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.

 

 Lisa Love [5:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (14)

 

 Tim Kurkjian [12:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (182)

 

 Kurt Warner [12:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (23)

 

 Tim Legler [10:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (22)