PHNX Arizona Diamondbacks Podcast - Best Arizona Sports Moment of 2021

Episode Date: December 29, 2021

As another year comes to a close, let's reminisce on the best of the best... What was the BEST moment of Arizona Sports in 2021? Join Saul Bookman, Greg Esposito, Leah Merrall and Shane Dieffenbach as they rank their favorite moments from the past year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the Phoenix Sports Podcast. This is the first time I've ever hosting this. This is kind of cool. I'm with Shane, Leah, and Espo. We're doing a 2021 year-in-review. And as you know, we are presented by... Can we really applaud the 2021? And as you know, we're presented by the Draf King's Sportsbook app,

which is America's number one sportsbook app. So make sure you download it. Using promo code, PHNX. You can just put $1 down on any NFL team to score and you'll get $100 of free bets. Yeah, 2021. Fun, fun, fun time.

And I know, you know, I know ESPO tried to crap all over it already, but yeah, we should celebrate because we had three major teams get all the way to their championship games of their respective leagues, which is probably more than any other calendar year that I can recall. Okay, if we're talking purely sports,

yes, we should celebrate. You said 2020. This is the big sports podcast. I mean, Jesus. I don't know what episode you thought you were coming on to. My life didn't get good until September when we started this thing. Man, I'm sorry, your wife and kid at home? I guess it was miserable.

They were stuck with me constantly, so it was. Well, before we get to our first athlete of the year, if you can give me one thing about 2021 that you did like, as well, I know it's going to be hard. What would that be, Shane? Just the, I went to a finals game. I went to the Western, Western, rounds finals game just the atmosphere and how much this city embraces i want i want to say a winning

team because that sounds fair weather but just the the valley sports because it wasn't like like i've i've been to i've been to fenway i've been to like a bunch of different sports cities and gone to those but it was so special to not only see your own city representing but also the way they did it it was it felt different and um they phoenix sports fans are just very nice and i really i really enjoyed the atmosphere that they brought. So I'd say just how this city came together during such a hard couple years, but a really special couple years for the sports. Awesome.

Yeah, let's keep these comments at 30 seconds to a minute like we had previously discussed. About 55 seconds. The show notes were important. 55 seconds. Go ahead, Leah. Just my highlight of 2021. Yeah, whatever it was. When you called me on the phone and said, we're launching a sports network,

do you want to be a part of it? That's pretty cool. There was my 10 seconds or less. Oh, that's fantastic. She had to make up for Shane's two minutes. That was 55 seconds. How about you, Espo? Would you like me to add?

It's between two, but I think the one that stands out most is my family and a few friends going in together to buy me a ticket to the finals. It was astronomical. They spent way too much to get me in that building for game two, but it meant the world to me that they went out and did. did that for me. I made what was already a special moment in terms of sports here in town that much more impactful for me. Yeah, I mean, those are all great things. And Leah, I normally in any other year, I would agree with what you said about launching this tremendous company. But personally, obviously, I got married a couple weeks ago and that was pretty epic. So, and I'm not sugar-coding it. It was pretty epic at Disney World.

world. So that's what my major takeaway from 2021 was. Despite the fact that my wedding was epic, another team that was not so epic this year was the Arizona Diamondbacks. And we will bring in Derek Montia. He is the one that is in charge of our DeBax podcast. Derek, welcome to the show. Thanks for joining us. Thank you. Saul, by the way, your wedding was my favorite moment of 2020. Thank you. I will make sure to pass on the word. Derek, who was the one standout? in 2021 in your eyes for the debacks? Well, it's hard. There were moments, but there were inconsistencies across the board with this team.

It's why they ended up in the position they were in. I wanted to give an honorable mention to Merrill Kelly, even though his numbers don't reflect it. He was consistently solid for this team throughout the season. But the best player on this team, best athlete on this team this year, like he has been in the past, is Catelle Marte. Catelle started in only 90 games, so barely, barely played half of the games this season. But, you know, he still hit 318, which is what he does every season. He's going to hit 320 and still came through with the best offensive numbers on the team. Struggled to stay healthy with his hamstring injuries throughout the season,

but still just an incredibly consistent player that, you know, is kind of left to not have the great numbers he could have. because he's not exactly surrounded by a great team. Also, the injuries really killed his season as well. Yeah, yeah. I mean, the injuries killed a lot of seasons for a lot of players on the deep backs this season, unfortunately. And Cotel Marte, obviously, struggling for them. Derek, thank you so much for joining us and spreading the good cheer today.

I'm going to go back into the witness protection program. Yeah, the boy. Into the dark point. We're hoping he's not kidnapped. We did not kidnap him, so. I thought that was just a deep dark depression that Diamondbacks fans were. Yeah, that's the out. Hello, darkness, my old friend.

Thanks, Derek. Bye, mayor. All right. Well, the mayor of PHNX, the self-proclaimed mayor of PHNX, I should say, joining us there. And, yeah, you know, we could sit here and dwell on the negative. But I am glad that we were able to point out some of the positives. And we do actually have another positive coming up here soon. But before we get to our U of A guy, we're going to talk about, we're going to have a list of,

We're going to unroll, or unveil, I should say. It's a really long. We're going to unveil the top five moments for Phoenix Sports Fair, or Arizona sports fans this year. And we're going to start with number five, Phil Mickelson. Biggest moment of a legendary career. Phil defeats father time. Phil Mickelson winning the PJ Championship this year for ASU Peeps.

Obviously, he's a homer. but Phil Mickelson defeating Father Time, as Jim Nance said, pretty cool moment. As we all know, Father Time, the best PGA golfer right now. So a big victory for Phil. Phil's just so cool. Everything he does, him being left-handed makes the game so much more fun because he can do weird things. And he turns the club around, gets out of crazy situations. I think the most fun part is how he shoots himself into these situations.

He'll have an awful drive go off right. and he'll say a couple expletives and then make a miraculous shot to get him back in. I love everything about Phil, and it was really cool to see. Absolutely. His online game, too, he is one of the funniest guys.

Oh, yeah. Some of his videos and things, I mean, I liked Phil before, but he has become even a bigger star in my mind because of some of that stuff. It is the beauty of social media. That is the aspect of social media that is beautiful.

that you get to see more about these players off off the field or, you know, off the court or whatever. And it's pretty awesome. So let's bring in Mike Luke for our Arizona. He's the host of our AZ Wildcats podcast. Mike, what's cracking, buddy? What's going on, guys? Been listening to. And I see the Phil Mickelson love.

It's all right. There you go. Well, we're going to give you a chance to share some love and give us your Arizona Wildcats player of the year. You know, it's funny, when you messaged me yesterday, I was thinking, and I'm like, who is it? And then it took me about five minutes, and I'm like, it's Erie McDonald. And Ari McDonald really, I think, is the, she was really the centerpiece of turning Arizona women's basketball into a national brand again. And I think that that's what's exciting for people down in Tucson is that you're used to having this, you know, having this juggernaut men's basketball entity. But let's be honest here, over the last couple years, it's really been the women's basketball.

team that has taken the cake here. And she's the main reason why, because she was the best player in the country last year. I know that she didn't win that award, but, you know, watching it, she certainly appeared to be the best player. And she was able to, she was the one that was able to push Arizona, the program from being good into being a top 10 program. And they haven't looked back since. I mean, you can't really speak enough, highly enough of how she's done for this program. I mean, they're the number four team in the country this year. As we wrap up, 2021. They feel like they haven't played for like a month because of COVID. But nonetheless, Ari McDonald and her emergence as one of the best players in the country and then subsequent

number three draft pick in Atlanta. One of the bigger stories this year. Yeah, I think Adia Barnes obviously deserves a tip of the hat as well for what she's been able to do with that program down in Tucson. But that was a hell of a moment. You know, you saw a lot of people. You saw a lot of people not only in Tucson, but up here in the Valley, embrace that run and really have fun with it. And they came so damn close to cutting the nets down, too. It was a heck of a run. As a ASU guy, I still had so much fun watching that Final Four. That team just played with so much swagger and emotion. That was one of my favorite women's college basketball, by far.

Leah, you're you of A grad. Yes, I am. And I know you were there during the dark days of women's basketball. What were your thoughts over? It was just so great to, as a U of A alum, to have a team have that level of success. And like you have all said, just have everyone rally behind the team. And I've never, you know, watched a women's basketball game as closely as I did to that final game. And just to see all the love on social media, like just to see women's sports have success like that was really awesome for me. Yeah, absolutely.

And I think that's what's kind of transcended about it to pick up on Leah's point there is that, you know, Arizona women's, basketball is a big thing in this town now. I mean, you go and there's 8,000, 10,000 people there. I know things are a little bit different now because of COVID, but that program with Adia Barnes and Erie McDonald's spearheading, it has certainly captured the imagination of the city, and they haven't looked back since then. So to me, after I thought about it, I'm like, it's Erie McDonald, and then there's basically everybody else from an athletic perspective. Absolutely. Well, Mike, we appreciate your time and sharing the love for U of A and Tucson in general and, uh, and, and, and, and, really passing on everything about Ari McDonald because she was by and large.

I would say she was probably one of the top figures in Arizona sports this year just in total, not just the U of A as well. Nobody did more for back in the A this past year. That's for sure. Are we still back in the A, Mike? Oh, yeah. We're always back in the A. We're always back in the A here.

I was out last weekend and I backed the A of accident. Jane, I appreciate it's contagious, my man. Thanks, Mike. All right. I appreciate you guys. All right, that's Mike Lou. He's the host of the AZ Wildcats podcast. So if you get a chance, please subscribe there. But overall, I mean, that run was spectacular. And before we get to the Cardinals, you know, let's just kind of recap a little bit about, you know, PH and X in general.

I know the name P.H.N.X probably lends itself to Phoenix. And you think maybe it's just Phoenix only, but we're not. We're Arizona. We just use these as kind of like a call sign, you know, to try and bring you in. And so Tucson being a vital part of what we do here. as well. I mean, Mike's done a tournament on the job with that podcast in general. He's had tons of interviews, athletes, coaches come on to the show. I love this show. Pretty fantastic. Yeah. The one thing that I don't understand about Arizona college fans is not backing the pack. And so when U of A was making that run, even though they was Stanford in the Final Four, right, they played, whoever was winning that game I was going to cheer for in the Natty. And some people wanted U.S.

to lose after that as an ASU fan. I just don't understand that. Like I was so bought in this U of A team. Maybe it's because I liked how they play, but you want the pack to win. That's what I never got. You know, I think there's a healthy mix of that, right?

But I would agree. Like, for instance, earlier this year, when ASU was on a good role, I was sitting there thinking, please, please, please do something and actually come, actually reach your expectations

and go to the Rose Bowl. Or, more importantly, I don't think to Rose Bowl, I would have cheered for them. But I would say if they got to the college football playoff, I absolutely would have because I want to see these local teams succeed. They just can't succeed against my school. At a certain point, you have to let the rivalry go in that kind of a case. When it's a national championship on the line and your team really wasn't in the way of that school, I think you let it go. For sure. Hey, you know what, this is fun. This is good

for for everybody in Arizona and Arizona athletics. So, uh, so cheer for them. Yeah, I 100% agree. And I think also just again, as you of a alum, like just to see success, the last time I felt that same level of excitement was my freshman year when the men's basketball team made it to the elite eight. And I'll never forgive Frank Kaminsky. I know you love him, Espo, but that, you know, so just to feel that same joy, it's just incredible. Like, you know, we're all Arizona sports fans. but when your college team, like where you went to school, like that's with you forever. You can move to different cities and adopt different teams, but your college team is forever. And I think it's fantastic.

One of the things that, you know, I always tease Espo about because he has a tendency to dwell on, you know, he has PTSD, right, from Arizona sports of the past. And so like sometimes, you know, like when things don't look as great as they could, it's like the sky's falling sometimes. And I think all of us kind of experience that from time to time. And it's always good to remind yourself like, hey, when the going is going good or when the getting is going good or whatever. You know what I mean? When the going gets good?

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. There you go. Okay. Well, anyway. When things are looking up. When things are looking up, let's embrace that. Let's enjoy the moment. You know, I always say put a little relish on your hot dog because we got an experience.

without relish, without catch up, four championship chances this year. Oh, for four. That's all I'm saying. It only takes one. We just like to embrace Greg, the game is over in the first quarter, Esposito. Yes, yes. It's very sure. It's 16 to 12.

It's going to be a long time. Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Well, a team that's kind of been the epitome of both, I would say. They've started off fantastic at 7 and 0 and the late maybe struggled a little bit as the Arizona Cardinals and we're bringing in Johnny Venerable to talk about the Arizona Cardinals. That's Shane's favorite guy. What's up, Johnny?

What's up, folks? Thanks for having me on. I'm going to say, gentlemen, but Leah's on the show giving it some class. So thanks for having me on. Yeah, of course. Well, Johnny, you know, we could go a myriad of different ways in terms of your player of the year for the Cardinals. But who did you choose? Yeah, I mean, if you were to ask me before this season, I would have wanted to come on here and say Kyler Murray.

Because that means that I think that they're a Super Bowl contender. Right now they're not. And that's in part because Kyla Murray is not playing great football. So unfortunately, I can't say Tyler Murray. I would want to. I can't. The best player on this team from start to finish his safety, Buda Baker. And that's not because also he's probably their best overall player leading into this season.

I mean, he's got four pro bowls in five years. He was an all pro last year. He's going to be an all pro this year. But man, you just, you watch that. Sunday night game against the Indianapolis. And he is one of few players, no matter it's a prime time game, a 10 o'clock kickoff. He is ready to instill pain on the other team and he is ready to perform at the highest of standards. And that's why I think we all love them, right? Because at the end of the day, even against, you know, the Detroit's of the world and their recent losses,

their stretch of not great football, Buda Baker, number three, has been there performing. I mean, He has sacks Saturday night. He's got an interception this year. He's top 10 in the team in tackles. The secondary, in my opinion, is one of the biggest surprises of this year in terms of how they played. And even with, you know, losses of Robert Alford and now Marco Wilson, I still have confidence in that unit because of Bud Baker. He is somebody, he's carried the baton, so to speak, of the great safeties that we've had, dawn the red and white. Of course, with Adrian Wilson.

and now Buddha is that next in line. Tyra Matthew mixed in there. I think to me, when people think of this franchise, of course they think Kyler Murray first, but I mean, Buda Baker has a chance to be a Hall of Fame player in the long term. Well, I mean, he's not wrong about that. That's for sure. And I agree with the consistency aspect of this.

And I think that's what you were alluding to is just, Kyler's been inconsistent. And, you know, they have huge games coming up this week against the Cowboys. And as we know, clinched a playoff spot. So you never know what could change in the playoffs. Espo, you had talked about, you know, you actually made the post on our social about when they did clinch the

playoff spot about, you know, all it takes is getting in a reminder of the 2008 team. You know, what are your thoughts about the Cardinals chances as we move forward? Well, look, I mean, that 2018 was called the worst team to ever make the playoffs. They had gotten their asses handed to them in New England towards the end of the year. they slid backwards kind of into a playoff spot like this team, and they found a way to have that magical run. Now, they have games at home. I don't know that this Cardinals team is going to find their way into home games,

but there's talent there, and it's just going to take them finding that confidence again. I said it last night to Johnny on the Cardinals show. If they hadn't lost that Detroit game, things don't look this bad. Detroit's why this looks as awful as it did, because it felt like the same old Cardinals. So I still think there's a lot of opportunity here. I agree that Buddha's the player of the year.

Maybe Andy Lee. I mean, I didn't know holding was as important as it was until we saw the Colts game. But look, if they get right in Dallas this weekend, everybody's going to be singing a different tune. Leah, you know, you host the Coyotes podcast. Obviously, winning is not a very big. factor over there when you watch the Cardinals and you see their demeanor, how's it different

from what the Coyotes are going through? I think the Coyotes expected this and to see the Cardinals go through what they're going through. It's like a huge disappointment to the fans because Coyotes, it's like the bar is on the floor. So anything above that is great. But for the Cardinals, the way they started off this season, the bar was high and how they've been performing the last few weeks has been not up to the standard of Cardinals fans. So honestly, it might be a little bit easier to be a Coyotes fan right now, which is crazy to say. But I just think there's a little bit more hope right now for Coyotes fans versus Cardinals fans.

And I think, you know, maybe I don't know what's going on in the Cardinals locker room, but, you know, they just have to kind of regroup and get back to whatever they were doing early on in the season. Johnny, before we let you go, yes or no, the Cardinals will win or at least cover the spread in Dallas this weekend. I mean, I don't think they're going to do either. I want them to. I told Shane on Betts just a little bit ago, I would hammer five and a half for Dallas right now. Just a plethora of weapons.

I got to see it to believe it with this team right now. I want to be pleasantly surprised while Cheers that I are in Dallas for that game. we all want them to play well but i also can't you know hide the fact that this team has let us down each of the past three weeks and just kind of to go full circle here with buddh baker so we've talked about it before like this cardinal team they don't have enough dogs on the team i hate the terms swagger but like that's missing right now and until they get that back and it starts with number one in their head coach until that returns and you can count on upwards of you know 10 to 20 players on the roster to roll into a stadium and expect to win, they just, to me, look like a very soft,

finesse team right now. It doesn't mean it has to stay that way. But, man, after what Dallas just did to Washington last weekend, I don't know how you pick against them. Absolutely. Johnny, thank you so much for your insight and for joining us today. Bye, you little snaker. Thank you.

Check us out, P. H.N.X Cardinals live this afternoon 3 p.m. Johnny, the ultimate salesman. Always plugging in the show, which is great stuff. Also, host of our bets show along with Shane right here. My bad, co-host. My back, co-host. And speaking of which, football fans, I'm sure we all love an action-pack high-scoring NFL game,

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New customers only, eligibility restrictions apply. See drafkings.com slash sportsbook for detail. tails. Oh, all right. Well, that's a lot. Also, nine innings is a lot. Let's go to our number four highlight of the year.

One, Mr. Tyler Gilbert, throwing a... Center field, Marte! Pretty cool moment for a team that really struggled this year. You love to see it, right? It sounded like there were some crowd there. There was a crowd there, right? That was pumped in. COVID.

I mean, it was still a pretty cool moment for a team that was desperate for a cool moment, for sure. I do love that we found the 4x3 video of it, too. That's always impressive when you get the black bar. I'm glad we had that. Once again, Espo is always the brink. Always bringing the bombs to a day. Great no-hitter of feet that nobody accomplishes, but however, do you see the black bars? Yeah, you know what I mean?

Honestly, it was the debacks. It was the one bright spot that they had this year. And it was a hell of a one. I mean, technically they had two no-hitters, but MLB is so screwed up. that if you pitched an entire game and it was a no-hitter, but it was only seven innings, somehow it's not a no-hitter. Fucking baseball. But this was a no-hitter, and it was spectacular.

So it deserved to be in the top five. I mean, no-hitter is still a no-hitter. I agree with you, but it is seven innings. And I mean, most of the time when we see no-hitters get broken up, it's always the eighth or the ninth inning. He couldn't pitch the eighth or the ninth. There was no eighth or ninth. just saying

oh god stupid fucking baby anyway Tyler Gilbert congratulations on your feet that was a pretty

cool moment this year and we might as well go right back to you Espo you would not only have one but you have two athletes of the year that you have to pick

for the suns and the mercury I break the rules when I show up so look for the sons it's a no brainer there's one name that when you look at how that team transformed

and what they did if you're looking on the court, it's one guy, and it's Chris Paul. Chris Paul deserves all the praise for what the Sons did. He was an all-star. Had, you know, fantastic stats for his age at 36, wound up leading them to the finals. And you saw his impact on D'Andre Aiton, on Devin Booker, on the mentality of this entire team. They don't make the finals if Chris Paul doesn't go, you know what, I want to go play in Phoenix, because that's the other thing. He made the choice. he told okay say this is where I want to go because Sam Presti there had enough respect for him that he said I'm going to deal you to somewhere you want to play and Chris Paul one of the greatest point guards guards of all times

I was going to say point gods of all time our god one of the best songs we have here point God is an awesome God but when you look at it there's no denying that he was the reason that they that they had that dramatic shift franchise-wise. Yes, Monty Williams, James Jones, Devin Booker, you know, all have massive impacts. But Chris Paul comes and it shifts the mindset. It shifts the respect around the league and they found a way to get all the way to the finals and come very close to winning it all. So Chris Paul is definitely the man this year. And on the Mercury side, you know, a lot of love goes to DT, but I think the unsung hero,

for this team and has been for a while now as Brittany Griner. The most dominant big woman in the league. You say the most biggest woman ever. The biggest woman ever. Which is not a lot. She's pretty tall. The most dominant center or power forward in league history. She does things that no other woman has accomplished in the league.

She had huge stats this year. She wins a gold medal with Team USA. She helps lead the mercury to the finals. after nobody really expected them to get there. And they had a hard road to get there. They also looked like they were going to win it and had a little bit of a backslide, but she was spectacular.

And again, I don't think she gets the attention or praise that she deserves because she is one of the best of all time that leagues ever seen. And is the only woman that has really brought that next level excited. with those dunks early on in her career that we hadn't seen that brought a different kind of fan to the game with all that. So I can't say enough good things about Brittany Griner. I mean, the thing that people forget about is that Brittany Griner didn't even play last year.

She participated in the bubble for a short period of time, but then she left and she didn't come back. So the Mercury did everything without her last year. So to take basically a year off and then come back. And she was such a vital part of that team. A lot of those games in the playoffs were, they were in those games because she had kept them in them in the first half or through three quarters. And then D.T. and Skyler would do their thing. Or Sophie Cunningham, actually. I can't forget about her. She had a phenomenal first game.

So, yeah, I mean, that's this terrific. So we go from one end of the pendulum and reaching success. And I'm sorry, Leah. And now we're going to the other end of the pendulum. It's okay. We have a great attitude. This is true. probably one of the best attitudes for any team in this building for sure.

I can't wait for the the bar is the floor shirt. Yes, the bar is the floor. The bar is the floor. The bar is the floor. Far down. Bar down. There you go. Bar down.

You're the coyote's host. You've been watching this team all season long and really even last season as well. So this is a 2021 category, not just 2021, 22 seasons. So who is your kind of? So this one was hard because if you looked at just last season, it would have been one person. If you looked at this season, it would be another. But looking at the calendar year as a whole, the player who led the team in points was Phil Kessel, actually, which is ironic because he's probably not going to end this season as a coyote. But he has been won all of 2021.

So Phil Kessel is, for me, the coyote's player of the year led the team in the calendar year 2021 with 60. I feel like that's going to be a little controversial, yeah? Yeah, it will. It's fine. But another cool thing about Phil Kessel is he's third in the NHL all time for Ironman's streak. So he has played, I think, 930 consecutive games in the NHL, which is the scariest streak. Which is insane. And I think that's worth noting too.

But it is funny because when I thought about this, I conferred with Craig and Petey because I tried to get 30 cents. Craig actually said he thinks Connor Garland would be the coyotes player of the year, which is funny because he's not even on the team this year. But I think that's a good point. And that would be like my runner up probably because when he was traded, that trade hit the coyotes fans the hardest. I mean, the coyotes traded away their captain this year.

And that did not hit coyotes fans as hard as Connor Garland getting traded. Because Connor Garland actually does something on the eye. He tries so hard. Yeah. Tries hard. Loves the game. But he, but yeah. So he made an impact on the statute.

He made an impact in the team's emotions. and connected well with fans. So statistically, Phil Kessel was the best player. But looking from an emotional perspective, you can make the argument for Connor Garland. Connor Garland is like the not from leadership aspect, but from just pure annoyance, the Chris Paul of this team.

The last year he was. He was always getting hit the hardest because of how much he'd pissed the other players off. And him being traded was like your favorite restaurant canceling your favorite food item. Like I was so mad at the coyotes. I didn't want to watch hockey for a while. but now it's just so funny to watch and have a new favorite player. Phil Castle deserves some props too for the maternity photo shoot.

Yes. How about when he sold his house in Pittsburgh with like the single seat in the movie theater room, the giant movie theater room? So yeah, he's a character. He's a character. He is a character. I wish he would talk a little bit more. He doesn't really like to talk to the media so much.

But, you know, D.T. likes to talk to the media a lot. You got her on your shirt. That's a pretty dope shirt. Greatest of all time. And that leads us to our number three. Highlight of the year, Diana Tarasi in game five of the Western of the conference semifinals. Tarasia three for the lead.

She's so fucking cool. There is nothing better than when DT's on and she's fired up. Oh, yeah. Like there is no athlete, I don't care, across the spectrum of athletes that have ever played here, that it's quite like that. Diane, if you're watching this at any point in time, you're always more than welcome to come to our show.

We will even have replacement doors for you just in case you want to kick another one. And not only that shot, but her performance in the finals. And just the entire playoffs in general, when she'd get hot, it, nothing's more fun to watch than that. She's 36. She dropped 39 points. She had her career high in the playoffs when she was 36 years old. That's insane. The best part about that is she dropped that three, sent the ACE's packing, and then flew home right away.

to watch the birth of their daughter that next night at like 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning and then had to get ready to go just a day later to play in game one of the WNBA finals. The post-game interview? I'm coming. Yeah, so good. Just so awesome.

Yeah, I mean, DT is fantastic. I'm a U of A guy, but listen, I'm biased to the ASU, you know, the success that they have because their success is your success, Shane. Are you patronizing me? I'm not. So who is your sun devil of the year?

Because there's a lot to choose from. You're talking about women's and men's golf that reached a pretty high point. Football, you know, they had up and down seasons. But individual guys had some pretty fantastic, you know, numbers. Basketball, you know, women's basketball made the tournament. You know, so who is the one that you picked? To me, there's no person that impacted their team more individually than three. It's Rashad White.

He, the amount of times this man bailed ASU out single-handedly, the Washington game you're looking at. There were so many situations where this team had nothing going offensively. Jane Daniels deep ball that he's usually on point was just off this year for some reason. The receiving core, they didn't have a guy. Their defense would sometimes just get into a funk mid-game. And you'd look at three and be like, help me, please, help me. And he would. I mean, you saw those stats, a thousand.

rushing yards, over 450 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on just this season alone. He was incredible for this team, and he's going to be missed so much. And tomorrow night, you're going to get to see what ASU football is going to look like next year. Because for the most part, most players that won't be here next year with the exceptions of guys like Tyler Johnson are opting out of the game. So you're going to see Jaden Daniels and Daniel and Gato, which is going to be the one two next year. It seems like Herm's going to be coaching for his life, essentially, next year. So I'm excited to see this team What it's going to look like without Rashad White

And I can guarantee you that Sunnable fans are not going to be happy With three not on the field Because Wisconsin has the best defense in the nation And it's just going to be bad It feels like three is the magic number today We got Buda Baker Chris Paul, we talk DT

You had Rashad Like a lot of number three is having successful years in 2021 It's a good number I mean three is a good number Third time's always a charm except for when it comes to attempts that championships in the year 2021 for Arizona sports teams

4. We have 4. The Radlers. We can't forget about the Radlers, you know, they they, you know. Well, if you count UVA basketball, it's five. You of a women's basketball, it's fine. There are five chances, right? I thought that was the fourth. No. Mercury, Sons,

Radlers, and women's basketball. Oh, okay. I miscounted. I I threw in an extra Cardinals, but that'll be in 2022. I spelled being positive. Look at that. I don't know what to do with that. Yeah.

Well, I counter your sun devils with the number two overall highlight of the year. My Arizona Women's Basketball team. Arizona Baptiste back in. McDonald quickly into the front court. She wants to go and that's why. Through the lane, McDonald stops on a time, banks it in. And the foul. Here she comes off a 80s.

Street. A great look. It's good. It's a one-point game. Oh, God, it hurts so much when they lose by one in the national championship game. It's no different than Paxson, and it's no different than San Antonio Holmes in the corner of the end zone. It's just, I'd rather just get blown out. And that's what, that's what made me feel, you know, I could reflect on the season for the Suns and feel okay about the way things worked out. Yes, they were up too old, but Janus was on. another level in those four games like okay kandis parker and company um with the chicago sky i still feel like the the murk had a chance there but they played sloppy and chicago beat them like but they pulled

away late right this one oh crushing just right there right there seriously i can't eat greek yogurt because i'm so mad about the sun's championship in yonahs still right he's so full of it i swear i can't i can't Watch full house with John Stamos. I'm so angry. Oh, she's a Greek. Like, I just, but you watch Seinfeld. No,

I won't. Oh, okay. All right. My brain has blocked out the finals. Like, I literally, when people were like, Janus was incredible,

I'm like, yeah, I remember that he was, but I don't remember anything. Like, I just, I just, it's gone. I remember those first two games. It was great.

I don't know what happened after. COVID canceled it, right? Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry, but Leah, if, if, if the coyies made it to the, to the finals, I think you'd remember every play of that.

So the Coyote's last successful season was 2012 when they made it to the Western Conference Finals. And I still remember everything about that. That was nine years ago. That was the Kings, right? Yes, they lost to the Kings. I was a lot. I was expecting me to go. I was nine then.

And I remember everything about it. I was 16. I mean, sometimes you just got to enjoy the moment. You got to enjoy the moment. It was fun. Like, all these runs were so fun. Like, even in the losses. They were so much fun.

Yes. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy it. I'm saying it was so emotionally intense that my brain has, it doesn't remember anything. But I think that's the coolest thing about sports is that you can feel that way. Like that's something outside of yourself can like allow you to feel those emotions. Yeah. That's crazy. It's such a cool feeling.

That's what the Sun's run did. We were coming out of not seeing people. Yeah. Yeah. I think back to that and like those finals were the first time a lot of us actually ventured out because we had just gotten a second dose of vaccine. It was like, okay, I feel a little bit more comfortable to be in these major crowds through that playoff run.

And so it felt even more because of that, right? Like you felt like, wow, I'm back in my community. I'm back part of something that meant so damn much to me. And it's finally really back. Like it's great to do it online, obviously. but just being in that moment and feeling that energy, you're right, there's nothing like that.

Sports is the common language that it doesn't matter, you know, any of the factors that tear us so much apart right now. Sports when you're in that arena, you know, 18,000 strong and your one voice. Yeah, yeah. There's nothing like that.

And that's the one thing about pH and X is we talked about a million times is that, you know, we're here to build a community of sports. fans like and this is the one area where you know what your your biases aside or your politics or whatever you believe in like we can all root for the same team you know what I'm saying and that's that's the beauty of sports you know is that even in the losses yeah game five I went to the game and I went to meet my friends at a bar and I made one of my

best friends that was bartending that night because I was so enveloped in these sad emotions because they just gone down three one Tommy I love you man there you go Rock Bar for Life. Well, before we get to the team of the year, we are going to announce the player of the year. And selfishly, I was the one that picked us and the team. A huge voting group put together this scientifically. Spoiler, it's not the coyotes. I know.

Everyone is shocked. I know. We do have an honorable mention. And is this the player? No. No. Okay. We do have an honorable mention in terms of.

a moment of the year and that would be the coyote's seven straight games against the blues. Yes. But nobody cares about that anymore. Our player of the year is Chris Paul. He is our player of the year. Sorry, choked on my own. He is so emotional. I'm so glad that I didn't know who your player of the year was, but it aligned with the son of the year because that would have been really bad if we weren't on the same page.

I was going to pick Devin Booker just to spite you. I chose otherwise. Chris Paul, obviously, the biggest impact of any team here in the Valley. You could go with anybody from the Mercury, maybe D.T. or Griner. But in terms of a single impact player who took a franchise that was, you know, really reveling in mediocrity all the way to the NBA finals, it was quite the feat. Erie McDonald was pretty close because of what she did for the,

for an Arizona women's basketball program had never been past the Sweet 16. and hadn't been to the Sweet 16 since like, I think it was like to 1996 when their own head coach Adia Barnes was there. But Chris Paul for the Valley's original franchise, I just thought on a much bigger scale, it meant more to the state of Arizona. So Chris Paul is our player. I wish there was a plus minus for technicals.

Like how many he's made other players get compared to how many of the job. He would lead. Pat Bev. Any dispute about that. if there's anybody else you would like to throw in, who would it be and why? We've never seen anything like this. I mean, I don't think it's close. I think, as you said, it's the pure uplifting of a franchise,

like truly by one player. And you see what he does to other franchises. They're win-loss compared to the year that the year after he joins. It's incredible. I don't think it's close. I think it's Chris Paul. Leah? No, I agree.

It has to be. You know, I could see where maybe you could make a slight, argument that DeAndre Aiton in this calendar year taking the giant leap, having the huge playoffs, even though he didn't get his extension coming in and being a professional and not losing his crap on everybody and then playing well into this season and at an all-star level, that you might be able to make that argument. But that's if you don't look at the cultural impact that Chris Paul had on changing things. If you're just looking at stats and on the court or on the field,

that would be the only one that I might be able to make an argument for, but it would be a weak argument compared to Chris Paul. I agree. I agree. And ironically, Chris Paul leads us into our team of the year, which is three different ones. This says Phoenix Suns, but it's not just Phoenix Suns. We actually made it the Phoenix Suns,

the Arizona Women's Basketball team, and the Phoenix Mercury for all getting to their respective championships. We throw the rattlers in there. but we don't have a Rattler's podcast. So we'll just go ahead and talk about these three. Wow, basketball. Great year for basketball in Arizona. The winner was clearly basketball this year.

It's awesome. For sure. The basketball fans in the state were treated to something that rarely is seen without how good everybody played. I think it was the last time an NBA and a WMB team in the same city made the finals in their respective leagues was 2004. So it's not something. It happens a lot of them.

The Lakers and Sparks? Lakers and Sparks. So look, it was a hell of a run. Hopefully, you know, the sons have started off. Well, hopefully that continues. Merck, you know, looking for a coach, but it seemed to have the talent. And obviously, U of A ranked fourth right now. You make it a C.

And they're in the top ten in both men's and women's basketball, which is, who. And I know, and I know we touched on this earlier. Sorry, Shane. They're so good. I'm so scared. I know we touched on this earlier, but to see two of three of those teams, like be women's teams and to see not just sports fans rally behind them, but all the other teams to see how the sun supported the Mercury on their run. Like, it's just so great to see the support for women's sports because they deserve it, not just when they're making it to the finals, but all the time. So just to see that this year, for me, it was a highlight.

I agree. It was just so much fun. And that's what, that's what sports is all about. these teams all gave us a lot of fun. And before we wrapped this up, obviously we're going to get to our number one play of the year. And before we play this, I just feel like this is one of those moments where you remember where you're at, you remember what you were doing, and you remember the feeling that you

had when you watch this single moment. And this will forever go down as one of not only the iconic moments in Arizona sports history, but definitely, definitely. And when you start to play like the top play. of all time in Arizona sports. This is going to be right at the top. Also, the name. It's just, it's just beautiful.

The Valley Oop. Let's go. Prouder looking throws it. Oh, man. I just, I mean, Espo, you know, we did a podcast right after that. And we were all like kind of not only excited, but also shocked.

Like what just happened here? Granted, the referees gave us like 85,000 minutes to kind of reflect over it because they kept reviewing it a million times, but the vibe was immaculate. You look at it and the angle. You didn't see it in that shot, but the angle that Jay Crowder had to make that pass at from the baseline.

The fact that Monty knew that that wouldn't be called a goaltending because in an inbound, that's not possible. Devin Booker setting the screen that frees Aiton up to time that jump. appropriately and Aiton timing that jump as immacantly as he did to finish it, that encapsulated what made the sun so special. It was everybody working together, right? That was why that run was magical. It's why they were good. And that one play showcased all of it. And then, and the wow factor. I mean, it is to win a game. You know, inbound alley-oop, they're trailing, and they pull that off. And yes,

It's always great when you have a catchy name to go along with it as well. The angles kept getting better and better. I remember they showed the first replay and you're like, oh, my God, how did it even get there? Then you saw it on social after. There was another angle from the side. And then there was the one from behind. And you're like, oh my God, what a perfect pass. And my dad, I was watching with my dad.

My dad was being Espos because he immediately said, no, that's not going to count. I'm like, no, the cylinder. It's not in play because I knew that too. I was like, it's not in play. that this is going to count. And especially that Clippers team, I mean, it was just, oh, it was perfect. It was the perfect Phoenix Suns moment at that time. It was amazing.

From a U of A grad. Not grad. Just player. Sorry. Bear down. Maybe someday it'll be a grad. Leah, were you watching the game at that time? What was going on with you?

I believe I was at Zips, which is where I watched pretty much every son's playoff game this year, except I did go to one. So, but I just like, like we said, the community aspect, just being, with everybody and the feeling like you watched it on the court just now how everyone reacted how everyone ran like that feeling but just in a bar that feeling of just elation and like what is happening

and you know going on social media and seeing all the angles that was just insane the only disappointing I have about that is that I had the option to go to either game one or game two of the Western Conference finals I went to game one I got to see Devin Booker drop like 41 which was cool but damn I wish I was there for the value that would have been

So awesome. Are you guys get up and run around guys when something like that happens? You have to be. I am get up, but I don't run around. I got up and I sprint. I did like three laps like a dog. The last time I ever, I got up and did anything like that was when the Packers were playing the Cardinals in the playoffs and Michael Adams blitzed off the corner and fumbled into the arms of Carlos Dansby. And I had a bunch of Packers fans. I was living on base at the time. I had a bunch of Backers fans that lived in my area. and I ran out the door and I was like

Fuck you I was so pumped That's the last time I ran out I was I was there And I had watched the game by myself For all but that final play My wife was driving home with my daughter Listening to the game on the radio

Left the car in the middle of the street To get my daughter in in time for the final play And I got to watch it with her And her and I went nuts And that's awesome That's so That made that moment Really even more

special. And a meme came out of it, the Stephen A. Smith reaction. Yes, Stephen A. And Michael Wilbo. Yeah. Yeah. Jaws wide open. It's spectacular. Incredible. Well, that was great. Rehashed in 2021

with you folks. It was fun. It was fun. You know, catch us on PHNX at go phtonx.com. Please become a member. Join our family. We have a bunch of deals and specials for all our members. We got great content from everybody from Craig Morgan to Gerald Borgia.

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you please love us Please love us. I need hugs. No, that's not true. No, I actually hate physical touch. I always kick Espo every time it gets close to me. But for all of us here at PhD next, thank you so much. And thank you so much for joining us in 2021 as we launched this brand new company, which has been fantastic.

And we've appreciated all the love, the merch, the support in the Arizona community. You can see our billboards around downtown now. That's even cooler. So yeah, thank you to the fans and all the support. Until next time on the Phoenix Sports Podcast. Bye, bye, bye. Peace.