Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / Hawkeye talk with Tom Kakert, Mike Palm from Circa Sports & Trent's Picks

Transcript

Hawkeye talk with Tom Kakert, Mike Palm from Circa Sports & Trent's Picks · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

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Our number 2, Miller and Condon, welcome back.
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Trent Condon, Ken Miller with you until just before 2:00 off
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the bench on Roberts. Lucas strain to until 5.
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Overtime, Iowa, 5 to 6. Bottom of the hour, we'll head
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to Las Vegas. Mike Pom, VP of operations at
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Circus Sports, he will join us. The latest on the numbers for
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the final four. Women tonight and the men
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tomorrow. We'll do that with Mike.
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Amongst other topics, trends, plays of the day, they're coming
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up. Circus Sports also sponsor those
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at about 10 minutes or so before 2:00.
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Tom, cake hurt hotkeyereport.com, part of on
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three media. He joins us.
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Tom Trenton, Ken, thank you. How is your Friday going so far?
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Tom, how are you? I'm actually in the state of
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Iowa for the first time on a Friday and a little bit so OK.
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What brings you over? Indianapolis, yeah.
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What brings you across the river?
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Oh, I'm I'm still in Iowa. Oh, I see what you mean.
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I thought you were out of the stay.
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OK, I got you. My mistake.
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I misunderstood. Well, welcome.
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Home. No, yeah, it's, it's it's nice
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to be home. I'd rather be in Indianapolis
1:06
right now covering the Final Four, but that's OK.
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Yep, no, maybe one year, maybe one year.
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Got a taste of it and what might have been other than the final,
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whatever it was 7 minutes or whatever, back to last weekend,
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but it was a hell of a run. A portal is about to open.
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We'll get to that in a second. Jaden Coote is a hawk by all
1:25
accounts by his own Instagram. He kind of made that official
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yesterday. 67 Tom, do I have that right?
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Obviously a wing player. What kind of player is McCallum
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getting? Yeah, a really athletic wing
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player from from Storm Lake where Ben McCollum grew up.
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You know, he was born in Iowa City, but he kind of grew up in
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in Storm Lake. So kind of neat that I would get
1:49
to Mr. Basketball and and, you know, they missed out on him.
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He made his decision in May of last year and decided to go to
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Creighton. And then with with Greg
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McDermott deciding to retire at the end of this year, he opened
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up his recruitment and they sent me a message last night to say
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it was an awesome visit and he's thrilled to be a Hawkeye.
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So yeah, he's he's really athletic.
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Wing averaged 22 points, 9 1/2 rebounds, 33 assists, almost 2
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steals game last season. LED his team to this semifinals
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in the the Iowa State Tournament.
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Not a great 3 point shooter right now, just under 30% last
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year from three, but he's kind of nice looking shot.
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So I think it's one of those where if he works on it, it's
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going to get better and he's going to improve from that area.
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He says the interesting thing to me is that Ben McCollum is
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collecting these guys from six, five to six, 9:00-ish and he's
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just going to deploy them in the, the two through 4 positions
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on the basketball court and just kind of play all these guys with
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length, athletic ability, and some of them with, with really
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good shooting ability as we saw in the NCAA tournament with like
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a Tate Sage and, and Cooper Koch.
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And you know, I talked to Thompson during the one of the,
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the locker room sessions and he was, he was saying that he shot
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47% from three this year in practice.
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So that kind of picked my perked my ears up a little bit that
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that kid can shoot it too. So they're they're gathering a
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lot of talent in those wing positions now.
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They got to find a rim protector and a point guard to go with it.
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So those are the two obvious need positions that are there.
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There's been speculation they've, I know Coach Barnwell's
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already been following guys going back to January, including
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I think the kid from Colorado, the point guard that is there.
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Do they have a good idea? Is it, you always say every year
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this is going to be speeding, it's going to go fast.
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But because the calendar is a little bit different and we
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don't have this happening while the NCAA tournament is
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happening, do they have a pretty good idea at minimum and we got
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a shot at getting a visit out of this kid when maybe this guy
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will have some interest. How different is it compared to
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past years? Well, especially last year where
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they were just getting a job and then they had to jump into the
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portal and, you know, not knowing that they were going to
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get this job, probably because you don't want to assume
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anything. So they had to really go hyper
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fast and just try and fill spots as quickly as they could.
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And they, they were behind the 8 ball a little bit.
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The way this works now is it's crazy, but like agents are like
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shopping kids since January. They just are.
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And they're just like saying, hey, if my guy goes in, are you
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interested in just reaching out to people?
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And, and you just so you kind of know who, who's going to be out
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there? You think you know who's going
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to be out there. And a lot of those guys are in
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the portal now. And I, I just feel like they
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have a much better handle and they don't have to rebuild
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almost an entire roster this year.
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It's, it's only gonna be probably 2 spots.
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So yeah, I, I think they've got a good grasp on this and think
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they've already got some, some people in mind.
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But until we get to that point where they can have direct
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contact with the kid, you just never know.
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So we'll start seeing all this start to pop on Monday and
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Tuesday, I would guess where we'll start seeing names
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associated with schools because you just you haven't seen a lot
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of that on the men's side yet with players being associated
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with specific schools. Well, next time we speak a week
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from today, will, will we know any new additions to the roster
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do you think, Tom, does it go that quickly?
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It might if they get a kid on campus right away and things are
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kind of already agreed upon and then everybody kind of meets and
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says, yeah, let's get married, then they'll, they'll, they'll
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get them on campus and, and get things going.
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So, yeah, it could, it could work out that way.
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Or they could be coming in that, you know, this a week from
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today, they could be coming in on visits for the weekend and
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spending some time with the the coaches and the program.
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So yeah, it's going to it's still going to go fast, I think.
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And but I think they've just got such a better grasp on who The
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Who the players that they want this year.
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And and they've got the other thing they've got guys proof of
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concept. Yeah, exactly.
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They, it's something that's just so important.
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They're not selling hope and dreams.
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And hey, we did this at Northwest Missouri State or hey,
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we did this at Drake. There's a, hey, we did it here.
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Come be a part of this. And that Elite Eight run is
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going to certainly resonate with with prospects as well.
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No doubt. When you look at the point guard
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position or a lead guard I guess, and maybe you want to put
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it that way because you got kill Combs back and I thought we saw
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real growth out of Combs this year.
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Always a good defender, but we saw a little bit more pop, at
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least offensively from him. Got to be more consistent as a
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three-point shooter, but another ball handler back there.
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What kind of lead guard are we talking about here?
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Are we talking about it getting back to hopefully can find a guy
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with a little bit of size? Would they be fine with a, you
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know, 511 six foot type of guy? What, what's the prototype that
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they're looking for here for the the guard that they're going to
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be looking at? I think some guy with toughness,
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Yep, shooting ability can be coached up by McCollum is and
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we'll take the coaching because, you know, he's the point guard
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whisperer kind of guy. So I think it's it's just more
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the intangible stuff. But I think they've got to be a
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good shooter. He likes to play the two point
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guard kind of thing. That's why he likes having Combs
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out there because feels like he can handle it a little bit and
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and run the offense a little bit and give him some some scoring
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punch. So that's why they moved films
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into that starting role is is just felt like it gave them give
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them two ball handlers out there.
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So I think he's going to stick with that.
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And yeah, it's I'm sure they've got a couple of names already
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ready to go. But you know, he coaches up
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those point guards and and worked some hard.
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So I don't think we'll see a guy that's going to be out there for
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40 minutes a game like that was. But but you never know with with
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who they get. Yeah, we'll see what happens.
8:36
Yeah, I hope they do. It'd be great.
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But I find it somewhat unlikely. What about Fulgaris?
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What? What kind of future does he
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have? What's his decision?
8:46
Any, any news percolating there, Tom?
8:49
There's been a lot of speculation that he might hit
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the portal. So we will see if that to date
8:56
that has not happened. So we'll see if that happens
9:00
next week. You know, it was very apparent
9:06
being around them all year and especially during this run the
9:09
tournament that Ben and alcohol don't see eye to eye sometimes.
9:14
And Ben Ben doesn't like guys that are kind of up and down
9:20
kind of go yos maybe a little on the Moody side.
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He, I don't know how many times Ben said, I don't do Moody.
9:27
You know, he just, he just doesn't do it and it doesn't
9:30
work with him. And not that Alvaro was Moody,
9:32
but just he was up and down in his performance.
9:35
Me look at the season, the end was sort of like a microcosm of
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his year. He saw all the excitement, the
9:43
great plays that he made against Nebraska and against Florida.
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But then you see the Illinois game where he disappeared.
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He did not play well and was limited to 9 minutes and sat on
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the bench and his body language was not great.
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So that's just sort of microcosm what kind of drives Ben crazy
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sometimes. So I have talents there, but
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we'll see if they continue their relationship or if Alvaro
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decides to move on. Oh, question.
10:13
I have big guy, the rim protector, certainly something
10:15
that they're looking for, it leads to the two big guys coming
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back. Cam Maniao, what kind of his
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role looks like going for it if they do get that rim protector,
10:24
is it a backup big? Is it playing more power
10:26
forward, kind of what that looks like?
10:28
And then your thoughts on Trevor, you're out going
10:30
forward. Yeah, Cam would be.
10:33
It's going to be interesting because he was obviously kind of
10:38
overmatched at center position at times.
10:42
And that was very apparent. The Illinois game where they
10:44
just pounded into the post and and that stretch where they kind
10:48
of created some separation where they just dumped it to AV Sitch.
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And he was 2 feet from the bucket and he's turned around
10:53
and shot the ball and was going in and that jump, that lead jump
10:58
from one to seven real quick. So I could see him still being
11:06
kind of a starter. But I think you you see another
11:10
guy coming in there Urich really interesting because I think he's
11:14
got ability and I think he can help this team.
11:18
I think this summer is going to be really important for him from
11:21
a conditioning and put speed and just overall fitness
11:26
development. He made a lot of strides going
11:29
into his freshman year, getting on campus early and and getting
11:32
that work in. There's still a lot to work on
11:35
there, but he's definitely skilled and and gives them a guy
11:39
who can step out and shoot threes and handle the ball a
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little bit. So I think he's, I just wonder
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if it's maybe a year away before we really start to see him
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assert himself even more. Anymore basketball TC, let's go
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to football. Tom Ference.
11:57
He postponed his spring availability with due to the run
12:01
of the men. Understandably so.
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Finally, you guys finally got with him earlier in the week.
12:06
Just a a take away or two. It's been two or three days
12:09
removed. What is stuck with you from
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listening to Coach Ference earlier this week?
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Yeah, it was. We haven't we haven't seen him
12:18
since the bowl game, which was a wild and he even noted that that
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been a been a minute. We haven't even talked.
12:24
Did he miss you? Did he say?
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I sometimes maybe he does. I think secretly he does.
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I think maybe the interesting things because everybody wants
12:36
to talk about quarterback and he said it is that they're both
12:39
split in time with the ones. So I think that was a take away.
12:44
And just talking about the running backs too is
12:48
interesting. You know, moving Jane Norvell
12:51
into that position. It's two straight years.
12:53
They've got a new running backs coach, so that's unique.
12:57
He had a couple of departures there and he seems to really
13:01
like the LJ Phillips kid. Sure did made a made a
13:04
comparison to Norm Granger, which, you know, that's your
13:08
that's your get your drink up When you Kirk goes back into the
13:12
archives of an old Iowa player, you're supposed to drink.
13:15
I love that. All of them.
13:17
It's Yeah. When he threw the Norm Granger,
13:19
I was like, oh, drink. Yeah, so we got it back to the
13:23
80s. Yep.
13:25
Yeah, I think the thing that I'm fascinated by this team is
13:31
they've only got 8 starters coming back and only three on
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defense. This is an entirely new defense
13:37
and talking to some of the guys on the defensive side,
13:40
specifically defensive backs, it seems like Phil is just like a
13:45
jigsaw puzzle and he's trying to fit pieces and trying to figure
13:49
out who goes where. Having all those guys play
13:53
corner safety and some guys dipping into cash a little bit
13:57
and playing there too. So I don't think he has a handle
14:01
on what the starting defensive backfield is going to look like.
14:05
And I know he'll figure it out eventually.
14:08
And also the the era of Cam Buffington is coming very soon
14:12
for middle linebacker. I think that's that arrow is is
14:16
firmly pointing up. So you got Buffington and that
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group of three that came in together and they got young
14:22
talent in the linebacker room too.
14:23
That's certainly exciting. Now, Tom, I brought it up the
14:26
last three days and maybe it's just because we've seen wide
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receivers for a long time, but I was struggle.
14:30
That's excited, Tom, Tony. Diaz hearing Kirk not just talk
14:34
about a guy talk about a new guy like that speak about very UN
14:39
Kirk like yes, bring you up Norm Granger.
14:41
Of course we anticipate that talking about a new guy like
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that. Oh man, I started salivating it
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Should I be? Should I maybe pump the brakes a
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little bit? No, I think let the brakes go.
14:51
This kid is the real deal. The boogeyman.
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The Boogeyman. The Boogeyman is his nickname.
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So I think we need to, there's some NIL opportunities there for
15:04
sure with the boogeyman, but he's got to go do it on the
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field. But he is a big time player and
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a real fine for Iowa. And I think they may have found
15:15
somebody that can stretch the field and God knows they were
15:18
due. Yeah, they're due to have.
15:21
And when's the last time Iowa had like a real kind of legit
15:27
big time receiver? They had the speed, but.
15:30
The the Amir. Amir Smith, Marseille, maybe.
15:32
Yeah, yeah. And that wasn't even consistent.
15:34
No, no. Probably Amir, Yeah, Brandon,
15:38
Brandon Smith, those guys, you know, this kids got some some
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wheels on him, some toughness. You can go up and make a play.
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So yeah, I'm anxious to see these guys.
15:51
We get we get into, I'll be able to talk next week.
15:55
We're going to get in practice and get to watch a few minutes
15:58
of it. So so yeah, we'll get to see
16:00
some punning and some stretching.
16:02
Every time. Well, that's OK because you
16:05
know, maybe a little special teams Intel would hurt,
16:08
especially this year. You know what I did, I mentioned
16:11
this early in the week with Trent and I just it's just stuck
16:14
with me. The fact somebody asked him
16:16
about the schedule, the 2026. I did.
16:19
Was it you? Yeah, and he said, and I'm
16:23
paraphrasing here, I really didn't know.
16:25
He had no idea. As fans, as media members,
16:28
that's one of the things that's our go to right.
16:30
We well, the schedule's this and but but for fair, it's just
16:33
another year and we're going to have to play some really good
16:36
teams at some point. I'll get to that at a later
16:39
date, but I was kind of surprised by that.
16:40
At the same time, I wasn't. Yeah, I was kind of surprised.
16:45
That's why I asked it because I was like, he didn't even seem to
16:48
know who they were playing before the schedule even came
16:51
out. And ever we all knew that he
16:53
knew they were going to have to play all these teams.
16:55
And he's just like, yeah, I don't really pay attention to
16:59
it. And because I'm like that
17:01
stretch and you know, when you're going at Michigan, Ohio
17:05
State, at Washington, that would that would Get Me Out of my
17:09
chair a little bit. And he just like, Oh yeah,
17:13
basically we're going to have to playoff many ways, so it doesn't
17:16
really matter. So he doesn't seem to be fazed
17:18
by it. Tom, we have all that happening
17:22
and then we move through and we got the women's basketball side,
17:26
the Addy Deal decision to move on, reading between the lines or
17:31
maybe at times not between the lines with Kyle Hughesman who
17:34
covers things over there. Is Addy Deal getting some bad
17:36
advice? Yeah, think so.
17:41
Think, I think she just got some bad advice and maybe be a little
17:46
more patient, but that's not the world we live in, right?
17:49
Especially when you're when you're four or five star player,
17:54
the expectations overwhelm you and it's just a different world
18:00
now. And and she's got an agent and I
18:03
think the agent may have encouraged this and that's
18:07
that's unfortunate. But yeah, you know, she had a
18:13
disappointing is not the right word, just kind of underwhelming
18:16
season. She had some really good
18:18
moments. The Ohio State game jumps out at
18:20
me as, you know, a really good moment.
18:23
But you know, when she had that opportunity after McCabe goes
18:28
down to jump in the starting line up, it just didn't go, just
18:32
didn't happen. And it did for Stromlo.
18:36
And she was probably thinking, boy, that was my shot to start.
18:40
And now it's gone and now she's just going to move on.
18:44
It's it's unfortunate, but you know, Jan's, Jan's going to have
18:50
to portal that opens Monday for the women.
18:52
So and the, the hard sell for Jan is going to be, I don't know
18:59
that there's a starting position out there that you can offer
19:02
somebody. It's going to have to get
19:04
players who are going to have to come off the bench and we still
19:08
don't know what's going to happen with Emily Rodriguez and
19:11
Keegan Mulaney and, you know, keep Teegan in her in your
19:14
prayers too. You know, she lost her boyfriend
19:17
in an auto accident recently and that's just tragic.
19:19
I mean, it's just horrible what she's going through and her
19:23
family and her boyfriend's family.
19:25
So but yeah, there's potentially 2 more players that could leave.
19:32
We don't know, but they're going to have to reload a bench and
19:37
that's sometimes a tougher sell because a lot of players go in
19:41
the portal and they're they've got one thing on their mind and
19:43
that's going someplace to start. And I just don't know where
19:47
those starting jobs are when you look at the Iowa roster.
19:50
Tom Caker, talkireport.com you'll have you covered through
19:53
this busy next couple of weeks, no doubt about it.
19:55
Throw a football in there and be not a lot of not a lot of hours
19:59
won't spent keeping up on the website.
20:02
Tom, great stuff. Appreciate it.
20:03
As always, we will talk to you. Talk to you next Friday.
20:07
Thank you Tom Kecker all. Right.
20:09
Thanks guys. Yep, good to talk to you.
20:11
Tom Kecker, hawkeyereport.com as we check in on the Hawks, we'll
20:15
check in on Mike Palm, he's in Las Vegas, circussports.com.
20:19
He'll join us coming up next as we will head out there.
20:22
Catch the latest on the number. So you what kind of action
20:25
they're getting? Must be getting some action on
20:27
UConn as that number dropped from 2 1/2 to 1 1/2.
20:31
Is it state their Trent, there's been a little buyback.
20:33
Have you looked at that? I headed up just a moment ago.
20:35
Let me bring get back up here because I had scrolled down to
20:38
the women's side back. Up to the one and a half, 1 1/2
20:42
at circa. 1 1/2 at circa the. Only twos are Circus 2, Circus
20:47
2. I beg your pardon?
20:49
Circa is back to two, Circa, Circa and the Super Book.
20:52
And also remember Circa available in Illinois.
20:55
Yep, something great point. Also known as a Midwest book
20:59
when you also look at them as it pertains to Michigan.
21:01
Derek Stevens, the owner. But can they bid Illinois in in
21:05
Illinois, I don't think, oh, that's right, don't they can't.
21:09
Have to hop. Over here you have to cross the
21:10
river. To the Quad City bears.
21:12
There you go and make your play and get back in the car like
21:16
they that they do with the in Omaha the hell College World
21:19
Series. Absolutely.
21:21
What's that little island that. There's a little cut out, right?
21:24
That's part of Iowa. Yep.
21:25
And they they go stand there and there's a whole bunch of people
21:28
on this little piece of brown. Palm City, they got a lot of
21:30
steps that week. We'll talk to Mike Palm next
21:33
Miller in Condon on the Iowa Sports Radio network.
21:38
Hi 130 Miller in Condon. It's the Iowa sports Radio
21:41
network wherever you're listening in the state of Iowa.
21:43
How are however, wherever grateful that you are I heart
21:46
app Des Moines sports Station 106.3 KX and or any of our fine
21:50
affiliates throughout the state of Iowa.
21:52
Let's head to Las Vegas Mike Palm, VP of operations at circa
21:56
sports. Oh, we'll get the some of the
21:58
numbers in just a second Mike, but I find I love finding these
22:01
little anecdotes about you and the properties etcetera.
22:05
The D in Golden Gate along with circa.
22:09
I saw one yesterday at the D that really got my attention.
22:12
It's hard for me. It will be hard for me not to
22:13
stay at Circa, but the fact that when you check into the D,
22:18
they'll pour you a glass of Molson's or Labatt, I had no
22:23
idea, and that moved way up in my book.
22:26
Mike Baum, how are you? Yeah, they, they started this
22:32
about, or we started this a few years ago because a few of our
22:37
executives had gone to some like boutique hotels around the
22:40
country and when you were waiting to check in, either did
22:44
they give you a wine or a beer or this and that.
22:47
So that's when we started doing that.
22:49
No, I love it. Absolutely love.
22:50
Of course, Bar Canada, a very popular upstairs, the other one
22:54
from earlier this week. And I think of all the
22:56
advertising you've done at ballparks, and I do love on this
23:00
on the Blackhawks and the Golden Knight sweaters, but man, oh
23:04
man, it really pops at Kauffman Stadium down the right field
23:07
line in the bullpen. That's really good signage for
23:10
Circa Sports at Kauffman Stadium this summer.
23:13
I was that tuned in to see the their home opener on Monday
23:16
afternoon, the stand alone game and I blown away by how that
23:21
that light blue stand, the royal blue of Kauffman Stadium.
23:27
And it seemed like every shot they were taking that wasn't
23:30
from center field. You could see the the circus
23:33
sports bullpen. So yeah, I think it's going to
23:35
be a home run for. Us.
23:36
Yep, absolutely. Look great, no doubt about it
23:38
well back in Vegas you guys are incredibly busy.
23:40
Final Four women start tonight, get the men of course on
23:43
Saturday. But the Crown basketball
23:45
tournament is happening, 8 teams this year.
23:47
I saw quite a few Blue Jay fans there in attendance last night.
23:51
I saw Derek Stevens was also in attendance for that one
23:54
yesterday evening. Tell us a little bit about the
23:56
Crown A a new event, trying to get it.
23:59
You're getting major conference teams coming in there and just
24:01
for a standalone event, you're #2 how things are going.
24:07
Yeah, I think they did the right thing in shrinking the field.
24:09
They had 16 last year and it's played the Monday after the
24:13
Elite 8 through the Sunday after the Final Four.
24:17
They had 16 that played down to 4:00 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
24:20
Thursday off day Friday, which at the fan fested stadium swim
24:24
today and dinner tonight at Berry's for all the the major
24:29
sponsors executives. Then they play morning their
24:33
final four on Fox at 10:30 and 1:00 Pacific Time leading before
24:39
the Division One final four and then they'll play the
24:41
championship game after the women's game on Sunday.
24:45
But if you were a fan base that drew Monday, we were going to
24:48
stay here from Monday through Sunday.
24:50
I. Think that was too much?
24:51
Too much to expect. You also remember these kids
24:54
haven't played for 30 days like they were knocked out and they
24:57
and they didn't get an invitation to the NCAA Division
25:02
One tournament or even NIT. But you were right, Kenny,
25:05
there's or Trent, there's conference commitment.
25:09
The Big 12, Big East and Big 10 all commit a certain number of
25:14
teams to the event to fill it up.
25:16
And then of course, they had an ACC and an SEC team in there as
25:20
well to make the 8th. Matt, I remember last year on
25:24
Monday and Tuesday there might not have been 75 bands at some
25:27
of those early games. And both last Wednesday night
25:32
and Thursday night there were, I would say Wednesday there was
25:34
between 3 and 400 people there and last night was 6 to 6 to 700
25:39
people there. So that helps.
25:40
And then it moves from MGM Grand Garden Arena to T-Mobile for
25:44
Saturday. Does it?
25:45
Wow, interesting. Yeah, I saw Matt Yeomans tweeted
25:48
out a picture and certainly more fans in attendance this year
25:50
than I remember being there last year.
25:52
But I think that they did the right thing.
25:54
Well, let's get to the to the women tonight, ladies first, as
25:57
they will play tonight. What kind of action you seen?
26:00
Obviously the Texas UCLA game, very tight spread.
26:04
I was surprised. South Carolina only getting I
26:07
think 7/7 and 1/2. It was 6 1/2 to what seemingly
26:11
was an untouchable Yukon women's team with that number a little
26:15
tighter than I expected it to be.
26:16
Mike. I laid the 6th and a half.
26:19
You have to remember this, this whole story of the women, and I
26:23
don't know if I said it to you guys, maybe later, but I went on
26:25
beast in that week. Early February last year, UConn
26:29
was ranked 4th. Gino hadn't won a title in eight
26:31
years or whatever. Dawn Staley looked like she was
26:34
becoming the preeminent coach. They'd won three.
26:37
South Carolina was #1 on a Sunday, they went to Columbia,
26:41
SC, was a 7 point favorite and UConn won by 30.
26:44
I said, mark this day, this is the sea change date and women's
26:48
college basketball and UConn is going to re emerge at the
26:50
dominant program. Since that day, 14 and some
26:53
months ago, no one has come within 16 of UConn, including
26:57
this, the national semifinals and finals last year where they
27:00
crushed UCLA and South Carolina, who was getting eight in the
27:03
title game and lost by 20. I thought this number would be
27:07
14 or 15. Notre Dame played about as good
27:11
a game as you can play against UConn in the Elite 8.
27:14
I took him plus 15 in the first half and plus 27 1/2.
27:17
They covered those numbers easily, but they played very,
27:20
very, very well. I just think UConn stands out
27:24
now. I said in January I thought UCLA
27:26
was the only team that could give them a game because of
27:29
their height, because of the best sisters and the girls that
27:33
can knock the three down. You saw what UCLA did to Iowa
27:35
twice this year and I think the big 10 ends up was being
27:39
overrated. But Texas went to Vanderbilt and
27:42
got beat in Nashville and Vic Schaefer absolutely ripped his
27:45
feet and he said we we left our heart, we left our soul, we left
27:49
everything in in Austin. We had none of it tonight.
27:52
Since that day, the Lady Longhorns have been on an
27:54
absolute mission, beating Vandy, beating LSU, Beatty, South
27:58
Carolina twice and they I think rightfully are a small favorite.
28:02
I think it's up to two now over UCLA.
28:05
That second game in the women should be as what is both games
28:08
and the men on Saturday. I still like UConn to win it
28:11
all. If if you had to ask me right
28:13
now, I maybe lean a little bit Texas over UCLA, but I did lay
28:17
the 6 1/2. It's now 7 with UConn in the
28:20
first day. Let's jump from there over to
28:22
the men's side of things. Game #1 Illinois against UConn,
28:27
2 teams. It's not what we're going to get
28:28
in the nightcap, but two very interesting teams.
28:32
Basically a coin flip. Illinois a slight favorite.
28:34
What are you guys seeing in the betting market?
28:36
We opened this a pic. It went to Illinois to announced
28:39
it's 1 1/2 I I find it interesting that Illinois, who
28:44
was a three seed and who has no experience in the final four
28:47
with this team or this coach is favored over a team that was a
28:52
two seed and that has the championship pedigree.
28:56
Both some kids on the roster and of course the coach and the
28:59
school. Obviously the Illinois had their
29:02
way of it because they dominated the boards, right?
29:04
That's that's been their key to success in the tournament.
29:07
I didn't think they could play a 40 minutes of defense in five
29:10
straight games. That's why I never got a future
29:12
ticket on them. But they they've made-up for it
29:14
by absolutely dominating the boards.
29:16
We know they're very efficient offensively.
29:19
I'll be pulling for Illinois. I'm not going to bet this game
29:22
because I think both games are just absolute coin flips.
29:24
Yeah, I couldn't agree with you more.
29:26
What what is the key to that late game?
29:29
I For Michigan to win, that has to go what this has to Arizona
29:32
to win, this has to happen. Or is it just too difficult?
29:35
They're just too evenly matched. They're really evenly matched.
29:39
According to Ken Palm, who's been doing his rating since 97,
29:43
This is the greatest basketball game of all time, Arizona's
29:46
third best team of all time and Michigan's his fourth best team
29:49
of all time. So it's the greatest matchup
29:51
ever Now this since 97. And you know, I'm UCLA against
29:56
in the Astrodome and Georgetown and Carolina in the final in 82.
30:00
And that could make other argument.
30:02
But since 97, it's an interesting statement.
30:06
If Michigan's going to win, I think they they need to get
30:08
Arizona in foul trouble. If Arizona's going to win, I
30:13
think that they have to stay focused for as much of the 40
30:17
minutes as they can because of the Michigan spurt ability.
30:20
That's the best thing about Michigan is you can blink their
30:23
eye and they put a 14 nothing run on you or 22, nothing like
30:26
Tennessee right Then that spurt ability is what is what
30:30
separates them. I do think though, that Michigan
30:32
at times is too cool for school and they get loosey goosey and
30:35
they want to play playground basketball and they don't stay
30:38
within their system. I I thought Arizona was the best
30:41
team in December when they beat all the other top five teams.
30:44
I bet them at 19 to 1. I picked them to win it before
30:47
the tournament started. I'll stay with Arizona.
30:50
I'm not going to bet the game, but there's not much that
30:52
separates these two teams. Anything coming in most
30:55
outstanding player, anything that maybe there is a more
30:58
compelling angle. I see you guys have changed
31:01
quite a bit since yesterday. Michigan now to win the national
31:03
championship plus 160. Arizona was the favorite.
31:07
Now you can get the Wildcats at 2:00 to 1:00.
31:09
Anything into the other other markets though that caught your
31:11
eyeball, Mike? No, I'm surprised here.
31:15
And I know we get the Michigan money, but there's a few people
31:18
coming tomorrow that have asked to bet a half million on the
31:21
game. We don't know which way they're
31:23
going to go, but they want to bet the second game.
31:26
So we'll see. I mean, if there are both,
31:28
there's actually two guys, if they're both on there that are
31:30
unrelated, if they're both on the same side, obviously we're
31:32
going to have a big liability. But if they're on opposite
31:35
sides, we'll stay balanced on this game.
31:37
But we, the Michigan money has stayed strong.
31:40
I you know, we open this, it's a pick and it went to Michigan 2
31:43
right away, which just surprised me because I get Michigan's very
31:47
good, but I don't know how you could say that they're better.
31:49
You know, it's Indian advantage for them because Arizona and you
31:52
know, I don't, I don't know, I don't think you know, when you
31:54
get to a final four, there's so much allotment a ticket, so many
31:57
court for tickets. It's not.
31:59
It's not like when you're in a second round site that's an hour
32:02
from your campus. Yeah, Fairpoint, we'll get to
32:04
baseball in just a second, but because it's a stand alone game,
32:07
there's a there's Sunday Night Baseball and then there's the
32:10
NIT final. What kind of will that bring?
32:13
Maybe not bring more people in, but at least it's another, it's
32:16
another game to bet on and otherwise not much going on.
32:19
Sunday night. You got a couple of NBA games.
32:21
Sunday Night baseball, at least you got a basketball game, a
32:24
championship game. Will you do any business on
32:26
that? Nobody cares, Kenny.
32:28
People asked me, did you and LB play in the NIT?
32:30
People here in Las Vegas don't even know.
32:33
You know, I said yeah, they won the first game, they lost their
32:35
second. People, people have absolutely 0
32:38
interest in this. I think combined the two
32:41
semifinal games broke less than 10,000.
32:43
Unbelievable. All right, let's get to
32:45
baseball. What have you seen personally in
32:47
week number one that you might have got involved in?
32:50
Mike, what have have you done? Anything.
32:53
No, I mean, I've listen on opening day.
32:56
I had the race at Saint Louis and they let Saint Louis score
33:00
seven runs in the bottom of the sixth and win the game and I'm
33:02
done with, you know, it soured me on the season.
33:04
I'm really, I have, I've watched less baseball for an opening
33:09
week than I ever have. I'm just very, very upset with
33:11
that. I, I've watched here and there.
33:14
I was sitting in the book watching all the, you know, the
33:17
Midwest teams return home for their for their, for their
33:20
opening days, watching Framber pitch in in Detroit and the
33:24
Dodgers get behind and start hitting home runs in Washington
33:27
and the White Sox were about to get underway.
33:29
But leave it to the White Sox. They have a 7 minute and
33:31
memoriam with both teams lined up on the foul lines.
33:33
It's just unbelievable, I tell you.
33:37
Just bet the Nationals game is over.
33:39
I mean they they have no pitching, but boy, they can hit
33:41
the ball. That's that's that's.
33:43
One of the, the betting angles that I, I think I, I've realized
33:47
that I maybe didn't realize before the season started, the
33:53
Yankee pitching staff's been unreal.
33:55
And oh, by the way, they get redone and Cole coming back in
33:57
the next six weeks. I mean, that looks like a really
34:00
tough team to beat. And I think the Orioles are not
34:03
as good as I thought they might be.
34:04
I think they're just an average to below average team.
34:06
Those are my those are my early impressions.
34:09
You guys have the Yankees 9 to 1.
34:10
I think I looked on Thursday or Wednesday night.
34:12
I think to win it all, I think 9:00 to 1:00, yeah.
34:15
Ken called it over. He came in Wednesday, said this
34:17
thing's over. Yeah.
34:18
Get your American League tickets now.
34:19
It's the Yankees, Yankees, Yankees.
34:20
Just what Mike said when they're going to get 2 of their aces
34:22
back in this team is just unbelievable.
34:24
So far, no doubt. Anything else before I get the
34:27
obligatory hockey question? TCR you done?
34:29
No, absolutely get that in there because well, I got 1 lingering
34:33
that I'm excited about that Mike gave us before the season with
34:36
the Ducks to make the playoffs and Ken doesn't want to say it.
34:40
The Jets. No, they're out.
34:41
They're done. I knew you'd say that.
34:43
No shot. How about you, Mike?
34:44
Do you think The Jets have a chance to get in?
34:46
I texted my friend watching them play in Dallas last night and I
34:49
said I don't even think The Jets want to make the play.
34:51
They don't. It's over.
34:52
Yeah, did you see Larry and Ben dropped the gloves?
34:55
Boy, that was like a big time fight.
34:57
I did, I did. I was, he goes.
34:59
Why are you watching that game? Hey, Mike.
35:03
Something's wrong with Colorado. It's not just Kyle Makar out of
35:06
the lineup, and it's not just because Vancouver beat them.
35:09
The worst team in the league bet the beat beat the best team in
35:11
the league. Colorado was at home.
35:13
I've been watching this team for the last month.
35:15
I think there's something missing with this overwhelming
35:19
favorite to win the cup. Do you agree?
35:22
No, I'm not sure their goalies are that good, kid.
35:24
I mean, I mean, all of a sudden Wedgewood, the guy that's going
35:30
to take you to a Stanley Cup title or Blackwood or I mean,
35:33
they're OK. They were always solid backups,
35:37
but the whole Central Division, those three teams that got so
35:41
far out ahead of everybody that now they just, all three of
35:44
them, Dallas, Colorado and Minnesota just want the playoffs
35:47
to start right And they're out. Nobody can catch them.
35:50
Their seats are all set, 123. They know what it's going to be.
35:53
They just don't want to get hurt and get the playoffs started
35:55
already. And that's more of it than than.
35:58
I think that they have a serious flaw in the way they're
36:00
constructed. Next week we got the masters.
36:02
What do you guys have on tap at Circus Sports as we're looking
36:05
to fire and our Ken and I already have a ticket on Robert
36:08
McIntyre at 50 to one saw that's down to 45 to one Dow at Circa,
36:12
but a better price you're going to get anywhere else.
36:14
What else do you guys get ready for for Masters Week next week?
36:18
Yeah, it'll be a big weekend here, Masters, But also Derek's
36:21
son is getting married next Saturday, both his kids getting
36:24
married this year, his son next weekend and his daughter will
36:27
get married in Michigan on the last Saturday in August.
36:30
So it's a big year for for Derek here.
36:34
But so we have a lot of festivities going on.
36:35
We'll have big crowds, watch parties at, at, at both, at both
36:40
stadiums swim which the weather has cooled off.
36:43
We had these record highs 9 out of 10 days set a record high in
36:48
the last part of March. But now it's cooled up was 48°
36:52
this morning when I woke up and it's a high of 70 today, which
36:55
is just perfect. And by the way, I have to be at
36:58
stadium swim for a couple hours this afternoon for the Crown Fan
37:01
Fest. So I I prayed and it's it's
37:04
another Good Friday miracle that we got this weather.
37:06
There you go. Good stuff.
37:07
Mike Palm, VP of operations at Circus Sports.
37:10
Happy Easter to you, Mike Palm and yours.
37:12
We'll talk to you next week. Have a great week, Mike.
37:14
Thank you. Happy Easter everyone.
37:16
Good to talk to you, Mike Palm, VP of operations at Circa
37:19
Sports. So how about that?
37:20
She's checking it today. They'll pour you a Molson
37:23
Canadian or a Bat Blue. That's beautiful.
37:26
It is. I had no idea.
37:28
Have you stayed there before? I never.
37:29
Have. No no.
37:30
It's only been Circa for us downtown.
37:33
Had some friends though, our buddy Dave Anders with the
37:36
chicken coop. He has stayed there and good
37:38
things to say about it also someday, but it's so hard to say
37:42
no. It's just.
37:43
That's just. It right?
37:44
How do you How do you get past? That right?
37:47
I like the DI. Go to the DI.
37:48
Do too on diamos. There's Italian steak houses.
37:51
First rate, Yes, and Mike's favorite steakhouse.
37:54
It is over berries by an inch and berries is so good.
37:57
That's down in the basement. It's circus sports.
37:59
I'm excited the next time we get back to the Golden Gate now with
38:02
the different machines now that they have for the table games
38:05
and and how that looks, the happy hour that happens before
38:08
that, you know, I like a good. More than a happy hour, it's
38:10
free drinks. That's the happiest of happy
38:12
hours. Free is an FRE.
38:14
No charge for the first hour. Come on in, have a couple of
38:17
drinks. I'll take advantage, yeah.
38:19
A lot of people have Miller and Condon back with Trent's plays
38:22
of the day circus sports sponsors those it's the Iowa
38:25
Sports Radio network. Condon welcome back our final
38:28
segment of the week off the bench coming up next they'll
38:31
take you in till 5:00 East High Golf Classic 32nd annual five
38:36
weeks from today, May the 8th and then again on May the 9th.
38:39
Tee times Copper Creek is the scene once again this year.
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I head to ehsgolf.org. ehsgolf.org For more
38:47
information, how to get involved.
38:49
A tee time 7:30 and 1:00 on Friday the 8th of May Likewise,
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7:30 and 1:00 on Saturday, May the 9th, if that's better for
38:58
you. EHS golf.org. 32nd annual East
39:02
High Classic golf tournament as message sponsored by East High
39:05
grad back in the day, Doctor Steven Fuller.
39:08
All right, Trent Condon, baseball tonight, women's hoops
39:11
tonight, men's tomorrow. You've got plenty of spots that
39:14
you can invest your money. It's Circa Sports.
39:17
What are you going to do? So we're going to jump aboard.
39:19
We got 3 plays, 2 this afternoon, two games I'm sure
39:22
you're going to be flipping back and forth between.
39:23
I have a meeting to go to but I hopefully will get back I'm
39:26
sure. You will.
39:27
You'll be watching the Cubs when you get home. 3 something right?
39:30
310. 310 good. And I'm going to play the Cubs.
39:33
Kate Horton. Kate Horton.
39:34
I'm going to play Kate Horton. You know that.
39:36
Also going to play the Rays in the home.
39:38
Oprah at Target Field because it's the Twins.
39:41
We're going to be fading the Twins a whole bunch minus one O
39:44
4. Bailey over gets the ball for
39:46
the Twinkies. What's the weather like in
39:48
Minneapolis? I mean, I see what it is here.
39:50
Not good, I would anticipate. Not good at all.
39:52
Will they get that one in? Not sure, But for now we'll have
39:55
that one in there and I'm playing Yukon. 6 1/2 out there
39:59
in the market, 7 at Circa, currently 6 1/2 with juice, now
40:02
some 7 1/2. What did Martin say?
40:04
He thought the number should be, did you say 14?
40:06
Yeah, I was shocked. It was a single digit.
40:09
I really was. I thought maybe 9 1/2 that was
40:14
but not even close. I don't get it.
40:16
I know South Carolina is playing better.
40:18
I also don't get the UCLA being a dog in this game against
40:21
Texas. Now Mike I thought filled us in
40:23
with pretty good information. The Texas coach and kind of that
40:26
come to Jesus moment that they had after their loss of
40:28
Vanderbilt. I just think UCLA is a tick
40:31
better. I don't have it yet but if I can
40:34
find a good money line if I get in money line like in the plus
40:36
120 range on UKLA. Because you're getting what, a
40:40
point and 1/2, right? Yeah.
40:42
And it's going to do that just grab the money line with a good
40:44
price. And I was looking and I didn't
40:48
find it. Here it is at circa what what I
40:50
can currently get on that one because that would be kind of
40:52
the big differentiator for me get that price makes it a little
40:56
bit easier at least. It's got to be right around
40:58
there. Yeah, absolutely.
40:59
Here we go. Yeah, Plus 120.
41:01
There you go. All right.
41:02
Fire. Well, guess what?
41:04
We're not getting that at the other places.
41:06
Was that getting plus? Well, how about?
41:07
What you said when we were talking about our guy Bobby
41:09
Mack, who we bought our bet earlier this year at 50 to one
41:13
earlier in the show, her first segment.
41:15
You were talking about somewhere.
41:16
He was 30, something to one. Yeah, circa.
41:18
He's 45. To 1.
41:19
You can still get 45 to one on Robert McIntyre to win the
41:22
Masters. He's up 4 now.
41:24
By the way. Is he really?
41:25
Of course I didn't bet him this week.
41:26
But save it for next week. Bobby Mack, I thought, exactly.
41:29
Come. On You're peeking too soon, kid.
41:31
But you don't want him to collapse because then you get
41:33
into the mental side of things. Oh man, all.
41:35
Right. What about tomorrow?
41:36
Anything. I'll be I have Michigan in my
41:39
pocket, so I'll just. Leave it there.
41:42
Yeah, I still don't know. On the Yukon, Illinois game, I.
41:45
Don't either I. You could tell me anything.
41:47
Are we going to be watching Monday night?
41:51
If you had to lean Michigan, Yukon.
41:54
I think so too. That's what we're going to get.
41:56
I think so too. Oh well, we'll talk.
42:00
About it sooner rather than later, regardless of their yes
42:03
indeed we will have a wonderful weekend audience.
42:06
We certainly appreciate you spending time with Trent and I
42:09
Monday through Friday is we talk sports every Monday through
42:12
Friday from noon until 2 off the benches next.
42:16
Thank you for listening to the Iowa Sports Radio Network and
42:19
the flagship Des Moines Port station 106.3 KX&O.