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

Forecast: Partly Sunny…We are on the brink of the NBA season and the reviews are rolling in for the 2009-10 Suns’. ESPN’s John Hollinger feels Alvin Gentry’s team will 40-42 and be the eighth-seed in the tough Western Conference. G&A feel these are different, but realistic expectations for a team in transition (again) under Alvin Gentry. Both feel the Suns could sneak up on some teams, but know a playoff seed any higher than 6th and a deep post-season run aren’t expected. They concur the keys will be health and how the team defends the pick-and-roll which has been a sore spot for years.

We caught up with Suns all-star forward Amare Stoudemire who discussed his busy off-season, his uncertain future with the team after this year, and what he expects from Alvin Gentry’s first training camp as head coach which began today in San Diego.

Realistic Expectations…Point guard Steve Nash joined Gambo & Ash Monday and said he’s not sure if the Suns are a championship-caliber team. Ash found the comments honest and forthcoming. Mark still wishes Steve Kerr should have dealt the two-time MVP a year ago when the championship window closed. John isn’t sure how long the Suns, and their fans, will tolerate a mediocre product on the floor.

Poll Position…It wouldn’t be a college football season without controversy and this year is no different. Gambo is sick of the Coaches Poll because they don’t reflect the “true rankings” in college football. His problem is how can Houston be ranked below Oklahoma State when the Cougars beat the Cowboys in Stillwater a couple weeks ago? Ash feels a poll of 15-20 influential media members who watch all the games (Desmond Howard, Mark May, Stewart Mandel, Chris Fowler, Dennis Dodd) would have a much clearer view of how the rankings should stack up. Both wonder if the coaches know who’s playing who while they’re busy preparing for their own game.

2009 WNBA MVP Diana Taurasi talked about her year on and off the court this season with the Mercury. During the regular season, Taurasi averaged 20.4 points, a career-high 5.7 rebounds, and was one of the league’s leaders in blocked shots at 1.4 per game. The Mighty Merc opened their WNBA Finals series Tuesday at U.S. Airways Center.

Our ESPN college football analyst Mark May checked in for his weekly visit to discuss last weekend’s big games including Virginia Tech’s beatdown of previously unbeaten Miami in Blacksburg, South Florida’s upset of Florida State, and Oregon’s thrashing of Cal at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Plus, how Tim Tebow’s concussion may affect him and what Stephon Johnson’s loss means to USC.

Sports 620 KTAR reporter Johnny V. joined us LIVE from San Diego to discuss the first day of training camp which took place earlier Tuesday at the University of San Diego. He said the veteran group of players is anxious to get thru camp and into the regular season and the player to watch this pre-season is Jason Richardson.

Wednesday we’ll be joined by ESPN baseball insider Tim Kurkjian at 3:25.