players.

Speaker 1 (01:38:37):
And coaches but before we get to some, SPECIFIC games
i will ask you your impressions On these utah youths through.
TWO wins i don't know HOW good, ucla Is and
i'm not sure That cal poly's AN accurate, liptnus test
but this Young quarterback Devin dan piers looked pretty good through.

Speaker 2 (01:38:52):
Two, games, yeah yeah he.

Speaker 10 (01:38:54):
Looks great utah Is my, mulligan Pick so i'll. Explain
why so coming Into THE sea I Thought, kansas state
speaking of not, KNOWING anything i thought they were going
to be a team that was going to bring the.
Big Twelve but utah Is my. MULLIGAN pick i think
they are the cream of the crop right now in.
The conference and you mentioned you don't know HOW good,
UCLA is i.

Speaker 5 (01:39:15):
DON'T care i.

Speaker 10 (01:39:16):
Mean the way they won THAT game i think is probably,
Most impressive like that was a dominant victory on the
road Versus a big, Ten TEAM so i think that's really.
Really impressive and you Mentioned About, dan PIERRE who i
liked that move, a lot and it's been pretty. Tent
trendy we've seen this Happen at oklahoma and a couple,
other places but the fact that he came in There With,
jason beck his offensive Coordinator From, new mexico shows me

(01:39:39):
that it. Was COMFORTABLE and i think probably the best
thing About what i've seen early as he's eliminated some
of the mistakes he made throwing, the football because last
year twelve, touchdowns thrown but also had. Eleven interceptions, this
year the clean sheet in the interception column is what you're,
looking For and i'm sure That Has kyle whitningham. Very,
happy also some of the other transferre movements have really

(01:40:01):
worked out well For. The UTE so i think the
season setting up, great form as is, the schedule like
the fact that They Get texas tech here after the
Game against wyoming, AT home i Think Is Hute arizona state,
at home like most of their tougher competition is. At
HOME so i Think the utes are sitting in a
great spot right now For The.

Speaker 1 (01:40:20):
Big twelve who else in, The conference danny do you think?
IS good, i mean we ran into this issue, last
year and, so yeah we were. All punished they took
Away Our big twelve preseason, media poll which is fine
because we were all wrong a. Year Ago iowa state
might have the BEST resume byu about forty miles down
south has. Looked good so, your reference you Like? The
utes who else do you like In The big twelve?

Speaker 10 (01:40:41):
THIS year i think it's the hardest one, to, Predict
right and even still at this point in, the season
there's still not really that kind of clear cut favorite.
THAT'S risen I, like UTAH but I also i do
Think That texas tech game is going to be a
tremendous amount. Of fun and they're that experiment that was
can they buy Themselves A big? Twelve championship can they
their way Into The college? Football playoffs and it's looked,

(01:41:03):
good early but their competition has been less. Than cellar
but like the returns are good. So far they have
a little bit of a test this Weekend Against. OREGON
state i don't see them slipping. Up THERE so I
Think texas tech is. As Advertised, iowa state it's a
unique team. To me they don't really they don't have
a lot of the four and the, five stars and
it might not, be Pretty But matt campbell squad just

(01:41:24):
finds a way. To win like that's so impressive what
they're able to do to just turn out wins. When
things maybe they're not putting up forty plus points, out there,
you know on, the scoreboards but they just find ways.
To win i'll tell you a TEAM that i like,
a lot and they're kind of flying under the Radar.
As baylor baylor lost that Opener. TO auburn I Think,
sawyer robertson, their quarterback is the best quarterback in. The

(01:41:47):
country he's averaging four hundred and twenty nine yards through,
the air like he's sixty yards clear of the next.
Highest passer he can put that team on. HIS back
i thought they just got a really impressive. Road win THEY'RE,
at smu who's one of the better teams FROM. The
acc so those are just. A few BUT like I
Think arizona state's. Going anywhere even though They Lost, MISSISSIPPI

(01:42:10):
state i still think they're a pretty. Good. SQUAD kansas
i still think it's going to be really Good With
jalen daniels is a really. Good quarterback they lost a
tough road Game. Against MISSOURI but i think there's a lot,
of really really good quality teams In The big twelve,
right NOW but i Still think utah is.

Speaker 1 (01:42:24):
The best it's Interesting Watching colonie satake Build Up brigham
young over the course of the last Decade. And danny
We had colonie on the show a couple of, weeks
AGO and i asked him the question because he Played
For lavelle edwards and he was a defensive Coordinator Under
kyle Whittingham and BYU's Identity now danny is a Lot
like utah's where people just look at their defense and

(01:42:44):
how fast and physical, they are and they've only allowed
three points through. Two games They Smoke, portland state which
again is kind of, a whatever and Then the stanford
game was never really. In dowed they are starting a
true freshman quarterback In. Bear bach myron's going to take
him a minute to get, his footing but, you Know
The jake rehtz laugh stuff comes down that probably changes
the projection of how people. View them but what do

(01:43:05):
you THINK of byu so far?

Speaker 10 (01:43:06):
THIS year I Think kalini sataki is one of the,
more underrated underappreciated coaches in, The COUNTRY and I know
byu fans feel differently and they, like HIM and i
think they found a great spot for. Him THERE and
i do Think the reds laugh news really kind of that's,
a late, you know change that you all of a
sudden find. Yourself SEARCHING and i think the early Returns

(01:43:28):
On baron bachmeyer have been. PRETTY good i love any
quarterbacks that's wearing number forty seven out there kind of
playing the game a little bit more. Old SCHOOL but i,
do think, you know he comes from some bloodlines where
his brothers have been. Really GOOD but i still think
it could be a little bit bumpy. For THEM as
i thought the same Thing About, ARCH manning i thought
the same Thing About. Ty simpson like other quarterbacks, out

(01:43:49):
there it's just really hard to ask somebody with little
playing experience to go through the gauntlet of college football
without having some sort of freshman. Type moments but they're
off to a. Great start that defense continues. To deliver as,
you mentioned that'll keep them competitive in, every GAME so
i WOULD expect eyu to be in. The hunt the
good news is like every so, the preseason the highest

(01:44:11):
win total of any team In the big twelve was
eight and, a half which tells, you like if you
can get to eight or, nine wins you've got a
chance to win the conference and Make The College. Football
playoff it also is sort of detrimental to, the conference
right because that probably means you're only a one big
league unless somebody emerges as eleven and one team and
then the second best team is there at that nine.

(01:44:32):
To THREE but I think byu is exactly where they need,
to be and it wouldn't surprise me at all if
they pull off some pretty big upsets. This season, my.

Speaker 2 (01:44:39):
Gun you may have learned a lesson.

Speaker 1 (01:44:41):
Last week and, You, know dan there's so much to
Like About dan lanning, and obviously once upon, A time
Utah and oregon pac. Twelve Buddies oklahoma state is a
program that was one of the banner carriers In the
big twelve for a. Long time but you go Up,
to eugene after running, your mouth we get To See
dan lanning's pre. Games, BEACH look i Didn't Think oklahoma

(01:45:03):
state would be in. THE game i did not anticipate
sixty nine. To three what are your takeaways of that
entire dynamic?

Speaker 10 (01:45:10):
THAT was, i mean that was like. Jaw dropping there
were a lot of teams last week to put up
seventy points and add really, big blowouts but those WERE against.
Fcs Opponents oklahoma state is still a power for, our
TEAM and i do wonder what that win itself Means
For mike. Gundy's future and he really wasn't saying anything that.

(01:45:33):
Wasn't true but there's example after example of Teams Like
south florida, last week who has probably a tenth of
the budget That The florida, gators do and yet what,
they do they Went into gainesville and got the. Outright
win so like there's a disparity out There That mike
gundy is. Just stating but it, still doesn't, you know

(01:45:53):
give him an excuse to be non competitive in that
game against anybody and. The ramifications wonder if that really
does sort of show the end Of The mike, gundy
tenure which has been one of the most impressive tenures in.
College football the consistency with which he's Won in stillwater
has been. PRETTY phenomenal i just wonder if sort of

(01:46:14):
the game is passed. HIM by i don't think he
loves sort of the new. Player movement he hasn't been shy.
About that and if you don't, adapt quickly you will
find yourself with a program that is really reeling where
it is right Now With. Oklahoma STATE so i think
that's the ramification for me is it Might mean and
remember last year they were one of the worst teams

(01:46:35):
In The. BIG twelve i wonder if this means that
retirement isn't around the Corner For, bike GUNDY which i think.
IS sad i think he's been a great character for,
college FOOTBALL but i think this might mean more towards
the end of that career coming to. A, close alabama,
you know, of course stubs their toe to start.

Speaker 1 (01:46:50):
The season another one of the games where we didn't,
learn anything but they did. BOUNCE back i, just wonder,
You Know, caitlin debora a former pack to our buddy of.

Speaker 2 (01:46:57):
Ours, out here it's always hard to take over for, The.

Speaker 1 (01:47:00):
Legend danny you know that as well, as anybody whether
it's taking over a quarterback or taking over. As coach
do you think it's a personality? Fit there do you
think they're going to be long? FOR him, i mean
it's wild that at, twenty one it's their lowest ranking in,
seventeen years but That's what saban did. Down there do
you think he's going to be able to last Down.
In tuscaloosa.

Speaker 5 (01:47:21):
That's a.

Speaker 10 (01:47:22):
GREAT question i have, my doubts and you mentioned, the
FIT and i just, feel BAD like i don't know
if it was a great job because of, the expectations
like you don't ever want to be the guy that follows, the,
legend right you want to be the. Next guy and
THAT'S where i think that like that'll be set up
for a. Better position and he's such a polar opposite

(01:47:44):
Of What nick saban. Was personality he's friendly with, the
media he's got an open. DOOR policy i think with,
the players he's more of a player. Friendly coach he's an,
offensive mind like basically the antithesis of Everything That nick.
Saban WAS so i expected last year there to be
a little bit of a culture shock that could be
at the detriment of. The team AND when i heard

(01:48:06):
players saying last year like calling each, Other, out hey
we got to be on time. FOR meetings i don't
think you ever had that Issue With nick saban because they.
Were Terrified but, i've also, you know been around this
game long enough to know there are more ways to
win than just to be one style. Of COACH like
i Played For, bobby bowden who was, media friendly was

(01:48:26):
a sweetheart of, a man was, you know pretty, player
friendly like we all love playing.

Speaker 3 (01:48:31):
For.

Speaker 10 (01:48:31):
Him Uh and i've, seen players, you know Coaches Like,
nick Saban Like, tony dungee, soft spoken like there's an
example after example of different styles of coaching that can
ultimately get you.

Speaker 5 (01:48:41):
To where you want.

Speaker 10 (01:48:42):
To go this is ONE where I think alabama fans
could get in their own way because they're just so
used to having this. Dominant program if, they don't, you
know go to nine wins, THIS year i could see
the fans getting so loud that it becomes Toxic for calen.
To board then it becomes hard, to recruit and it
can becomes a challenge to keep your. Team TOGETHER so

(01:49:04):
i almost feel this is one Where the alabama fans
could get in their own way and send somebody packing
who's a really good, football COACH and I think Kalin
de borr doesn't forget how. TO coach i, just wonder like,
you said is it a bad fit or the. WRONG
fit i think potentially that might. Be YES but i
will say let the season, play out because they figured
out a lot of stuff, and maybe Just Maybe florida

(01:49:25):
state is a really good. Football team where all of,
a sudden that loss which looked, devastatingly bad maybe it
doesn't look that bad at the end of. The SEASON
so i want to wait and see how things. Play Out.

Speaker 1 (01:49:34):
In Tuscaloosa Sports SPORTS Ratings Watch Sports MEDIA ratings watch
came out with their data today over the first three
weeks of the college, football season and consumption across all
platforms is up about twenty, five percent which would indicate
for three, straight years more people and more people continue
to watch. College football how do, you, Articulate, now danny

(01:49:55):
the state of the sport and where you think. We're headed,
you know every Time coach win is asked about this,
out here he talks about the future of the sport
potentially looking a lot LIKE, the nfl which is not
a new take with two conferences at. One point but,
you know for all of the conversation about transfer portal
and paying PLAYERS in nil and not being familiar with.

(01:50:16):
New rosters people are still watching The sport saturdays in
the fall still Feel like saturday is in?

Speaker 2 (01:50:20):
The fault are you bullish on the future of?

Speaker 1 (01:50:22):
College football you're concerned, about its concerned?

Speaker 2 (01:50:25):
About it where you at?

Speaker 5 (01:50:26):
WITH it i.

Speaker 10 (01:50:27):
AM bullish, I mean i think it's been great for.
The sport some of the atmospheres around, college football, you
know it's just there has not been any lack, of
interest and, IF anything i think the amount of coverage
that's gone into the player movement and having the hope
and excitement for programs that actually can pay. PLAYERS now
i think programs that felt like they never had a

(01:50:49):
shot all of. A sudden do Think of indiana, last
year what it meant for them to make a. Playoff
run that's a program that never thought they had a
chance for a. National championship sm you made the playoff,
Last Year. Arizona STATE and i think that's the commonality
in a. Good way that's similar TO. The nfl LIKE,
the nfl they only have thirty, two TEAMS but i
would say twenty eight to maybe thirty fan bases feel,

(01:51:13):
like hey we could make. The PLAYOFFS so i think
the expanded playoffs have really increased. The interest and then
the fact that for a, LONG time i think there
were a lot of fan bases, where like we don't pay,
our players we're not willing, to cheat so we don't
really have. A chance now that the schools can pay
the players with the, revenue share you're able not only
to feel like you have, a chance but you're actually
able to buy some players that are willing to leave

(01:51:34):
schools that traditionally might play players under. The TABLE so
i think the parody in the sport has really brought
back a lot of. THE interest i do share. MY
concern i talked to so many college football fans that
have been disgusted at the amount, of movement and they
hate seeing a player leave after one year at, their
PROGRAM and i. DO too i think we're still figuring
out a structure that feels better where it's not the Complete,

(01:51:57):
wild west which still it. Does FEEL but i would
definitely say the sport is in a pretty good spot.
Right now it's never been better for the players because
they're making so, much MONEY and i think the fact
that we've expanded the playoffs and a lot more fan
bases feel like they have. A chance is a great
thing for.

Speaker 1 (01:52:13):
College football let me, ask you as one of the
louder voices in, college football the way the sport. Is covered,
you know a video surface this week OF and i
feel bad because, the internet as, You, know danny can
be a very. Mean place And Certainly hayley sawyer is
not THE only ap voter that we should be. Focusing on,
Excuse me, but ultimately in the video, she posted it
left her open for a lot, of criticism which. She's

(01:52:35):
taken it became pretty clear that you didn't even know
That the florida game had. Taken place AND the ap
poll is supposed to be the place that we go
to for guidance from people that actually watch. THE sport
i don't even look at the coaches poll because most
coaches admit they don't even, do it and by, the
way nor. Should they they have more important things. To
do but when it comes to the way the sport,

(01:52:57):
is covered is one of the loudest voices in The,
media landskay what do you make?

Speaker 10 (01:53:00):
Of It so I've Always i've i've had a love
hate relationship WITH The ap top twenty FIVE because i
the thing that's driven me nuts is there's such a
brand bias, that exists and really it starts in the,
off season and it favors the bluest of blue bloods in,
college football and a lot of those reside in the,
power conferences which have all the money and all, the

(01:53:22):
resources and those are the teams that should have a harder,
road like and yet they get the benefit of the
doubt because they get so much coverage and they get
a lot of these, great recruits and so there's a lot,
of speculation and all we do is yues and a lot,
of times especially like from fifteen to, twenty Five and
i've voted in, different polls never the ap but it

(01:53:43):
is human nature to like not know what's happening at
a lot of programs in. The country so you, might,
Say well i've read a lot About The. Florida gators
they've got a young quarterback who's supposed to, be awesome
and we're hearing all this great reports coming out, Of
There so i'll throw them in there, at seventeen just,
you know picking up out a generic number as opposed
to maybe a PROGRAM like usf who their quarterback was back,

(01:54:06):
and healthy and you know that should have been a
team that probably should have been receiving votes in the
preseason top twenty five if people were. Paying attention and
here's where the detriment comes to a PROGRAM. Like uss
if they Had A penn, state Logo a, nitney lyon
or if they had Wore an alabama helmet or Even
A florida, state helmet they would be in the top five.
Right now with the wins that. They've gotten They'd Beat

(01:54:28):
boise state handily. At home they go on the road
IN the sec and play in an Environment in florida
and get, a win and yet they're still not in the.
Top ten, to me that's an, egregious disrespect an egregious
WILLINGNESS for ap voters to throw out everything they thought
they knew in. THE preseason i really wish. You could

(01:54:48):
you're supposed to start with a blank slate because we
don't know anything about, any team especially with. The turnover,
but instead, you know you have programs Like A south
carolina or Even A. Penn State last state is going
to be, really good but they haven't done anything to
deserve a top, Five ranking but we just do it
because we think they're going to be good because of
everything we saw, last year and maybe, they ARE but

(01:55:09):
i feel like they should have to earn it just
The Way south. Florida does And Yet south florida has
done a lot more than a lot of teams and
they don't get. The respect so it's, a very very.
FLAWED system i Do Think haylie sawyer spoke some truth
because you said it does. Drive conversation but at the,
VERY least i hope that the amount of people that
called her out and others she wasn't the only one
that was. CALLED out i hope it brings. Them accountability

(01:55:32):
and they're sort of afraid of what could happen with
backlash if they don't. Pay ATTENTION so i hope they
pay attention a lot closer realizing people are going to
start looking at, their votes AND then i think that'll
get to a better place where there's more accountability with
the top twenty five heavy as.

Speaker 1 (01:55:48):
The crown if you play quarterback in your last Name,
is manning and since you played the quarterback at the highest,
OF levels i always like to kick the tires with
you on. That position, first game not so great bounce
back against a lesser opponent what have you seen from art?

Speaker 2 (01:56:01):
So far and how do you think it looks the
rest of.

Speaker 10 (01:56:03):
The WAY so i was gown away by the amount
of hysteria that was Round, arch MANNING and i honestly
felt bad for him because to be able to live
up to that type of hype was going to be impossible.
All ALONG and i came in, with very very tepid
thoughts On, arch Manning like i've seen way too many
five stars that just don't.

Speaker 5 (01:56:23):
Work.

Speaker 10 (01:56:24):
OUT now i think arch works because he's in a.
Great environment he's got great talent. Around Him see starkesian
has had a great history. WITH quarterbacks i just thought
it would, be bumpy AND especially i thought it'd be
bumpy on, the road which it was for Him. IN
columbus I had texas missing the playoffs going nine to
three because they're going against a better schedule than they were,

(01:56:45):
last year and a lot of their tougher games are on,
the road like it Was Against. Ohio state they still
have to Go to georgia. This year they still have
to Go to florida IN, the sec which doesn't look
quite as as tough a Task with, florida losing but
that's still not an easy place, to play not to
mention They, play oklahoma who. Looks BETTER so i think
it's going to be a roller coaster For arch manning

(01:57:06):
as he gets comfortable playing at this level and the
only way to get comfortable is to get. Those REPS
and i do think he'll. BE fine i just think
this year is be a little bit up. AND down
i think next year is the year To back Arch.
In texas, THIS year i think it's a little bit Too.

Speaker 1 (01:57:21):
Soon vegas, Right Now danny, Heisman odds Garrett ness meyers,
The favorite john mcteers right, Behind Him dante Moore's third arch,
is Fourth And, devin danpier, among others is fit there plus.
Fifteen hundred give me your thoughts on. That list who
do you think should be the favorite to? Win it
and You think devin has a chance to say something

(01:57:42):
about it at the end of, The, year, Yes.

Speaker 10 (01:57:45):
Absolutely so much like, THE season i feel Like The
heisman trophy is wide open, as well like there's really
not true a true clear. Cut leader it's going to
be about, positioning yourself, you know to be in this
race at the, right time And Clearly dan pierre has
done that so far and he's gonna have good opportunities
once he gets into the Thick of big. Twelve PLAY

(01:58:07):
things i like about him is he's already put up really.
GOOD numbers i like the fact that he's. A runner
i do think that's something that's becoming a requirement at
that position and, right NOW like i still think you
might be throwing money away to back one of, the
favorites Like A, john mattier Like A, Carson BECK and
i think you might actually have value on trying to
find Somebody Like, dan pierre who's the schedule sets. Up

(01:58:29):
NICELY as, I mentioned THAT'S why i like them to
Win The. Big twelve and if you are the Quarterback
for utah and you Win The, BIG twelve i think
he's got an outstanding chance because he's going to. PLAY
good i think he's gonna put up. BIG numbers i
think he's got a good chance to. Be There In,
NEW york i do wonder about sort Of The east
coast bias and the, you know the national bias against

(01:58:49):
players from The Wets west coast Or The, mountain west
like anywhere in. That region it's. Just tougher you don't
have as many MATCHUPS on abc in prime time OR
on espn in. Prime time but there's NO doubt i
think he'll be in that conversation late you know you
asked Me About like i'm a little. BIT biased i
think this thing is. WIDE open i Don't Hate thomas

(01:59:10):
Costabanos At, Florida state like he already has a big.
SIGNATURE win i think statistically he'll put up big numbers
and if he's able To Thrust florida state back in that,
national conversation he's a pretty dynamic electric player. AS well
i don't hate him from a long. Shot perspective if
you want to take a shot on a flyer, for sure.

Speaker 1 (01:59:28):
How many teams are you willing to say you believe
can win The national championship, this year like legitimately can actually?

Speaker 2 (01:59:34):
DO it.

Speaker 10 (01:59:37):
I think there's, probably ten you know which? YOU can,
I mean i'm looking at a list in front, of
ME like I Think ohio. State can they. Just Did
penn state was my. Preseason pick texas is, on THERE
and i could. BE wrong i don't think, they will
but that defense is, really legit And if arts proves
me wrong and develops FASTER than i think, They could,

(01:59:58):
Georgia could OREGON could Lsu Could. NOTRE dame i have,
my doubts but they. Absolutely, could alabama as much as
people want to write, them off that roster is. Still
talented miami. Still could clemson might be the LINE where
i cut it OFF because i need to see a little.
Bit MORE but i think it's about ten teams and maybe,
even Deeper as i'm like talking myself into it because of.

(02:00:19):
The reason nobody looks head and shoulders over. Everybody YET
but i think this thing is as wide open. To
GET so i say it's at least, ten deep AND
maybe i could talk myself into twelve or THIRTEEN.

Speaker 1 (02:00:30):
Before i say, You, loose danny give me some of
the games you're looking at. This weekend, you know we've
got some. Heavyweight matchups we've got some. Excellent games You've Got.
Georgia tennessee We've Got south florida seeing if they're for Real.
With miami We've, got FLORIDA, lsu a And M. Notre
dame so give me some of games you're looking. Out
for and where can our listeners go find some?

Speaker 10 (02:00:47):
GOOD lines i, bet online, as always always go check
out that online for your best odds. Out There THE
texas a And M notre dame game is one that
jumps out to Me Because, notre dame this is, their
season their, remaining schedule and the fact that they don't
play in a conference and have that sort of get
out of jail free card with a. CONFERENCE championship i

(02:01:08):
think they have to get this win because if they
lose this and run the table at ten, and two
there aren't that many really, impressive wins so you would
have to ask, the, question well who have? You beaten
and maybe it's USC but i don't know if that
one win against a team that we're still not sure
how good they're going to be is going. To RESONATE
so i think that notreed end game becomes imperative that they.

(02:01:29):
Win it they already Lost. To miami how do they?
Bounce back here is a round the. TOUCHDOWN favorite i
think that game. Is huge and Then The, Florida gators
i'm really curious to see how. They do how do
they bounce back after that LOSS. AGAINST lsu i still
think that there's just a. MASSIVE overreaction i think there's.
MORE parody I Think south florida could be a really
good football team where that loss isn't as abominable as

(02:01:51):
people make it out. TO be i still Think The
florida gators could cover that spread if their defense comes
out and, plays WELL which i think. They, could AGAIN
so lsu, offensive line which still has. QUESTION marks i
need To See dj lagway how he looks in. That
ENVIRONMENT but i think they'll try to run the football
be pretty committed. To THAT so i think that is.
A game anytime there's a Game In batan news, at

(02:02:12):
night it's worth tuning into to see how it. Turns
OUT so i like that game.

Speaker 2 (02:02:16):
As, well danny always, a pleasure.

Speaker 1 (02:02:18):
My friend i've appreciated your work for a long, long
time so thank you for, the time and enjoy the games.

Speaker 10 (02:02:22):
This, weekend okay, Absolutely, too spencer have a, good one, all.

Speaker 1 (02:02:25):
Right My God danny canell get Him on Twitter At
danny canell's where you. Find him you can Check out
bettonline dot ag for updated, College, Football playoff heisman and
College football week. Three Lines as danny stops by, the
preview the, Week, had yeah some big matchups, this week some,
big time blue blood ranked matchups this week after a
lack of big time matchups a.

Speaker 2 (02:02:46):
Week ago, Of course utah will Be in laramie to Take.

Speaker 1 (02:02:51):
On wyoming want to remind you that that kick is at,
six o'clock but our pregame Covers With Porter, Trevor Riley.
ZACH moss a bunch of former utes will stop by.
As well that's going to begin at two O'clock, on
saturday four hours prior, to kick so make sure to
set your alarm to TUNE into espn seven hundred halfway
through your. Work week one day closer to, the weekend

(02:03:11):
our local soccer team is actually playing. A game it's been,
a While But Sporting kansas city Rolls Into America first
Field on saturday for a seven. Thirty kick our next
guest knows the thing or Two ABOUT Sporting kcs NOW.
With rsl please to Welcome In johnny russell On a. Wednesday,
AFTERNOON johnny A, happy. Wednesday sir how?

Speaker 3 (02:03:30):
Are?

Speaker 9 (02:03:30):
You oh thank you for. Having me, I'm, Good none.
I'm good how? Are you.

Speaker 1 (02:03:34):
I'M well i really really appreciate. The time first, of
all do you guys remember how? To play this is
such a weird thing that, late summer early fall you've
had this much time off on A, serious no my
question is what did? You get what have you guys
tried to utilize this time to get accomplished before you
get back at It.

Speaker 9 (02:03:50):
ON saturday, i mean it's a it's a bit of
a strange one having that kind of break give us
pd to. The SEASON but i think there was a
few things needed addressing from, our part few things that
we had probably got away from and we had let
slept on as given as a time to work. On that,

(02:04:14):
you know a lot of guys said at the stage of,
the season you're struggling with a couple, of things so
it gave them a little bit of time. As well
so the training sessions over the last three weeks have
been really intense and, very COMPETITIVE and i think that
will set us up Nicely leading manted this game and
Then leading manto the rest of the season.

Speaker 1 (02:04:32):
As, well johnny since this is the First time i've
had an opportunity to. Interview you YOU and i actually
Met In. San diego it was just a passing in the.
NIGHT thing i was able to, SAY hello i was
up in the suite with John but i've not had
a chance to interview interview you in.

Speaker 2 (02:04:46):
The SPACE so.

Speaker 1 (02:04:47):
I wanted to go back to the origin story on
how you landed here because you were kind of without
a club after Playing for casey for quite, some time
and we heard some Rumors maybe kurt was speaking with
you and your reps tell us about the process the
landed you Here In salt lake and how your experience
has been.

Speaker 2 (02:05:04):
So, far.

Speaker 9 (02:05:07):
Yeah it was a bit Of a it was a
bit of a, weird one to. BE honest i don't
think anyone would have expected, that move especially if you've
WATCHED the mls and the two teams playing over the last.
FEW years i don't think anyone would have. EXPECTED it
i think It was actually there was a little bit
of early contact over the Sort of, christmas period but at,

(02:05:29):
that TIME obviously rsl, were set they didn't, need anyone
and then obviously after that lost a, few players AND
then i flew in probably two or three WEEKS before i.
ACTUALLY signed i came in to do just like a
little tour of, the facility just a little medical checkup

(02:05:50):
type thing and just a meeting With, and bablo just
to sort of, address everything what they, expectations were what the,
goals were and then similar from my point of view.
As WELL and i think. That went that went, really
well and we had a we had a zoom call
as Well with jason on that, as WELL and i

(02:06:13):
just felt it. Felt RIGHT obviously i wanted to. CONTINUE
playing i think there was maybe a within the league
there was a little bit of a MISCONCEPTION that I
was i was finished After, leaving sporting but that was
that was not the not. THE case i still wanted to.
CONTINUE playing i, still Feel although i'm obviously closer at

(02:06:37):
the end of my career and, the start still Feel
that i've got so much left and me to give
on the field and off. The field so after speaking to,
those guys it was it was a, fairly easy. Easy decision,
AND yeah i could say at the start of, THAT
there i think it caught everyone by surprise and no
one kind of. Expected it how.

Speaker 1 (02:06:58):
Your experience been and also what did you know about?
Our market what did you know about our city prior to,
coming here and how's it been for you?

Speaker 2 (02:07:05):
So far.

Speaker 9 (02:07:08):
Not a huge deal about. The city it's obviously Somewhere
that i've came and played, a lot but sort of
my knowledge and recollection of the city would be literally
staying at the hotel downtown and driving at. The stadium
that's all we got. To SEE so i was on.

(02:07:29):
The drive you can see the mountains and you can
see obviously how beautiful. That IS but, i Think Like
salt lake, in general is probably one of those one
of those cities where it maybe gets underappreciated by traveling
teams and getting to come here and see. It firsthand
i've been up and the canyon's a few times being About,

(02:07:51):
pert CITY so i know how beautiful the place is
so before before. Moving, here honestly it's just that drive
down the highway was really the only the only THING
that i. Had Seen.

Speaker 2 (02:08:06):
And and have you?

Speaker 1 (02:08:07):
Enjoyed yourself are you enjoying? The experience and what's it
like Playing? For pablo what sort of coach is has
he been?

Speaker 2 (02:08:13):
For you? So far i've.

Speaker 9 (02:08:15):
LOVED that i. Loved IT like, i said they are
getting on the on the off days that we do
get getting to go up and explore up into the
mountains and playing some golf. As well the golf courses here,
are beautiful a lot of amazing backdrop when you've got
the mountains behind you. As Well and pablo's has. BEEN
great I think i knew that was going to be

(02:08:38):
the case after we spoke in. The zoom we spoke face,
to face just a, you know real sort of players players.
Manager having, you know he's he's not long out the game,
playing HIMSELF so i think that that. Definitely helps but
he's been he's been great. With ME he i told
him how important was for me to obviously, continue playing and,

(02:09:03):
you know he's given me the opportunities to come and.
Do that, So no i'm hugely grateful. To him and,
you know oh.

Speaker 1 (02:09:10):
My lot, All, right johnny you just opened you just opened.
THE door i did not know you. PLAYED golf i
could talk to you about golf. For hours but you
you're you're you're from the home. Of, GOLF yeah i
mean did? You play did you play as a child
or is this a new hobby.

Speaker 2 (02:09:25):
Of, YOURS.

Speaker 9 (02:09:27):
No i played a little bit as. My child my
dad was actually a really good, scratch GOLFER but i
didn't play too much, with him and it was just
kind OF something i played with my friends on, and
off and then throughout my Time in Scotland and england

(02:09:47):
it was kind of on, and off and then really
the Most golf i've played IS when i moved TO.
THE us i think the weather helps, as well so,
It's no it's Definitely something i'd say over The last
it's always been a huge interest and love, of mine
but became more of a more of a hobby the last.

(02:10:08):
Few years i've got to play a lot MORE than
i had. Done PREVIOUSLY.

Speaker 1 (02:10:13):
May i ask? Your handicap do you have a do
you have? AN index.

Speaker 9 (02:10:19):
I haven't updated it for. A while on the OFF
season i. WAS playing i was playing a lot of
GOLF when i was without, a TEAM and i actually
helped my golf game HUGELY and i got it down
to just. Under ten. So nice but but, it'll be
it would. Definitely be it would definitely be back up.
From then i've played a few times since for a

(02:10:40):
few of the, guys here and it's definitely not at
the level.

Speaker 1 (02:10:43):
It was it's a, Hard, game johnny as, You, know
hey let me let me move over. Here again it's
been such a weird time for you guys to have
so much time off, during this uh this portion of.

Speaker 2 (02:10:53):
The calendar but we had problem on.

Speaker 1 (02:10:56):
Last week so it does allow you To, Get VICTOR
olatoon J and cruise kind of ingratiated into. The, Group
Also DeAndre yedlin was brought in in addition. To that
so tell me your impressions of the three late summer
editions you guys made and has it been in training
this week?

Speaker 13 (02:11:12):
Watching them it's Been great and with any new, new edition,
YOU know i know it from being one myself earlier in,
the season how welcoming the guys, are here and then
even my.

Speaker 9 (02:11:27):
Time, in casey especially the words that end being, the
captain how important it is to get those guys feel
uncomfortable in the environment as quickly as possible if you,
don't want, you know guys to feel out, of place
and you know what effects our Game because i'm, not
confident they don't want to express themselves and because they

(02:11:48):
don't want to make any mistakes or put a, foot
wrong and just to just to ingrain them very quickly
that in a way we're all going To make we're
all going to. Make MISTAKES but i think getting to
know them and getting them involved in a in a
social and in a personal way definitely helps to bring

(02:12:09):
out the best of them on the field. As well
so it's been good from that sense where we've had
a lot of time where, you know we can get
to know these guys and BETTER and I think i
think you'll see the best of them now that they've
had a little bit, more time a little bit more
time to work on getting used to the way that.

(02:12:30):
We play the fitness levels are getting up there, as
WELL so i think you'll definitely start to see the
best of, those guys and you know that's only going
to be good for us. GOING forward i.

Speaker 2 (02:12:40):
Wanted to ask You.

Speaker 1 (02:12:41):
About diego, you know you've played with a lot of
really special players over, the years and You know diego's
spent some TIME with us men's. NATIONAL team i believe
he'll be with you Guys, On saturday but how good
you think he can be once it's Fully beggd and
what's it been like to kind of witness the type
of player he is so far since you lended, AND saw.

Speaker 9 (02:13:02):
I think he's got everything to be be a. TOP
player i think you've seen how important he was, for
us especially in the earlier part of. THE season i feel
like we were relying on him heavily and and. Just
him that was a MOMRATHA that i kind of kept
us in a lot. Of games and he's still he's,

(02:13:24):
still young he's still got so much. To learn he's.
Still got he's still got so much growth in, his
GAME but i think you can see the just the
raw talent that, he's got and, you know not, only
that but his desire to work off, the ball his
desire to see every day to, get better and he's
he's such a great guy. As well he's maybe one

(02:13:46):
of those figures where from the outside you can maybe
draw your your own assumptions, of him, but honestly such
a such a, great guy and he was one of
the one of the MAIN things i was really looking
forward to coming here for as to play. With him
i'd play against him the last couple of years and

(02:14:06):
you can see the progression from the outside, for me
but now to get to see it, every day it's it's.
NOT luck i see how much that he puts in,
his game is constantly working on what you would what
you would put him and it has game driving, at
people taking people on creating stuff that's not. By accident
he works on that every single day and that's great.

(02:14:29):
To see especially it can, be easy, you know someone
with that talent to not put the, work in but
watching them put the work in is is even more
pleasant to. See that when he gets the CREDIT that
i fairly.

Speaker 1 (02:14:40):
Fully, Deserves, WELL johnny i appreciate the, time man it's
been fun to get to. Know you welcome to our
market even though it's been a. Few months and best
of Luck on saturday against your. Old, club okay.

Speaker 9 (02:14:50):
FIND you i. Appreciate It JOHNNY.

Speaker 2 (02:14:52):
Russell rsl Back at action after a.

Speaker 1 (02:14:54):
Long break they're going to take on sporting case coming
up at seven Thirty on Saturday. In America, FIRST field
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(02:15:15):
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Dot com, all right final segment of the program On a,

(02:15:38):
wednesday afternoon halfway through that work week and one day
closer to. The weekend So happy wednesday To You.

Speaker 2 (02:15:48):
Lively.

Speaker 1 (02:15:48):
Show today it has been a very sad day here
across the landscape of our Market As, charlie kirk who
was in town SPEAKING, at uvu has been shot. And
killed according TO, THE ap a suspect is. IN custody
i am a sports talk. RADIO host i am not
the guy to comment. On this i'm not qualified. For

(02:16:09):
it political violence. Is contagious the foundation of a free
society is the ability to participate in it without fear,
of violence and this is happening way too much across.
The spectrum i'm. Very sad my son IS a. UVU
alum i know some of his friends were. In attendance
So all i'll Say Is charlie kirk was a father
and had a husband with, two CHILDREN and i hope

(02:16:31):
we can find some way to get in front of.

Speaker 2 (02:16:32):
THIS stuff i don't have. Any answers it's just.

Speaker 1 (02:16:36):
SAD and i feel sad that it, Happened HERE so
i hope everybody down there, is safe and we'll be
thinking of you and sending best thoughts and prayers, your way, All,
right porter before we get out, of here what comes?
Our way On a thursday edition of, The, Show.

Speaker 3 (02:16:50):
Yes spents On a thursday edition of, the program will
continue To preview Utah at wyoming the number twenty Utes.
In laramie over The Weekend sam bruckhouse for his weekly
hit with our Friends At. Summer sports we'll chat With
One Kyle bonna Gura talking, big twelve talking, college football
maybe some soccer as Well. With Kyle max chadwick joins,

(02:17:15):
the program as does Our Friend.

Speaker 2 (02:17:16):
Amy donalds a good day probably to chat with him.

Speaker 1 (02:17:19):
For sure special thank You Today, Richard Smith, Bill Riley
danny Kanell And johnny russell for any of the sound
you may have missed from the. Show today the WEBSITE
is espn seven hundred sports. Dot com make sure to
download our mobile app and take us On The Go,
App store Google. Play store support. Our podcast It's Called
the Drive. With spence checkets with a good rating and.
A review we would. Appreciate It, He's Porter. I'm spence
hugged your, Loved ones we'll talk to you On a
thursday show Wh's always you can find it right HERE

(02:17:41):
on espn seven hundred