Tag: Ryan Smith

Former Jazz majority owners, the Miller …

Former Jazz majority owners, the Miller family, and the Jazz organization undertook a $125 million renovation of Vivint Smart Home Arena in the summer of 2017 to improve the fan experience, and with All-Star Weekend in mind. “Our estimation is probably between $45-50 million in impact,” Former Utah governor Gary Herbert said. “The economic benefit and what it will ripple through the economy is significant.”

“There’s looking over your shoulder,” …

“There’s looking over your shoulder,” said Tim MacMahon. “Here comes Danny Ainge who is the primary shot caller and a part time employee. Justin Zanik is still doing all the day-to-day GM work. “Justin Zanik, who is excellent at his job by the way, admitted he didn’t even know Danny Ainge right?” added Windhorst. “Danny Ainge is Ryan Smith, the new owner, is his guy,” said MacMahon. “They’re friends…” “When you bring in a guy in the middle of the season who doesn’t have relationships [with the front office],” said Windhorst. “Zanik reports to Ainge and Ainge and Ryan Smith make the decisions,” said MacMahon.

The tanned, stubbled face behind the …

The tanned, stubbled face behind the dark sunglasses and a black T-shirt underneath a white bib made Ryan Smith look the part of a PGA Tour caddie in the Hero World Challenge. Looping for Tony Finau is a break from his day job, and Smith only missed his regular routine briefly when he considered the calendar. The Utah Jazz owner would be missing a home game Friday night against the Boston Celtics. Even so, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Finau’s regular caddie, Mark Urbanek, is home as his wife prepares to have a child. Finau and Smith have been friends in Salt Lake City longer than either can remember. “He called me and he’s like, ‘Bro, I need you to caddie for me.’ I had to answer the bell, right?” Smith said after his boss for the week rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt for a 6-under 66 to sit one shot off the lead going into the weekend. “When Tony calls, you go. He doesn’t ask for a lot.”

Smith won the Jack Lemmon Award at …

Smith won the Jack Lemmon Award at Pebble in 2019, giving to the amateur who provides the most help to his pro. He and Teater finished third in the pro-am. “It’s like suiting up and playing an NBA preseason game,” Smith said. As much as he loves the competition, Smith finds great value in relationships through golf, not to mention a little peace and quiet. “Some of the best business relationships and the best partners I’ve met on the golf courses. No way our paths would have crossed if not for this game,” he said. “And it’s the one place I go where the phone stays in the bag, which is incredible. “My wife says, ‘You need yoga.’ I tell her my yoga is golf.”

Tony Finau’s caddie at Hero World Challenge is worth $1.5 billion

Tony Finau’s regular caddie didn’t make the trip to the Bahamas. In stepped the owner of the Utah Jazz.

Tony Finau is among the elite field of 20 golfers competing in the Hero World Challenge this week.

His caddie in the Bahamas is a member of a different elite field: the Forbes list of richest Americans.

Finau’s regular caddie Mark Urbanek reportedly didn’t make the trip so that he could stay home with his expecting wife. In stepped good friend Ryan Smith, whom according to Forbes has a net worth of $1.5 billion.

Smith, 43, founded the cloud computing company Qualtrics, which was several years later acquired by SAP for $8 billion. In October of 2020, Smith led a group that bought a majority stake in the NBA’s Utah Jazz for $1.66 billion.

Smith started playing golf as a kid growing up in Utah and worked at a course when he was 14. He has been friends with Finau for years and the two have paired up in the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach and the Dunhill Pro-Am in Scotland.

Smith owns a house on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links and reportedly finalized the sale of his company to SAP in that house.

“Pebble Beach is like our home away from home and it’s been a huge, crazy part of our lives,” he once told the Deseret News.

This week, he’s helping Finau climb the leaderboard in the Bahamas. Finau opened with a 68 and followed that with a 66 to get within a shot of second-round leader Bryson DeChambeau, who leads at 11 under.

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Chargers CB Ryan Smith has torn ACL

The Chargers will be without one of their special teams aces for the remainder of the season.

The Chargers will be one less cornerback after Ryan Smith suffered a torn ACL, head coach Brandon Staley announced Monday.

Smith started in place of the injured Michael Davis on Sunday against the Eagles. He sustained the knee injury towards the end of the game, and Kemon Hall took over his spot.

Signed this past offseason, Smith spent nearly all summer on the sideline nursing a core muscle injury. He made his debut for Los Angeles in Week 5 against the Browns.

The loss of Smith is a tough blow, as he supplied the Bolts with a core special teamer and defensive depth in the backend.

In 2021, Smith appeared in four games and recorded five tackles and zero interceptions.

Chargers final injury report vs. Eagles: 3 out, 1 doubtful

The Chargers’ secondary will be thin on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Chargers released their final injury report ahead of the Week 9 battle with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Here is a look at the report:

OUT

CB Michael Davis (hamstring)

RB Justin Jackson (quadriceps)

CB Asante Samuel Jr. (concussion)

DOUBTFUL

S Alohi Gilman (ankle)

With Davis and Samuel out, Tevaughn Campbell and Ryan Smith will start alongside Chris Harris Jr.

After an eyebrow-raising performance against the Patriots, Jackson will not play. Instead, Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree will split the carries behind Austin Ekeler.

If Gilman can’t play, rookie Mark Webb should be due for more time on the field.