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See store or sleepnumber.com for details. Today's guests, UCLA guard, Kiki Rice, ESPN college basketball analyst, Jay Billis, singer and actor, Joey McIntyre. And now, it's Rich Eisen.
All right, everybody. Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. We are live on the air from Los Angeles, California on the Roku Sports Channel between 12 and 3 Eastern every single day if you want to see our smiling faces. For the radio audience, I just paused and smiled to the Roku Channel audience. And it was a beaming smile. I'll be honest with you.
I'll be very straight with you. Right here on the Infinity Sports Network, Channel 375 on Sirius XM. We say hello to anybody who's streaming us on Odyssey or listening to us on our podcast. All three hours of this award-nominated podcast.
Yeah, we got stuff going on around these parts. 844204 Rich is the number to dial right here on this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. Jay Billis will be joining us on the show.
Kiki Rice of the top ranked, overall ranked UCLA Bruins as the women's brackets came out yesterday. She will be joining us on this program. And Joey McIntyre will be in studio in hour number three. That's right. Wow. Oh, yeah. I'm going to be hanging tough with Joey today.
That's exactly what we'll be doing. So he's a new kid on the block. Jay Billis is an old kid on the block and you're with our block. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you? Rich, I'm great. Great to see you. Good to see you, too.
Jay Felley. Good to see you. What's up, Rich? You got a green hat on today?
I do. What does your shirt say? It says Irish today hungover tomorrow. Are you Irish today?
I will be after the show. Very good. Good to see you, TJ Jefferson. How are you? I'm sensational, man.
You got happy St. Patrick's Day. Are you Irish, TJ? Just my DJ. You know, my DJ name was DJ Swagger McGee, the black Irishman.
I didn't know that. Yeah. How many names do you have? About 13. What's a larger number? The number of names you have or teams you root for? Oh, that's tough.
They're about neck and neck right now. That was nice. That was funny.
Thank you very much. We got the minister of propaganda, too jiggy. We got the black George Clooney.
We got DJ Swagger. Yeah, there's a lot. Very good. Well, I'm the influencer.
I can't talk that name. Guys, March Madness is out and, you know, we'll be talking about the brackets shortly here on the program. We'll massage the brackets.
We'll take a look at the bracketology. We'll talk about who's in, who's out, bubbles popping, the whole thing. J. Billis will be joining us right in the middle of the show, a centerpiece of this program to have had that. And we've got a special selection Sunday edition of overreaction Monday on this program. The overreaction Monday podcast is out.
Chris Brockman and I recorded it before the show. And hey, we're on the air here on the Monday after the National Football League opens up the free agency window. And unbelievably, right now, I again, I know there might be some pushback on the unbelievably part of it that Aaron Rodgers has not made a decision at all about where he's playing football next year. Where is A.A. Ron right now? And again, we assume he might be. The sun rose here in Southern California an hour and a half ago, assuming potentially that he was on the beach. One thousand percent.
Staring at the sunrise, wondering about his future. I think it was week two of the green and white Lotus. And last night's episode. Well, Susie and I have yet to take it all in just yet.
That said. I don't know what is going on with him other than the fact that he's either forcing his way into a situation. That he likes over the other, creating a situation where he's getting what he wants to do football wise or he's forcing himself into retirement. Because I don't know how much longer the Giants and the Steelers are going to be waiting around for him to potentially choose the Vikings anyway. And that was the report over the weekend from the Athletic that Rodgers, his choice for next season isn't the Pittsburgh Steelers. And it isn't the Giants. He wants to go and pull the far of triple Lindy. Wow. And he wants to go to Minnesota. And I I get it. I mean, football wise.
Right. Football wise, why wouldn't you want to go to a team that has a Justin Jefferson? My cousin. B, 14 wins last season. C, the reigning coach of the year, who is basically your age contemporary ish. And in Kevin O'Connell, great guy, great coach, great quarterback whisperer. Great fan base.
More on that in a second. Why wouldn't you want to also, if you want to take one more trip around the football sun or two, take one or two more trips around the NFC North for Auld Lang Syne and go back into that division and visit Green Bay a couple more times and visit Soldier Field a couple more times and visit Ford Field a couple more times and do to everyone else what you did to them in Green Bay. Makes complete and total sense. Defense, where you only have to put two or three touchdowns on the board. And when you do, you won't shove your coach in the chest and say there's your two score lead and everyone's going to be saying what's going on with you and the coach because you're not in New York City.
And you you got that going for yourself. These all make sense. But does it make sense for Minnesota to do it? When they have cleared the decks for J.J. McCarthy and he is a 22 year old coming off of a knee injury, but he is J.J. McCarthy, the kid that you traded up one spot in the draft for last year. And it is now time at some point you're going to turn to him.
Do you turn him into Jordan Love of this equation? It would be amazing that Favre, the Favre triple Lindy or the triple Favre Lindy gets completed. And there's a little bit of Green Bay that's brought in to the fact that as Rogers waited for Favre to be done and Love waited for Rogers to be done, that Rogers shows up to Minnesota to complete the triple Favre Lindy.
And he brings from Green Bay the you've got to wait and take your turn and blossom from the bench to J.J. McCarthy. Would the Vikings do that? Pause. Hold. So Rogers shows up.
Do they do that? And then you mentioned the fan base. You mentioned Skoll.
OK. I just remember when Favre went to Minnesota. There were some Vikings fans that were kind of like, really?
We're going to go with old man Packer? But I just generally remember when Favre showed up in Minnesota. It was a big moment, certainly on NFL Network, where everything Favre did, we were covering. And nobody's made me late for dinner more in my total access years than Brett Favre. You know, Terrell Owens was a close second, Ben Roethlisberger close third.
Other than that, when I was on NFL Network, total access from 03 to 2011, Favre was the clubhouse leader in terms of me calling Susie and saying, you know, cancel dinner plans. Well, yeah, cancel. And and her responding, it doesn't matter, I'm doing my own thing anyway. Is this thing on?
Can you imagine if I turn the show into that right now? At any rate, a little therapy. Long story short, Favre was welcomed there in many ways. And there was no heir apparent that Favre was showing up to growth stunt.
This is different. Rogers showing up in Minnesota. I don't know how entirely welcome he would be in school country. And if. I'm not saying he would have to start 5-0 like Sam Darnold.
But it would have to be a good start in order for there to be no clamoring for the kid. And would Rogers want to do that? And I don't know if he could escape that anyway, going to Pittsburgh or New York, because they might draft a kid anyway.
They'd be wise to do it. I don't know third overall if you're the Giants. But if you're the Steelers and you've got. 21st overall. Might be too soon trading back in using your second round selection. On. Jackson Dart or.
Our Tuesday guest Tyler Shuck. That might be the move. This is what Rogers is thinking. And every single minute that he doesn't make a move, the Giants are having Jamis Winston in today. And I understand that you might sit there, go, well, they side Jamis doesn't close the door to Rogers.
It is. Another veteran that they're bringing in. Tommy DeVito is already back. I don't know, guys, if you're the Steelers and you're the Giants, you've got to make maneuvers.
You've got to go. And then there is in this process lurking Kirk Cousins. Who had a deadline over the weekend in Atlanta. Where if he was on the roster, then 10 million dollars of his 2026 salary, not this year, next year salary would be guaranteed. So the Falcons 27 million are on the hook for this year after paying about 90 million in cash last year.
Another 10 million log got placed on the fire. On Saturday, and the Falcons were like. Fine, we got the match. They're sitting back saying, we're good with this. We're good with an incredibly. Overpriced and potentially overqualified backup quarterback. Which Cousins has not been. Since the three days when he got drafted into the same draft as Robert Griffin, the third.
And I'm sitting on the draft set in Radio City Music Hall saying, what's up with this? And Mayock's like, yeah, whatever. He'll join us Tuesday.
And Cousins right now. Is a backup quarterback in the NFL. There's no other way to put it. He won't like it.
I don't blame him for liking it. His Mona Lisa Vito football clock is ticking. And he will enter the season.
The Falcons are saying right now he will enter the season. As the guy who's got to be in Penix's ear, telling him, look out for this, look out for that. I'm preparing to be the backup. So I'm a professional. I'm making sure you're not only that you're set, but I'm set. We're working on the game plan together.
We're watching film together. We're in the quarterback room together. He's got to be that guy. And he's a pro.
Might not be easy, but that's what he's staring at right now. And there really is no midnight on this situation, folks. Midnight, as we say in the NFL, or it's really 1201 because it's an after midnight league. That deadlines spur actions in the NFL, but only until they've been passed. And then five minutes later, that's when the deadline is.
I don't know when midnight is midnight. If it's not an extra 10 million on the fire where the Falcons are thinking, well, that 10 millions in 2026 anyway, it'll be offset if he's on another team. If he does wind up going somewhere else or we send him somewhere else or.
It'll be offset, so it doesn't matter to us anyway, and we need to have him here in case the kid that has a an injury history in college gets hurt. And who better to back up than Kirk Cousins? Unless, say on draft night, the Giants don't get the quarterback they're looking for, the Steelers don't get the quarterback they're looking for because Aaron Rodgers said no. Or the Vikings haven't gotten anybody because Rodgers wound up because he didn't say yes in time.
Wound up being retired. And does Rodgers pull a full on far and come back in the summer or do you flip a draft choice to the Falcons and say. We'll take on a salary. We need him to be our starter and that amount of money to pay him for a starter. That's.
That's less than. And again, if Rodgers at midnight has not hit and we are 15 minutes into our second week of football, new league, your talk. Does he, in fact, pull a full on far by saying I'm retired and then comes out of retirement in August and signs with the team?
Wow. Does he lurk throughout the entire offseason while the Giants went ahead and filled their void? The Steelers went ahead and filled their void and the Vikings went ahead and filled their void.
And it's not Rodgers. And he's done enough ayahuasca and he went on his trips and he saw enough of the globe to say, you know what? I'm still feeling frisky enough to play some football for a couple more years.
Who wants me? And he pulls the full on far. So basically what I'm saying is midnight hasn't struck yet. And guess what? As soon as this segment is over and it almost is. Rodgers could say, I'm going here, there. But right now, it appears Minnesota is his choice. And if you're the Giants and you're the Steelers, do you say you've got this amount of time? I would do it. Got to make plans. Got to go. Certainly if Cousins might be sitting there on draft night anyway.
And Rodgers might be sitting there in the summer anyway. This is not a live shot. This is apparently from last week. What kind of music would you put on that? Oh, the White Lotus. Yeah, I would put the theme song from White Lotus.
You know, because everything again, the White Lotus, anything that looks tropical or beautiful, it's got some sort of awkward or spookiness behind it. Eight, four, four, two or four riches. The number to dial when we come back, we'll take a look at the brackets. My Wolverines won the Big Ten tournament and the bracketologist gave them the Jerry Palm.
Eight, four, four, two or four riches. The number to dial right here on the Rich Eisen show. I'll explain what that means. Chris just gave me a little I'm googling.
OK, very good. That's coming up next. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today.
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AutoZone. Restrictions apply. It's St. Patrick's Day. Do you know who Patrick Morrissey is, Chris? Do you know who he is? J? Nope.
T.J.? Like Morrissey the singer? No.
I am human and I need to be loved. He's the governor of West Virginia. Oh. You know what the governor of West Virginia is up to today? Why is he chiming in on this?
He's getting ready to hold a live stream of consciousness, one would think, of invective. He is upset that West Virginia did not make the men's NCAA tournament. And he is holding a press conference with the attorney general of West Virginia to announce, as he's calling it, actions against the National Corrupt Athletic Association. NCAA.
Will that be covered on MSDNC? Is that whose type of page he's pulling from here? He's going to sue the NCAA? I guess. No, no, no. Yes, the NCAA, but the National Corrupt Athletic Association.
See what I get? They're corrupt because... Corrupt. And I guess they're going to tell him, talk to the Jerry Palm. Now, I made that reference that the selection committee gave Michigan the Jerry Palm. Jerry Palm is the name of the bracketologist of CBS.
Sounds like he's a Boogie Nights character. And that's what I kept thinking every single time I'm watching the Big Ten tournament. And Ian Eagle's like, hey, you know, Jerry, according to Jerry Palm's statistics.
And I'm just thinking, is Jerry Palm sitting in the front seat of his car, hearing the fact that they might sue, calling himself an effing idiot? I mean, Michigan didn't get completely snubbed out of the tournament, though. No, they didn't. But Michigan wins the Big Ten tournament. They win the Big Ten tournament. They beat Purdue, Maryland and Wisconsin. And Purdue, Maryland and Wisconsin have higher seeds than Michigan, which lost its last three regular season games after a highly successful Big Ten campaign. For them, you know, when you go from 23 losses to winning the Big Ten tournament, I guess you need to do more than just win the Big Ten.
It's just like, so does winning the tournament not matter? They were like, Michigan State's a two and they won the Big Ten regular season and well deserved. They played start to finish best basketball in the Big Ten. OK, beat Michigan twice, pounded them. But Michigan beats Purdue twice, regular season and the Big Ten tournament and Purdue's a four. Michigan beats Maryland on an exhilarating Tyus Edney type score. I don't know if you caught the end of that game from their point guard down the middle of the court right on Maryland to beat them at the buzzer. And Maryland's higher seeded and then they beat Wisconsin and Wisconsin's a three seed. OK. So it looks like they made their bracket and it just didn't matter who was going to win the Big Ten tournament.
Fine. So Michigan's a five seed. Then the dreaded 5-12 spot as all of us in, everyone put that up one more time in the south region that Michigan is in, but they're playing their first games in Denver. All of us Wolverines are learning all about UC San Diego being a 30 win team.
Got no idea about that. The dreaded 12 seed. And then Texas A&M plays Yale. It would be amazing if Michigan plays Yale, not only just because it would be Yale versus the Harvard of the Midwest. But Danny Wolf, Michigan's one of their two revelatory seven footers, was a transfer a port. One of those rare Yale transfer portal to Michigan.
Whoa, that's a cool story. Dusty May snagged him from Yale. And he's now in Michigan. Auburn is at the top of that south region and the top of the entire bracket, even though it lost in the semifinals and even play for the conference championship in the SEC. The other one seeds, Florida is is a one seed as well. A terrific season for the Gators. One seed, Duke. We all understand what's going on with Duke.
Cooper flag expected back 30 win. Houston is another one seed. Florida is a one seed out west playing in Raleigh and then in San Francisco is where the west region is.
There's UConn. How about the two time defending men's champs is an eight seed. Taking on Oklahoma. The title defense will be on the line. They eke in as an eight seed and might be the round of two opponent against the Florida Gators. There's Maryland, which Michigan beat, taking on 13 seeded Grand Canyon. Grand Canyon.
Okay. That's in the west region right there. As far as I mentioned, Duke. Duke is the one seed out east starting in Raleigh. That should be a great time for all those in North Carolina. Home game.
Dig all the way. The winner of American or Mount St. Mary's. Waiting for that first four.
Don't call it a plan, please. Oregon and Liberty, Arizona and Akron for that top of the east bracket region. Alabama is the two seed in the east. As I mentioned out in the south, Auburn is one, Michigan State is two. And in that western bracket where Florida is one, do you know who's two?
St. John's. How about St. John's is a two seed like I'm back in friggin high school again. Right.
And they're playing that. Those games are in Providence where Rick Pitino used to be the head coach. Took Providence to a Final Four. That's right. So those games in Providence, by the way.
Okay. Omaha, if I'm not mistaken, it's Omaha's first ever NCAA tournament appearance. And then the other three coaches in Providence, Bill Self's Kansas Jayhawks taking on John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks. And then there's Rick Pitino's St. John's.
That's awesome. And then little old Omaha trying to call, if you will, an Omaha on March Madness with St. John's coming in. Rick Pitino is a two seed with St. John's in Providence, Rhode Island.
Wild. Got to assume that's a night game, Rich. Well, why is that, Chris? Because the whole country wants to see a New York team in primetime? Is that what you're saying? Why are you saying that, Chris? No, Rick Pitino's a vampire.
I didn't know that. Careful, there might be some pushback on that. From the vampire lobby? Anything else? Anything else leap out at you from interesting matchups to governors threatening to sue? Honestly, you know what? Is there more of an absolute waste of anybody's time than somebody in state or federal government, local government, spending any taxpayer dollar or any single split second of their time railing against a sports snub by threatening to sue?
Florio, Mr. West Virginia himself. Yeah, he chimed in. He was like, we definitely got screwed, but this seems like both a waste of time and a publicity stunt.
What the hell? Oh, I care about what you care about, so I'm going to threaten to use the levers of government? Trust me, as a Michigan Wolverine, nobody would jump into the NCAA sucks pool quicker than me. But I wouldn't want the governor and the AG of Michigan to be doing anything other than governing the state and actually catching waste, fraud and abuse and holding those people who deserve to be held to account in such fashion. But kudos to the governor's staff to come up with National Corrupt Athletic Association. That was a good one.
I like that. They sit around the meeting and go, Harumph, I didn't get a Harumph out of you. Harumph.
As you know, that's what you say to governors. William J. Le Petimane once did not get a Harumph and he took it out on Rock Ridge. I have no idea what you're saying. That is for Blazing Saddles, sir. Governor William J.
Le Petimane. I think you're right, though. I'll be in with this. The providence with the superstar head coaches. I love that.
That's always a storyline, especially in the one and done era. The coaches are kind of the stars now. Did I see a record 14 SEC teams made it?
That is bananas. Yeah. I mean, you look everywhere and there's SEC teams everywhere.
Everywhere. We'll see, bud. We will see. You know.
I'll have some thoughts later. I got a little March Madness overreaction coming later. Texas and Xavier, San Diego State and North Carolina are the top seeded play.
First four. Most controversial pick of UNC getting in. That's where West Virginia's beef is coming from. North Carolina gets in and West Virginia does not. UNC in their one quad, one win. The whole quad this and RPI that. I mean, there's not a real way to measure these teams. They're all playing each other. So you got to do it somehow.
And, you know, the nerd stats, if you want to call them that, they do serve a purpose. Just don't tell Jerry Palm how to shoot the scene. That's all I tell you. Just don't tell don't tell him how to shoot the scene. Is he going to be at the wrong place at the wrong time at a donut show? I don't know, man. I'm hesitant.
Oh, no, it's got on you. How about Gonzaga as an eight seed? They got to be sitting there going, OK, just keep disrespecting us. Gonzaga is an eight and Louisville is an eight and UConn is an eight, guys. Do not sleep on the Huskies.
You know what Cooper told me, my Cooper? I had no idea as Michigan got a five seed. Despite winning the Big Ten tournament, Dusty may be coming the first ever Big Ten coach in his first year with a team to win the Big Ten tournament. Oh, really?
Yes, sir. No five seeds ever won a tournament. A one, two, three, four, six, seven and eight have won a tournament. No five? The basketball gods have skipped five. Jay Billis is going to join us on this program to discuss exactly all of this.
We've got a what's more likely coming up that is a selection edition of it. Overreaction Monday, Rich. Say that again. It's an overreaction. What did I say? I'm sorry. Pardon me about that.
But we're going to be joined by one of the best of the top seed in the women's tournament from UCLA. Kiki Rice will join us to discuss that and so much more here on this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. We've got a sports update coming in a second.
844-204-Rich is the number to dial. We didn't even discuss Jamar Chase getting paid, but we will. And the same thing with T. Higgins. Cooper Cupp is a Seattle Seahawks. That happened seconds after we went off the air on Friday. In the NFL, there's no margin for error.
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It's a great day for a new Hyundai. All right, back here on the Rich Eisen Show, everybody. We just looked at the men's brackets, the women's brackets. Los Angeles is UCLA and USC on a collision path or what?
UCLA is the top ranked team in the entire top seeded team in the entire women's tournament. Totally random and getting set to take on the rest of all the comers is none other than Kiki Rice of UCLA, presented by TurboTax. How are you doing, Kiki? I'm doing great. Thank you for having me.
I am very pleased to have you here, courtesy of TurboTax right here on the Rich Eisen Show, getting set to head into the tournament. What's your what's your two cents on being a Big Ten champion? Is it tough for you to get used to even call yourself that, Kiki? Yeah, it is. It is pretty crazy. I mean, I'm from the East Coast. So when I came out to UCLA, I did not expect to be playing in the Big Ten. The Big Ten's a conference I watched growing up and everything. But it was a bunch of East Coast teams and Midwest teams. So it's definitely pretty crazy that we're now in the Big Ten. And for UCLA and USC to be two of the best in our conferences, I'm sure pretty unfamiliar to a lot of people.
Well, best in college basketball, you could even just go bigger than college, just your conference, the entirety of the sport. And I guess it was only fitting that the Big Ten championship came down to you and USC. And you finally got past them first time this year.
I'm wondering, what was the difference this time around in Indianapolis for you, do you think? Yeah, I mean, they're a really tough team. You know, a lot of great players.
Juju's obviously great. And I think, you know, they really just locked in and focused on kind of had a little bit of a different game plan. And we played hard, but a really great opponent. And we had two great matchups with them this year.
But, you know, we came out on top and we were just really excited with how we competed. Let's be honest. Were you just sick and tired of hearing about Juju? Let's be honest.
Kiki, what do you think? Yeah, I mean, it was tough seeing a lot of, you know, a lot of press coverage for them and everything. I mean, they beat us two times, so they deserved it. But, you know, I think we all felt like, you know, we deserved that attention and we just wanted to win.
So I'm just glad we got it done. Now, again, you play in Pauley Pavilion and you're coming from the East Coast, but, you know, you're from a basketball family. What is it like to stroll onto the court in Pauley Pavilion and play for UCLA?
Kiki, what is that like? It's remarkable. I mean, every single day when I get to walk in the arena and practice there, I'm reminded of how much of a historical place that is. Pauley's one of the best arenas in all of college basketball. And I'm just grateful to be able to practice there and play there every time. But, you know, we've had a few sellouts over the, you know, the first few years that I've been here. And like whenever the crowd is just super loud and a lot of people, I'm just like reminded of, you know, how special Pauley is. It's star-studded, too.
I mean, again, your last home game against USC was the event in Los Angeles of the weekend. And I'll be honest, like LeBron and Luka are playing in this town, you know, and Kawhi's playing in this town. But, you know, did at any point in the time, did you look around and go, there's John Legend, there's Miles Garrett, there's, you know, so-and-so. Did you take a peek at any point in time in the crowd for that, Kiki?
I think it was actually funny at one point. I think there's a free throw or something or maybe I was inbounding the ball and I look over and like, oh yeah, I think that's Miles Garrett right there. And obviously I'm focused on the game and everything, but yeah, I'll look around and see who's there. But I'm also, I'm a big football fan, so like I, you know, I recognize him, but it was pretty funny to see some really cool people on the sideline.
He's tough to miss, Kiki, to be very honest with you. Exactly. Exactly. Plus he is. Definitely, yeah. Definitely him. Yeah.
And he was in a good seat, you know, surprise, surprise. So what is the challenge in front of you and your fellow Bruins here, Kiki? Yeah, I mean, obviously we won the Big Ten tournament championship, but you know, that's just the beginning. We're not done yet. We're going to be, you know, top seed in the NCAA tournament and we'll have a long, difficult road ahead of us. But I think we're motivated and focused and we just have to take it day by day and focus on getting better. But yeah, it's not going to be easy.
March is a really tough time of the year and we're going to play a lot of really good teams, but we'll be ready. What's, have we gotten past the point of you and your colleagues and everybody else who's playing in women's college basketball growing the sport? Do you think we've passed that point, Kiki?
What do you think? No, I mean, I would say there's been a ton of growth and definitely women's basketball is receiving a lot more attention than it has in the past, but I wouldn't say we're past growing. I mean, our generation, this next generation coming up is going to continue to do all that it can to continue to grow the sport because, you know, the generation before us did that for us and that's why we're able to have the platform and the support that we have right now. And I'm like really grateful to be playing right now because I think right now women's basketball is one of the hottest things out there across, you know, all different types of sports, both men's and women's, so I'm just, it's a really fun time to be playing. Have you found yourself being recognized more than before? Yeah, definitely. Yeah, definitely. I was walking around LA the other day and a few people stopped me and it's just like on random areas and everything, but it is pretty cool to, you know, be recognized and for, you know, my team on campus to be, you know, be celebrated by our fellow students and professors and all of that, so it's a fun time to be playing.
What do you mean? Have you been back to class since winning the Big Ten or have you gotten like a cheer in the classroom and walking in even before all that? I have class today, so we'll see what happens today. It hasn't happened yet, but yeah, I mean, before like previous weeks and everything, you know, our professors would be like, everyone go to the women's basketball game or would ask questions about it and everything, and I've had a bunch of professors that always come to the games and everything and support us and always want to talk about what happened the next time I see them in class, so it is pretty cool to have a lot of different people across campus invested and not just the team and coaches and athletic department.
Before we get to Turbo Tax, just a little bit more on you, Kiki. One of our producers here on our show went to school, went to Yale with your dad, and he sent us this photograph from Indianapolis. We put it up on the screen right there. Yeah. Yeah.
There you are. One of my favorite photos. Now, who's in this photograph? One is another individual I recognize, but I'll give you the floor here on who these folks are.
On the right side is my mom and my dad wearing the blue jerseys, and then in the white jerseys is my aunt and my uncle, and yeah, probably maybe you're saying you recognize my aunt? Yes, that is correct. Yeah. Susan Rice? Yeah, Susan Rice, yes.
Uh-huh. She worked in the Obama administration and in the Biden administration, and now that she's not working in government anymore, she's a huge, huge supporter of mine. She comes to a lot of the games. I don't think she's missed that many this year, so she loves coming out.
And yeah, my family supports me all the time, but it's really great to have them by my side all the time. And because I know your dad played at Yale, did your mom play at all? Yeah, my mom played at Yale, but she played tennis, so different background in sport, but she has learned a little bit about basketball now because I've been playing for so long. Okay. And I know the Obama family has a connection to Oregon State back in the Pac-12 days. Does this mean Obama is now de facto a fan of the UCLA Bruins, Kiki?
I would hope so, yeah. Okay. I mean, I know he always puts out his March Madness bracket, so let's hope that he has UCLA winning this year, I think.
Okay. We'll see if he's got USC going further than UCLA, but it kind of does feel though, Kiki, that there's a fourth meeting between you guys coming up soon. Wouldn't you get that general sense of things for sure?
Definitely could be. You really never know in March. Anything can happen, but I think we'd both love to play each other again. I could definitely see us both going really far in the tournament and meeting again, but yeah, I mean, it's going to be a tough matchup every single time we play each other, so I could definitely see it coming.
I mean, with all due respect to South Carolina, UConn, everyone else, I don't know, just kind of get the sense that there's another matchup between you and USC. What's your relationship with TurboTax before I let you go, Kiki? Yeah. You know, I've obviously partnered with TurboTax. That's why I'm here today, and I think it's really interesting because as a 21-year-old college student, most people my age haven't worried about paying taxes and thinking about that stuff, but with NIL and obviously everything that it comes with, I'm really kind of in a different position, and so thinking about paying my taxes is not something that I maybe thought I'd have to do beforehand, but now that I'm in this position, I've really had to be smart and strategic about that, and TurboTax's they're done for you tax prep solution really makes filing taxes a lot easier and more stress-free, and that's something that's really important for me just because I'm traveling, obviously really busy, and I have to stay on top of all that.
The TurboTax experts, they really help people like me out, and I'm just really grateful for them. I love that. Before I let you go, Kiki, just to get a little personal here, I've got an 11-year-old daughter. She's a baller. She's a point guard. She's got game. She's made her all-star team here locally. She plays two, three times a week in various leagues. My wife, Susie, is co-hosting a show called Women's Sports Now that we're going to invite you on here on the Roku channel. It starts in a couple of Thursdays, and my wife Susie took my daughter Taylor to Pauley Pavilion that night.
She was in the crowd, and it was awesome. What advice would you have for an 11-year-old girl who's into basketball and is basically starting off what I hope to be an illustrious career like yours, Kiki? Yeah, I would tell your daughter and any other young girls in similar positions to have fun with it. I mean, once you get to a certain point and your basketball career becomes really competitive, it becomes tough, but just have fun as long as you can. I think when you have that joy, the commitments and maybe the birthday parties or the hangouts with their friends that you might have to miss over the course of when you grow up, they'll all become worth it just because you're having fun. You're enjoying the sport. You're competing and playing hard. And make your free throws, right? Exactly.
And make your free throws an important one. Kiki, thanks for the time. Good luck in the tournament.
Let's chat down the line. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
You bet. That's Kiki Rice here from UCLA, courtesy of Turbo Tax. It's officially tax season. Hand off your taxes to a Turbo Tax full-service expert today. They do your taxes. You enjoy the tournament.
Now this is taxes. So neat stuff right there. By the way, the bracketologists in the women's side putting USC and UCLA on the same side. So they would face in the final four, not the final game.
Interesting two cents there. Jay Billis on the men's bracket coming up in hour number two on the Rich Eisen Show.
