Here’s what went down Tuesday on G&A…
Short show before Diamondbacks’ baseball in Miami…
G&A caught up with Rockets assistant Elston Turner who will interview for the Suns’ head coaching vacancy tomorrow with Steve Kerr. Turner feels it’s a unique situation-coming to a team with plenty of talent that is ready to win now. He promises to bring a real blue-collar work ethic to the Suns if he lands the job.
Lesser of Two Evils. Piggy-backing off Burnsy’s topic last night on The 620 SportsLine, G&A shared their thoughts on the nightmare that is Spurs-Lakers Western Conference Finals. If you’re a Suns fan, who are you pulling for to advance to the Finals? G&A agree go Lakers! Ash would like to see a Lakers-Celtics final. Callers were split.
Former Miami Hurricane star defensive end, now Cardinals rookie Calais Campbell checked in to discuss the Red Birds’ OTA’s which started this morning. Campbell shared his thoughts on playing for “The U” and says he is looking forward to playing for the Cards.
Piazza Calls it Quits. Mike Piazza called it quits today after 16 major league seasons. Ash thinks Piazza, a 62nd round draft pick, is the best hitting catcher of all-time (.308 lifetime career hitter) and it’s not even close. Gambo doesn’t feel Piazza is one of the “elite” catchers of all-time.
ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kurkjian checked in for his weekly segment to discuss the D-Backs’ recent hot streak and John Lester’s no-no against the Royals last night at Fenway,
Tomorrow we’ll be joined by Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin and new USF hoops coach Rex Walters.
Elston Turner [11:02m]:
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Published on May 20, 2008
in Suns.
Here’s what went down Monday on G&A…
Breaking News. Gambo reported that former Sun player and current Jazz assistant Tyrone Corbin is a strong candidate to replace Mike D’Antoni. Ash would be fine with Corbin getting the job. Gambo would prefer Terry Porter or Elston Turner since they are lead assistants with their respective teams and Corbin is not. G&A debate how long Steve Kerr’s search will take before naming a new coach. Both agree the next coach won’t be a high-profile re-tread.
Game 7. The Celtics beat the Cavs yesterday to clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. Gambo thinks PJ Brown was the key to the C’s advancing to play the Pistons. Remember when he was on the Suns’ radar earlier this year? G&A also previewed tonight’s Spurs-Hornets’ Game 7 tonight in the Big Easy. Ash likes the Spurs. Gambo took the Hornets. A lunch at Corleone’s is riding on it.
Not Quite Good Enough. The Lakers ousted the Jazz on Friday and thus ended another quest for a title by long-time Utah coach Jerry Sloan. Sloan has been to five Western Conference Finals and two Finals, but no title. G&A kicked around other great coaches to never win a title like Gene Mauch, Marv Levy, Bud Grant, and Dan Reeves. We took calls.
More Trouble in Tucson. Star recruit Brandon Jennings is having trouble qualifying and incoming freshman Emmanuel Negedu is asking for a release from his scholarship from the ‘Cats. Gambo thinks this is the beginning of the end for Lute’s club in the Ole Pueblo. Gambo thinks ASU is on their way to passing UofA for state bragging rights.
Russ Grimm. 3-time Super Bowl champion, 4-time Pro-Bowler, and member of 1980s All-Decade team, now Cards assistant head coach/offensive line coach checked in to discuss the Red Birds’ OTA’s which start tomorrow. Grimm is considered a strong candidate to land a heading coach job in the near future.
Back on Track. The Diamondbacks are back on track, winning 5 of their last 6. With Doug Davis expected to be back shortly, Ash would like to see Brandon Medders sent down-not Max Scherzer. The guys discussed the impressive performance of Randy Johnson yesterday against the Tigers .
The guys caught up with Marlins All-Star second baseman Dan Uggla who previewed tomorrow’s series which starts in Miami. Uggla was once a Diamondback but was pulled away by Florida in the Rule 5 Draft.
Trifecta! Big Brown won The Preakness over the weekend. Ash would love to see Big Brown win the Triple Crown. Gambo isn’t so sure the sport would get much of a boost if Big Brown won the Triple Crown-Ash disagrees. Both agree seeing a horse win a Triple Crown would be a pretty special.
Tomorrow: Cards’ rookie Calais Campbell & ESPN baseball insider Tim Kurkjian
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Here’s what went down Friday on G&A
* Turner Gets a Look - Gambo reported that Rockets’ assistant Elston Turner will be interviewed next week by Steve Kerr and is a serious candidate, like Terry Porter, to replace Mike D’Antoni. Ash wonders if the average fan knows who Elston Turner is. Gambo thinks Turner would thrive in Phoenix after learning under the versatile Rick Adelman.
* Charles NOT In Charge - TNT analyst Charles Barkley owes the Wynn in Las Vegas $400,000 in gambling debt. Barkley says he “forgot” about it. Gambo doesn’t think this is a big deal, nor care how much money Sir Charles is blowing in Sin City, but doesn’t want to see him bet on NBA games.
* Simply the Best - Ash feels Brandon Webb is the best pitcher in baseball. Gambo thinks Cliff Lee is better right now-but not by much. We took calls-most of which sided with Ash.
* Gambo & Ash caught up with Stephen Drew. Diamondbacks starting shortstop collected 4 hits and was on-base all 5 times in last night’s win over the Rockies. Drew doubled twice and drove in a run to raise his average to .295.
* The top overall pick in this season’s WNBA draft Candace Parker discussed her rise to fame at Tennessee which included numerous dunks and two national championships. The LA Sparks’ forward will make her season debut tomorrow against the Mercury at US Airways Center. She is engaged to former Duke star and current Kings center, Shelden Williams.
* To Text or Not To Text…Gambo updated us on his 13-year old daughter’s text messaging problem from last month. The number amazingly increased from 13,600 to an astonishing 16,358. Gambo admits he’s failing as a parent. Ash wonders why he doesn’t just take the phone away once and for all.
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Gambo & Ash: Kurt Rambis segment
Rumors continue to circulate surrounding the Suns’ coaching vacancy and on Wednesday evening, a not-so discussed name surfaced, yet again.
A CBS Los Angeles, California, affiliate KCBS 2-TV reported Wednesday evening that Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis is a candidate to replace former Phoenix coach Mike D’Antoni.
Sports 620 KTAR’s John Gambadoro said the report is false.
“Kurt Rambis is not a candidate for the Suns’ coaching job,” Gambadoro said. “The Suns have no plans to interview Kurt Rambis.”
Rambis, who played with the Lakers and Suns during his 14-year career, briefly coached the Lakers during the 1999 lockout season following the firing of coach Del Harris and registered a 24-13 record.
“Not only is he not a candidate, he’s not even on the board to be interviewed,” Gambadoro said.
ABC analyst and former NBA player Mark Jackson is the first candidate to be interviewed by Suns General Manager Steve Kerr. Jacksoon is expected to be in Phoenix on Monday.
“Kurt Rambis is not the leading candidate – he’s not even a candidate,” Gambadoro said.
Phoenix also plans to be in contact with former NBA head coach Paul Silas. The Suns will gauge his interest in becoming an assistant on the staff, Gambodoro said.
Gambo & Ash: Kurt Rambis segment [14:10m]:
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Here’s what went down Thursday on G&A:
Breaking News: Gambo reported that Steve Kerr interviewed Pistons assistant Terry Porter and lists him as a lead candidate to replace Mike D’Antoni. Gambo would love to see Porter get the job because of his leadership skills as a player with the Blazers. Both like the fit a lot more than Mark Jackson, who will be interviewed Friday because he’s more qualified for the job. Ash feels Porter’s tough-nosed mentality would blend in nicely with the current veteran Suns roster.
Not Rambis! Reports out of Los Angeles say Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis is the leading
candidate to replace Mike D’Antoni. G&A ripped this report by KLAC - saying Rambis isn’t
a leading candidate – he’s not even a candidate, to say the least. Ash thinks Steve Kerr is
keeping his list under wraps similar to the way Lisa Love did when she hired Herb Sendek
away from North Carolina State much to the surprise of everyone.
We were joined by our ESPN NBA insider Tim Legler. “Legs” likes the idea of seeing Terry Porter
land here in Phoenix and feels fellow-analyst Mark Jackson will land a job shortly, as well. Legs
previewed the remaining conference semifinals matchups and thinks we’ll see three Game 7’s
when all is said and done. “Legs” also thinks the Pistons have been the most consistent team
this postseason.
Early Retirement: In recent days, women’s sports have lost two of the best when golfer Annika Sorenstam and tennis Justine Henin - who was ranked No. 1 at the time. G&A discussed if this will be a trend we’ll see with young athletes leaving their sport relatively young at, or near, the top. Gambo feels the women’s sports are changing more than the men’s-like golf. G&A talked about men’s stars that left the game at an early age, such as Jim Brown and Barry Sanders.
Friday we’ll be joined by hoops star Candace Parker
Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin
Gambo & Ash: Kurt Rambis [14:10m]:
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Gambo & Ash: Terry Porter segment [4:41m]:
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Here’s what went down Wednesday on G&A…
Trying Too Hard Eric Byrnes’ struggles continue at the plate after last night’s 0-4. Burnsy is now hitting a paltry .220. Gambo thinks he may be trying too hard to live up to the $30 million expectations following last year’s new deal and might be a 4th outfielder on some teams. Ash feels he holds more value than that and thinks a couple extra base hits could be the cure-all. Ash is OK with the fans booing Byrnes.
Skipper Bob Melvin checked in for his weekly visit to discuss Byrnes’ slump and how the club bounced back nicely last night against Colorado after a rough weekend at Wrigley.
G&A caught up with Johnny Dawkins. The former lead assistant under Coach K at Duke was recently named the head coach at Stanford, replacing Trent Johnson who took the vacant LSU job. Dawkins was the 1986 Naismith Award Winner and played 11 seasons in the NBA averaging 11 points and 5 assists.
Gambo & Ash were excited to hear Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo are reportedly no more. Gambo says all Cowboy fans can now expect a deep playoff run following the breakup and eliminated blonde distraction.
The Pistons closed out the Magic last night in Auburn Hills thanks to former Sun Antonio McDyess who had 17 points and 11 rebounds in the win. G&A looked back on the roller-coaster ride of McDyess’ career which included two stints with the Suns under two completely different circumstances.
We were joined by John Challis. The 18-year old senior Pittsburgh high school baseball player has made headlines around the country as he continues to fight his battle with cancer. Challis’ weight has dropped to 93 pounds in recent weeks. G&A were amazed at how the courageous young man is fighting this terrible disease and spreading his faith and knowledge to others.
Diamondbacks first baseman Conor Jackson joined the guys this afternoon. “CoJack” had two hits in last night’s win over the Rockies to raise his average to .331. He leads the team with 31 RBI’s. G&A unveiled Jackson’s new intro music, “It’s Raining Men” by the Weather Girls and discussed the club’s recent slump against the NL East.
Tomorrow: ESPN NBA analyst Tim Legler
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Here’s what went down Tuesday on G&A…
Action Jackson? Gambo confirmed that ABC/ESPN analyst Mark Jackson will be coming into town next week to interview for the Suns’ head coaching spot and that Paul Silas is being considered for an assistant coaching position. Ash likes the fact that Jackson was a long-time point guard in the league, but feels he would not be a good hire for the Suns. G&A would like to see Mario Elie considered for the job. Both feel Silas would be a perfect mentor for Amare and would garner the respect of Shaquille O’Neal.
Mike D’Antoni was introduced to the New York media this afternoon. Reports have surfaced that D’Antoni is looking to deal Stephon Marbury and there are reports that D’Antoni wants Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa in The Big Apple. G&A don’t foresee any trades between the two teams.
Late Spring Slide The Diamondbacks are slumping as they prepare to open a home stand starting tonight against the Rockies. Gambo thinks the bullpen is a concern for Bob Melvin and the reason why they have not played well recently. Ash isn’t surprised with the D-Backs’ suddenly-cold bats, but thinks that might change with a healthy starting lineup beginning tonight against the NL West Rockies.
Our ESPN baseball insider Tim Kurkjian checked in to discuss the recent Diamondback struggles at the plate, the surging Tampa Bay Rays, and Hanley Ramirez’s new $70 million deal with the Marlins.
Cutting Costs: ASU eliminated wrestling, men’s tennis, and men’s swimming earlier today and in the process saved $1 million annually. Gambo thinks the boosters don’t want their donation money spent on sports like the three that were eliminated. G&A debated if these three sports are dying at the high school level. G&A agree that the “other” sports feed off the money generated by football and basketball. Ash wonders if a few more football and basketball sell-outs could have saved these three sports.
Award-winning author John Feinstein previewed his most recent novel, Living on the Black, and shared his thoughts on everything making headlines in the sports world including the OJ Mayo saga at USC.
Tomorrow: D-Backs’ skipper Bob Melvin and new Stanford head basketball coach Johnny Dawkins.
Tim Kurkjian [15:46m]:
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John Feinstein [17:29m]:
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Here’s what went down Monday on G&A…
Sun Search…Mike D’Antoni is off to the Knicks and G&A wonder if D’Antoni will have Donnie Walsh call Steve Kerr about some of the current players on the Suns’ roster. Gambo thinks the Knicks have little to offer besides their 1st-round pick-which they won’t part with. Ash knows Steve Kerr is now officially on the clock. Both agree the Suns need a hard-nosed, tough coach that can handle the veteran roster and not be pushed around. Gambo feels Shaq needs to be motivated and won’t play hard for just “any coach.”
Robert Sarver…Suns majority owner discussed Mike D’Antoni’s departure to the Knicks and what’s next for his team moving forward in the hiring process. Sarver reiterated the fact that he hoped D’Antoni would return to coach the Suns and that no one in the organization will be hired for that position.
*Sarver confirmed they will NOT hire a coach from within (ie-Majerle, EJ, Chambers, Gentry) (Sarver - not hiring from within)
*They will take their time with the search (Sarver - right decision, not quick one)
*He stressed the Suns are NOT re-building, but the roster could be “tweaked” (Sarver - Suns need a tweek)
*”We don’t need to be the best defensive team, just a better defensive team”
*Sarver - D’Antoni lost the team a little bit and Mike was disappointed Sarver didn’t support him more publicly
Hold the Mayo?…OJ Mayo is under investigation by the NCAA following some improper benefits from a “runner” for super-agent Bill Duffy which was brought to light by ESPN. Ash doesn’t blame OJ for taking the cash, but thinks this type of rule-breaking needs to become a felony. Gambo feels USC didn’t even benefit from having Mayo for one season and Mayo has no legacy with the Trojans.
Spurs evened up the series with the Hornets yesterday in San Antonio. Gambo is still confident the Hornets will advance-Ash isn’t so sure. G&A discussed how Kobe Bryant’s injury may/may not affect the rest of the Lakers-Jazz series which is also even at two.
Tomorrow we’ll be joined by award-winning author John Feinstein and ESPN baseball insider Tim Kurkjian
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