Gambo & Ash

MVP X 3?

Published on November 5, 2009 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what went down Wednesday on Gambo & Ash…

MVP3?…the Suns are suddenly the talk of the NBA after Tuesday’s win over the Heat in Miami to improve to 4-0. The guys are picking up a sense that this team could win more games than the “experts” think in what should be an extremely tough Western Conference. Gambo believes a lot of the Suns’ offensive success this year stems from the fact that Shaq is no longer clogging the middle. With O’Neal being replaced by shooting “bigs” like Channing Frye, the club is taking advantage when teams go to double Nash on lane penetration. Ash liked the way Alvin Gentry went to a zone defense and made the Heat try to beat the Suns with perimeter jump shots.
Two Old Horses…biggest subplot entering Game 6 of the World Series Wednesday is the scheduled starters for both teams. Phils righty and former Red Sox great Pedro Martinez again has the city of Boston on his side hoping Philly can extend the series versus the hated Yankees, while Andy Pettitte is hoping to cement his legacy as one of the greatest post-season pitchers in baseball history with a series-clinching win in the Bronx. The guys debated whether Pettitte’s HGH admittance and link to close friend Roger Clemens will cost him a shot at Cooperstown when his playing days are over.
Delicate Situation…Ken Whisenhunt is again struggling with what to do with tough, but gimpy, Anquan Boldin who’s lingering sprained ankle again has him questionable for this weekend’s game against the Bears at Soldier Field. The guys are torn on this, because they have never questioned Q’s toughness, but know a healthy Steve Breaston might be a better second option for Kurt Warner than a hobbled Boldin who left Sunday’s loss to Carolina early because the pain threshold was too high. The guys feel Warner’s comments on Doug & Wolf Wednesday morning says Boldin should shut it down for two weeks is in the best interest of all parties.
Our ESPN NBA analyst Tim Legler joined us to share his thoughts on the Suns perfect 4-0 start and what he expects to see in Wednesday’s matchup against the tough Orlando Magic. “Legs” also discussed what stood out to him over the first week of the regular season including the Nuggets best start in the past 25 years (4-0) and the Cavs eyeing disgruntled Warriors’ forward Stephen Jackson in a possible deal to help LeBron James and add another defensive stopper.
Our baseball insider Tim Kurkjian joined us LIVE from Yankee Stadium just before Game 6 of the World Series. He shared his thoughts on what he expects to see from veterans Pedro Martinez and Andy Pettitte as the Bronx Bombers look to close it out. Kurkjian still feels the Yanks are in the driver’s seat, even after their Game 5 loss and believes Pettitte will make the Hall of Fame even with a somewhat tarnished image.
Amare’can Idol…the judges (Gambo, Ash, Burnsy) have spoken and for the first time in the 2009-10 season they feel Amare Stoudemire played like a “max player” in Tuesday’s upset win over the Heat. Gambo broke the tie (Burnsy said no, Ash said yes) citing although STAT wasn’t the high scorer, his defense and rebounding were both focal points in the victory.

Thursday we’ll be joined by Cards linebacker Bertrand Berry at 1:40, Angels All-Star Torii Hunter at 2:25, Red Birds quarterback Kurt Warner at 3:25, and Jerry Colangelo at 5:10.

Diverting Attention

Published on October 31, 2009 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what went down with Gambo & Burnsy on a Football Friday…

Diverting Attention… The story was Pedro Martinez, but the victor was AJ Burnett. A lot was made about Pedro Martinez starting in another World Series in New York, and Pedro’s line was impressive: 6+ IP, 6 Hits, 3 ER, 8 K. Burnett’s performance, however, was even more dominant. In 7 innings, the Yankees’ $82 million man struck out 9 while giving up only 4 hits and 1 earned run. Burnsy says that last night was likely the first time Yankees fans felt like AJ Burnett was worth that much money, while Gambo (the resident Yankee fan) says Yankees fans don’t care as much about contracts as they do about winning. Burnett’s performance is even more impressive given ace CC Sabathia’s loss in Game 1; for the first time since becoming a Yankee, Burnett is at least temporarily out of CC’s shadow.

First Things First… The Arizona Cardinals take on the Carolina Panthers Sunday in what should be an easy Cards victory. However, this game may qualify as a “trap game” for the 4-2 Cards, who may already be looking forward to their away game at Chicago in Week 9. While Carolina is just 2-4, with wins over the lowly Redskins and Buccaneers, the Panthers were in the playoffs last season and possess one of the league’s most potent running attacks with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

Going Back Home… Brett Favre is headed back to Lambeau Field, this time on the visitor’s sideline. Minnesota’s Hall of Fame quarterback has the Vikings at 6-1, with their lone loss to the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Green Bay’s 4-2 record is impressive, as well, but a loss to the Vikings would put the NFC North race in the freezer, as the Vikings would have a 2 ½ game lead and 2 wins over the Packers with just 8 games to go. Gambo thinks the Vikings were big favorites in the game in Minnesota earlier this season but that the Packers have a chance in this game.

The Next Steve Nash?… Stephen Curry made a huge impression at Davidson, averaging 28.6 PPG, but he is off to a similarly impressive start for the Golden State Warriors. The 7th pick in last season’s draft shot 7 of 12 and stole 4 passes in his opening night start at shooting guard for the Warriors. Tonight Curry takes on the Suns and 2-time MVP Steve Nash, and some are even comparing the two. Curry himself has even referenced Nash when asked about the game tonight, “It will be fun to play against an All-Star caliber point guard who I’ve studied a lot.”

Amare’s Future… Amar’ecan Idol. In every game this season, the Gambo & Ash Show will tally whether or not Amar’e Stoudemire’s game was worthy of a max contract. They will add the plusses to the minuses, and the final tally will tell us whether or not Amar’e will be worth a max contract if he opts out of his contract at the end of the 2009-2010 season. Burnsy thinks that Amar’e will exercise his option for next season and be a Phoenix Sun for exactly one more season before signing elsewhere in the summer of 2011.

The Glue Guy… Mariano Rivera has been a great closer for the Yankees since 1997 and has been just as good the last couple of seasons. Rivera owns a career 2.25 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in the regular season, but an even more impressive 0.76 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in his postseason career. Rivera has even defied the typical closer profile of just pitching one inning at a time. In fact, since 1996, Rivera has 14 2-inning saves in the postseason. What’s even more impressive… all the other closers in the postseason combined over that stretch have just 11.

One Game, Big Ramifications… The January playoff game between the Cardinals and Panthers proved to be a turning point for the two teams. The Cardinals went on to the Super Bowl and have started 4-2 in 2010, while the Panthers loss was the first of many upsetting and embarrassing losses for Carolina.

One and done… Backup Eagles QB Michael Vick is proving that his time away from the NFL was more costly than he and many others thought. Speed is the first thing you lose with age, and Vick turns 30 in the offseason, meaning his biggest strength is hardly a weapon anymore. Gambo says Vick will never be the same quarterback that he once was. His numbers this season—2/6 for 6 yards, 9 rushes for 22 yards—are hardly inspiring.

Phoenix Suns Managing Partner ROBERT SARVER stopped by to share his expectations for the upcoming season as the club prepares for their regular season home opener later tonight against the Warriors.

World renowned sports handicapper BRANDON LANG joined us on this Football Friday to break down all the big matchups in what should be very entertaining weekend of football in the pro and college ranks. Among the games B Lang likes: the Browns plus 13, the Dolphins plus 3, Green Bay minus 3, Dallas minus 9 ½, and Indy minus 12.

We were joined by our ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth from ESPN who reflected back on the Cards big Sunday Night Football win over the Giants, and shared what he expects to see Sunday against the Panthers in Glendale. He also previewed Brett Favre’s return to Lambeau Field.

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Starting with a Win

Published on October 30, 2009 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what went down Thursday on G&A…

One Decision…the Phils jumped out to a 1-0 World Series lead Wednesday behind the left arm of Cliff Lee. Now Philly skipper Charlie Manuel has a decision to make: pitch Lee on just three days rest or keep him on his normal schedule, but likely only throw him twice in the seven-game series. Lee has never thrown on short rest, unlike C.C. Sabathia, whom Lee beat in Game 1. Ash knows Lee is in a zone right now and shouldn’t be affected by short rest. Gambo knows Lee’s long season (265 innings to this point) could play into Manuel’s decision.

Starting with a Win…the Suns got a two-point win over the Clippers at Staples Center behind the 4th-quarter leadership of Steve Nash, who stepped up with 15 in the quarter, including the game-winner with just over five seconds to play. Gambo says it’s always nice to win on the road, especially without Jason Richardson who is serving his two-game suspension. Ash was anything but impressed with Amare Stoudemire, who finished with 17 points, but committed six turnovers. Both concur the new-look Suns have a lot to work to do, especially defensively as the lowly Clippers shot 56% from the field.

Role Reversal…in the past, the Suns had relied of their strong starting five to carry them in games. This season has seen a change, at least in the first game Wednesday against the Clippers. Alvin Gentry’s bench stepped up and kept the team afloat after the first-team struggled defending the Clippers in transition. Both feel forwards Lou Amundson and Jared Dudley will see more time this year, especially with defensive liabilities Stoudemire and Channing Frye.

We were joined by NBC Sunday Night Football analyst CHIRS COLLINSWORTH who called the Cards big win over the Giants last weekend. Collinsworth apologized for calling the Cards “the worst playoff team in NFL history” before last year’s Super Bowl run. He also discussed Vince Young being named the starter for the Titans on Thursday.

Apology Accepted?…NFL Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth apologized for calling the Cardinals “the worst playoff team in NFL history” during an interview with Gambo & Ash on Thursday afternoon. Collinsworth somewhat defended his comments citing he called last year’s Cards-Eagles blowout in Philly and watched the Red Birds late-season blowout at New England and home to the Vikings. Gambo feels Collinsworth is a standup guy for “taking his medicine” and admitting he was wrong. Mark feels, regardless of the comments/apology, the Cards had the last-laugh making the Super Bowl and staking their claim as a legit contender under well-respected Ken Whisenhunt.

Amare Idol…Amare Stoudemire is entering the final year of his contract with the Suns and Gambo & Ash are going to track Amare’s game-by-game stats and decide after each if he’s worthy of being a “max player” here in Phoenix. After each game, Gambo, Ash and the Commissioner Dave Burns will “judge” Amare’s play and decide if he is worthy of Robert Sarver investing millions in this summer. After Thursday’s performance, STAT received failing grades for his 16-point, 6-rebound, 6-turnover effort against the Clips.

We caught up with Cards Pro-Bowl safety and NFC Defensive Player of the Week ADRIAN WILSON who broke down his big game against the Giants which included an interception, a fumble recovery and two tackles for loss in the upset win in New York. A-Dub said he hasn’t forgotten what Cris Collinsworth said before the playoffs last year and expressed the Red Birds expect to win every time they take the field, regardless of who/where they’re playing. The Red Birds host the Panthers Sunday afternoon in Glendale.

Ash is off on Football Friday. The Commissioner Dave Burns will be filling in.

ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth will join us at 5:25.

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Sunrise

Published on October 29, 2009 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what went down Wednesday on G&A…

Sunrise…the Suns open their season Wednesday night against the Clippers in Los Angeles. The guys are excited for the season to start, even though expectations aren’t nearly as high as in recent past. G&A know one key to the Suns’ success is a quick start with momentum going into 2010. Ash is curious to see how the younger players develop with a full training camp in Alvin Gentry’s up-tempo offense. Gambo feels one of the keys is Amare Stoudemire dominating at the offensive end of the floor the entire season, not just in stretches as we’ve seen in the past. Both concur the Suns will be at a severe disadvantage on the boards.

You’ve got the Look…For Now…although expectations have lowered this season for the Suns, GM Steve Kerr and Alvin Gentry expect a playoff birth this spring. G&A are fine with these realistic goals, but know the roster could be turned over by the trade deadline with a number of high-profile players on the block if the season is lost by the mid-February deadline.

Tale of the Tape…with World Series Game 1 scheduled for Wednesday night, G&A broke down the position spots for both the Phillies and Yankees. Gambo believes the Yankees’ greatest strength is their bullpen. Ash feels most of the position-by-position match-ups are even except at third base and catcher, where A-Rod is clearly better than Pedro Feliz and Jorge Posada is in a different class than Carlos Ruiz. Both are expecting a close pitcher’s duel in Game 1 with aces Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia toeing the rubber at Yankee Stadium.

Carolina Controversy…Panthers head coach John Fox announced Wednesday he is sticking with Jake Delhomme as his starting quarterback for this weekend’s showdown with the Cards. G&A believe Delhomme is the lesser of three evils with Jay Feeley and Matt Moore as the other options. Ash is certain Delhomme’s five-interception game against the Red Birds in the playoffs back in January still haunts him. He leads the NFL with 13 interceptions thru the first six games of the regular season.

Secret to Success…there is a trend when the Cards win the turnover battle under Ken Whisenhunt and it’s a good one. The Red Birds are 18-0 under Whiz when they create more turnovers than they commit. Gambo knows turnovers equal field position and when Kurt Warner is protected and careful with the ball, the Cards offense can be unstoppable. Ash feels this all sets up perfectly with the interception-prone Panthers coming to Glendale Sunday.

Arizona State Director of Athletics LISA LOVE will checked in for her weekly segment and previewed Saturday’s big showdown against Cal at Sun Devil Stadium and everything else making headlines in Tempe.

Dark Secret Revealed…tennis star Andre Agassi came clean in a soon-to-be-released book saying he did crystal meth back in 1997 around the time his tennis career began to crumble. Gambo feels it’s a brave move, knowing no one would even know about his addiction if he didn’t share it in this tell-all novel. The guys debated if some things, like past athlete drug additions, are just better left unsaid.

Our ESPN baseball insider TIM KURKJIAN joined us LIVE from Yankee Stadium just before Wednesday’s Phillies-Yankees Game 1 showdown. He broke down the series in what is expected to be one of the more closely contested Fall Classics in recent past. Kurkjian took the Yankees in seven and feels Mariano Rivera will be the biggest difference maker.

We caught up with Cardinals starting quarterback KURT WARNER, who discussed Sunday’s big win over the Giants in New York, his believed lack of respect from the national media and his America’s Team Ball Drive which is taking place now thru November 8th at Valley Wal-Marts and at the University of Phoenix Stadium before this Sunday’s game against the Panthers. Warner emphasized the Cards are no longer worried about the outside distractions when they play on the road like they may have in the past.

Respect Earned, Not Expected…Cards quarterback Kurt Warner told Gambo & Ash Wednesday that when the Cards play more consistently for four quarters and beat good teams, the national respect will follow. Gambo feels the respect is coming and will be there for good when the Red Birds make the playoffs for a second straight season.

Our ESPN NBA analyst TIM LEGLER shared his thoughts on the Suns whose season starts Wednesday against the Clippers in Los Angles and discuss what he expects to see in the Western Conference and around the rest of the NBA this season.

Thursday we’ll be joined NBC NFL analyst Cris Collinsworth.

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No love for the Cards

Published on October 28, 2009 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what went down Tuesday on Gambo & Ash…

From Bingo Calls to Play Calls… The Redskins are in disarray at 2-5 after their Monday Night Football loss to the Eagles. New play-caller, Sherm Lewis, was calling bingo numbers at a senior center just weeks ago, but was able to help the ‘Skins rack up 308 total yards (to the Eagles’ 262) despite the loss. The Redskins front office has already come out and said Jim Zorn’s job as the head coach is safe, but a season that only features wins against the lowly Rams and Buccaneers (a combined 0-14) would look terrible given the Redskins’ payroll.

No Love for the Cards… Kurt Warner and the Cardinals have been a top team in the NFC for the past two seasons, but that doesn’t mean they are getting the respect they deserve. Warner appeared on Sports 620 KTAR’s morning show and said ESPN has been showing the Giants mistakes in place of the Cardinals high-powered offense. The Cardinals next 5 opponents have a combined record of 7-24, so now is the time for Warner and company to garner national attention.

The Longer, the Better… Major League Baseball needs a long World Series considering the last five have gone 5 games or less, including 3 sweeps. The repeat Champs (Phillies) and the longest-tenured Champs (Yankees, 26) square off in what should be a 6- or 7-game Series, given each team’s performances of late. Game 1 features the last 2 AL Cy Young winners, as Cliff Lee won the award for the Indians in 2008 and CC Sabathia took the honor for the Indians in 2007.

Big Mac is Back… Tony LaRussa is sticking around for another season as Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, and he’s decided to add Mark McGwire as his hitting coach. Big Mac has been staying away from the media for the last several years since he was questioned about using steroids, and true to form McGwire was absent from his own press conference. The man who once hit 70 Home Runs in a season finished his career in 2001 after 583 HR and a career .263 batting average.

Suns head coach Alvin Gentry joined us LIVE from Los Angeles as his team is preparing to open the regular season Wednesday at Staples Center. Gentry said the key to this season will be how the team performs on defense and on the boards.

Hit the Road, Jamarcus… Jamarcus Russell of the Oakland Raiders is one of many quarterbacks to be benched by their teams in the NFL in the first half of the season. Shaun Hill of the San Francisco 49ers, Brady Quinn of the Cleveland Browns, and Jason Campbell of the Washington Redskins, among others, have all been benched during a game so far this season. The Cardinals’ opponent on Sunday, the Carolina Panthers, are also having thoughts of benching their QB, Jake Delhomme. John Fox has not committed to his quarterback for Week 8, but Delhomme’s performance to this point has been abysmal. Through 6 games in 2009, the Panthers’ QB has 4 TD passes and 13 Interceptions, good for a QB rating of just 56.5.

It’s So Hard to Let Go… Dennis Erickson’s Sun Devils are coming off an embarrassing 33-14 loss to Stanford last week, yet the head coach still insists on using Danny Sullivan as his starting quarterback. ASU’s next 3 opponents are California, #4 USC, and #12 Oregon, meaning wins will be hard to come by for the next few weeks. The fans are calling for Sullivan’s inexperienced backup, Brock Osweiler, but Erickson is intent on giving Sullivan the starting nod yet again. Sullivan’s 7 TD and 5 INT through 7 games aren’t terrible, and his 111.2 QB Rating is formidable, but it still seems as though Coach Erickson is his lone supporter.

Cardinals defensive tackle, Alan Branch, joined us to talk about his first 2 career sacks against the Giants, the Cardinals’ lack of respect on the national level, and the upcoming game against the Carolina Panthers.

We were joined by our ESPN college football analyst Mark May who broke down the latest BCS rankings, talked about some of the heat-stopping games of last weekend, and previewed Saturday’s big matchups including Oregon hosting USC, Texas-Oklahoma State, and Alabama taking on LSU in Tuscaloosa.

Point proved

Published on October 27, 2009 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what went down Monday on G&A…

Statement Made…The Cards are flying high after Sunday’s win over the Giants. G&A are beyond impressed at what Ken Whisenhunt’s team did on the national stage in New York. Ash feels the win lost a little luster after what the unbeaten Saints did to the Giants last week in New Orleans, but knows the Cards wouldn’t win a game like this last year. Gambo says priority number one is getting to the playoffs and Sunday’s win will go a long ways in attaining that goal, especially coupled with the 49ers loss to the Texans in Houston.

Road Warriors…The Cards are 3-0 on the road for the first time since 1987 when they weren’t located in Arizona. The times have certainly changed for one of the NFL’s worst road teams in recent past. Gambo is certain the Cards will have their first winning record on the road since 1976. John says it isn’t too early to look at playoff seeding because this team has proven they expect to win when they leave University of Phoenix Stadium. Mark remembered when the Birds went 0-8 on the road not too long ago. Mark loves the balance (explosive offense, steady defense) the team is playing with right now. G&A concur great teams find ways to win on the road.

Beanie Breaks Out…Just when you were certain the Cards had absolutely no run game, the Red Birds unleashed a focused, hungry, tough Beanie Wells who ripped off some big runs, including his first career NFL touchdown in Sunday’s upset win over the Giants. Both aren’t so high on Wells to overlook his fumble which luckily trickled out of bounds, but know the future is in his hands with a combination of power, speed, and elusiveness to drive defenses crazy for years to come. G&A concur Tim Hightower provides a nice change-of-pace from Wells, but know #26 has far more big-play ability of the two.

Return to Glory…The Yankees are back in the World Series and Gambo couldn’t be happier. John knows the Angels helped New York’s cause by playing terrible defense, something they hadn’t done the entire regular season. Mark is certain the better team won and is looking forward to what should be one of the more entertaining World Series of recent memory.

Lead by Example…The World Series is set and one player that may be anticipating it more than anyone is Alex Rodriguez who will be playing in his first Fall Classic Wednesday night. The guys feel the Yankees wouldn’t be there without A-Rod and wonder if he were more deserving of the ALCS MVP than teammate C.C. Sabathia. Mark feels that the writer’s way of saying “we haven’t forgotten about your little steroid problem.” Gambo says A-Rod will be a “true Yankee” if he can help lead them to another World Series title against the ultra-talented Phillies.

We were joined by Cards assistant head coachRuss Grimm who broke down the Red Birds big 24-17 win over the Giants last night in New York. He discussed how the offense line dealt with the Giants pass-rush and Beanie Wells’ breakout game which included his first career touchdown. He said the club’s maturity as a whole is the main reason the Red Birds are a perfect 3-0 on the road this season.

Tuesday we’ll be joined by ESPN college football analyst Mark May at 4:25 and Suns head coach Alvin Gentry

Thinking Too Much?

Published on October 24, 2009 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what went down on Football Friday on Gambo & Ash…

Thinking Too Much? Joe Girardi’s Yankees were down 4-0 headed into the 7th inning, then managed to take a 6-4 lead in the top of the inning only to blow the lead to the Angels in the bottom. Ash thinks the pressure of the series might now be on the Yankees, while Gambo thinks the fact that New York has two chances to win at home puts the pressure squarely on the Angels. The Yankees’ ace, CC Sabathia, is available if a Game 7 is necessary, while the Angels’ ace, John Lackey, won’t be available to start again until their potential World Series appearance.

Conventional Wisdom Backfires: Game 5 was on the line in the bottom of the 7th when the Angels had two runners on behind by two runs. Mariano Rivera is one of the greatest relievers of all time, and Gambo is adamant that Girardi should have gone to Mo in the 7th, at the most crucial point in the game. Traditionally, Rivera is referred to as a “Closer,” but he’s unquestionably the best pitcher the Yankees had available, and saving him for the 8th or 9th, which is very common in the Major Leagues, ended up costing the Yankees the game and a chance to wrap up the series.

KTAR Producer and Reporter Rod Lakin joined us after being at Cards practice Friday morning and reported that Anquan Boldin, although still questionable for Sunday, looks and feels much better after practicing. Rod also mentioned that if Boldin misses Sunday night’s game, Early Doucet may take a majority of the available snaps.

No Owner, No Problem: The Phoenix Coyotes, behind Dave Tippett, are a much better team than they were with Wayne Gretzky as their head coach. They were able to beat the Red Wings on Thursday night, this after beating the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the season. The Coyotes are now 6-2 and have a 4-game winning streak.

Running Wild: Brandon Jacobs wants the New York Giants to run more. Even though the Giants have a top 3 rushing attack in the NFC (#3 Yards per Game, #2 Yards per Rush, #1 Total Yards), Jacobs thinks the Giants abandoned the run game too soon in their recent loss to the New Orleans Saints. He’s hoping that he and Ahmad Bradshaw will get more carries on Sunday night against the Cardinals at Giants Stadium.

From Bad to Worse: Johnny Damon was ruled out on the base paths on a play in Game 5 of the ALCS that replays showed was clearly a bad call. Bud Selig made a wise decision in revealing the umpires for the upcoming World Series early. In 24 of the past 25 World Series (1997 the exception), the crew featured at least one umpire working his first World Series. However, after a postseason filled with gaffes by the league’s officials, Selig has decided only to use experienced umpires in order to have a more fairly umpired Series.

Wanna Be Like… Q: Rookie WR Hakeem Nicks of the New York Giants has been compared to Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin, and recently made comments that he thinks those comparisons are warranted. The two may or may not have a chance to square off this weekend, as Boldin is questionable to play in Week 7.

Upset Alert: Which NCAA football teams should be on upset alert going into Saturday? Some games to keep an eye on are Florida/Mississippi State, Oregon at Washington, Iowa/Michigan State, Penn State/Michigan, and Oklahoma State/Baylor. Gambo says, “If Iowa doesn’t win, no team in the BIG 10 is worth a darn.” Ash says USC isn’t on upset alert because there’s no way Oregon State beats them in The Coliseum, despite the Beavers having won 2 of the last 3 meetings between the 2 PAC-10 teams.

They’re going, going back, back to Cali, Cali: It looks as though everything might be in place for an NFL team to relocate to Los Angeles. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger is getting involved, claiming that a team and a new stadium would create thousands of jobs for the struggling California economy. Gambo and Ash agree that the Jacksonville Jaguars are the most likely candidate to be relocated, or that at least any restructuring would center around the franchise.

World renowned sports handicapper BRANDON LANG joined us on this Football Friday to break down all the big matchups in what should be very entertaining weekend of football in the pro and college ranks. Some of the games Brandon likes: Texas minus 13, the Dolphins plus 7, the Colts minus 13, TCU minus 3, and the Cardinals plus 7.

We were joined by our ESPN NFL analyst MARK SCHLERETH who previewed the showdown Sunday night between the Cardinals and Giants, the surprising Denver Broncos, and analyzed this weekend’s big games including the Vikings @ Steelers, the Bengals hosting the Bears, and the 49ers travelling to Houston to take on the Texans.

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Hunt for Red October

Published on October 23, 2009 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what went down Thursday on G&A…

Hunt for Red October…the Fightin’ Phils are back in the World Series after Wednesday’s beatdown of the Dodgers in The City of Brotherly Love. Ash loves Phillies slugger Jayson Werth, who quietly plays in a lineup loaded with stars including NLCS MVP Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. Gambo is impressed with how Philly management built the roster grooming young Phillies’ prospects, then mixing in talented veterans into arguably the most talented roster in baseball. Mark is certain the Dodgers quit in Game 5 when Philly jumped out to a big early lead and never looked back.

Dodger Disaster?…the media in LA is deeming this Dodger season a disappointment following Wednesday night’s NLCS loss to the Phillies. Critics feel Joe Torre’s team underachieved with a solid lineup and quality bullpen. G&A concur the Phillies were the better team, and they showed it Wednesday night. Gambo feels this criticism is unfair because the core of the Dodger roster (Andre Ethier, James Loney, Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp) are young and lack post-season experience.

We caught up with Sports 620 KTAR reporter JOHNNY V. LIVE at Cardinal headquarters. He reported that Anquan Boldin did not practice Thursday and will likely be a game-time decision according to head coach Ken Whisenhunt. “Q” had one of his bigger games of the season last year against the Giants in Glendale.

We were joined by ESPN.com NFL writer MIKE SANDO who covers the NFC West. He shared his thoughts on the Cards’ big win in Seattle last weekend, what to expect Sunday night in New York against the Giants, and what type of impact Michael Crabtree will make with the 49ers the remainder of the season.

To Play or Not to Play?…Anquan Boldin did not practice Thursday and it’s unknown if he will take the field Sunday night in New York against the mighty Giants. The Red Birds are taking a wait-and-see approach, while also not tipping their hand to the Giants about #81’s status. Gambo feels the Cards should no longer be scared to play in big games after last year’s improbable Super Bowl run. Ash feels the Cards fell prey to the bright lights of the big stage a few weeks ago when they played Indianapolis in Glendale, but that shouldn’t be a problem this weekend. John is certain the Cards have a better chance to win with several key Giants nursing injuries. Both know Anquan will likely play because that’s the kind of competitor he is.

Common Theme…whether it’s MLB umps blowing calls or the NBA preparing to possibly open the season with replacement refs, poor officiating is more and more common in today’s world of sports. Now the SEC is suspending one of their entire crews for three games for blowing several calls in last weekend’s Arkansas-Florida game in Gainesville. G&A applaud the SEC for putting their foot down and calling out the crew just like any underachieving employee in the workforce.

Captain Coyote and good friend of the program SHANE DOAN discussed the ‘Yotes good start to the season and preview tonight’s game against the Red Wings in Glendale. He said new coach Dave Tippett has done a great job teaching and mentoring the club’s younger players.

In the Line of Fire…the Giants are a well-rounded football team, and it all starts up front with a veteran offensive line which creates huge holes for Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Gambo knows the Cards may have caught a break this week with starting right tackle Kareem McKenzie and Bradshaw both nursing injuries. Ash feels if Bill Davis’ defense can create obvious passing situations it will make the Big Red Defense that much more effective. Gambo is predicting a close game. Mark still can’t trust the Cards playing a big game in the northeast.

Friday we’ll be joined by ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth at 5:25 and world-renowned sports handicapper Brandon Lang at 4:25.

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Cards run D vs. Giants run

Published on October 22, 2009 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what went down Wednesday on Gambo & Ash…

Yankees/Angels: The Yankees and Angels both have good teams, but the Yankees are better where it counts… they have more power, a better ace, and perhaps the greatest closer of all time, not to mention an incredible amount of playoff experience. Gambo and Ash think the ALCS is basically over; they also think the Phillies need to beat the Dodgers if the World Series is going to be a contest with the Bronx Bombers.

Worth the Investment: Most pitchers in Major League Baseball struggle on 3 days’ rest, but CC Sabathia looked as good as ever on short rest in Game 4 of the ALCS. A-Rod and other Yankees think that giving CC extra rest down the stretch in the regular season has kept him fresh for the postseason. Gambo & Ash agree that the best money the Yankees spent this offseason wasn’t for Mark Teixeira or AJ Burnett, but for ace CC Sabathia.

Disgracing the Game: Tim McLelland is the latest MLB umpire to miss not one, but two calls in last night’s playoff game. McLelland apologized, but Gambo says the double play that he missed (he said he never saw Robinson Cano get tagged) was the worst call he’s ever seen in his entire life. The good news? Gambo and Ash think all of these blown calls in the playoffs will force Bud Selig’s hand into making some changes, perhaps including the expansion of instant replay.

A-Rod’s new legacy? Eight months ago, A-Rod claimed to eliminate distractions from everything except baseball in an effort to be more focused for the postseason. In seven playoff games, the Yankee’s 3B now has 5 HR and 11 RBI, perhaps putting his legacy as a postseason “choker” behind him. New York fans have always been hard on A-Rod, but a historic offseason would do wonders in changing that.

We were joined by ESPN BCS guru Brad Edwards who shared his thoughts on the first BCS poll, which was released on Sunday. Does Pete Carroll have a gripe with the Trojans being slotted seventh? Plus, how much will Boise State’s schedule strength hurt them if they stay unbeaten?

Arizona State’s Director of Athletics Lisa Love joined G&A.

The Immoveable Object Vs the Unstoppable Force: The Arizona Cardinals own the NFL’s #1 run defense, while the New York Giants boast the #2 run offense. Something has to give. Ash reminded us that the Cards usually get blown out once per year, repeatedly saying, “I don’t feel good about this one.” (North)east coast games might be the kryptonite for the Cards, who tend to struggle in cold weather cities. By the way, Kurt Warner’s career numbers in 6 regular season games in Giants Stadium: 143/230 for 1,589 yards, 5 TD, 5 INT, 62.2%.

Cutler Cuts a Deal: Jay Cutler signed a 2-year extension through 2013; over the next 5 years, the Bears’ QB will make $50 million. Who got the better end of the deal? It might be lopsided… but not the way we originally thought. The Bears got what they wanted in Jay Cutler (10 TD, 7 INT, 1,201 yards) and a 5th round pick. The Broncos, however, got 2 1st round draft picks, a 3rd round draft pick, and a QB in Kyle Orton that has the Broncos at 6-0 behind his 9 TD, 1 INT, and 1,465 yards.

Our ESPN baseball insider Tim Kurkjian broke down the AL & NLCS as the Yankees and Phillies are just one win away from advancing to the World Series. Plus, he shared his thoughts on how the Dodgers hope to push the series back to LA with a win tonight at Citizens Bank Park.

Cardinals defensive tackle Gabe Watson checked in to discuss how the Red Birds plan to stop the Giants two-headed monster of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. The Cards new three-four defensive scheme is first in the NFL against the run this season.

NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat: Jeff Fischer donned a Peyton Manning jersey to a charity function and claimed, “I just want to feel like a winner.” Couple that with the Titans’ 0-6 start to the 2009 season, and Fischer is on the hot seat. Fischer, Dick Jauron, and Jim Zorn are all thought to be nearing the end of their terms for their respective teams. Gambo and Ash agree that Fischer and Norv Turner of the San Diego Chargers are each safe for this season, while Zorn and Jauron will very likely coach their final games with their current teams before the end of the season.

Is there a trade market for Eric Byrnes? Eric Byrnes, the $10 million man, would be the 5th outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2010. Instead of cutting Byrnes outright, Gambo and Ash suggest trading for someone like Dontrelle Willis, someone who makes similar money, has a good history in the National League, and plays a position where the D-backs are thin. Carlos Silva and Luis Castillo also have little use on their current teams and might make sense in a trade, as well.

On the road again

Published on October 21, 2009 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what went down on U2 Tuesday on Gambo & Ash…

Dave Burns filling in for the vacationing Mark Asher.

San Diego Sunset…The Broncos are still undefeated thanks to Monday’s come-from-behind win over the Chargers. Gambo says this signals an official end to the AFC West race. The Broncos, with wins over the Patriots and Chargers, are no joke. John doesn’t know what happened to the one-time Super Bowl contender Chargers. Burnsy is shocked at the Broncos success, but not of Kyle Orton, who’s excelled since leaving the quarterback graveyard that is Chicago’s Soldier Field (nine TD’s, 1 interception this year). He says the key to the Broncos success is their second half dominance on both sides of the ball. Both wonder what Mike Shanahan must be thinking right now.

We were joined by Arizona head football coach Mike Stoops who discussed UofA’s dramatic 43-38 win over Stanford on Saturday in Tucson as Nic Foles completed 40-51 passes for 415 yards and three touchdowns. The victory improved the ‘Cats to 4-2, 2-1 in the Pac-10. They host UCLA Saturday afternoon. Stoops said Foles’ greatest strength is his grasp of the offense and decision-making skills. He said he has been disappointed at the play of UofA’s defense, but knows there’s still time to correct the issues.

Blown Chances…One common theme in the baseball championship series has been how teams’ bullpens have either helped or killed any chances of securing wins. Case in point last night in Philadelphia where Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton failed to hold a 9th-inning lead and essentially punched a return World Series ticket for the Fightin’ Phils. Burnsy feels a good bullpen (specifically closer) is one of, if not the most important, factors for teams who experience post-season success. Case in point: Mariano Rivera, who Yankee fans expect greatness every time he takes the mound.

On the Road Again…Fresh off their blowout win in Seattle, the Cards are now facing their next obstacle: the Giants in chilly New York on Sunday Night Football. Gambo is cautiously optimistic the team has turned the corner when it comes to performing well on the road (they’ve won three-straight dating back to their playoff win over the Panthers). Burnsy feels the opportunity for another big win if Kurt Warner can expose the Giants’ secondary like Drew Brees did last weekend.

With or Without You…Rumors are swirling that D-backs shortstop Stephen Drew may be on his way out this winter. One of the teams interested is Boston who could dangle a number of young prospects in who D-back’s GM Josh Byrnes likely helped groom. Burnsy believes the D-backs must get a shortstop in return for Drew because the Snakes’ farm system doesn’t have a MLB-ready one now.

Decisions, Decisions…Yankees’ skipper Joe Girardi was criticized for using seven relievers in Monday’s extra innings loss to the Angels in Anaheim. He now has a different dilemma with a short-handed pitching staff. The Yankees skipper has opted to pick ace C.C. Sabathia in Game 4 tonight on short rest. Burnsy hates the decision. Gambo feels Girardi has no choice in the matter. Dave is still perplexed why the high-price Yanks didn’t have a backup plan for Joba Chamberlain who clearly failed as the fourth starter.

Our ESPN college football analyst Mark May shared his thoughts on another wild weekend of college football and the first BCS Poll which was released Sunday. “Mayday” broke down Ohio State’s loss to Purdue, Florida’s close win over Arkansas, Texas taking the Red River Rivalry, and said injured Sam Bradford might now be having second thoughts about coming back for his senior season at OU.

Time to Deal?…The Cards have another dilemma when it comes to Anquan Boldin. The skilled and tough, but oft-injured, Boldin is nursing a sprained ankle heading into this weekend’s game against the Giants. This coincides with a big game from fellow 1,000-yard wide receiver Steve Breaston who reeled in seven catches, including a nifty third-quarter touchdown from Kurt Warner in Sunday’s win over the Seahawks. Burnsy knows the Red Birds have got the most out of Q and it’s time to part ways instead of giving Boldin the big money he seeks. Gambo is certain Breaston is ready to step into the #2 slot should Boldin be traded this off-season.

Ash returns on Wednesday. We’ll be joined by ESPN BCS guru Brad Edwards at 2:25, ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kurkjian at 3:25, and Cards defensive tackle Gabe Watson at 4:25.