1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: There is a ton of college basketball to talk about, 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: and when it comes to talking about a ton of 3 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: college basketball, there is nobody better to do it that 4 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: we wanted to get right off the top with the 5 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: tournament pairings and the Butler News and everything else than 6 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: Mike Decursi of the Sporting News and the Big Ten Network, 7 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: as I always say, the dean of college basketball writers. 8 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: And he joins us on the Java House Colbrew Coffee 9 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 1: guest line, Mike, bottom line, it basically is Christmas season. Man, 10 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: here it is and you are you are literally Chris 11 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,319 Speaker 1: Kringle right here on the radio program. Awesome time of year. 12 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: How are you? 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 2: I am, well, Jake. 14 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 3: But you know the difference is that after Santa Claus 15 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 3: delivers all the presents, he gets to put his feed 16 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 3: up for the next three hundred days, and I'm still 17 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 3: working for the next month at least. 18 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's true. That is a good point. Well, that's 19 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: the whole month is fun. And like I said, Mike, 20 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: it's always funny to me whenever one shining moment comes on. 21 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: I mentioned this last week. Whenever I watch one shining 22 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: moment at the end of the tournament, it's very melancholic. 23 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: To me because you're seeing the it reminds me of 24 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 1: tournaments of yesteryear and people we've lost and things like that. 25 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: I know that sounds over dramatic, but it's also interesting 26 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: how in three weeks when we know who the national 27 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: champion is going to be, today feels like at that 28 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: point five years ago, you know what I mean. So 29 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: much happens over the course of this tournament, which is 30 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: the magic of the whole thing. 31 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 3: Well, you said overly dramatic, but it's really not, and 32 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 3: it's really poigning in this particular tournament because there are 33 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 3: two teams, Kennesaw State and South Florida that were coached 34 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 3: by a young man named Amir Abdur Raheem, brother of 35 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 3: Sharif Abdur Raheem, who was a great NBA player, and 36 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 3: Amir was a rising star in coaching, and he coached 37 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 3: Kennesaw to the tournament a couple of years ago and 38 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 3: then came over and took over South Florida and got 39 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 3: them invigorated. I don't think they made the tournament yet 40 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 3: under him, and he passed away very suddenly last year, 41 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 3: and so to have both of those teams in this 42 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 3: fear so soon after we lost him is exactly what 43 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 3: you're talking about. 44 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: And he was very highly I mean he was really 45 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 1: highly thought of, right, not just as he was as 46 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: a coach. 47 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: He was a guy, right, yeah, wonderful person. 48 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 3: As a matter of fact, the American Conference has now 49 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 3: named their. 50 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 2: Sportsmanship award after him. 51 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 3: And he was a guy who was going to be 52 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 3: He was on a rocket ship up the charts in 53 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:28,519 Speaker 3: college basketball. He was going to be in a major 54 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 3: conference at some point soon. It was just going to 55 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 3: be a question of taking the time to make the 56 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 3: right move, the one that would fit him best, the 57 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 3: one that was set up for success, not just the 58 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 3: first big paycheck. I think that the coaches sometimes make 59 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 3: that mistake, or maybe it's not a mistake. Hey, if 60 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 3: I get enough money, it won't matter if they if 61 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 3: they run me out, and if I win, then they'll 62 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 3: keep me longer. So or maybe they'll give me one 63 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 3: of those contracts with those huge buyouts that the eighties 64 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 3: keep growing around like candy in certain places. 65 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:00,959 Speaker 1: So Mike one of the players is that Mike de 66 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: course he is my guest. It was not a buyout, 67 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: but rather a retirement. But we know now to lead 68 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: off the show, let's talk about that Mada and Butler overall, 69 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: I guess just assessment of Fad in his career and 70 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 1: then also where you believe Butler turns well. 71 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 3: I think that first of all, Sad when he left 72 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 3: Ohio State, I wasn't sure whether he was going to 73 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 3: coach again. 74 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: At that point, I knew well of his health issues. 75 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,639 Speaker 3: I've known Sad for twenty five years now, always have 76 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 3: admired and respected him and thought that he was on 77 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 3: a Hall of Fame track. 78 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 2: I didn't think that I knew that he. 79 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 3: Was headed to the Hall of fame if he hadn't 80 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 3: had the health issues with his back and the surgery 81 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 3: and everything that resulted from that. He was on a 82 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 3: Hall of Fame track without a doubt. His record at 83 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 3: Ohio State was phenomenal. The work he did at Xavier 84 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 3: getting them to the elite e, the work he did 85 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 3: at Butler to really launch what became the rocket to 86 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 3: the to the multiple final fours that Brad Stevens took 87 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 3: them toward. I know that Barry Callier got the program 88 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 3: set and going, but it was a really terrific mid 89 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 3: major program. 90 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 2: When Barry left and when. 91 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 3: Sad in his very short time he said his experience 92 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 3: said yeah. 93 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 2: We can be a little better than that. We can 94 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 2: be a lot better than that. 95 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 3: And then ultimately Brad took it to where it went 96 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 3: and that got them all the way from the Horizon. 97 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 2: League to the Big East. 98 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 3: And so when he retired or resigned or whatever we 99 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 3: call it, when he left Ohio State, I wrote a 100 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 3: column then and I just shared it again and I 101 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 3: went back and read it and I was like, Wow, 102 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:45,280 Speaker 3: that column still works. It's like the same, like everything 103 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 3: that impacted him then still impact that. 104 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 2: He fought through it at Butler, but it just he. 105 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 3: Just didn't have the same gun, the same juice that 106 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 3: he had when he was in his prime. And I 107 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 3: thought he did it really fine and work at Butler, 108 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:02,559 Speaker 3: but they just needed more. 109 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 2: And I probably wasn't the era, so to speak. 110 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 3: For him to be trying to push that rock up 111 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 3: the hill because of the influence of Nil and all 112 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 3: of that. And I think that really the first thing 113 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 3: that every program like Butler that has not yet been 114 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 3: successful in this era, and it is a distinct era 115 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 3: from probably twenty forward, anybody that hasn't been successful has 116 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,239 Speaker 3: to look first, can how do we afford to be great. 117 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 3: That's the first question that they have to answer. 118 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 2: It. 119 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 3: Going out and hiring the biggest named coach is never 120 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 3: the most important thing. It wasn't before money it is, 121 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 3: and it isn't now. You have to hire somebody that's 122 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 3: got the skill and the talent. I always it always 123 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 3: amazes me at how many people hire resumes and don't 124 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 3: hire coaches. 125 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 2: Oh, he's like, okay, he's. 126 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 3: Been really good, really good a long time. But he's 127 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 3: never won the NCAA Tournament. He's never made the NCAA 128 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 3: tournamer whatever it might be, whatever that barrier is, he's 129 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 3: never made this to Kenny coach, that's the question that 130 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 3: needs to be asked. But the first question that needs 131 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 3: to be asked is not how to afford that coach, 132 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 3: but how to afford a team that can be competitive 133 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 3: in the Big East. 134 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 1: How do we support said coach? 135 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 3: Right, Yes, that's that's the biggest question for every team 136 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 3: that's that's in every conference, but especially I think in 137 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 3: a position like Butler's, where they're not a state school, 138 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 3: and so where where do we get enough money so 139 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 3: that we can afford a team that can be highly 140 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 3: competitive in a very good conference. 141 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 2: I think you seeing that. 142 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 3: That's a struggle for a lot of the teams below 143 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 3: the Saint John's, Yukon Villanova level that no one else 144 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 3: has stepped forward. Providence Georgetown even hasn't been able to 145 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 3: step forward to be great. And I don't think it's 146 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 3: that they don't have the right coaches. I think that 147 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 3: it's a question of whether they have the money to 148 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 3: compete with Florida or Kentucky or whoever it might be 149 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 3: out there. 150 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: Do you believe you know? I was just saying, Mike 151 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: before we brought you on, and then I want to 152 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: get into the brackets themselves and Purdue notably, but on 153 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: this stab a bout of Butler situation. I've talked to 154 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: a couple of different people from different areas, and you 155 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: can always tell, Mike when you do it long enough, 156 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: when you talk to people that don't necessarily cross pollinate 157 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: and they kind of tell you the same thing, then 158 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: that's when you're like, Okay, there may be something to this. 159 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: By that, I mean, at no disrespect to him, I 160 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: don't know that Travis Steele is as lock and stock 161 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: a candidate for Butler as people may assume. And Ronald Norad, 162 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: the former Butler Star, who has been in the NBA 163 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: for quite some time now in coaching circles, I think 164 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 1: is one of candidates. But are there others out there 165 00:07:58,320 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: that we might be overlooking? 166 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 3: Well, I think there are capable coaches all throughout college 167 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 3: basketball that could do a really good job, and it 168 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 3: may be someone that no one's heard of a lot. 169 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 2: I'll just give you an example in the Horizon League. 170 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 3: Andy Toole has been at Robert Morris I guess for gosh, 171 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 3: fifteen years now, maybe something like that. 172 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 2: I don't know exactly the tenure, but his teams are. 173 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 3: Always good and he always finds talent to extent the 174 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 3: first time around when he had success at Robert Morris 175 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 3: in the early part of the previous decade in the tens, 176 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,839 Speaker 3: I guess the early tens, even before the portal guy 177 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 3: started getting plucked off his rosters to various high major places, 178 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 3: and of course then they'd have to sit out. But 179 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 3: now they can go in a year and go start 180 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 3: for Iowa, like Falvaris did as a forward for Iowa 181 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 3: did this past year. 182 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 2: That's a guy that. 183 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 3: I recommended to a high major program in twenty thirteen 184 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 3: and he's still there. It's like I said, too many 185 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 3: programs of hire resumes and don't do the work of 186 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 3: hiring coaches, and they and they do it lazily by 187 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 3: hiring these search firms who don't know coaching. They don't 188 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 3: know who the talent guys are. They know who they 189 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 3: they can say, Okay, this guy made this tournament and 190 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 3: won these games, and so you can sell that. But 191 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 3: I don't have a ton of respect for the search 192 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 3: firms in terms of their. 193 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 2: Ability to identify talent. 194 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 3: I think that that's a real problem with how Now. 195 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 3: I don't know what Butler's process is going to be, 196 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 3: but the minute I hear somebody hired a search firm 197 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 3: is the minute I'm like skeptical, skeptical about whether that 198 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 3: search is going to go well. 199 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: You know, Mike. A couple of years ago, I went 200 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: to the Horizon League tournament at the Coliseum and I 201 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: watched a matter of fact, I take it back, might 202 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 1: even been a regular season game. Robert Morris was in 203 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: town to play IUND and they were not good. They 204 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 1: were having a bad year. They were rebuilding their roster, 205 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: and I noticed I was with Derek Schultzen. He and 206 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: I both commented on this the Robert Morris bench, every 207 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: one of them. Every time a guy would hit a 208 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: big shot, they were up clapping. They were coming out 209 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: at every break and every time out high fiving, guys 210 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: cheering each other on. That sounds so ridiculously elementary YMCA basketball, 211 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: But I also think that it speaks to coaching because 212 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: it showed this belief of guys that were working together 213 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: and even though they might have been in a tough situation, 214 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: they were all positive. And to me that I have 215 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: no idea how that translates to x's and o's, but 216 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 1: I thought it was impressive for what that's worth a 217 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: value tool. 218 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 3: If I have a second, I'll tell you a story 219 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 3: about a player that I won't mention the name. 220 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:53,199 Speaker 2: Now it's been twenty some. 221 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 3: Years, but there was a high level player who was 222 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 3: a draftable player who played for one of the teams 223 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 3: that uh that I was covering as a beat writer, 224 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:08,439 Speaker 3: and that player was suspended for a particular high profile 225 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 3: game and sat on the bench and never did anything 226 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 3: of what you just said. And this guy, like I said, 227 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 3: was a draftable player, so obviously a significant player for 228 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 3: the team, but he got suspended because of a uh 229 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 3: an attitude issue. Uh And and so I got a 230 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 3: call from an NBA team saying, Hey, what was up 231 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 3: with that? What what what's the what's he like, what's 232 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 3: what's what's his character? 233 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 2: Et cetera, et cetera. 234 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 3: And then in reality, he was a great talent, uh 235 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 3: a terrific teammate for the most part. And he did 236 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 3: he had a bad week or two, I guess, uh 237 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 3: and and and was was having some concerns about another 238 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:45,839 Speaker 3: player who had emerged as a star and that sort 239 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 3: of thing. But that that those teams recognized that. So 240 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,559 Speaker 3: you're not off at all, You're right on. This is 241 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 3: the NBA, that's the highest level of basketball on the planet, 242 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 3: and they noticed that stuff. 243 00:11:57,559 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: What did you notice, Mike, Mike, of course he's my 244 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: BTN and as well, of course Sports Illustrated talking college basketball. 245 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: What did you notice about Purdue that spoke maybe to 246 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: that or what was kind of the if you will 247 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,839 Speaker 1: or Sporting News excuse me, Mike on Mike's credentials or 248 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: Sporting What was it about Purdue that what switch was 249 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 1: flipped here and that enabled them to do what they 250 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: did in the Big Ten Tournament. 251 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 3: I think that I thought Nathan Baird in the Star 252 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 3: did a great job of capturing what was different. They 253 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 3: were more invested and engaged over the course of the 254 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 3: time in Chicago than they maybe had been down the 255 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 3: stretch of February, and maybe that kind of on wi 256 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 3: Is is fair. 257 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 2: Almost. 258 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 3: I think they realized they weren't going to win the 259 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 3: regular season because Michigan's record was just unreachable. Michigan wasn't 260 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 3: going to lose five in a row or whatever it 261 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 3: would have taken to get anybody back into the the mix. 262 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 3: So I think maybe a little bit of hey, man, 263 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 3: we've been doing this for four years. We know which 264 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 3: games are gonna matter and this and these aren't those, 265 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 3: And so maybe maybe it was subconscious, but when they 266 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 3: got to this, they realized, if we don't invest in this, 267 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 3: we're walking out the door having accomplished you know, with 268 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 3: the potential of having accomplished nothing, despite being four year starters, 269 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 3: four year seniors, some of the great players in Purdue history. 270 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 2: And we're going to walk out this door. Yeah, Okay, 271 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 2: we made the Final four, that's that happened two years ago. 272 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 2: What do we do without Zach? 273 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,719 Speaker 3: And I think they I think they put aside some 274 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 3: some of that that competitive lack of fire and said okay, 275 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:49,839 Speaker 3: let's do this, and and Nathan talked about Fletcher Lawyer 276 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 3: and how he was engaged in communication on defense. Well, 277 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 3: I mean, Fletcher's never been Gary Payton on du right, 278 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 3: but being invested and being in terms of communication, communication 279 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 3: can make up for a lot on defense because if 280 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 3: you're communicating, even though you may not be built to 281 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 3: guard the absolute best players, you can still make sure 282 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 3: you're in the right place. And therefore the guys that 283 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 3: are maybe slightly better defenders are in the right place 284 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 3: and everybody that's in the right place, and it makes 285 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 3: it hard for the opposition. And you saw that with Michigan, 286 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 3: especially on Sunday. Michigan a team that can be coerced 287 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 3: into being stagnant if it's hard. They don't have a 288 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 3: lot of ways to take This is where they miss LJ. 289 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 4: Cason. 290 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 3: They don't have a lot of guys that say, Okay, 291 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 3: I'm putting the ball on the floor and because you're 292 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 3: Fletcher Lawyer, I'm going to I'm going to get past 293 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 3: you and get in the lane and make something happening 294 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 3: there for myself on a float or throw it over 295 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 3: the rim to a dayemarra or throw it back out 296 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 3: to Trey McKenny or whatever it might be, that they 297 00:14:57,920 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 3: don't have a lot of that. 298 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:00,040 Speaker 2: That's one of the things. 299 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 3: I harped on a last yesterday in the pregame show 300 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 3: and then again last night on the shows we did 301 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 3: on BTN to break down the brackets. Trey mckenny's got 302 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 3: to be that guy. So they and it still hasn't happened. 303 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 3: But because of that, they were the Purdue guys were 304 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 3: able to put Michigan into a position where their offense 305 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 3: was less productive than it needed to be. Offense hasn't 306 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 3: really been a problem for this Purdue team situationally, maybe, 307 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 3: but I mean, gosh, you look at the Senior Day game. 308 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 3: They scored ninety and lost, so it clearly wasn't that 309 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 3: end of the court that was the issue. 310 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 1: Mike de Coursi is my guest Java House Colbrew Coffee. 311 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: Guest line is where you are hearing him, of course, 312 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: TSN Mike Sporting News where you can read him, Big 313 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 1: Ten Network where you can see him as well. Okay, Mike, 314 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: with the tournament bracket. Two questions I had here. First, 315 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: which region to you appears to be the most loaded. 316 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, the most loaded is the South, although they do 317 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 3: not have they have the least of the number one seeds. 318 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 3: In terms of regular season accomplishment. They are strongest at 319 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 3: the two by far almost. I think guy with States 320 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 3: really good, but I think Houston's clearly the best team 321 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 3: on the two line. I think their strongest on the 322 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 3: three line as well. I was surprised at the number 323 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 3: of people that looked at the East and said that's 324 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 3: the toughest region. But I think honestly that a lot 325 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 3: of people who talk about college basketball in March don't 326 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 3: talk about college basketball the rest of the year, right, 327 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 3: and so they see the names Duke, Michigan State, Yukon 328 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 3: have all been great, Kansas great, Saint John's, Rick Patino. Oh, 329 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 3: that's the toughest region, even if you want. 330 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 2: To go all the way back. 331 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 3: They have UCLA and their ten titles. But it's looks 332 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 3: they're not easy teams by any stretch. But if you 333 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 3: saw a Yukon on Saturday night as a two seed, 334 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 3: I'm not that super bothered by having to deal with them. 335 00:16:58,080 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 2: I didn't. 336 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 3: I don't have Duke winning that region, although certainly they can. 337 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 3: Because I didn't pick any of the injured teams. I 338 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 3: just I just don't feel comfortable with teams having to 339 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 3: reinvent themselves on this. 340 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:13,719 Speaker 1: So who do you have out of that region? 341 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:15,400 Speaker 2: I picked Saint. 342 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:19,479 Speaker 3: John's and I'll probably be wrong, but I looked at 343 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 3: it and I said, if there's one player in America 344 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 3: that I think is built to defend Caleb Boozer, excuse me, 345 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 3: a Cameron Boozer, it is, it is Zubiegi four of 346 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 3: Saint John's physical, quick, long, smart, just feels like the 347 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:40,400 Speaker 3: guy that can deal with the Boozer's question. And so 348 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:44,640 Speaker 3: that's where I went. But I could see really any 349 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,959 Speaker 3: of sixteens, five six teams coming out of that region. 350 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 3: I think it's the it has the most candidates, but 351 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:53,640 Speaker 3: I think that's because Duke is impaired. 352 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 1: By the way, Mike, I hate to break this to you, 353 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: but Saint John's is going to get upset by Northern Iowa. 354 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: Just so you know. Okay, here's my other question I 355 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: wanted to ask you, And we're going to have Tom 356 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:05,359 Speaker 1: Creene on later and I'm going to talk a little 357 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: more in depth about leagues that best prepare teams for 358 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: the tournament because they are diverse leagues and so therefore 359 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: a team has had to play a bunch of different 360 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:16,919 Speaker 1: styles right by the time they get to the tournament. 361 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,399 Speaker 1: And who jumps out at that. But I wanted to 362 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 1: ask you this, Give me a team Saint John's might 363 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:25,479 Speaker 1: be this team because of the way that Patino can defend. 364 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: But give me a team that plays a style that 365 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: is going to be the most unique and therefore they 366 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 1: have the highest odds that each matchup they have, their 367 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: style is going to catch someonet off guard because it 368 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 1: is just so seldomly replicated across the country. 369 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 3: Well, I think the team that is most uncommon is Iowa, 370 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 3: but I don't think that they're talented enough. 371 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 2: To make it stand up for more than one round. 372 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 3: They don't have the size. They certainly are talent enough 373 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 3: at the point guard position. Benister, It's is phenomenal, but 374 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,360 Speaker 3: I don't think they have enough to physicality beyond that. 375 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 3: But that's the team that could make that that I 376 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 3: think will win a game and could win two, but 377 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 3: probably won't because of the limitations I discussed uh that 378 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 3: that that's I don't think we have a Syracuse in 379 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 3: the field, a Beheim Syracuse wherein they not only have 380 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 3: that zone that only teams in their league really were 381 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 3: comfortable and familiar with, but also significant talent to the 382 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 3: CJ Fairs and the Carmelo Anthony's and uh going all 383 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 3: the way back to Derek Coleman, et cetera, that that 384 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 3: could make that zone not only problematic but also then 385 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 3: overpower you at the other end as well. I don't 386 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 3: think they really have that there's a team in this 387 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 3: field that feels like that. To me, there's a lot 388 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:51,879 Speaker 3: more similarity in college basketball now than there used to be. 389 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:54,479 Speaker 3: But I will say that I think that the teams 390 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:57,679 Speaker 3: that are in the Big Ten have probably been the 391 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 3: most rounded in that respect in terms of preparation. Because 392 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,199 Speaker 3: Minnesota had to go to zone because of all the 393 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,880 Speaker 3: injuries they had, and they played zone almost exclusively. They 394 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,440 Speaker 3: were never a great zone team, but look, they beat 395 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 3: UCLA two weeks ago, so they certainly are capable. They 396 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:18,199 Speaker 3: were capable of making you work if you were a 397 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:22,159 Speaker 3: They also beat Michigan State this year, so it was 398 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:25,159 Speaker 3: at least a significant enough challenge that the two of 399 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 3: the teams that are in the field couldn't conquer it. 400 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:29,879 Speaker 3: And then I mentioned the Iowa challenge of having to 401 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 3: be dealing with the starts question and how they play 402 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 3: and the pace they play, and then the Wisconsin deal 403 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 3: where the two guards having to cope with them, especially 404 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 3: boyd and is left handed, and their ability now to 405 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:48,360 Speaker 3: just basically attack you from three point range. I don't 406 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 3: think I've seen a team that, over last several seasons 407 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:58,119 Speaker 3: that could get in a lead or be in a 408 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:03,400 Speaker 3: game while shooting and scoring almost exclusively in some instances 409 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 3: from three point range. You look at that halftime box 410 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 3: of the Purdue game. I mean, I think they've made 411 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 3: four field goals inside the three point arc and they'd 412 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 3: scored like fifty five points or something like that. 413 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: Okay, last, Mike, I want you to tell me, and 414 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 1: don't tell me the school, the school that you have 415 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: winning the national championship this year that will be cutting 416 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 1: down the nets at the Final four in Indianapolis. I 417 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: want you to tell me currently the most popular professional 418 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: athlete in the state that that school represents. 419 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:42,679 Speaker 3: Hmmm, ah, gosh, Devin Booker, gotcha. 420 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 1: Okay, Devin Booker, who I thought the other night was 421 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:47,960 Speaker 1: going to break his own scoring record at Gambridge Field 422 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 1: House of sixty two points for an opponent in a game, 423 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 1: so that means things go well for teams from the 424 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,719 Speaker 1: Valley of the Sun. Meaning Mike Decorsi says that like 425 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 1: it was in nineteen ninety seven, Arizona will win the 426 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:02,679 Speaker 1: national championship in Indianapolis. We shall see right. 427 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:03,160 Speaker 2: There in India. 428 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:06,400 Speaker 3: Yes, it won't be at the old RCA Dome, but 429 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 3: Lucas Oil Stadium. And what I remember about that night 430 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 3: was it felt like there was a constant wind blowing 431 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 3: through the RCA Dome. And I know obviously there were windows, 432 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 3: so but they had I don't know it was. I 433 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 3: don't know if it was the vending system or something 434 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 3: of it felt like the wind was blowing all night. 435 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 3: Lucas Oil doesn't have that problem unless they opened the windows. 436 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: Hey, I know they wont. Miles Simon didn't have that 437 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:29,680 Speaker 1: problem either, let me tell you that much. 438 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 4: Right. 439 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:31,920 Speaker 3: But he get to that because he put the ball 440 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:33,920 Speaker 3: on the floor all the time and got to the lane. 441 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 2: I don't think he had a ton of threes that night. 442 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 1: Lightning in a bottle and that's in that final four though, 443 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: no question. 444 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 2: Let me let me say this before we go. 445 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 3: I am so excited to be coming back to Indy 446 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,159 Speaker 3: every final four should be in Indianapolis. There is no 447 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 3: second place in terms of the best place to hold 448 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 3: the final four, and so really excited to be coming 449 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 3: back to town for this. 450 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,680 Speaker 1: Well, we love it, Mike, and I appreciate your time 451 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: coming on and obviously we will be looking for you 452 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 1: BTA Network, watching it on Twitter at TSN Mike and 453 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:08,919 Speaker 1: Sportingnews dot com where you can read his column as well. 454 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,400 Speaker 1: Appreciate it, Mike, Thank you very much, Jake. 455 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:11,879 Speaker 4: Mike. 456 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: Of course he joined me Java House Coldbrew Coffee guest Line. 457 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: Joining us now on the Java House Coldbrew Coffee Guest Line. 458 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:23,679 Speaker 1: He is the radio analyst for Butler Basketball. Nick Gardner 459 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: joining us, and Nick, I will begin with this before 460 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 1: we get into kind of you know, looking under the 461 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 1: cushions on this, just your overall thoughts on Thad Mada, 462 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: the coaching career of Thad Mada, and what you were 463 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:39,920 Speaker 1: able to obviously witness from inside the lines and from 464 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:43,119 Speaker 1: the inside about that Mada, both as a coach and 465 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: a dude altogether. 466 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 5: Well, thanks for having me, Jake. I think with coach 467 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:53,120 Speaker 5: Moda just a remarkable career. Obviously, it was really cool 468 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 5: to be able to see him celebrate his five hundred 469 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 5: win recently this past season. 470 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:00,920 Speaker 2: And to be able to do that at Butler, a place, uh, you. 471 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 5: Know, means so much to him and his family, and 472 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 5: I think he kind of echoed that in the release. 473 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 5: You know, his his wife went to Butler University. He 474 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 5: went to Butler University. Both of his daughters graduated from 475 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 5: Butler University. And and and the fact that it was 476 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 5: Butler University is why he came back, you know, out 477 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:21,679 Speaker 5: of his retirement to coach anyway. So just a remarkable career. 478 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,439 Speaker 5: That was a coach. Mada was a guy who he 479 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 5: did it the right way. He wasn't a guy that 480 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 5: was gonna, you know, in the old version of college basketball. 481 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 4: He wasn't going to stray outside the lines. 482 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 5: He was gonna, you know, do the right thing in 483 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 5: recruiting and do the right thing by his players. And 484 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:39,679 Speaker 5: then obviously his run at Ohio State is legendary with 485 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:42,119 Speaker 5: the talent he had to there, and you know, his 486 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 5: ability to tap into the Indianapolis recruiting you know area, 487 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 5: and obviously the connection with Odin and Conley, and just 488 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 5: just a great guy. You know, he was a players coach. 489 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 5: I think he would say one thing about coach Mada 490 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:01,400 Speaker 5: is he was he knew BA basketball right, he understood 491 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 5: the s's and the o's, but he was elite at 492 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 5: getting you in the right mindset to go play your 493 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:10,479 Speaker 5: best version he had. He has an ability to instill 494 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:13,880 Speaker 5: confidence in his players that is very unique, and that's 495 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 5: why you see so many guys that want to go 496 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 5: to bat for him and and that are in his 497 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 5: corner long after they've been done playing for him. So 498 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:25,600 Speaker 5: well earned retirement, and obviously wishing him the best in 499 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 5: his retirement. He's been an excellent asset and a huge 500 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 5: part of Butler University basketball for so many years. 501 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: Is it or well, it is to me peculiar, so 502 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 1: I will allow you or ask you to elaborate on it. Nick. 503 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: You know, Butler just recently, I think three days ago, 504 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: sent out a release saying that he would return, and 505 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 1: now we find out he retires. Why the disparity in 506 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:49,880 Speaker 1: opinion there. 507 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 4: That's a good question. I don't know. Here's what I think. 508 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:55,640 Speaker 4: I think part of that is. 509 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 5: There's a lot of there's rumors in speculator to go 510 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 5: on amongst you know, people within any industry, and so 511 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 5: I think first and foremost. 512 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:08,400 Speaker 4: You know, over the weekend you wanted to get out. 513 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:11,919 Speaker 5: In front and say, hey, coach Mona wants to he 514 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 5: we want him back, he wants to come back. 515 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 4: Now. 516 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:16,399 Speaker 5: I don't know what changed over the weekend. Maybe he 517 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:21,480 Speaker 5: did some more thinking. But I think one thing that 518 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 5: you can appreciate is, you know, some guys may let 519 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 5: that linger a little bit longer, and so coach Monda 520 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 5: obviously took the weekend. Things changed, There were conversations, and 521 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 5: now you wake up today to the news that he 522 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 5: is going to retire. And so I'm unsure of what 523 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 5: the effect was, but I will say it's it's it's 524 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:42,680 Speaker 5: better to know that now rather than sit on that 525 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:45,439 Speaker 5: for a week, ten days, whatever it may be, because 526 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,159 Speaker 5: these cycles can happen quickly. And now Grant and the 527 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 5: administration has an opportunity to go try to find the 528 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:54,720 Speaker 5: best candidate to replace the legend that is that mod. 529 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 1: Could it be as simple as this, Nick, Could it 530 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: be as simple as Butler? As you'd that statement to 531 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 1: let the world know that they were not firing him 532 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 1: and he was welcome to come back if he so chose, 533 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: even though they may have known that he was leaning 534 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:09,440 Speaker 1: this way. 535 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 5: Absolutely, I think that certainly could have been the case. Again, 536 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 5: I think sometimes the optics get in the way of 537 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 5: the actual, you know, the way things transact. But I 538 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:23,199 Speaker 5: would not be shocked if that was kind of the 539 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 5: case to kind of quell some rumors and say, hey, 540 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 5: you know, it's a university, we want to have this 541 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 5: guy back. And there was some speculation on if he 542 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:33,720 Speaker 5: would retire or not, and there has been for a 543 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 5: while because he was out of the. 544 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 4: Game for a little bit. I think that was natural. 545 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 5: So I don't think you'd be wrong in speculating that 546 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 5: that could have been the case. 547 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:45,400 Speaker 1: Who would you say are the names that we will 548 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 1: hear the most with this and who would you anticipate 549 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:51,119 Speaker 1: our names that are realistic options. 550 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:54,280 Speaker 4: Oh, it's a great question, I think. 551 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 5: I think obviously Ronald Nord is a guy who's going 552 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:01,680 Speaker 5: to be mentioned. He was a guy that was mentioned 553 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 5: when coach Modo was hired in this last hiring cycle. 554 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 5: You know, you think about other guys with ties to 555 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:10,160 Speaker 5: the program. Ryan Peden is a guy at Illinois State 556 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 5: who has had success in his first head coaching staff, 557 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:18,360 Speaker 5: who was an assistant on Chris Olten's staff. I mean, heck, 558 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 5: you think a guy like Chris Olten may be a 559 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 5: name that gets popped up. I think there's obviously people 560 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 5: within the family. Cameron Woods is a guy who's been 561 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 5: a coach at the NBA G League level, who was 562 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 5: a former player. Alex Barlow, who was on coach Modess staff, 563 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 5: is a name that's been mentioned at times. 564 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 4: So I think this. 565 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 5: Is you know, look, Butler's had a lot of coaching 566 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 5: searches here in recent memory in my time doing the radio, 567 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 5: and this may be one of the more wide open 568 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 5: ones that we've seen, just because there isn't necessarily a 569 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 5: natural connection there. So I'm excited and as anxious to 570 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 5: see who the dogs can land, just like everybody else is. 571 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: Nick. I'm gonna I say this, and I mentioned this 572 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: before on the air, but I want to ask you 573 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 1: because maybe it's it's maybe I'm off base. I have 574 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: always had a great deal of respect and really marveled 575 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: at the way that Butler has been able to seemingly 576 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 1: just go without missing a beat from one to the 577 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: next in this line of secession. And I know that 578 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: Brandon Miller had a challenge there, but they quickly recovered 579 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 1: from that. With Chris Holtman but in staying with those 580 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: that are connected to it. You know, from Thad to Barry, 581 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 1: from Barry Collier to Thad to Todd Licklider to Brad Stevens, 582 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:38,239 Speaker 1: you know, the whole lineage here has Butler. Now, if 583 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 1: you're going to be in the Big East and you've 584 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: got a new arena and you've got you know, you've 585 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 1: got the money that comes with the television contract of 586 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 1: a big time conference and a bigger national brand than 587 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: you had fifteen years ago, is it time for Butler 588 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: to do an entire, all encompassing scan the country any 589 00:29:57,080 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 1: literally best coach possible, regardless of connection to the university. 590 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, I do, I think, and and who's this? And 591 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 5: that's not saying that they haven't done that in the past. 592 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 5: I do think there is there's something to be said 593 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,840 Speaker 5: for having not And look, it doesn't have to be 594 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 5: the head guy, but there needs to be a connection. 595 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 4: This is true. 596 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 5: Anywhere and certainly to a Butler. You do need to 597 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 5: have some type of connection as to how how the 598 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 5: university operates, how do you get things done around there? 599 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 5: Like being able to communicate that and have kind of 600 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:35,000 Speaker 5: a tie that can bind some things together is important anywhere, 601 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 5: and it's certainly important at Butler. So I think more 602 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 5: importantly of necessarily being somebody like in house or a 603 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:46,560 Speaker 5: Butler guy. They need to operate and operate their program 604 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 5: in a similar way to what has been successful at Butler. 605 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 4: And that may be somebody that's been within the program. 606 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 5: That may not be that may be a guy who 607 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:58,360 Speaker 5: who again maybe he just operates in a similar manner, 608 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 5: and you can have some guys on staff that do 609 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 5: have a connection to the place. So I think a 610 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 5: lot of times when people talk about bringing somebody that 611 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 5: is familiar with the university, a lot of that is 612 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 5: just talking about how do they operate, what type of 613 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 5: personality are they? Are they a good communicator with you know, 614 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 5: the various outlets that you have to do to operate, 615 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 5: you know, a big time college basketball program. And so 616 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 5: I think the key is to find somebody that can 617 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 5: operate within what can be a successful framework at Butler. 618 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 5: And look, if they've been at Butler in the past, 619 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 5: that's all the better. But most importantly, they've got to 620 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 5: be able to be successful in this type of of 621 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 5: an environment, and oftentimes that is someone who has been 622 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 5: there in some form of or capacity. 623 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 1: At some point, Nick, what do you think is the 624 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:44,840 Speaker 1: biggest challenge of the Butler job? 625 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:47,600 Speaker 4: Oh? 626 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 5: Boy, that's a great question. I think obviously, you know, 627 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 5: everybody's going to go. Budget is a challenge, right You're 628 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:57,040 Speaker 5: you're constantly going to have to be you know, and 629 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:00,200 Speaker 5: in today's in il day and age, it's hard to 630 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 5: retain talent, and so budget is certainly a challenge. 631 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 4: I think just just. 632 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 5: Finding that momentum and finding you know, just trying to 633 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 5: get over that hump is the biggest challenge right now. 634 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 4: And how do you do that. 635 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:15,640 Speaker 5: It's a combination of how you operate, it's a combination 636 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 5: of budget, it's a combination of everybody kind of being 637 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:19,680 Speaker 5: on the same page. 638 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 4: And so it's changing. 639 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:28,560 Speaker 5: And as much as that landscape has changed over the 640 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 5: last few years, and even with the results being as 641 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 5: they have been, I would say Butler's maybe never been 642 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 5: in a better place to advance and grow than they 643 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 5: are now, with being in the Big East, with having 644 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 5: really good leadership, understanding kind of the landscape of things. 645 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:47,560 Speaker 5: And although the results haven't shown it, I'm not sure 646 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 5: Butler University and the Butler University Athletic Department has ever 647 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 5: been in as good. 648 00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 4: A spot to be successful as they are now. 649 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, So that was the other thing I was going 650 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:58,080 Speaker 1: to ask, because what's the biggest selling point If they 651 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 1: call you, If Butler calls you and they say, Nick, 652 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 1: we got a guy in mind and we want you 653 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 1: to call and recruit it, what do you say. 654 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:06,520 Speaker 5: I'd say, Look, we've got a number one. You get 655 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 5: to coach at Anklefield House in the Big East, one 656 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:08,840 Speaker 5: of the. 657 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 4: Best conferences in the country. 658 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 5: All that is attractive to the Butler with the Big 659 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,520 Speaker 5: East Conference. But then you look at the university as 660 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 5: a whole, and you talk about Jim Danko, the leadership 661 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:22,680 Speaker 5: on campus, along with Grant Line that they're in his 662 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 5: staff in the athletic department. You know, this is a 663 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:31,280 Speaker 5: group that's they're hungry. They understand that they're all dead 664 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:33,960 Speaker 5: set on getting the basketball program back to where. 665 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 4: They want it to be. And so you know, although as. 666 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 5: I said, those results haven't been istret, I don't know 667 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 5: that the university, the athletic department, the whole campus as 668 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:45,040 Speaker 5: a whole has been set up and been in a 669 00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 5: better position to find that success with all those things 670 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:50,120 Speaker 5: in the background that have been going on. 671 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:51,720 Speaker 4: Over the last two three four years. 672 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 1: So does it go without saying that whoever it is 673 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 1: that takes over the Butler program now with the retirement 674 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:58,600 Speaker 1: of fab Mada, that it's going to be and this 675 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:01,880 Speaker 1: is kind of the era of college basketball a roster overhaul. 676 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 5: Yeah, I would think. So it's hard to say, you know, 677 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 5: I mean, there are guys who hoped in the portal 678 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:12,279 Speaker 5: and it's the least likely guy you would think would 679 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:14,759 Speaker 5: not have been there, whether there's a coaching change or not. 680 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 5: But one would anticipate when you look at the landscape 681 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:19,880 Speaker 5: over the last few years. And again a lot of 682 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 5: that depends on staff and if there is any retainment. 683 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:24,280 Speaker 4: If not, who knows. 684 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:29,400 Speaker 5: But so often players are tied to coaches and staff 685 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 5: and it depends on who comes back. 686 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:34,360 Speaker 4: So one would expect if there's going to be, you know. 687 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 5: A vastly new staff, and most likely there's going to 688 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,760 Speaker 5: be a big turnover, but that was probably expected anyways 689 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:42,359 Speaker 5: with the results that you had. 690 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:46,560 Speaker 4: I think roster turnover is just it is here, it 691 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:47,480 Speaker 4: is here to stay. 692 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:49,239 Speaker 5: And it's at a volume that we've never seen in 693 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,040 Speaker 5: the past. And so coaching change or not, most teams 694 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 5: are flipping over seven eight guys each and every season. 695 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:57,640 Speaker 1: Okay, I'm looking here. By the way, Nick Gardner is 696 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:01,360 Speaker 1: my guest Java House Colbrew Coffee guest line. He is 697 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:05,600 Speaker 1: the analyst for Purdue or excuse me, for Butler Basketball Radio. 698 00:35:05,640 --> 00:35:10,360 Speaker 1: I'm looking over it here, Nick, Big East representation in 699 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:13,640 Speaker 1: the NCAA Tournament. I mean, obviously you got Novah's in there, 700 00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:16,200 Speaker 1: Saint John's is in there. Who am I missing here? 701 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:20,680 Speaker 1: I'm looking over Yukon obviously. Yeah, I think Yukon is 702 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:22,440 Speaker 1: gonna win the whole thing. But I want Nick Gardner 703 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:25,080 Speaker 1: to tell me which Big East team you feel is 704 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:27,359 Speaker 1: most poised for tournament play. 705 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:32,359 Speaker 4: Oh boy, either of those two I would say, I would. 706 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:35,319 Speaker 5: I would say it's probably Saint John's just because of 707 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:39,200 Speaker 5: how hot they've played lately. Jake, Now, the one thing 708 00:35:39,239 --> 00:35:41,880 Speaker 5: with Saint John's that they're shooting can lead them astray. 709 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:44,600 Speaker 1: And I say that that bit him last year. 710 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,359 Speaker 5: Right, Beatable, Yeah, it sure did it bit him last year. 711 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 5: And that's that's frankly what was so shocking. But you 712 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:52,640 Speaker 5: also saw like when they do put it all together, 713 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:56,239 Speaker 5: I mean, they ran Yukon out of the garden there 714 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:59,319 Speaker 5: for the Big East tournament championship. And so to me, 715 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:03,279 Speaker 5: I think Rick Patino's ability to coach, their ability to 716 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:07,200 Speaker 5: put pressure on teams and look, as much as their 717 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:10,320 Speaker 5: shooting can let them down, their ability to guard, to 718 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 5: put pressure defensively takes away the shooting of other teams. 719 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:17,200 Speaker 5: So I would say, especially they're underseated, they probably have 720 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:17,760 Speaker 5: a little. 721 00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:19,960 Speaker 4: Chip on their shoulder of them at a five seed. 722 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:22,799 Speaker 5: Boy, that's a dangerous one and one that if you're 723 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:25,960 Speaker 5: if you're the one or two, you don't want to have. 724 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:28,080 Speaker 4: To see them too early. And that's that's a tough 725 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:31,160 Speaker 4: matchup for anybody. And Platino's got to play really well. 726 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:37,840 Speaker 1: If you look at Nick in conclusion here, totality of career, Okay, 727 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:43,520 Speaker 1: totality of career, is Rick Patino the best career in 728 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:44,920 Speaker 1: the NCAA tournament? 729 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 4: Boy? Probably? 730 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:52,239 Speaker 1: I mean you got us right? 731 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:53,919 Speaker 4: Yeah? 732 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:57,279 Speaker 1: Self? I mean self has been around a long time, right, 733 00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:00,760 Speaker 1: really good coach. There are some really bright young coaches, 734 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:04,319 Speaker 1: But in terms of the old guard and where he's been, 735 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:07,480 Speaker 1: you know, he's he's tough to argue. 736 00:37:07,239 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 4: Right, He's tough to argue. 737 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:10,840 Speaker 5: And the other thing that I would think would be 738 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:13,680 Speaker 5: compelling for his argument Jacobs, his ability to do it 739 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:17,439 Speaker 5: like college basketball has completely been turned on it fed 740 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 5: the last four years. 741 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:22,759 Speaker 4: And as you've seen you. 742 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:25,839 Speaker 5: Know saying you know this, it's a reason why coach 743 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:28,840 Speaker 5: Moder deserves some praise too. A lot of the guys 744 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:31,879 Speaker 5: of his ILKIS generation, they saw the changes. They said, man, 745 00:37:32,239 --> 00:37:34,719 Speaker 5: no way, you know I'm getting out Jay Riot, retirees 746 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:38,280 Speaker 5: from Jim Bayhive, Roy Williams, all these different guys. 747 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:40,719 Speaker 4: Because I think some of that. 748 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:43,399 Speaker 5: Had to do with the changing landscape and with coach 749 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:45,240 Speaker 5: Fatino and then obviously coach Maderia. 750 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:47,120 Speaker 4: These are guys who didn't run away from that. And 751 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:48,760 Speaker 4: then coach Patino. 752 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:52,560 Speaker 5: Has come back, and I mean he has lit a 753 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:55,920 Speaker 5: fire underneath a huge fan base in Saint Johnson, showed 754 00:37:55,920 --> 00:38:00,160 Speaker 5: his ability to adjust on the fly and change with 755 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:03,360 Speaker 5: the with the changing landscape of college basketball, and he 756 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:07,200 Speaker 5: hasn't missed a beat. So it's impressive. And look, you're 757 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:09,399 Speaker 5: hard to argue anybody else. If you came and said 758 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:12,520 Speaker 5: Fatino's the best. I don't know, there's not many others 759 00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 5: you could argue with. 760 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 1: A right who wins it? 761 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:17,320 Speaker 4: You know what? I think. 762 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:22,480 Speaker 5: I hate saying this shake if this feels like a 763 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:24,719 Speaker 5: Duke year where they come up and win it when 764 00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 5: there's you know, they're kind of kind of under the 765 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:30,040 Speaker 5: radar even though they're one of the top four seeds. 766 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:31,799 Speaker 4: But it feels like, you know. 767 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:35,720 Speaker 5: Michigan gets talked about a little more, Arizona gets getting 768 00:38:35,719 --> 00:38:37,880 Speaker 5: a lot of love lately in those Big twelve teams. 769 00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:40,880 Speaker 5: But boy, I'll tell you what, Duke is so solid 770 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:43,200 Speaker 5: and Cameron Boozer can do so many different things. 771 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:47,360 Speaker 4: John Shires are really good coach too. I'm gonna go 772 00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:47,719 Speaker 4: with Duke. 773 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:52,840 Speaker 1: Okay, I you know you're talking about like Arizona, Michigan. 774 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:57,280 Speaker 1: The school that has been one of my favorite trivia questions. 775 00:38:57,320 --> 00:38:59,800 Speaker 1: I mentioned it probably weekly on this program. The school 776 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,879 Speaker 1: that has been to the most final fours without ever 777 00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:07,640 Speaker 1: having won the national championship is Houston. And it feels 778 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:09,919 Speaker 1: like this could be another year for that nick where 779 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:12,560 Speaker 1: Houston goes and then it's like, well, add another one 780 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 1: where they got close. But you know, people don't talk 781 00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:19,200 Speaker 1: about them a lot either, and they're they're they've had 782 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:19,839 Speaker 1: a hell of a year. 783 00:39:20,719 --> 00:39:22,520 Speaker 5: They've been a really good year, and you know, they're 784 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 5: one that I was like, I would put them second 785 00:39:25,280 --> 00:39:27,440 Speaker 5: as a team that I would choose to win it 786 00:39:27,520 --> 00:39:30,000 Speaker 5: simply because I feel like they're a little different. They're 787 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,000 Speaker 5: a little better offensively this year, right Kelvin there, you 788 00:39:33,040 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 5: know what you're gonna get with. 789 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:37,240 Speaker 4: The Kelvin Sanmpston team on the defensive end, their ability 790 00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:37,920 Speaker 4: to rebound. 791 00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:42,080 Speaker 5: But with Flemington point they've got some dynamic playmakers. It 792 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:44,280 Speaker 5: feels like that offense may be a little bit better 793 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 5: this year. So that's another one. And then obviously the 794 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:49,000 Speaker 5: experience too. Those guys have been through the battles. They've 795 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:51,919 Speaker 5: gone deep in the tournament each of the last few years. 796 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:54,520 Speaker 5: Kelvin Sampson is a guy who's been able to retain 797 00:39:54,600 --> 00:39:57,839 Speaker 5: talent a lot better in this day and age of pollochoops. 798 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:00,600 Speaker 5: So that's another dangerous team that I think we could 799 00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:01,560 Speaker 5: see here in India in a. 800 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:02,160 Speaker 4: Couple of weeks. 801 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:04,640 Speaker 1: Nick, appreciate the time as always. I know it's got 802 00:40:04,680 --> 00:40:06,719 Speaker 1: to be busy right now around Butler basketball and with 803 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:08,680 Speaker 1: other stuff you got going on, but certainly appreciate the. 804 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 5: Time anytime, Jake, I appreciate you, buddy. 805 00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:14,399 Speaker 1: Appreciate it. Nick Gardner joining us on the Java House 806 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:19,839 Speaker 1: Colbrew Coffee guest line. I can only imagine, or I 807 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:23,759 Speaker 1: can't even imagine for that matter, what the schedule must 808 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:25,759 Speaker 1: look like for Tom Crean this time of year. In 809 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:28,840 Speaker 1: terms of understanding the bracket, looking at the teams, I 810 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:31,040 Speaker 1: think he does a remarkable job of being able to 811 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:34,200 Speaker 1: talk about a number of them in his work at ESPN. 812 00:40:34,239 --> 00:40:36,920 Speaker 1: Of course, he needs no introduction in this state. The 813 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:41,600 Speaker 1: former Indiana and Marquette basketball coach joining us now on 814 00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:45,319 Speaker 1: the Java House Colebrew Coffee guest line coach, I'll get 815 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:48,480 Speaker 1: right to this with this bracket, and that is what 816 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:52,120 Speaker 1: was your overall just assessment of the selection committee and 817 00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:54,000 Speaker 1: the way this bracket laid itself out. 818 00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:57,920 Speaker 6: I didn't think there were many surprises. I really didn't. 819 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:01,520 Speaker 6: And I think going into the week, like a case 820 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:04,239 Speaker 6: like Miami, Ohio, I think the only way they were 821 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:07,920 Speaker 6: truly in was to be the automatic qualifier. And I 822 00:41:07,960 --> 00:41:11,920 Speaker 6: really do. And I think the bottom line is like 823 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:14,520 Speaker 6: once they didn't win, yeah they belong in there, but 824 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:16,000 Speaker 6: they were going to put them in date. I mean, 825 00:41:16,040 --> 00:41:17,960 Speaker 6: it just it was about as clear as could be. 826 00:41:18,239 --> 00:41:21,040 Speaker 6: And I think that's kind of where it's at is 827 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:24,799 Speaker 6: that you really, really, really really have to earn your 828 00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:27,759 Speaker 6: way in in a special way as a as a 829 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:31,879 Speaker 6: mid major outside of being the automatic qualifier to get 830 00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:34,040 Speaker 6: into that tournament. And it's only going to continue to 831 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:37,240 Speaker 6: grow that way. It's just going to continue to expand 832 00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:39,359 Speaker 6: and you're going to have I mean, the first four 833 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:43,000 Speaker 6: is a great example. You've got NC State, You've got SMU, 834 00:41:43,080 --> 00:41:45,320 Speaker 6: You've got Texas, and then you've got Miami, Ohio. And 835 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:48,239 Speaker 6: that's kind of how it's going to be, whether the 836 00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:53,080 Speaker 6: tournament expands someday or not, it's going to be set 837 00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 6: up for the high majors. But I do think with 838 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:59,759 Speaker 6: that being said that they did a good job. The 839 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:02,440 Speaker 6: only one that I was I was surprised that NC 840 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:05,200 Speaker 6: State went to Dayton, and I was a little surprise 841 00:42:05,280 --> 00:42:07,480 Speaker 6: a lot of surprised that SMU was able to get 842 00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:11,640 Speaker 6: in over either. I still thought Auburn would end up 843 00:42:11,640 --> 00:42:15,359 Speaker 6: in Dateon, but whether it be Dayton or Oklahoma, I 844 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:17,799 Speaker 6: was a little surprised that they got in. And then 845 00:42:17,840 --> 00:42:19,640 Speaker 6: I think some of the seedings were a little wild, 846 00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:22,000 Speaker 6: but you know, especially like with Saint John's being a five. 847 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:24,719 Speaker 6: But I think overall it did a great job. And 848 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:26,640 Speaker 6: when you look at that bracket and when you look 849 00:42:26,680 --> 00:42:29,040 Speaker 6: at it, come out, you go, mayn there's a lot 850 00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:30,919 Speaker 6: of really good teams, because for the last few weeks 851 00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:34,000 Speaker 6: it's really kind of shifted to whether there's just certain 852 00:42:34,040 --> 00:42:36,719 Speaker 6: teams that are head and shoulders better than each other. 853 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:39,760 Speaker 6: Then all of a sudden, you see the conference tournaments 854 00:42:39,760 --> 00:42:41,400 Speaker 6: and you see the brackets come out, and you say, no, 855 00:42:41,480 --> 00:42:44,000 Speaker 6: there are a lot of good teams. So I think 856 00:42:44,040 --> 00:42:48,080 Speaker 6: more than anything. Last part of that is I'd have 857 00:42:48,120 --> 00:42:50,759 Speaker 6: to go back and really look at it, but I 858 00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:56,719 Speaker 6: would say this is a huge matchup driven tournament. Or 859 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:01,560 Speaker 6: the highest seed teams, higher see teams going into the 860 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:04,359 Speaker 6: first weekend. You know, it's always a matchup driven thing 861 00:43:04,440 --> 00:43:07,080 Speaker 6: unless you're really talented when you get into the second weekend, 862 00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:11,279 Speaker 6: but the first weekend, I think more than ever, it's 863 00:43:11,360 --> 00:43:12,360 Speaker 6: very matchup writing. 864 00:43:12,480 --> 00:43:15,400 Speaker 1: Okay, So with that, is there a team you know 865 00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:17,880 Speaker 1: we know coach that like Duke is great, we know 866 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:20,240 Speaker 1: Arizona's great. You know, I mean, obviously we know that 867 00:43:20,080 --> 00:43:22,719 Speaker 1: the ones and the twos how good they can be. 868 00:43:23,239 --> 00:43:24,839 Speaker 1: Is there a team that jumps out at you though, 869 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:27,560 Speaker 1: where you look at them and say, maybe that from 870 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:29,920 Speaker 1: a league we're not as familiar with, but they play 871 00:43:30,120 --> 00:43:34,640 Speaker 1: stylistically away that might catch people off guard because they 872 00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:39,400 Speaker 1: play a unique brand of basketball that isn't necessarily replicated 873 00:43:39,440 --> 00:43:41,400 Speaker 1: across the board in one of the power forwards. 874 00:43:42,320 --> 00:43:45,080 Speaker 6: Oh absolutely, South Florida comes to mind right away, no 875 00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:47,640 Speaker 6: question about it. And I did a game for them 876 00:43:47,640 --> 00:43:52,560 Speaker 6: a few weeks ago, and it's unbelievable how hard they play, 877 00:43:53,000 --> 00:43:57,360 Speaker 6: how quick and fast they play. They're aggressive defensively, they 878 00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:00,000 Speaker 6: shoot it quick. Everybody thinks it's a three point shooting team. 879 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:02,400 Speaker 3: Team it is, but it's a layup team. It's a 880 00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:06,200 Speaker 3: drive through the elbows team. It's a attack the rim team. 881 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:08,560 Speaker 3: It's a goot foul team. It's just a really quick, 882 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:12,680 Speaker 3: fast paced team. And I think when people are looking 883 00:44:12,719 --> 00:44:17,799 Speaker 3: at the brackets, it's really interesting because this because in 884 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:21,400 Speaker 3: this quick turnaround, more than ever, when you've got a 885 00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:23,840 Speaker 3: style of play that you are not used to seeing, 886 00:44:24,520 --> 00:44:27,360 Speaker 3: and now you've got to get ready for it mentally, physically, 887 00:44:28,520 --> 00:44:30,920 Speaker 3: emotionally is a big part of this too, and you've 888 00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:32,239 Speaker 3: got to get ready for it in a day and 889 00:44:32,280 --> 00:44:36,200 Speaker 3: a half. And that team is conditioned to be to 890 00:44:36,320 --> 00:44:38,680 Speaker 3: play at a certain pace because they've been conditioned at 891 00:44:38,760 --> 00:44:39,399 Speaker 3: it all year. 892 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:42,839 Speaker 6: Everybody can say, well, you know the timeouts are longer. 893 00:44:42,880 --> 00:44:45,080 Speaker 6: That's a bunch of nonsense. If a team is really 894 00:44:45,680 --> 00:44:48,279 Speaker 6: in great shape and they are really committed to their 895 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:51,120 Speaker 6: style and you're not used to that, it can become 896 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:53,359 Speaker 6: a real problem for a team. And that's where South 897 00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:56,240 Speaker 6: Florida could really sneak in there. And there are others, 898 00:44:56,600 --> 00:45:01,120 Speaker 6: but that's a big one. If there's any other ones 899 00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:02,640 Speaker 6: you want to talk about, I'd be happy to. But 900 00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:05,719 Speaker 6: that's that's somebody that sticks out to me and I've 901 00:45:05,719 --> 00:45:06,520 Speaker 6: seen them in person. 902 00:45:06,600 --> 00:45:08,120 Speaker 2: Well, I just think it was impressive. 903 00:45:08,440 --> 00:45:11,239 Speaker 1: I've always thought this in Kretma. If I'm wrong, you know, 904 00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:14,160 Speaker 1: the Big Ten for example, with the number of teams 905 00:45:14,239 --> 00:45:16,839 Speaker 1: now in the Big Ten, one of the advantages if 906 00:45:16,840 --> 00:45:18,480 Speaker 1: you're coming out of the Big Ten is there are 907 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:21,560 Speaker 1: very few styles you haven't seen yet, right, Like Iowa 908 00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:25,040 Speaker 1: plays a totally different style than you know, whoever, Michigan 909 00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:25,479 Speaker 1: or whatever. 910 00:45:25,520 --> 00:45:25,680 Speaker 4: I mean. 911 00:45:25,719 --> 00:45:28,280 Speaker 1: I'm just throwing out teams. But so what I wanted 912 00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:31,600 Speaker 1: to know is is there a league that you of 913 00:45:31,719 --> 00:45:35,799 Speaker 1: the leagues that are represented in the NCAA tournament, is 914 00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:37,839 Speaker 1: there a conference that you look at it and you 915 00:45:37,880 --> 00:45:42,919 Speaker 1: say that conference across the board offers the least versatility 916 00:45:42,920 --> 00:45:46,800 Speaker 1: of style and thus may have less prepared its representative 917 00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:50,600 Speaker 1: versus other conferences. 918 00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:51,440 Speaker 2: In this tournament. 919 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:56,239 Speaker 6: If you took uh no, I was going to say, 920 00:45:56,280 --> 00:45:58,440 Speaker 6: I was going to say the SEC. But now becaus 921 00:45:58,440 --> 00:46:01,600 Speaker 6: Florida is so good. Alabama's got a very fast pace. 922 00:46:01,640 --> 00:46:04,800 Speaker 6: You can score in Alabama. You can definitely score in Alabama. 923 00:46:04,840 --> 00:46:07,560 Speaker 6: You can get fouled by Alabama. But they play so 924 00:46:07,800 --> 00:46:14,640 Speaker 6: fast now because everybody's different, right, Like it's some of 925 00:46:14,640 --> 00:46:17,560 Speaker 6: the similar teams, like in the Big Ten, with Illinois 926 00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:19,719 Speaker 6: the way they shoot the ball, with Wisconsin the way 927 00:46:19,760 --> 00:46:22,760 Speaker 6: they shoot the ball, they can create a lot of problems, 928 00:46:22,840 --> 00:46:27,200 Speaker 6: especially Wisconsin. They lose it withero point three seconds to Michigan. 929 00:46:27,239 --> 00:46:30,040 Speaker 6: The other day they beat them at Michigan, and those 930 00:46:30,080 --> 00:46:33,719 Speaker 6: two games, they've made thirty one threes against Michigan, and 931 00:46:33,840 --> 00:46:36,359 Speaker 6: I'm not sure if it's half of them have come 932 00:46:36,360 --> 00:46:38,879 Speaker 6: from the front line, but it's really close if it's 933 00:46:38,920 --> 00:46:41,560 Speaker 6: not half. And I just think those are the kind 934 00:46:41,600 --> 00:46:45,360 Speaker 6: of styles of plays that can create a problem. 935 00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:46,160 Speaker 4: But I don't think. 936 00:46:46,600 --> 00:46:48,840 Speaker 6: I don't think there's any league right now, the Power 937 00:46:48,920 --> 00:46:53,160 Speaker 6: leagues that's not used to something. When you haven't played 938 00:46:53,200 --> 00:46:56,160 Speaker 6: Saint John's or when you haven't played Yukon and the 939 00:46:56,160 --> 00:46:58,200 Speaker 6: way that they can get up and suffocate you. And 940 00:46:58,239 --> 00:47:00,800 Speaker 6: we just saw it with Yukon drill in Saint John's 941 00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:02,640 Speaker 6: a couple of weeks ago, and then Saint John's just 942 00:47:02,680 --> 00:47:05,839 Speaker 6: would not let up on Yukon this past Saturday night. 943 00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:09,000 Speaker 6: Those things are hard to deal with. But I don't 944 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:11,880 Speaker 6: think there's any league that hasn't seen enough, especially with 945 00:47:11,920 --> 00:47:13,399 Speaker 6: all the great non league games there are. 946 00:47:13,440 --> 00:47:13,680 Speaker 4: Now. 947 00:47:13,960 --> 00:47:16,560 Speaker 1: Tom Crean my guest, of course, you see him on ESPN. 948 00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:19,520 Speaker 1: He is on the Java House Colbrew Coffee guest line. Coach. 949 00:47:19,560 --> 00:47:22,080 Speaker 1: Purdue played four games in four days, and certainly it 950 00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:26,120 Speaker 1: looks like Matt Painter, you know, reawakened what it was 951 00:47:26,120 --> 00:47:28,000 Speaker 1: that we expected from Purdue at the beginning of the 952 00:47:28,080 --> 00:47:29,759 Speaker 1: year and where they played some of their best ball 953 00:47:29,880 --> 00:47:33,440 Speaker 1: away from Mackie oddly enough. But is there from a 954 00:47:33,480 --> 00:47:38,319 Speaker 1: coaching standpoint, when your team would play like Ford, you know, 955 00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:41,080 Speaker 1: you go into that. Is there a danger there in 956 00:47:41,200 --> 00:47:43,280 Speaker 1: exerting all of that to win the Big Ten tournament 957 00:47:43,400 --> 00:47:45,239 Speaker 1: and then have to turn right back around into the 958 00:47:45,239 --> 00:47:45,720 Speaker 1: Big One? 959 00:47:46,200 --> 00:47:49,400 Speaker 6: Only if it was Thursday out West and and I 960 00:47:49,480 --> 00:47:51,000 Speaker 6: forget where they go, where do they go. 961 00:47:51,600 --> 00:47:54,040 Speaker 1: They are eddiewhere they playing. They're playing Friday, right. 962 00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:56,200 Speaker 6: Yeah, they're Friday. I just don't remember what city. 963 00:47:57,040 --> 00:47:58,440 Speaker 1: I've got to look and see what city because this 964 00:47:58,480 --> 00:48:02,200 Speaker 1: one doesn't have the sites. Can you look at the city, Eddie. 965 00:48:02,239 --> 00:48:03,760 Speaker 6: I don't think it's out west though. 966 00:48:06,400 --> 00:48:09,680 Speaker 1: Eddie's looking here, but so but if it is out west, 967 00:48:09,880 --> 00:48:10,880 Speaker 1: that is that of concern. 968 00:48:11,680 --> 00:48:13,759 Speaker 6: Arkansas has got to go to Portland, right and they 969 00:48:13,840 --> 00:48:15,960 Speaker 6: got to play an early game, and they just played 970 00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:18,960 Speaker 6: those games like that is a little bit of a concern. 971 00:48:19,160 --> 00:48:21,840 Speaker 6: When they got to go off that far. Saint John's 972 00:48:21,840 --> 00:48:24,160 Speaker 6: played Saturday night, they got to go to San Diego. 973 00:48:24,520 --> 00:48:26,040 Speaker 6: And again I don't have the days in front of me. 974 00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:27,120 Speaker 1: But St. 975 00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:29,719 Speaker 2: Louis by the way, Yeah, that's no, that's no issue. 976 00:48:29,719 --> 00:48:32,600 Speaker 1: And it's a Friday, right, Yeah, so that's good. That's 977 00:48:32,640 --> 00:48:33,440 Speaker 1: good news right now. 978 00:48:33,440 --> 00:48:34,480 Speaker 4: I love their matchups. 979 00:48:34,640 --> 00:48:40,239 Speaker 6: I love their matchups because Missouri and Miami are two 980 00:48:40,280 --> 00:48:44,160 Speaker 6: different teams. But if you and they're going to try 981 00:48:44,160 --> 00:48:48,400 Speaker 6: to overpower you with drives, right, like Missouri really wants 982 00:48:48,440 --> 00:48:50,360 Speaker 6: to go at you. They want to they want to 983 00:48:50,360 --> 00:48:53,520 Speaker 6: bring their bigs, but they those teams will have a 984 00:48:53,560 --> 00:48:58,200 Speaker 6: hard time dealing with Matt's ball screen schemes. Michigan has 985 00:48:58,239 --> 00:49:00,960 Speaker 6: a hard time with it. I thought this when Purdue 986 00:49:01,000 --> 00:49:04,120 Speaker 6: lost to Michigan. Whenever they played, I. 987 00:49:04,040 --> 00:49:07,520 Speaker 3: Thought Purdue was way closer to beating Michigan than it 988 00:49:07,560 --> 00:49:10,399 Speaker 3: looked like on the scoreboard. Michigan got hot, they got 989 00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:13,440 Speaker 3: some things done, and Purdue almost got away a little 990 00:49:13,440 --> 00:49:15,080 Speaker 3: bit that first time from what was working. 991 00:49:15,120 --> 00:49:17,080 Speaker 6: Well, they didn't get away from it yesterday and the 992 00:49:17,120 --> 00:49:20,560 Speaker 6: way they attacked Michigan's bodies, because that's how you do it. 993 00:49:20,600 --> 00:49:22,759 Speaker 6: You beat Michigan one of two ways. You either go 994 00:49:22,880 --> 00:49:26,120 Speaker 6: and attack them like Duke did and like Purdue did 995 00:49:26,160 --> 00:49:28,440 Speaker 6: a lot yesterday, like you go into their bodies, you 996 00:49:28,560 --> 00:49:32,399 Speaker 6: back them up, or you beat them on a high 997 00:49:32,440 --> 00:49:35,120 Speaker 6: pick and roll spacing with your five pick and pop 998 00:49:35,160 --> 00:49:39,319 Speaker 6: type things, which is what Wisconsin has done. And to me, 999 00:49:39,480 --> 00:49:43,799 Speaker 6: that's that's where Michigan's vulnerable. So like here's Purdue. There's 1000 00:49:43,840 --> 00:49:46,439 Speaker 6: so many styles of play that Purdue can play because 1001 00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:49,120 Speaker 6: of what Trey kauferin Ren can do. And everybody said, well, 1002 00:49:49,160 --> 00:49:51,000 Speaker 6: Fletcher Lawyer's got to do this, and he's got to 1003 00:49:51,040 --> 00:49:53,160 Speaker 6: do the a. He's got to be good. He doesn't 1004 00:49:53,200 --> 00:49:55,560 Speaker 6: have to be great. Braydon Smith has to continue to 1005 00:49:55,600 --> 00:49:57,319 Speaker 6: attack play out of the pick and roll, make the 1006 00:49:57,360 --> 00:50:01,600 Speaker 6: decisions that he makes, and then operate because Oscar Cloff 1007 00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:04,920 Speaker 6: now he becomes an incredibly hard matchup because he can 1008 00:50:04,960 --> 00:50:08,160 Speaker 6: overpower you inside. He can step out and shoot, and 1009 00:50:08,680 --> 00:50:11,440 Speaker 6: I think Purdue could really get hot here. The issue 1010 00:50:11,480 --> 00:50:14,440 Speaker 6: that they have at times is they can get stuck 1011 00:50:15,520 --> 00:50:18,920 Speaker 6: on the pick and roll coverage, where now Oscar Kluff 1012 00:50:19,000 --> 00:50:20,960 Speaker 6: has to recover or he has to go out and 1013 00:50:21,000 --> 00:50:23,759 Speaker 6: guard a big and he's not that good at that. 1014 00:50:23,920 --> 00:50:25,359 Speaker 6: You know, it was a lot easier last year when 1015 00:50:25,400 --> 00:50:27,560 Speaker 6: Trey Coffer and Red was guarding the fots. You know, 1016 00:50:27,560 --> 00:50:30,600 Speaker 6: when you got Zach Edie. There's not a lot of 1017 00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:33,719 Speaker 6: things that somebody can do that they're going to hurt 1018 00:50:33,760 --> 00:50:36,680 Speaker 6: you in the paint. But you can stretch people out 1019 00:50:36,719 --> 00:50:40,200 Speaker 6: with the shooting. And that's the only thing that I 1020 00:50:40,239 --> 00:50:42,360 Speaker 6: see that can hurt them if they stay on this 1021 00:50:42,719 --> 00:50:44,840 Speaker 6: pace that they're at, maybe somebody that really got up 1022 00:50:44,880 --> 00:50:47,680 Speaker 6: into them physically, but they can just keep back in 1023 00:50:47,719 --> 00:50:49,839 Speaker 6: that ball screen up with Braden Smith and he can 1024 00:50:49,880 --> 00:50:51,959 Speaker 6: operate so well out of it. I think Purdue could. 1025 00:50:52,320 --> 00:50:54,640 Speaker 6: I think they could go a long, long way coach. 1026 00:50:54,680 --> 00:50:57,799 Speaker 1: We heard earlier today, obviously the Thad Moda deciding to 1027 00:50:58,040 --> 00:51:00,799 Speaker 1: retire from coaching in college basketball, five hundred and two 1028 00:51:00,840 --> 00:51:04,920 Speaker 1: career wins, nearly seventy winning percentage of parafinal four trips. 1029 00:51:05,719 --> 00:51:07,879 Speaker 1: Wanted to just get your overall thoughts on the career 1030 00:51:07,920 --> 00:51:08,719 Speaker 1: of that Bada. 1031 00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:11,880 Speaker 6: Big time Hall of Famer. I've said that since I 1032 00:51:11,960 --> 00:51:14,839 Speaker 6: was coaching against him in the Big Ten. I saw 1033 00:51:14,920 --> 00:51:16,560 Speaker 6: him coach a few weeks ago when I was up 1034 00:51:16,560 --> 00:51:20,120 Speaker 6: at Marquette to get an honor from Marquten and then 1035 00:51:20,160 --> 00:51:22,040 Speaker 6: a lot of our former players are back. They honored 1036 00:51:22,040 --> 00:51:24,879 Speaker 6: our first Big East team. I saw what he's doing there, 1037 00:51:25,040 --> 00:51:26,960 Speaker 6: you know, dealing with the injuries. I thought he did 1038 00:51:26,960 --> 00:51:29,080 Speaker 6: an incredible coaching job this year. He had a lot 1039 00:51:29,080 --> 00:51:34,040 Speaker 6: of injuries, he didn't have great shooting. He made guys better, 1040 00:51:34,280 --> 00:51:38,080 Speaker 6: you know, he brought confidence, like to Michael kid Led 1041 00:51:38,080 --> 00:51:40,560 Speaker 6: the country and rebounding or second and the rebounding and 1042 00:51:41,440 --> 00:51:46,440 Speaker 6: the confidency unleashed in him was incredible. Watching Philly Bizjack 1043 00:51:46,480 --> 00:51:50,600 Speaker 6: the way that he plays. He's He's a huge winner, 1044 00:51:50,760 --> 00:51:55,000 Speaker 6: been a winner everywhere that he's been And no question 1045 00:51:55,080 --> 00:51:56,760 Speaker 6: in my mind with what he's done over a period 1046 00:51:56,800 --> 00:51:58,279 Speaker 6: of time. Some of these other guys are in the 1047 00:51:58,280 --> 00:52:00,719 Speaker 6: Hall of Fame. That bad models should be in there 1048 00:52:00,880 --> 00:52:04,720 Speaker 6: in due time as well. That he is a tremendous coach. 1049 00:52:05,560 --> 00:52:10,160 Speaker 6: He was always always hard to go against because he's 1050 00:52:10,200 --> 00:52:13,759 Speaker 6: a little like Matt Painter. Like Matt will really adjust 1051 00:52:14,120 --> 00:52:16,840 Speaker 6: what he's doing to the personnel that he has, you know, 1052 00:52:16,880 --> 00:52:18,600 Speaker 6: and that could always really do a good job of 1053 00:52:18,640 --> 00:52:22,160 Speaker 6: recruiting his personnel, but he would also change. He would 1054 00:52:22,160 --> 00:52:24,640 Speaker 6: also play to the personnel, so you were constantly happened 1055 00:52:24,640 --> 00:52:27,719 Speaker 6: to There was no patterned way you were going to 1056 00:52:27,760 --> 00:52:30,400 Speaker 6: play against or beat Ohio State. You had to continue 1057 00:52:30,920 --> 00:52:34,280 Speaker 6: to adjust it constantly. And I thought he was phenomenal 1058 00:52:34,320 --> 00:52:35,520 Speaker 6: at that He's had a great career. 1059 00:52:35,760 --> 00:52:38,880 Speaker 1: You know that league and you know this state. Would 1060 00:52:38,880 --> 00:52:40,919 Speaker 1: you be interested in the Butler job? 1061 00:52:41,440 --> 00:52:43,960 Speaker 6: Well, I think the way that's come down now, I 1062 00:52:43,960 --> 00:52:47,000 Speaker 6: would answer it like this. I think for the announcement 1063 00:52:47,040 --> 00:52:48,920 Speaker 6: to come out now after saying that he was going 1064 00:52:49,000 --> 00:52:50,719 Speaker 6: to come back, I would think this is all set 1065 00:52:50,760 --> 00:52:52,920 Speaker 6: and they know exactly what they're doing, so it would 1066 00:52:52,920 --> 00:52:55,919 Speaker 6: be I don't mind hypotheticals, but that one doesn't even 1067 00:52:55,920 --> 00:52:57,840 Speaker 6: seem like that would be a reality one to me 1068 00:52:57,880 --> 00:53:01,279 Speaker 6: because I would just think that they have that figured out, 1069 00:53:01,760 --> 00:53:04,919 Speaker 6: or because the timing is just too you know, because 1070 00:53:04,920 --> 00:53:06,720 Speaker 6: they had announced he was coming back. 1071 00:53:06,600 --> 00:53:09,480 Speaker 1: Right correct, three days ago, I believe, And I wondered 1072 00:53:09,480 --> 00:53:13,600 Speaker 1: if maybe that wasn't the university just wanting people to 1073 00:53:13,760 --> 00:53:16,319 Speaker 1: understand that this would have was his decision, you know, 1074 00:53:16,680 --> 00:53:19,000 Speaker 1: and I would think at that point they knew, right, 1075 00:53:19,400 --> 00:53:20,120 Speaker 1: he deserves that. 1076 00:53:20,200 --> 00:53:22,560 Speaker 6: I mean, he I got a lot of respect, especially 1077 00:53:22,640 --> 00:53:25,120 Speaker 6: in that state when people know how to handle their 1078 00:53:25,160 --> 00:53:28,480 Speaker 6: business in the athletic department right, and they did a 1079 00:53:28,480 --> 00:53:29,960 Speaker 6: good job with that. I give Graham a lot of 1080 00:53:30,000 --> 00:53:32,200 Speaker 6: credit for that. However it played out, and I don't 1081 00:53:32,239 --> 00:53:33,680 Speaker 6: have any knowledge other. 1082 00:53:33,640 --> 00:53:34,840 Speaker 4: Than then. 1083 00:53:36,160 --> 00:53:38,400 Speaker 6: Just what I've read and seen, but for that to 1084 00:53:38,400 --> 00:53:40,839 Speaker 6: be able to announce it on his own terms, that 1085 00:53:40,960 --> 00:53:42,000 Speaker 6: was really really important. 1086 00:53:42,200 --> 00:53:44,120 Speaker 1: So obviously you haven't talked to anybody there. 1087 00:53:44,600 --> 00:53:45,440 Speaker 2: Oh no, not at all. 1088 00:53:45,560 --> 00:53:45,719 Speaker 4: No. 1089 00:53:45,719 --> 00:53:49,800 Speaker 6: No, I would think that I would think that is done. 1090 00:53:49,840 --> 00:53:52,239 Speaker 6: I would think that that that that would be. But 1091 00:53:52,320 --> 00:53:52,960 Speaker 6: I'm not. 1092 00:53:53,239 --> 00:53:56,120 Speaker 1: Who would your guest be, because I you know, my 1093 00:53:56,239 --> 00:53:59,640 Speaker 1: first thought was steal from Miami, and then other people 1094 00:53:59,640 --> 00:54:02,439 Speaker 1: told me that probably no, that's probably not so much 1095 00:54:02,480 --> 00:54:05,560 Speaker 1: the case, I think Ronald Nora would seem to make sense. 1096 00:54:05,600 --> 00:54:06,880 Speaker 1: But who would be your guests? 1097 00:54:07,120 --> 00:54:08,920 Speaker 6: Well, I would think if it's not a total in 1098 00:54:09,080 --> 00:54:12,400 Speaker 6: house person from Butler, I wouldn't rule out John Gross 1099 00:54:12,400 --> 00:54:15,399 Speaker 6: of Akron. He's had done a tremendous job. It's got 1100 00:54:15,400 --> 00:54:18,000 Speaker 6: the ties. It would it would It would surprise me 1101 00:54:18,040 --> 00:54:20,920 Speaker 6: if it wasn't somebody that that was a part of 1102 00:54:20,960 --> 00:54:23,000 Speaker 6: that fabric of I don't want to say it's the 1103 00:54:23,000 --> 00:54:25,440 Speaker 6: Butler way because it continues to evolve, but it would. 1104 00:54:25,640 --> 00:54:27,600 Speaker 6: It would surprise me at this point the way it's 1105 00:54:27,640 --> 00:54:30,239 Speaker 6: all come down if it wasn't somebody that they had 1106 00:54:30,320 --> 00:54:33,400 Speaker 6: earmarked for this. And so yeah, Ronald Nora and all 1107 00:54:33,440 --> 00:54:36,640 Speaker 6: those guys, but anybody that fits that bill, that's good. 1108 00:54:36,680 --> 00:54:39,080 Speaker 6: But John Gross has done an incredible job at an 1109 00:54:39,320 --> 00:54:43,080 Speaker 6: incredible job. And I'll actually have their game. I'll be 1110 00:54:43,320 --> 00:54:48,759 Speaker 6: with Westwood one on uh Friday, so I'll see their 1111 00:54:48,800 --> 00:54:51,520 Speaker 6: game against Texas Techer call their game. 1112 00:54:51,520 --> 00:54:52,560 Speaker 2: But he's done a great job. 1113 00:54:52,880 --> 00:54:54,960 Speaker 1: Texas Tech's really well coached too, that that'll be a 1114 00:54:54,960 --> 00:54:56,880 Speaker 1: great matchup because Gross, he's one of the best. 1115 00:54:56,640 --> 00:54:59,080 Speaker 6: In the country today. McCaslin is one of the when 1116 00:54:59,120 --> 00:55:00,759 Speaker 6: he's doing with that team. And I know they've lost 1117 00:55:00,760 --> 00:55:03,120 Speaker 6: three in a row, but to lose JT. Toppin, who 1118 00:55:03,160 --> 00:55:05,920 Speaker 6: was probably going to be the Big Twelve Player of 1119 00:55:05,920 --> 00:55:08,319 Speaker 6: the year after being that last year and what he 1120 00:55:08,360 --> 00:55:10,960 Speaker 6: does is a player, and then to ring off three 1121 00:55:11,000 --> 00:55:12,600 Speaker 6: wins in a row after that. I had one of 1122 00:55:12,640 --> 00:55:16,040 Speaker 6: the of the Koons after they've run, after they beat 1123 00:55:16,080 --> 00:55:19,400 Speaker 6: Iowa State for Fox, I called there was an analyst 1124 00:55:19,440 --> 00:55:22,839 Speaker 6: for the TCU Texas Tech game. He could he could 1125 00:55:22,880 --> 00:55:25,640 Speaker 6: beat some people. There is no doubt about that. If 1126 00:55:25,640 --> 00:55:28,960 Speaker 6: people are looking at their at their at their at 1127 00:55:29,000 --> 00:55:32,239 Speaker 6: their pools, I would not sleep. Now. The problem is, 1128 00:55:32,239 --> 00:55:34,319 Speaker 6: you don't You don't know if Christian Anderson is going 1129 00:55:34,360 --> 00:55:36,319 Speaker 6: to be one hundred percent. And I'm not sure they 1130 00:55:36,360 --> 00:55:39,080 Speaker 6: could go on without him because he's one of the 1131 00:55:39,120 --> 00:55:42,000 Speaker 6: great guards in the country. But if he's healthy and 1132 00:55:42,040 --> 00:55:44,759 Speaker 6: he's cleared and he feels good, that team can beat 1133 00:55:44,760 --> 00:55:46,600 Speaker 6: a lot of people because of the case of play, 1134 00:55:46,640 --> 00:55:47,600 Speaker 6: the way they shoot it. 1135 00:55:48,160 --> 00:55:50,560 Speaker 1: He's just outstanding coach and they just they seem to 1136 00:55:50,560 --> 00:55:52,600 Speaker 1: always know where the loose balls are. They just are 1137 00:55:52,640 --> 00:55:56,120 Speaker 1: a very well prepared basketball team, no question about that, 1138 00:55:56,239 --> 00:55:58,919 Speaker 1: no doubt. Coach I know it will be a busy time. Man. 1139 00:55:58,960 --> 00:56:00,440 Speaker 1: I don't know how much sleep you get over the 1140 00:56:00,440 --> 00:56:02,600 Speaker 1: next couple of weeks, but I love every minute of it, 1141 00:56:02,640 --> 00:56:05,719 Speaker 1: and I certainly enjoy your perspectives, your coverage as well. 1142 00:56:05,760 --> 00:56:08,200 Speaker 1: We'll be watching and listening throughout March. Badness. 1143 00:56:08,480 --> 00:56:10,120 Speaker 2: Appreciate it, Jake, appreciate it. 1144 00:56:10,520 --> 00:56:13,359 Speaker 1: Tom Green joining us on the Java House Cold Brew 1145 00:56:13,400 --> 00:56:14,400 Speaker 1: Coffee guest line