1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Joining us now on the Java House Coldbrew Coffee guest line. 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: He is in i believe, his eighteenth year as the 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 1: director of basketball Operations at Purdue and a return guest 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: to the program. Elliott Bloom joining us from San Jose. Elliott, 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: I'm guessing seventy eight degrees in sunny in California? 6 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,240 Speaker 2: Is that right? Pretty close? 7 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 3: It's a little little cooler earlier in the day here, 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 3: but yeah, yesterday it was sunshine and low eighties, high seventies. 9 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 3: So yeah, pretty good living out here in California. 10 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 1: How and be honest here, you know, just in terms 11 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: of your team, the all of the logistics that go 12 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: into the travel with this and all of it, how 13 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: are you feeling about everything right now? 14 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:44,519 Speaker 2: I feel pretty good. I mean, most of the Hayes in. 15 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 3: The barn now, you know, now that we're on site, 16 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,560 Speaker 3: in the hotel and everything, there's a lot of a 17 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 3: lot of planning that goes into it ahead of time, 18 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 3: and you know, most of the work is done while 19 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 3: we're kind of in in game mode in Saint Louis. 20 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 3: You know, I'm kind of working ahead on what it's 21 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 3: going to look like for the next week. If we're 22 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 3: fortunate enough to get through two games there, and you 23 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 3: kind of start playning ahead and and and then once 24 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,479 Speaker 3: once the outcome comes to fruition, you get those wins 25 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 3: and you know, you kind of execute the plan you've you've. 26 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 2: Put in place. 27 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 3: So it's it's I always tell people in my in 28 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 3: my role, I'm always kind of working ahead. So like 29 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 3: people say like, hey, what time's practice tomorrow, I'm like, 30 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 3: I have no idea. I can tell you what time 31 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 3: practice is in two weeks because That's what I'm working 32 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 3: on right now. But you're always kind of trying to 33 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 3: stay one step ahead of things. 34 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: How does it work in terms of and and I 35 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: want to get into the team here in a minute. 36 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: But I think people find and I know I do 37 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: interesting just the backstory of how it all comes together. Right, So, 38 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: for example, when you know that you're going to San Jose, 39 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: who has the ultimate say on when you lead? Does 40 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: the NCAA determine what day you have to arrive? How 41 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: what all goes into that? 42 00:01:55,040 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 3: Elliott, Yeah, you're kind of at the mercy of the travel, 43 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 3: the system that the Encidabila makes you use. What ends 44 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 3: up happening is we you know, you know exactly where 45 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 3: you're going if you win those games, so you can 46 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 3: kind of start ahead of time. They pred assigned hotels, 47 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 3: so we knew that if we were fortunate to get 48 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 3: through Saint Louis, that we knew what hotel we'd be 49 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 3: going to here in San Jose. So you could actually 50 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 3: get a little bit of work done ahead of time 51 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 3: if you wanted to. But what ends up happening then 52 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,399 Speaker 3: is the first call I made when we walked off 53 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 3: the floor after the win against Miami on Sunday was 54 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 3: to the travel hotline that the ENSABLA gets all the teams, 55 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 3: and basically I'm telling them, look, we would like to 56 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:43,239 Speaker 3: leave Tuesday, you know, in early afternoon, and you put 57 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 3: your request in and you tell them how many people 58 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 3: you are going to have on the flight, and then 59 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 3: they get to work finding you a plane and getting 60 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 3: that all set up. 61 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 2: So we're we're in. 62 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 3: A really good advantage at Purdue because we've got a 63 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 3: campus airport. A few places in the country that's got that, 64 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 3: and so we've got a little bit more flexibility than 65 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 3: maybe some schools that have to, you know, maybe bust 66 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 3: to Indye or bust to another airport across town. So 67 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 3: We're in a pretty good situation there. 68 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 2: But this year was great. It was very smooth. 69 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 3: They came back with the plane as requested, and away 70 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,119 Speaker 3: we went and landed in San Jose yesterday afternoon, got 71 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:19,359 Speaker 3: over to the hotel and then you go, you know, 72 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 3: you got to line up buses and things like that. 73 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 3: You got a lot of hotel meals and rooming lists 74 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,239 Speaker 3: and all the like of that stuff. And so there's 75 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 3: a lot that goes into it. I certainly don't I 76 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 3: don't envy those teams that have people going to the 77 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 3: term for like the first time or the first time 78 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 3: in like. 79 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: Ten years or things like that kind of ask is 80 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: it almost advantage? Like is it a disadvantage to a 81 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: program that is so caught up? And I think we 82 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: think to ourselves, Man, what if the moment's too big 83 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: for the for the players and you know, the just 84 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: the spotlight itself, but all of the logistics of it. 85 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: Can that be the kind of thing that can distract 86 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: a program away. 87 00:03:57,920 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 2: One thousand percent? 88 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 3: And I mean I think that if you have a 89 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,839 Speaker 3: team that really can lock in on just one game 90 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 3: at a time, and it's and a lot of that's 91 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 3: cliched talk, right, I mean it's coaches talk oh or 92 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 3: taking it one game in time. But there's a reason 93 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 3: that coaches say that year after year because that's that's 94 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 3: the best mentality to have. So you're not overlooking anything 95 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 3: and you're not getting caught up in the moment. I 96 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 3: saw an interview the other day with coach A. Shewsky 97 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 3: on I don't know what was on Instagram or something, 98 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 3: and some guys were asking him, you know, what he 99 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 3: used to do with his team, and I thought he 100 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 3: made a really good line, and we actually shared it 101 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 3: with our team too. It's that when you're a part 102 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 3: of March Madness as a player, all of a sudden, 103 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 3: everybody in your life you're the conduit to March madness. 104 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 3: So friends, family, you know, former teammates that you played 105 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 3: high school ball with, things like that, like you're the 106 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 3: superstar now at the rock Star because you're playing in 107 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 3: March Madness, and so they all have questions for you. 108 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 3: They want to text you and you know, wish you 109 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 3: luck and hey, how's it going, what do you thinking 110 00:04:57,279 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 3: and all that stuff, and it's easy to get caught 111 00:04:59,920 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 3: up up. All of a sudden, you're talking to twenty 112 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 3: people about what it's like to be in March madness, 113 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 3: and now you're paying less and less attention to this 114 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 3: guy and report and to get enough sleep and putting 115 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 3: your phone down and taking care of your bale and 116 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 3: all that kind of stuff that goes and being a 117 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 3: high major athlete. And so I thought that was really 118 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 3: a really good point because some teams, if they get there, 119 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 3: I thought last year, if people remember, we played Nicknee 120 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 3: State in the second round in Providence, and when they 121 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 3: won the game after us, they knocked off Clemson and 122 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 3: they celebrated like they had just won the national title. 123 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 3: And I remember thinking to myself, like, man, that's good 124 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 3: for us, because it feels almost like they're so caught 125 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 3: up in a great win and it was a great 126 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 3: win that maybe they're not going to be as focused 127 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 3: for us now. Whether or not that contributed to the 128 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 3: next day, who knows. But the teams that you know 129 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 3: can stay locked in, I think just give themselves a 130 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 3: little bit of an advantage. 131 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 1: What is it about? Elliot Bloom is my guest. He 132 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 1: is the director of basketball operations for the Due Boilermakers 133 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 1: Texas up next in the Sweet to team Elliott, You're 134 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: around this team obviously, every single day, and from the outside, 135 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: I'll give you the outside thing that I've said on 136 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: the air as my observation, and that is that it 137 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: seemed as though, and I understand it, teams go through 138 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: ebb and flows, and it's a long season. You know, 139 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: sometimes guys just get tired of each other. They've been 140 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: around each other, bicker and whatever, and then you, guys, 141 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: it all came together in Chicago and now seemingly through 142 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 1: two games here in the tournament, did you feel that 143 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: there was a rebond, a recoagulation, if you will, of 144 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: your group here in the last three to four weeks. 145 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think I think the best way to describe 146 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 3: it to those who are kind of on the outside 147 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,799 Speaker 3: or haven't been like a part of a team or something, 148 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 3: I think, and I think your observation is very astute. 149 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 2: I think that. 150 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 3: We we probably hit a point in the middle of 151 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 3: the season when we played really good teams, and I 152 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 3: think it's I think it's bearing out how good the 153 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 3: Big Ten is, you know, to have as many teams 154 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 3: as we have in the Sweet sixteen, and for some 155 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 3: of these teams to have beaten some of the teams 156 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 3: they've beaten to get there, it's proven out that the 157 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 3: league is that has been at a high level all year, 158 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 3: and you know, we come back from a heartbreaker from 159 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 3: the West Coast and then we lose another heartbreaker at 160 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 3: home to Illinois and just kind of started probably losing 161 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 3: confidence a little bit. But I think more than anything, 162 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 3: just kind of there was probably a feeling like, well, 163 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 3: we're probably now it's an uphill battle to win the league. 164 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 3: And that's always a goal of ours, you know, year 165 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 3: in year out, because if you can do that, you 166 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 3: just it sets you up for postseason and everything else. 167 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 3: And so I think when that kind of goal was 168 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 3: realized that that was going to be really hard to achieve, 169 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 3: I think it kind of put us into a little 170 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 3: bit of a funk. And you know, like you said, 171 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 3: it's a long, long season. You know, teams that looked 172 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 3: a certain way in December, if you go back and 173 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 3: watch them in February, you could think you're looking at 174 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 3: two different teams, completely different teams. 175 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 2: But I think that there was. 176 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 3: A sense that with our guys that you know, at 177 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 3: the end of the day, Okay, maybe we can't win 178 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 3: the Big Ten regular season championship, but there are still 179 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 3: a lot of our goals out in front of us, 180 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 3: and it was great to get to Chicago. And I 181 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 3: think our goal in the Big Ten tournament has always 182 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 3: just been just find your rhythm. If you win, great, 183 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 3: If you don't, it's not the end of the world. 184 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 3: And I don't remember a postseason tournament, conference tournament having 185 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 3: as much tournament implications and ze tournament implications as the 186 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 3: last as this year. It seemed like across the country 187 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 3: there was a lot of outcomes other than bubble teams 188 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 3: that had some impact on seating And you know, I 189 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 3: think we did find our rhythm in Chicago, and I 190 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 3: think it allowed us to get up to a two 191 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 3: line and obviously along the way to be able to 192 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 3: kind of hang another banner and win another championship for 193 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 3: this group was great and certainly buoyed the confidence of 194 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 3: our guys. And you know, another little thing is like 195 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 3: Braden Smith getting the assist record done and out of 196 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 3: the you know, now that's another thing that's not on 197 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 3: anybody's plate to worry about. 198 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 2: We can just kind of move on and play. 199 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 3: So a couple of good things I think happened, you know, 200 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 3: to us, and I think in the process allowed our 201 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 3: guys to get their rhythm back and their heads up 202 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 3: a little bit. 203 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 1: Say a guy to me, Elliott that has been incredibly 204 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 1: impressive over the last year. And I know Braden Smith's 205 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,079 Speaker 1: a phenomenal player in his court, vision is second to none. 206 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 1: Fletcher Lawyer is as good as shooter as you're going 207 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: to find when he's going. 208 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:34,320 Speaker 2: And CJ. 209 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: Cox has been huge for you guys in stretches. I 210 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: thought he was huge towards the end of the half 211 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: against Miami. But I am so impressed from the outside 212 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: at the unselfish leadership, by play and overall maturity of 213 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: Trey Kaufman ren of being a guy that from the 214 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: outside looks like is one that says, what do I 215 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: need to do to win? Not not what do I 216 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: need to do for my team to win, not for me, 217 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: not for the for my team to win. What is 218 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: it about him, assuming that that's an accurate statement, when 219 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: did you see that about him? And and what was 220 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: it about him that led you to say, aside from 221 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: his basketball prowess, that's the character we wanted to p Do. 222 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 3: You know he's probably I've said this before to others, 223 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 3: he's probably as unique of a young man that we've 224 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 3: ever had in our program. I mean, he's a philosophy major. 225 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 2: You know. 226 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 3: It's very common to go down to the training room, 227 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 3: you know, an hour before practice when guys are kind 228 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,079 Speaker 3: of coming in getting treatment, getting their ankles taped, and 229 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 3: he would be just kind of sitting there and maybe 230 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 3: eating an apple and getting his ankles taped, and like 231 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 3: asking people with their opinion on, you know, a historical 232 00:10:54,920 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 3: event or you know, a philosophy type question. He's just 233 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 3: a different guy in the greatest possible way, very mature, 234 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 3: looks at things, probably through a different lens. There's a 235 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 3: lot of times you could be mid conversation with him 236 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 3: and you have to remind yourself that you're talking to 237 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 3: a young college kid instead of a you know, forty 238 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,839 Speaker 3: year old man. He's just got a really good worldly view, 239 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 3: very grounded. 240 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 2: You know. 241 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 3: In the summer, sometimes our guys get week here or 242 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 3: there where they can you know, go home and see 243 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 3: family and kind of. 244 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 2: Charge their batteries up. 245 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 3: We always get the guys like a week around the 246 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 3: fourth of July, and then they get some time in 247 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 3: August before we get back to school. And I remember 248 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 3: asking him, I said, TK, what do you you know 249 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 3: what are you doing this weekend? He goes, Oh, just 250 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 3: going camping with the grandparents, And I'm like, okay, I 251 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 3: go there's an answer I've never heard before. 252 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 2: From year old old right. 253 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, And I think he went, you know, in 254 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,319 Speaker 3: one of those state parks. And so then Indiana, they 255 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 3: just kind of went hung out and did some camping, 256 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 3: did some fishing, and and that's him. He he's just 257 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 3: a very he's super complex and how he looks at things, 258 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 3: but yet he's just a simple guy. And the selflessness 259 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,440 Speaker 3: you talked about is very evident. I mean, and I 260 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 3: think that kind of goes across the board. In our 261 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 3: locker room, we don't take ourselves too serious. And if 262 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 3: anybody starts getting a big head in our locker room, 263 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,319 Speaker 3: they're gonna be they're gonna be reminded pretty quick that 264 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 3: it's really about all of us and not you know, 265 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 3: one individual. That being said, like they're they're very much 266 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 3: champions of each other, and so like all the guys 267 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 3: are very happy for Braden. They've been happy for Fletch 268 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 3: and the stuff he's accomplished. They've been very happy for 269 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:38,119 Speaker 3: TK and all the stuff that he gets, you know, accomplished. 270 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 2: And stuff. 271 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 3: So there's certainly there's a cheerleading that goes on for 272 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 3: each other. But at the same time, like, you know, 273 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 3: check your ego at the door a little bit when 274 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 3: you come in the locker room. 275 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 2: Are you allowed? 276 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 1: I don't know by n CUAA rules. Elliott Bloom as 277 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: the director of Basketball Opposite produced, so I don't want 278 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: to Maybe I should have asked ahead of time. Are 279 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: you allowed to comment on a on a recruit that 280 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: is committed but not yet arrived on campus. 281 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 2: If he has signed with us? We can. 282 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, And so my apologies. Has Luke Irdle officially signed 283 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: with you guys? 284 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, he's signed, So yeah, he's on board. 285 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: So he is a guy that we just had him 286 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: on last week. I don't typically have high school players 287 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: on the show, not in a bad way, but because 288 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: oftentimes they're not overly loquacious and they're not very insightful. 289 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: And yet I had him on and it was the 290 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,839 Speaker 1: same thing. I thought to myself, Wait a minute, I'm 291 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:28,839 Speaker 1: talking to a high school kid. This guy sounds like 292 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:31,839 Speaker 1: he's thirty years old and getting ready to, you know, 293 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: go into a courtroom for a case or something. As 294 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: a lawyer. I mean, very intelligent. He's from your high 295 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: school obviously in Mount Vernon. What about him, also, do 296 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: you feel is going to make him a fit for Purdue. 297 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 3: Well, I think a lot of what you just said. 298 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 3: I mean, he's wired. It's interesting because when I was 299 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 3: when he committed to us, and then I was talking 300 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 3: to some people back at my high school and some 301 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 3: teachers and admins that were still still around that were 302 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,319 Speaker 3: there when I was there, and some of them were 303 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 3: Indiana fans and are Indiana fans, and they said, well, 304 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 3: we hate to say this because it pains us, but 305 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:10,839 Speaker 3: he is as Purdue as you can get. Like him 306 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,439 Speaker 3: and his family are just saw the Earth people, and 307 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 3: there couldn't be a better fit. So I think we've 308 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 3: gotten to a point now and been doing this for 309 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 3: so long that you kind of know what that means 310 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 3: when people say it, and you know, you probably maybe 311 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 3: ten twelve years ago, had to explain that to people. 312 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 2: Well he's a fit of proval. What does that mean? 313 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 3: You know, it just means he's got a great work ethic, 314 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 3: and he's willing to come be a part of something 315 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 3: bigger than himself, and he's got some toughness to him 316 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 3: and He's got some maturity to him, and I think 317 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 3: that really describes him. I'm super excited to get him, 318 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 3: you know, in the mix this summer and get him 319 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 3: going with us. And I know he is too, and 320 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 3: hopefully he's another guy that you know, maybe in two, three, 321 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 3: four years I'm jumping on this call with you again 322 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 3: and talking about him doing some of the same things 323 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 3: that these guys have done in our locker room right now. 324 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: Now, he did not break the single game out and 325 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: Vernon three point record, correct. 326 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 3: No, I think I think somebody No, he did not, 327 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 3: but we've talked about that before. 328 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 1: Okay, lastly, thoughts on seeing Camden, Heidi and overall thoughts 329 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: on the Texas Longhorns. 330 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, they're super talented, really good team that I think 331 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 3: has kind of come together at the right time. 332 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 2: You know. I think they. 333 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 3: You know, another great league obviously that they're playing in, 334 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 3: and obviously with coach Miller taken over for the first time, 335 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 3: it takes a little bit of time, you know, for 336 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 3: him to kind of get his program going and his 337 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 3: system implemented and those kind of things, and certainly they're 338 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 3: they're doing it at the right time of year. I 339 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 3: think our guys. You know, when we see cam it'll 340 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 3: be great to say hi and everything, and then you know, 341 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 3: the game will be the game. And you know, the 342 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 3: guys who have left us over the years and gone 343 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 3: out to other programs, you know, we've we we catch 344 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 3: their games as much as we can. I mean, there's 345 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 3: a lot of times that you know that we'll be 346 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 3: coming to practice on a day and people be like, hey, 347 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 3: do you watch Will last night? Did you watched Miles 348 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 3: last night? And most of the time the answers like, yeah, yeah, 349 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 3: we shot them at text and said good game and 350 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 3: things like that. You know, we saw Miles Colvin this 351 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 3: year down in the Bahamar Tournament. We were playing in 352 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 3: the Bahamas, and he hit a game winner in the 353 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 3: game before us, and it was kind of a cool 354 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 3: moment because all the Purdue fans in the building were 355 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 3: cheering him on and as he came off the floor, 356 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 3: our guys were high fiving them and stuff like that. 357 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 3: And we got to watch yesterday, we watched Wilburg at 358 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 3: Wichita State playing the n I T and and constantly 359 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 3: texting with those guys and just telling them good game, 360 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 3: you know, on things like that. 361 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 2: So it's it's a new day and age in college. 362 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 3: You know sports now obviously, and I think there's probably 363 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 3: some old school people that can't fathom that world. But 364 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 3: you know, you can sit around and complain and moan 365 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 3: about it all you want, or you can just embrace 366 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 3: it and just you know, that's that's where we're at. 367 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 3: And so I think we've kind of chosen to do 368 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 3: the latter and happy for those guys, and it'll be 369 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 3: it'll be good to see Cam and his family this week, but. 370 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: We sertainly look forward to watching you guys play, should 371 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: you be fortunate enough to use your words to get 372 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: out of this round. Fortunately, the travel will be a 373 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: little less arduous in terms of the next round because 374 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: it would be Indianapolis for the final four. But work 375 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 1: to do between now and then, and it starts with 376 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 1: the Texas Longhorns first and foremost. 377 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:15,679 Speaker 2: Elliott Bloom. 378 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: Always appreciate the time man, great insight, and we certainly 379 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 1: wish you guys the best of luck out. 380 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 2: West sounds great. Appreciate you having me on. 381 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: Appreciate it. Elliott Bloom joining us