Charles Not in Charge - Valley resident Charles Barkley was busted for driving under the influence last night in Scottsdale adding to the laundry list of legal run-ins for the former Suns’ star. He was in Old Town Scottsdale partying with Michael Strahan and the artist formerly known as Urkel. Ash wonders how the affluent Barkley could drop $2200 at the bar, but not $200 for a limo or even $100 for a taxi. Is this a really big deal or is it what we’ve come to expect from pro athletes and other high-profile public figures.
Extension Granted - As of this afternoon, there were 5,600 available tickets to Saturday’s Falcons-Cardinals playoff game. The NFL extended the blackout deadline in hopes Red Bird fans will step up and fill the University of Phoenix Stadium for the first home playoff game in the history of the Arizona Cardinals’ existence. The Cards aren’t the only team struggling to sell seats. The Vikings have nearly 11,000 available for their game Sunday against Philly. Ash hopes the franchise steps up and buys the additional seats if the sell-out isn’t complete in the next 24 hours.
World-renowned sports handicapper Brandon Lang joined the show to share his thoughts on the college bowls and NFL wild card match-ups this extended holiday weekend. B-Lang likes the Cardinals, Georgia Tech, and Nebraska to “cover the number.”
Jon Bloom from The Jon Bloom Show filled in for the vacationing Gambo.
Shorter show before Suns’ basketball tonight in Memphis.
Welcome to Miami - The NFL will play the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl in Miami in 2010. Ash & Bloom discussed if this will help spark interest in a game that fans generally don’t care about. Most players certainly aren’t “into” the game with the current setup so why should the fans? The guys agree, with the media already gathered for the Super Bowl, the hype could pick up.
ESPN college football analyst Mark May shared his thoughts on the already completed bowls and the BCS games which start Thursday. MayDay also discussed yesterday’s Sugar Bowl suspension of Alabama tackle and 2009 high 1st-round pick Andre Smith who won’t be on the field against Utah.
Our ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth checks in to preview playoff weekend including Saturday’s Falcons-Cardinals matchup in Glendale, the slew of firings around the league yesterday, the seemingly never-ending soap opera in Dallas, and everything else making headlines around the league.
Goodbye Mike - The Denver Broncos fired coach and vice President Mike Shanahan this afternoon. He had been with the organization for 21 years. Ash and Bloom were stunned to hear the news. The guys agree, although the team collapsed down the stretch, the coaching staff wasn’t totally to blame with 17 players on the injured reserve list at the end of the season. Denver was the first team in history to blow a three-game lead with three to play. So where do the Broncos go from here? Is Pat Bowlen holding out for Bill Cowher if the Jets don’t get to him first? Ash thinks Shanahan would be a perfect fit in Cleveland with a solid foundation of young skill players.
Ash flies solo tomorrow.
He’ll be joined by sports handicapper Brandon Lang.
Former Arizona coach Lute Olson made his first appearance at a Arizona basketball game since announcing his retirement. He gave an interview with Sean Mooney from Fox Sports Arizona during the Arizona-Weber State game.
Dave Burns from The 620 SportsLine filled in for the vacationing Gambo.
Shorter show before Suns’ basketball against mighty Oklahoma City.
Playoff Saturday - The NFC West Champion Cards got a much-needed win over the Seahawks Sunday to finish the season 9-7. They will host rookie sensation Matt Ryan, explosive runner Michael Turner and the Falcons Saturday afternoon. Ash and Burnsy really like the match-up against Atlanta and both feel they will advance. Burnsy believes the overall youth of the Falcons (both on the field and the sideline) could be exposed this weekend, but the Red Birds’ defense must tackle better than in recent weeks. The guys thought it was interesting Coach Whiz was non-committal following the game about who will draw the majority of carries after Edgerrin James exploded for 100 yards on just 14 carries. Is Tim Hightower’s job in trouble? We took calls.
The guys caught up with Cards’ quarterback Kurt Warner, who discussed his 263-yard, 4 touchdown game in yesterday’s win. The veteran says he’s excited to be back in the postseason, but is curious to see how his young team will respond with the spotlight on Glendale. Warner also admitted he doesn’t know a whole lot about the Falcons and their defensive schemes quite yet.
Oh-fer the Season - The Detroit Lions made history for all the wrong reasons, finishing the regular season without a single win following yesterday’s setback to the Packers in Green Bay. The club fired coach Rod Mirinelli Monday morning. Burnsy & Ash ask the simple question…why? Both are befuddled how a collection of professional athletes can’t piece together a single victory. Dave wonders if it could happen to a worse city than Detroit, who has suffered through this tough economic state we are experiencing.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner joined Gambo & Ash Monday afternoon to talk about the Cardinals first home playoff game since moving the team to Arizona. Warner and Edgerrin James are Cards that have been to the playoffs on an otherwise inexperienced team.
Embarrassed - The Cards flew across country only to get manhandled by Patriots 47-7. The Red Birds, although they have clinched a playoff spot, are circling the drain at the worst time-with the playoffs just around the corner. Gambo thinks the Cardinals were defeated before kick-off because they didn’t want to be there and believes each player should donate their game check to charity. Ash doesn’t feel Coach Whisenhunt should sit any of his regulars Sunday against the hapless Seahawks. Gambo is still confident the Birds will win their opening round playoff game. Ash isn’t so sure. We took calls.
Still Shopping - The Suns got a nice win over the Nuggets Saturday and will now wait for the Spurs to visit U.S. Airways Center Christmas Day. The club is shopping for a backup point guard to Steve Nash. G&A discussed the possibilities. Gambo says Steve Kerr is not in the market to deal for veteran Celtic backup Sam Cassell, and Ash hopes they opt not to ink former UofA star Damon Stoudamire, who is shoot-first point guard. Both agree the Suns don’t need another shooter.
Suns’ guard Jason Richardson joined the guys to discuss the deal that sent him to the Valley and how he is adjusting to the new offense and teammates here in Phoenix. J-Rich says he’s thrilled to play with Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash and feels we’ve yet to see the Suns play their best basketball.
The guys caught up with Fiesta Bowl President, and good friend of the show, John Junker. Junker previewed the Insight Bowl between Minnesota and Kansas, as well the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl featuring Ohio State and Texas. J.J. says they are expecting upwards of 50,000 at Sun Devil Stadium for the Insight next week.
Viva Las Vegas! - Mike Stoops didn’t take the Iowa State job, but he did help Arizona take it to BYU Saturday in the Vegas Bowl. It was their first post-season victory in a decade. G&A were impressed with how the Cats jumped on the Cougars early and rolled to a surprisingly easy win. Senior Mike Thomas broke former Sun Devil Derek Hagan’s all-time Pac-10 receptions record after the game had already been decided. Was this the right choice and are you ok with the coaches’ decision? How much of it had to do with the fact that Hagan played for the in-state rival? G&A didn’t have any problems with it. Did Stoops earn an extension? We took calls.
Short show Tuesday after matinee ASU hoops at Wells Fargo Arena.
Blazed Over - The Suns lost a tough one last night in Portland as Phoenix had no answer for Brandon Roy who exploded for a career-high 52 points. Terry Porter’s squad had no answer for Roy, Steve Blake and LaMarcus Aldridge. G&A agree the Suns are still searching for their identity at both ends of the floor. Gambo feels teams are directing their offense towards the defensive short-comings of Shaq and Amare Stoudemire on the pick-and-roll and, as a result, the Suns haven’t been able to get defensive stops when needed in recent losses. Ash thinks the Suns are still tinkering at both ends of the floor, but loves the up-tempo style they are reverting back to. G&A agree the Suns have turned the corner. Shaq doesn’t want to set picks and simply wants the coaches to “let me be me.” Can the Suns’ offense run through O’Neal? We took calls.
Cyclone Stoops? - Ash is reporting that Iowa State will contact UA asking for permission to speak (regarding their coaching vacancy) following tomorrow’s Las Vegas Bowl showdown against BYU. Ash thinks the Cyclones will make a serious run at Stoops who played at Iowa and coached previously in the Big 12 at Kansas State and Oklahoma. G&A think this would be a wise move - especially if Arizona AD Jim Livengood doesn’t extend his contract as is expected. Iowa State will reportedly offer Stoops a lucrative deal which Arizona could not match. Callers were split on whether Coach Stoops should bolt The Old Pueblo.
Minnesota Golden Gophers head football coach Tim Brewster joined the show to discuss their season and preview their Insight Bowl match-up with Kansas on New Year’s Eve at Sun Devil Stadium. The Gophers are 7-5, after going 1-11 last year, and open their new open-air TCF Bank Stadium on-campus next season.
World-renowned sports handicapper Brandon Lang joined the show to take your calls and share his thoughts on all the big NFL and college bowl match-ups around the country this weekend. He likes UA tomorrow and the Cowboys and Bucs to “cover the number.”
Our ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth checked in for his weekly segment to discuss the slumping Cards trip to chilly Foxboro to take on the Patriots, the surging Colts come-from-behind win over the Jags last night in Jacksonville, and the Red Birds five Pro-Bowl choices-including starters Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin.
In Pick The Pros Gambo is trying to hold off Ash & E to claim his victory. He’s been leading since Week 1 and if he does not hold on it will be a colossal choke job. Brandon Lang talked NFL football with the guys while also saying what he thinks about the BYU-UA game on Saturday night. G&A were surprised. Ash made Gambo go first so he could make sure he didn’t pick the same games as him, Gambo took Ash’s lock of the year and Ash was bitter about it. The Picks ….
Longing for a Fiesta - Still a couple weeks out from another solid Fiesta Bowl matchup. Texas Longhorns coach Mack Brown joined G&A to discuss the big game, which he feels confident his team is concentrating on instead of the jumbled big picture in the BCS and in college football. Brown also had high praise for Ohio State QB Terrell Pryor, and why not – he tried to recruit him! Brown’s also been recruiting some top notch talent from the state of Arizona, and he doesn’t see that changing anytime soon.
The State of in-State recruiting - Speaking of out-of-state powers like Texas taking top notch high school players out of Arizona, G&A were struck by the case of Devon Kennard, regarded by most as the top in-state prospect. Kennard has not ruled out ASU, but it certainly looks as if he is leaning elsewhere. G&A see this as a troubling sign, one that may suggest neither Arizona school will be rising in the Pac-10 against the likes of Oregon, Cal, and certainly NOT USC.
Tiger vs. Phil - Phil Mickelson took some shots from an unlikely source: Tiger Woods’ caddy! Steve Williams’ critical comments of Phil were “out of line” according to most, including Gambo. He feels Williams put his “boss”, Woods, in a bad position. Ash feels it’s never good for a caddy to take a strong position, sort of like a kicker speaking out in football.
ESPN NBA analystTim Legler joined G&A to talk about the NBA season, one that is becoming increasingly dominated by one team. Legs is amazed at how well the Boston Celtics are playing, especially considering the hangover effect that winning a championship often has (during the regular season) to a veteran team. On the other side of the spectrum are disappointments like Toronto and Philadelphia, who both fired their head coaches. Legs wasn’t particularly surprised. After all, both GMs of those respective organizations inherited their head coaches. Legs was surprised how career assistant Randy Whittman inherited the T-Wolves job (one which he no longer holds). He says Whittman did a “horrible job,” and should stick to being an assistant. Ouch.
To donate to Gambo & Ash’s Holiday Heroes benefiting the 100 Club of Arizona CLICK HERE. To see the Incentive List of all the great jersey’s, helmets, tickets, etc. CLICK HERE.
Michael Israel’s painting of Muhammed Ali is seen below. The painting, as well as one of Tiger Woods, can be picked up through our Incentive List with a donation to Gamb0 & Ash’s Holiday Heroes.
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