Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / College Football & Big Ten talk with Spencer McLaughlin, Chris Monter on the NBA Draft & Trent's Picks of the Day

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College Football & Big Ten talk with Spencer McLaughlin, Chris Monter on the NBA Draft & Trent's Picks of the Day · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

0:04
Hour number two, welcome back Miller in Condon.
0:07
It's the Iowa Sports Radio Network.
0:08
Wherever you are listening in the state of Iowa or anywhere on
0:12
the iheart app, we are grateful that you are still to come this
0:15
hour. Toward the bottom of the hour,
0:16
we'll talk NBA draft. Chris Montours joins us every
0:19
year either pre or during the NBA drafts.
0:22
Really good on it. He's based in the Twin Cities,
0:25
so we'll talk to Montour. Trends, Plays of the day, Circus
0:28
sports sponsor those. You have nothing to bet on
0:31
tonight. There's one baseball game.
0:34
Now are you, are you challenging me?
0:36
Is that what you're doing here, Ken?
0:37
You're going to go right after me and say that I can't find
0:39
things to bet on? You'll find something.
0:41
You'll find something. WNBA may be floating your boat
0:45
there. But anyways, let's talk to
0:46
Spencer McLaughlin. Locked on college football,
0:49
locked on ducks as well as we take a look, as we promised
0:52
we're going to do, we're going to go around different parts of
0:54
the country within either the Big 10 or the Big 12 footprint
0:58
and bring on some other voices. And Spencer is up first.
1:02
No pressure. Spencer.
1:03
Trenton, Kent, good to talk to you.
1:04
How are you? Doing great this morning.
1:07
Thanks for giving me a low pressure, low stakes environment
1:10
here. I I love that.
1:12
Now, glad to have you. You know, before we get into
1:15
just this year, etc, and how you see things, I want to go back to
1:18
last year, obviously first year in the Big 10.
1:22
I'm old. I, I love the PAC 12, I love the
1:25
PAC 10, I love the Rose Bowl. All of those things that were
1:28
part and parcel of, of what was, I thought an outstanding
1:32
conference. I was just stunned when the
1:35
conference was going to disband. And it's still hard to believe
1:37
in some respects. What was it like for you?
1:42
Pretty jaw-dropping real and, and just kind of one of those
1:46
out of body experiences that you can't quite figure out if it's
1:51
happening, you know, and I remember covering it in depth
1:55
all the time on, on my shows. And, you know, I, I had
2:00
certainly a growing sense over that fateful summer in 2022 that
2:05
23, I think it was. It all blends together at this
2:08
point that, you know, things were not trending in the correct
2:12
direction, But I, I think there was still a part of me and
2:16
perhaps it was just the naive, you know, little 6 year old PAC
2:21
12 fan that I have been my whole life that just believe, no,
2:24
this, this can't just go away. They couldn't they couldn't have
2:27
screwed up so badly. The PAC 12 leadership and you
2:31
know, the rest of the college football couldn't possibly be so
2:34
greedy that that this would happen.
2:36
And then when it did, I was actually on a trip with my
2:40
parents and some friends. And one of those friends played
2:44
football at Oregon back in the 80s.
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And I remember walking upstairs and just saying greetings,
2:50
fellow fans of a Big 10 school. And my dad just absolutely.
2:56
I mean, he he doesn't get too high or too low most of the
2:59
time. He he was pretty beside himself.
3:02
Just no way. And I said, Oh yeah, Oregon or
3:05
Washington just announced the rest of the four corner schools
3:08
are going to follow Colorado. Like that, that all happened.
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And it was just one of those moments where like I, I will
3:16
never forget where I was when this happened because I can't
3:19
believe it's happening. And yeah, I, I still can't
3:21
believe that it's gone that it's just not thing anymore.
3:25
And you know, maybe we can get back with some semblance of it
3:27
one day. If, you know, we we have a major
3:31
fissure in the early twenty 30s in college sports and we get to
3:34
an NFCAFC type model that could allow for more regional matchups
3:38
to to return. So that's my 1 hope.
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But you know, knowing that it got to this point is is just
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still one of the crazier things I've I've ever witnessed and
3:49
certainly ever covered on on my shows.
3:52
Well, and the here and now we have an team fresh off in
3:55
appearance in the College Football Playoff.
3:56
It didn't go well against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl game and
3:59
the bracketing will look a lot different this year if they get
4:01
a return trip back there. But a lot of work that needs to
4:04
be had starting at the quarterback position.
4:06
Dante Moore, a guy that we saw a couple years ago at UCLA, he
4:09
takes over as the starter of the season anticipated out there.
4:12
What do we know about Dante Moore and and why he's going to
4:15
look a lot different in Oregon uniform than the guy that we saw
4:18
in the Baby Blues? Well, the, the, the biggest
4:22
thing with Dante Moore is the potential never stops being
4:26
there. While he struggled at UCLA, it's
4:28
not like he showed up and then all of a sudden, you know, you
4:31
watch them play and went I don't think I think those traits are
4:35
really translating to the college game and I don't I don't
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know about what what his problem was at UCLA was an inconsistent
4:44
situation. He got thrown into the fire and
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like a lot of true freshman quarterback, he was overmatched
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and the game was too fast for him while playing behind a
4:53
horrendous offensive line. Now, one thing I tried to get
4:58
across the Oregon fan is his offensive coordinator was also
5:02
his head coach in this guy named Tip Kelly, who I think we can
5:05
see is still he still knows a thing or two about football and
5:10
the the weapons around him were better or are going to be better
5:15
at Oregon than they were back then.
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But he didn't have a total and complete lack of weapon.
5:21
And so everything that you know, I I wonder about with Dante
5:25
Moore is not in the in the physical traits or in the
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ability to be a great quarterback.
5:32
It it's all in how does he start seeing the game that that's what
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will Stein and this offensive line in particular, because
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that's the biggest gap on the field from that team he played
5:44
for at the Bruins. They had a really good defense.
5:46
They had solid pieces around him.
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Their offensive line was bad, but everything else was there.
5:51
And so that that brings me back to he he's got to see the game
5:55
differently. He's got to see it slower.
5:57
He's got to feel more in control, not be as robotic with,
6:02
with his read. You know, he stared a couple
6:04
guys down like a lot of two freshmen do when he was at UCLA.
6:08
So that's, that's what I look at.
6:11
I don't, I don't place Heisman expectations on him this year.
6:15
I will if he comes back to Oregon next year, but I expect
6:18
him to be good 3000 yards or so for, for the season, keep the
6:24
interceptions in in the single digits and throw for 25 to 30
6:28
touchdowns. I you know, that's a, that's a
6:30
good season. And I think that's a fair
6:33
expectation because because he's in an offensive system that's
6:36
produced back-to-back Heisman finalist quarterbacks and that's
6:38
the only system in college football that can say that.
6:42
So I think that it it's going to be really fun to watch and and
6:47
exciting for Duck fans. But you know, there are there
6:49
does still have to be that level of understanding amongst the
6:53
Oregon fan base that that says, hey, he does still need to grow.
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He only started I think it was like 3 games maybe while while
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he was at UCLA and and then he got benched.
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So there, there'll be there, there'll be an adjustment phase,
7:08
but he certainly got all the tools to succeed at a high level
7:12
this year and next year. You know, when I, when I look at
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the schedule, Spencer, it seems like no Michigan, Ohio State and
7:18
you know, those are the first things you look for.
7:20
But the trip to Happy Valley is going to be no picnic.
7:23
Have they announced the whiteout game at Penn State is That's got
7:26
to be. Yes, yes, they, they have
7:28
announced that that'll be the whiteout.
7:31
And quite frankly, I'm probably the first person who is
7:34
supporting an opposing team to go in and say this.
7:36
I'm glad it's the white out game because I want no part of
7:41
playing Penn State, who will be at home off a by while Oregon is
7:46
playing their fifth straight game to start the season.
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I want absolutely no part of playing that game at 9:00 AM
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Pacific Time. Yeah, like it is.
7:57
And plus, the white out is just the the college football fan in
8:00
me. Trent knows I am neutral,
8:02
arbiter of all things college football.
8:03
Self-proclaimed. The the, the college football
8:07
fan in me wants to see whatever organ uniform combo is going to
8:13
come out that day against the white out, because that could be
8:16
a pretty spectacular look. And it's a great setting.
8:19
It's an awesome game. And I am, as I said, still sad
8:23
about the loss of the PAC 12. One of the things I first looked
8:26
forward to when they joined the Big 10 was, you know, when we
8:30
play at, at the, at the white out game, that is going to be a
8:33
sight to be cold. And I, I think that that is what
8:37
I'm looking forward to the most, is just that the game itself
8:40
should be pretty spectacular. The travel part of it, not just
8:44
for Oregon but all the West Coast schools now a year into
8:47
it, what was the feedback that you and the other three schools
8:50
kind of had after that first season and going forward?
8:53
When you look at these programs and all very proud programs,
8:56
what national championships and have high expectations for all
8:59
four of how you're able to get through that.
9:01
A nine game conference schedule, knowing what a minimum 3 they're
9:04
going to be making a long road trip during the course of the
9:07
year and sometimes four or five times going to making those kind
9:09
of trips. Just how it's going to be kind
9:11
of going forward and what they learned a year in.
9:13
Yeah. I mean, I, I don't know about
9:17
the exact logistics. I haven't spoken to their their
9:22
OPS team and you know, I'm as a play by play voice myself that
9:26
travels with the Division One football school.
9:28
I I know what you know, goes into all of that and finding the
9:32
right places to stay in the best places to eat and the right way
9:35
to time everything out that that that does matter to to get kids
9:40
in particular into the right mental and physical state to to
9:45
go and play a college football game.
9:47
But you know what we saw a lot of last year, and I'm sure you
9:50
guys noticed this, Anybody that moved that traveled two or more
9:54
time zones during Big 10 play really struggled.
9:58
It it, it was hard. Penn State was a much better
10:02
team than USC last year, but they went to USC and we're down
10:07
I think 1410 or 14 points at the half and stormed their way back
10:11
to win. Washington was unbeaten at home
10:15
and anytime they didn't play at Husky Stadium, they lost,
10:19
including that game at Iowa last year when Caleb Johnson went for
10:23
I think it was 479,000 yards. So the the travel situation, I
10:30
think is still kind of being adapted to, you know, you heard
10:34
Mick Cronin, UCLA basketball coach, say that he, you know,
10:39
was not loving the travel and. Something about the Statue of
10:43
Liberty. Yeah, yeah, he said.
10:45
We've seen the Statue of Liberty twice in two weeks.
10:48
And I just, I just thought, Gee, I wonder who's all that is Like,
10:53
like we're all trying to find the guy who did this who could.
10:57
Yeah, who who could know? But I, I think it's tougher on
11:01
non revenue sports or even Batman's basketball because you
11:06
have two games. And so, you know, a trip to
11:10
Rutgers and Maryland has has got more more travel and logistics
11:17
and can just be a lot tougher for kids to go through when
11:20
you're playing basketball then when you're playing just one
11:23
football game. But still, you know, Ohio State
11:26
went to Oregon and lost. And then when you know, they had
11:30
a bunch of time off and got the what turned out to be somewhat
11:35
of a tune up game again against Tennessee, They went to the same
11:39
time zone neutral site and and and of course destroyed Oregon
11:44
and Michigan was was able to beat Ohio State, but went to a
11:48
mediocre Washington team and locked.
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Why? Because they're going away the
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way and they're playing in the home stadium for for the
11:55
Huskies. So I, I think there is still
11:58
some adjustment and I still look at those games decidedly as you
12:03
know, hey, this team is travelling this far that that
12:07
makes me less inclined to bet on them on the point spread or pick
12:11
them out right to win the game. Like I I still see it that way,
12:16
at least as we go into Year 2. As you look ahead, Oregon gets 2
12:20
buys in the month of October. I didn't realize that.
12:22
You're right about that. I mean, five straight weeks
12:25
culminating with the the white out.
12:27
Then you finally get a buy, but you come to Iowa and you'll get
12:30
to Kinnick Stadium. The fan base will for the first
12:32
time to see Kinnick the first weekend in November.
12:37
I'm not sure if you've done much looking ahead to the opponents,
12:40
but if so, your thoughts on the Hawkeyes?
12:42
What lies ahead? Well, I actually have done a
12:44
pretty good amount with the with with your Co host there that
12:48
that'll that'll come out at a later date.
12:50
But yeah, I you know, with Iowa, it's definitely one of those
12:55
games that has a trap kind of feel because, well, it's Iowa.
13:00
Their offense. Is there any good?
13:01
They can't do this. But as you guys well know, the
13:04
offense has improved. And the other thing is that that
13:08
environment is tough to play in Oregon does get a bit of a break
13:12
with a buy coming the week before they go to Kinnick.
13:16
I I like that a lot. But I, I think that that game
13:20
has got all the potential to be a really tricky one for the
13:25
ducks. You're going to have a first
13:26
year starting quarterback going on the road.
13:29
Now the the good news for for Oregon in that regard with Dante
13:33
Moore is he will have already played the Penn State game.
13:36
So he will have already gotten his feet wet in, you know, a
13:40
legitimate big 10 Rd. environment like that.
13:43
And I think that's huge. And and that combined with the
13:46
buy does raise my confidence level on, on, on Oregon's
13:52
ability to go in and win. But certainly that's not one
13:54
that I'm going to look at Oregon schedule this year and say, Oh,
13:57
well, that's going to be an easy win just because it's Iowa like
14:00
that, that that's one that that Oregon's got to got to be fully
14:03
prepared for. Spencer, The betting favorite is
14:06
Ohio State to win the Big 10 again this season.
14:08
Penn State? The second choice, Oregon.
14:10
Let's even throw Michigan to the side.
14:11
That next tier of team, the Illinois, the Indianas, Iowa,
14:15
USC, Nebraska, out of that kind of group of teams, that next
14:19
tier A team. Is there somebody that you like?
14:21
If you're looking for a dark horse contender to make the
14:23
College Football Playoff out of the Big 10, who's your choice?
14:27
It is, it is so easily Illinois. They were darn close to making
14:32
it last year. And you know, Brett Bielema was
14:36
pointing that out while the SEC coaches were griping about we
14:39
should be in at 9:00 and 3:00 and he tweets out his schedule
14:42
and says, look at what we were able to accomplish.
14:44
Why shouldn't we be in? Why don't we just let the
14:46
committee make a decision? Illinois, if, if they had won
14:50
just one more game, I know they lost to Oregon and Penn State.
14:55
I I forget who their third loss was, but they win one more game
14:59
during the playoffs like without question.
15:01
And they return about 90 percent, 8590% of their starting
15:06
production from last year, including but not limited to
15:10
their quarterback Luke Altmeyer, who I like a lot and and is
15:14
really solid. So they lost their running back
15:17
McRae in the transfer portal to Georgia, but I think they can be
15:20
OK there and the, their schedule works out pretty nicely for
15:25
them. And I, I think that they, they,
15:28
they will have a real shot to, to have a 10 and two season and
15:32
10:00 and 2:00 in the Big 10 or SEC tends to get you into the
15:35
College Football Playoff. Indiana on both teams schedule.
15:38
Did did you see Mendoza play when he was at Cal?
15:41
Because I don't think a lot of people did and I don't think a
15:44
lot of people realize what lies ahead.
15:46
I I think Indiana actually upgraded their quarterback
15:49
position. I'm not going to get into that
15:53
camp with you. Mendoza is solid.
15:58
Like he's definitely solid. I'm interested to see
16:02
stylistically how he matches up with that Indiana offense.
16:06
He's coming from a place at Cal where he has plenty of success.
16:09
Like he will do well with Kurt Signeti, no doubt.
16:12
But that Indiana offense last year was downfield, shot back,
16:17
shoulder fade, like that's what it was predicated on.
16:21
He's coming from a Cal offense that was RPO centric.
16:26
And so I don't know if in November he's got the arm
16:30
strength to go out there and make the sort of throws that
16:34
that they're looking for. And I just I just wonder I'm
16:38
not, you know, fully in the camp of I doubt he can do it or yes,
16:41
he can. I I'm just I'm just wondering
16:44
how that how that kind of fits. I think Mendoza is solid.
16:47
I think Curtis work was was really good last year, trending
16:52
toward Heisman territory. I don't think Mendoza is going
16:56
to get in that camp, but that doesn't mean he won't be a top
16:58
big half or top half quarterback in Big 10.
17:02
Give me your top five quarterbacks in the Big 10 for
17:04
this season, Not big picture, not in the NFL for 2025.
17:08
We can you RIP them off your top five Big 10 quarterbacks.
17:11
Drew Aller has to be #1 amazingly, Luke Altmeyer is
17:15
probably up there. Mendoza is up there.
17:18
I would not sleep on Aiden Childs at Michigan State.
17:21
He could be poised to have a big season if he can clean up the
17:24
turnovers and get a little bit more efficient.
17:26
He has got NFL sort of trait that's a guy wouldn't overlook.
17:31
And then the. Rayola. #5 yeah, I think Rayola
17:37
belongs in that particular fold. I'm interested to see what
17:41
happens with Jade my OF at USB. Course.
17:43
Lincoln Riley's track record with quarterbacks is really,
17:46
really good. So it's hard to say that you,
17:50
you know, I always like Miller Moss and he's at Louisville now.
17:52
And you know, if they think Jade my of is better, clearly they do
17:57
then I'm interested to see what that, that potential looks like.
18:01
But yeah, the, the the big 10 and SEC both are a bunch of, I
18:08
don't know or I'm not sure at quarterback.
18:11
That's that's that's essentially what it is all over the place.
18:15
I didn't. I didn't hear Mark Gronowski
18:17
from you, McLaughlin. I, I would not put Gronowski
18:21
coming from the SCS ranked in the top five.
18:23
I'm I'm so sorry. See you in November.
18:26
See you in November. Yeah, indeed, Indeed, we will.
18:32
This list is subject to change. OK?
18:34
Like I'll add you here, subject to availability.
18:37
My best quarterbacks in the Big 10 are subject to change.
18:40
I do like Rail in the system that he's going to be playing
18:43
with Dana Holder somehow. Yeah, I think that's an upgrade.
18:45
No, done. I do a selfish question before I
18:47
let you go, I want to talk about that 2023 Heisman candidate
18:51
quarterback that you covered in Oregon, because I'm a huge
18:54
Broncos fan and I think he's got another level.
18:56
I can't wait to see where he how how good good he can be in the
18:59
NFL. People forget pretty often that
19:05
he was a five star recruit because he went to Auburn and it
19:09
didn't go well and his profile dropped.
19:11
This is a guy who's got arm and leg talent to do really, really
19:17
special things. He's not Josh Allen or Justin
19:20
Herbert necessarily, but I I or Mahomes, but he he, I think he
19:25
absolutely has another gear. I love to fit with the Broncos
19:28
all along with Sean Payton in that system and I am I'm stoked
19:33
to see how his career keeps playing out.
19:35
I'm I am, I am definitely, definitely a de facto Broncos
19:40
fan with him at the helm. Spencer McLaughlin, locked on
19:43
college football, locked on Ducks.
19:46
You can lock in that. You'll be with us the first week
19:48
in November if your schedule allows.
19:50
Spencer, thanks for doing this for us.
19:51
Appreciate it. Yeah, great to talk to you guys.
19:54
Yeah, good to talk to you, Spencer McLaughlin as we check
19:56
in on the ducks in the Big 10 with him.
19:58
And again, we will do this a number of times between now and.
20:03
Week 1 fun to just talk football right it?
20:05
Is it absolutely is. Get this rest.
20:08
Where are you with Dante Moore? I don't I I I need to see.
20:12
More I know he's talented. Like I think we heard about this
20:14
kid when he was in high school. This was that guy, you know, was
20:18
he going to go to Michigan? Now he was at Oregon.
20:20
And then he flips to UCLA and he goes to play for Chip and it
20:22
doesn't get very well because, well, Chip had one foot out the
20:25
door. He was talking to Ohio State, he
20:27
was talking to Kirk Ference. He was trying to find a job to
20:29
get out of UCLAI know he's talented.
20:32
That offensive line is rebuilding it.
20:34
Remember how bad that Oregon offensive line was the first two
20:36
weeks of the year against Idaho and Boise?
20:39
If it would have, should have. Beat absolutely, but they
20:41
figured it out well. They got 3 transfer lineman now
20:43
by the time they come to Kenick. How many?
20:45
How many games have they played before this?
20:46
Before they beat Ohio State? Was it 5 or 6?
20:49
It was right, yeah. Yeah, that sounds about right.
20:52
Was it late September or was it that first week in October?
20:55
Well, I got the schedule right here. 2024 Ducks.
20:58
That game was played October 12th, so they had five games
21:01
underneath them at that point, including a bye week in there
21:04
also. And I think that's when they
21:05
went back to the drawing board because struggled Week 1 and
21:07
Week 2 then was the Oregon State game.
21:10
They dominated that one, had a bye week and the offensive line
21:14
after looked completely different.
21:17
Got some guys, they got money, they can spend with anybody.
21:21
Can he have that kind of season? 2 years in a.
21:23
Row. I don't think he can.
21:24
Trent I don't I, I, I. Would what's more likely, 11 to
21:27
one or nine and three, nine to three?
21:28
I'm, I'm with you. Spencer's not, as you you'll
21:32
hear next week on Locked Out Hawkeyes.
21:34
So when so when they've already got that one in the cans.
21:36
Yeah, I got that one done. So I think that one's going to
21:38
come out like Wednesday of next. Week.
21:39
So you have to do one of these every day for lockdown?
21:42
Yeah, like seven days a week. No, five days a week.
21:44
So during the course of a month, we have to have 20.
21:47
During the season we do actually drop down.
21:49
It's like 14 a month that we have to have done June, July.
21:52
But yeah, basically once we get to the last week of July, we are
21:55
all systems going back to a daily podcast.
21:57
Did the Iowa State guy, did he ever get any traction?
22:00
Yeah, yeah, he's still building that thing up.
22:01
Good. Definitely all.
22:03
Right, we'll take your time out. We're going to come back and
22:05
talk NBA draft. Chris Monter is really good at
22:07
covering, will pick his brain, won't pick his brain on the T
22:09
Wolves roster too. But right now, it's time for a
22:12
keyword. You can head to kxno.com.
22:14
Enter this nationwide contest. The keyword this hour is pay.
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Pay PAYKX no.com. Miller and Condon are on the
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Iowa Sports Radio Network. I'm Miller Cahn.
22:30
They just passed 1:30 on a Thursday's the Iowa Sports Radio
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Network. We take you until 2 just before
22:37
2 right at 2. The drive coming up Lucas Strain
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guides the ship from 2:00 until 5.
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Overtime Iowa 5 until 6 O clock. Transplation of the day still to
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Week zero week 1 and the K State Iowa State game a flat 3K state
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favored 3 at Circa. Let's get Chris Monitor in here.
23:01
College basketball news very good on the draft.
23:03
We talk to him every year and he's back with us.
23:05
Chris Trenton, Ken, thanks for doing this.
23:07
How are you? Good to talk to you.
23:11
Yeah, great talking to you guys as well.
23:12
Hope you're having a great day. A little rainy weather here in
23:15
the Twin Cities, but fun time obviously with basketball going
23:19
on. People always ask me about what
23:21
do you write about during the off season?
23:22
It's like really, there isn't much of an offseason.
23:25
We've got done with the NBA Finals last week.
23:27
We have the Draft 3 agency next month, Summer League next month.
23:31
Then you have a little bit of a long time, but then the season,
23:34
you know, sneaks up on you pretty quickly.
23:36
Indeed it does. I want to go right to the T
23:38
Wolves pick because I add don't want to try and fully I don't
23:42
know anything about Joan Beringer coming over from
23:45
France. But looking at some of the the
23:48
the video, etcetera, realizing that he's new to the sport, only
23:51
played it for four years, that he's already considered the best
23:54
shot blocker in the draft. The fact that his fellow
23:57
countrywin Rudy Gobert, I would assume would take him under his
24:01
wing and teach him the ropes. I love the upside there.
24:04
Chris, when you look at what the T Wolves did, what do you think
24:08
of Joan Beringer at 17 to Minnesota?
24:11
Yeah, definitely. I like it a lot.
24:13
I think he was a player I thought maybe I actually would
24:15
go a couple picks earlier, possibly Oklahoma City at 14 was
24:20
a possibility that had been mentioned before.
24:22
So I think you have to like it. The question is how soon is he
24:26
really ready at the NBA level to contribute, especially on the
24:29
offensive end. But as you mentioned, he's got
24:31
the shot blocking skills, the defensive skills I think that
24:34
are going to translate right away.
24:35
And we saw even more in the NBA Finals with the defensive
24:39
pressure that both Indiana in Oklahoma City put on teams.
24:43
I think you're going to see teams put a little bit more
24:45
emphasis on defense. Offense is always going to sell
24:48
and it's going to get people excited.
24:49
But you know, if you can slow people down on the other end, it
24:52
makes a big impact on games. And I think you're going to see
24:55
him make that kind of impact as a young player.
24:58
Obviously, if you're a Minnesota fan, you still have some
25:00
questions about what they're going to do via free agency.
25:04
Questions about Julius Randall, is he going to ox in?
25:06
What about Naz Reed? Is Nikhil Alexander Whacker
25:10
going to be back? So there's there's still some
25:11
question marks, but you're right, this is a team that
25:14
really didn't have a defensive backup at the center spot.
25:17
Luca Garza, who I'd love to see them play a little bit more.
25:20
I always think he does a lot offensively, but to be honest,
25:23
he's not a great defensive player.
25:25
So now you have something you can plug in maybe 15 minutes a
25:28
game will give you that shot blocking presence when Gobert is
25:31
not being in the lineup. You talked about trade
25:35
candidates with the Timberwolves if they decide to go that route,
25:38
not not knowing how free agencies all going to shake out,
25:41
You know, is there a a type of player that the Timberwolves
25:44
would be looking for something that they could move to make
25:46
something happen to go along with Ant and obviously the rest
25:49
of that roster? Is there anything in particular
25:51
you like, Chris? Yeah, I mean, I think they could
25:54
always use more scoring, consistent scoring threat.
25:57
You know, you saw that at times when Julius Randall or Anthony
26:01
Edwards weren't scoring, you know, where was the offense
26:04
going to come from? You saw Jane McDaniels, I think,
26:06
make a big stride, especially when Julius Randall was injured.
26:10
He played extremely well. I was almost 18 points the game
26:12
when he came back, hit like quite as well.
26:15
I'd like to see him be a little bit more aggressive.
26:17
I feel like when he stands in the corner and shoots threes,
26:20
that's not really a strength. But when you saw him kind of
26:22
take the to the hoop, be aggressive, you know, shoot that
26:25
mid range, you know, 10 foot and less shot, you saw him be very
26:30
effective and it made him a better rebounder.
26:32
That was one of the things I was questioned how a player was 610
26:35
long arms, you know, great defender, but was only averaging
26:38
about four rebounds a game. But when Randall was injured and
26:42
and things like that, you saw him step up on that, that level.
26:45
Can he do that even to another level?
26:47
Because last year he saw when Gobert was great, you know, when
26:52
Conley is in there with their live game that they've practiced
26:55
forever going back from the days of Utah.
26:57
But when Conley and Gobert are in the lineup, there isn't a lot
27:01
of offense from those two players.
27:02
So you can double team a player like a Julius Rand or Anthony
27:06
Edwards. So can they find one more
27:08
scoring threat that make things a little bit easier?
27:10
And again, some big questions on free agency.
27:13
I think probably 2 of the big three free agents are likely
27:16
back, but they're going to probably have to lose at least
27:18
one just because it's salary cap issues.
27:21
I want to ask you about Ace Bailey.
27:23
We saw means he's a he's a bucket machine, right?
27:25
We saw him at Rutgers. Hard to believe that Harper and
27:28
Bailey both top five picks yet the Rutgers was as bad in
27:31
conference in the Big 10 as they were.
27:33
But when it comes to Bailey in particular, I think if he was to
27:36
write down the 30 places he'd rather go #30 on his list would
27:40
be Utah. So the other 29 teams, do you
27:43
think they're, you know, they're picking up the phone and calling
27:45
today because Ace Bailey does. I mean, it's just his body
27:48
language. I don't know, came to be claimed
27:50
to be an expert in it, but I don't think you need to be.
27:52
He doesn't seem seemingly want to go there.
27:54
Do you think that Utah's fielding calls?
27:57
Yeah, and and from their plan, maybe it could be that they
28:01
think she's a great talent and made me slip to the draft
28:04
because the questions about where he was going to work out
28:07
and didn't work out for teams like Philadelphia.
28:09
Maybe if you're a team like Utah, a young team that already
28:12
has a lot of draft picks in the future because of that Gobert
28:15
trade, maybe you draft a player like Bailey figuring, hey, maybe
28:19
he doesn't want to play here, but he has enough value that
28:22
maybe another team wants to make a move.
28:24
And and worst case scenario, you got a young player, you know, on
28:27
a relatively cheap contract. And again, you know, Utah has
28:32
some decent players but doesn't have a big time score.
28:35
So maybe he looks at, would look at it if you convince them as an
28:38
opportunity where he's going to get the ball more than he would
28:41
maybe with a different team. A guy I was surprised by last
28:45
night, I mentioned this at the top of the show to Ken was Jace
28:48
Richardson. Watching him and his emergence
28:50
late in the season at Michigan State, obviously the bloodlines
28:52
with his dad. I know he's a six three-point
28:54
guard. I mean, is that the knock
28:55
against him that he's not a guy that's going to handle the ball
28:58
in an elite level and because of that, an undersized 2 guard is
29:01
hard to find a fit. I just think he's going to be a
29:03
guy that's going to find himself on a good team, might be a
29:06
rotational piece, but he's going to be a good NBA player.
29:09
Why did he fall down into the mid 20s?
29:12
Yeah, the size was a big factor. Like you said, I only played the
29:15
one year at Michigan State, but you're right, the bloodlines,
29:17
you look at that, I mean Jason Richardson was, you know,
29:19
remember his highlight reel plays Lambduck championship and
29:24
things like that. So you figure this is the player
29:26
that has the big upside. I think he continues to improve
29:30
his all around game. You know, again, needs to be a
29:32
little more consistent at times. And we saw that him be a little
29:35
bit up and down in his one year at Michigan State, but they had
29:38
a kind of a loaded back court. So he didn't really get maybe
29:41
the opportunity would have with another team.
29:43
But I think you know where you're getting him.
29:45
If you're a team drafting that late in the first round, you
29:47
feel like you can be pretty patient with a player and let
29:50
him develop at his own pace. You're not going to have to rush
29:52
them in. If you can get 1015 minutes a
29:55
game, you're probably going to be pretty happy with that.
29:57
So you're right, I think he's probably going to be a steal
30:00
going that late in the first round.
30:02
Kind of off the board question for you that Konkaniple from
30:06
Wisconsin, obviously pretty famous high school there.
30:10
And as much as you travel around in the Midwest watching, you
30:13
know, watching basketball, watching AAU etcetera,
30:16
apparently the this isn't the best Canipple in the of of the
30:20
of the children, right. There's there's somebody else
30:22
coming that might be better. Is that what I'm led to believe?
30:25
Yeah, he has a 5. There's five brothers in the
30:28
family. I'll start with the letter.
30:29
Ki actually interviewed him when he was a sophomore.
30:32
He played in a tournament here in Minnesota.
30:33
I think it was actually the first one to ever do a story on
30:36
him. And he comes from a basketball
30:38
family. His dad played it, Wisconsin
30:40
Lutheran. His mother played basketball.
30:42
You might recall his uncle Jeff Nordgard played it.
30:45
Wisconsin Green Bay, where they had some success in the NCAA
30:48
tournament, played briefly in the NBA before going overseas to
30:51
have a long time career. So he definitely comes from a
30:54
basketball family, but you're right, there are going to be
30:56
more caniffles down the pipeline to watch for down the road.
30:59
So definitely remember that name.
31:00
But here, here's a player. To be honest, I really liked him
31:03
when I saw this, this sophomore. But if you would have told me,
31:06
yeah, three years later, it'd be a number four pick in the NBA
31:08
draft, I probably would have thought, wow, you know, but
31:11
obviously he went to a great situation and Duke, the Cooper
31:15
flag and a lot of talent on that team.
31:16
Another player who was drafted in the top ten.
31:20
And I think the fact that it comes from basketball family,
31:22
he's a really heady player. And you saw that right away with
31:26
Duke and you listen to some of the comments from John Sayer,
31:29
the head coach there, and some of the assistants about how
31:31
quickly he was able to not only show his shooting ability, but,
31:35
you know, hard work on the defense and that not a great
31:38
athlete, but knows where to be on the corner all times.
31:41
And I think he's going to go to a good situation, Charlotte
31:44
alongside Lamella Ball, where he can give him some of that
31:47
outside shooting because that was the big knock on them last
31:50
year. You mentioned Cooper flag and we
31:52
haven't talked about him. We don't stud.
31:56
I mean, it comes in, there's a lot of hype already and he
31:58
delivers right away. What about at the NBA level?
32:01
I mean, what what is the apex? What do you look at?
32:04
Everything breaks right? What can he be for this league?
32:08
What kind of player is he going to be if everything hits,
32:11
everything goes right? Well, I think he's going to be a
32:14
very good player who will be an NBA All Star and I think, you
32:17
know, potentially in the right situation has a chance to maybe
32:20
be, you know, MVP candidate or maybe even MVP.
32:23
I mean, it's the player people forget.
32:25
He actually should have been a high school senior this year,
32:27
but yet LED Duke and story rebounding shot, shot blocked
32:32
and steals. So that shows you that
32:33
well-rounded player that he is healthily due to the final four
32:38
this year was the consensus #1 pick going into the the year and
32:43
and really never disappointed throughout the year.
32:45
Had some monster games throughout the year, you know,
32:47
and he's a little bit stronger me a little more consistent with
32:50
the outside shot, but he does everything and the one thing I
32:52
like about him probably the most was how competitive he is.
32:55
He wants to win. He plays hard all the time and I
32:59
think he'll be a player if you really get people excited in
33:02
Dallas, obviously they made the Luka dodge trade and we even
33:05
heard, you know, rumored, you know, talked last night at the
33:09
Dallas about, you know, the status of their general manager.
33:12
But I think it played. I feel like Cooper Flag is going
33:15
to get people back excited about The Mavericks.
33:17
I don't know if the top of my head, I'll just throw this out
33:19
at you, Iowa State or Iowa's incoming freshman.
33:23
Don't know if you've got the list in front of you.
33:26
Did you see any of them played as anyone stand out more than
33:29
the others to you, if indeed you have?
33:32
Well, I think it will be an interesting team because you
33:34
have quite a few players from Drake who many of your fans
33:37
listening to. The audience have gotten a
33:38
chance. I've gotten to know Ben McCollum
33:41
when he was at Northwest Missouri State because they
33:45
played Mankato State, which is where I went to school.
33:47
I still call it Mankato State even though it's Minnesota State
33:49
Mankato, but I was actually at their game when they played in
33:54
the NCA tournament would have been almost two years ago now in
33:58
Mankato got a last minute bucket to win that game and advance to
34:02
the NCA other into the NCAA tournament and of course won the
34:06
division two tournament. So I think they did a good job
34:09
with the late notice. Obviously a lot of new faces
34:12
that fans aren't going to be super familiar with, but I think
34:15
we'll do a good job. And and I think TJ and Kyle
34:17
Green, who are good friends with has done a great job at Iowa
34:21
State the last couple years really building a program, kind
34:24
of relying on transfers initially, but then getting
34:27
players who are 4 year players. I think they have a chance to be
34:30
a real special team as well. So you know, I think both teams,
34:34
you know, have reason for fans to be excited.
34:36
Obviously Iowa maybe take a little time because of so many
34:39
new faces, but I think they got the potential to be a very good
34:42
team in the Big 10 next year. And Iowa State, consistently
34:45
last summer years, has been one of the top teams in the Big 12.
34:48
15 seconds left. Did you see Jamarian when he was
34:52
in Milwaukee? Yeah, I think he has just to be
34:56
a very special player. And again, I think, you know,
35:00
obviously those programs, Iowa State and Iowa have got a great
35:03
job recruiting not only in state kids, but kids from Wisconsin.
35:07
And you've seen that in the last several years with great
35:09
players, especially Iowa State when you look at Tyrese,
35:11
Halliburton, Hunter, etcetera. Good stuff.
35:13
Chris Montour. Appreciate you coming on.
35:15
Chris, thanks for doing this again.
35:18
Great to be with you guys. Hope you have a great day.
35:19
Yeah, good to talk to you, Chris Monster, as we talk a little NBA
35:22
and college hoops mixed together.
35:24
Transplays of the Day or next? Circus Sports.
35:26
Iowa Sports Radio Network. I'm Miller Condon.
35:31
Welcome back. 10 minutes before 2.
35:33
Transplays the day. Momentarily getting a little
35:35
testy in Cleveland, Oh, really. Between the Guardians and the
35:39
Jays, Cleveland hit Vladimir Guerrero right in the wrist.
35:42
He's lost for the year. Well, Prop.
35:44
I don't know about that part, but.
35:46
That that's a fan of maybe shining through a little.
35:48
But he's out of the game, so Jose Ramirez steps in the
35:52
batter's box in the bottom of the inning, and Gossman's got to
35:54
plunk him, of course. And he did hit him in the side,
35:58
not in the wrist. In the side.
35:59
The bench is empty. Managers getting testy with each
36:02
other. Oh boy, it's 90 something
36:05
degrees. Humidity's going crazy.
36:08
We'll see if there's any more. Again, if before the game each
36:11
bullpen designates a fighter when they're going to run out,
36:13
they got to go grab the gloves because it's just so stupid that
36:17
they run in from the outfield to do nothing, linger on the
36:20
perimeter of the scrum, and then they go back.
36:23
Drives me nuts. Anyways, you'll see where this
36:26
game goes. What are you betting on, Trent?
36:28
You've got 1 baseball game tonight.
36:30
It's a decent one. It is Braves and the Mets.
36:32
I'm going to grab the Mets, by the way, in that one, are you?
36:35
I will blame them finally. Found the win column again.
36:37
They did. We'll see if they can make a two
36:39
in a row. Were they circling the drain?
36:41
After they had well money we can use.
36:44
Lead. They're going to have a chance
36:46
to really bury the Braves and they're hanging around even the
36:51
series up though is this is a 4 gamer if they get the win
36:53
tonight for the Mets. So this is what I found.
36:55
I'm actually on the Cardinals this afternoon.
36:57
They're getting. Beat 1.
36:58
Zip. Wasn't nothing to score there,
37:00
but it's my old theory showed it coming back off the IL and that
37:05
was a play. I grabbed the plus 1/22 with
37:07
them. But for our purposes here, Mets
37:10
-110 I'm grabbing the Mystics plus the 8 1/2 tonight in Las
37:15
Vegas. LV starting to play a little bit
37:17
better though. Asia, Wilson and company
37:19
starting to round into form. By the way, Speaking of a former
37:22
ace, what about Kate Martin? Yeah, it.
37:25
Incredible again, truly is. So I tried to fly in the game
37:28
last night. Well, you couldn't find it.
37:29
Well, I flipped over to NBATV thinking it would be there.
37:32
But that draft and the draft coverage was decent.
37:35
Better than, better than. ESPN, that's not.
37:37
The bar's not set real high. No, not at all.
37:39
So get a jump there. But then I took it personally
37:43
when you said I didn't have anything to bet on.
37:45
Korean baseball. You're getting closer tonight.
37:48
Kid does when he gets off work that.
37:50
That's what he fires. At bets off, son.
37:53
There is a soccer tournament going on.
37:55
It is the World Cup of club team.
37:57
And of course, you're up to speed on that.
37:59
No doubt. Well, it's soccer.
38:00
I'm just going to play a draw. So Real Madrid against whoever
38:02
they're playing tonight, Draw plus 550.
38:05
With a great deal of conviction by in his voice.
38:09
And I'm not done. Oh well, you're going to be
38:12
locked and loaded tonight. I know it for your hometown.
38:16
Winnipeg's oh, they're playing tonight, CFL.
38:18
Of. Course, that's right.
38:20
I did see that, yes. I'm laying the 10 and what?
38:23
I think it's on CBS Sports Network.
38:26
I think you're right. I'm laying the 10 1/2 with the
38:28
Blow Bombers tonight. Check it out folks, 30,000
38:32
strong in attendance. It's pretty good.
38:34
It's not bad, actually for that. Well, you're heading vacation.
38:39
Yes, you'll hold down the Fort. For four days, right, Because
38:42
everybody's off next Thursday and Friday.
38:44
Yes, the 4th is a Friday. Well, we're taking the third off
38:47
as a as a company, well as a station because we're going to
38:51
work Labor Day as it is the Monday of Cyhawk week and we
38:55
should be here the Monday of Cyhawk week.
38:57
It is still the state's biggest game.
39:00
So we'll be here Monday to that. And of course, every both I and
39:03
Iowa State will have played the Saturday before.
39:05
So lots to recap, will be a couple of days away from the lid
39:09
lifter in the NFL, but so we're going to take the 3rd and the
39:13
4th off next week. What are you doing?
39:16
Is this for public consumption? Yeah, yeah, we're going on a
39:18
cruise. It's my crazy Aunt Kyra's 60th
39:21
birthday, so bunch of family members, bunch of her friends
39:24
and my parents and me, the wife and kids.
39:27
Going on a cruise for the first time could be a disaster.
39:30
Step on a scale before you low before you go and then before
39:33
you get back. I remember it's been a long
39:35
time, but the food on cruises and the biggest meal of the days
39:38
at midnight. Oh, I think it'll have the last.
39:41
Have fun. We'll see you then.
39:43
We'll talk to you tomorrow. Thanks for listening.
39:45
Miller and Conda noon to two on the Iowa Sports Radio Network.