1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Earlier today had a chance to talk with Jared Calhoun. 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: That interview we aired earlier. It's available right now on 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app. After I talked with the new head 4 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: coach of the UC men's basketball program, I chatted with 5 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: the guy who hired him, Director of Athletics, John Cunningham. 6 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 2: Let's start with this, and this may sound like sort 7 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:24,159 Speaker 2: of a dumb question. What is a day like this 8 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 2: a coaching announcement? When you have former players, when you 9 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: have Bearcat royalty, when you have Bob Huggins here, when 10 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 2: you have fans who show up at one o'clock on 11 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 2: a Wednesday afternoon, what's a day like this like for you? 12 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 3: It's obviously busy, but what I love about it is 13 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:44,279 Speaker 3: it is a celebration of Bearcat basketball and you get 14 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 3: a chance to thank so many people around the program, 15 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 3: from your supporters to you know, your university president and 16 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 3: all your staff, and obviously just introduce somebody that's pretty 17 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 3: dynamic to your fan base and get them excited. So 18 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 3: it's a lot of fun. It's one of those great days. 19 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 3: And was so excited to do it. I'm gonna sleep 20 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,119 Speaker 3: well tonight, but it was a great day. 21 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 2: What made this hiring process unique. 22 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 4: The timing. 23 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 3: Obviously, you don't have a lot of time in this 24 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 3: day of the portal. You know, the portal doesn't technically 25 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 3: open up until April, but we all know some decisions 26 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 3: are being made, and so you've got to get somebody 27 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 3: here and going, and so we knew that that was. 28 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 4: Going to be really important. 29 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 3: The other the other interesting thing here is that we 30 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 3: really were targeting coach Calhan and so, you know, you're 31 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 3: trying to land that plane, you always have a plan B, 32 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 3: but he was He was by far and away plan A, 33 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 3: and so that was a little bit unique, and so 34 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 3: we were you know, he wanted to be here, he 35 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 3: said it. This was a job that he had always 36 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 3: identified as one that he would he would want to 37 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 3: jump at, and we wanted him here, and so it 38 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 3: was nice that they came together and the timing worked. 39 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: You targeted him, but there had to be a moment 40 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 2: where you're thinking, Okay, that's the guy that I want. 41 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 2: What were the things that led you to go, Okay, 42 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 2: that's our number one choice. 43 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it went back to conversations I had 44 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:11,239 Speaker 3: with basketball people about him as a basketball coach. You know, 45 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 3: I mean Obviously his connections to Ohio and Cincinnati were 46 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 3: almost the cherry on top. But we were trying to 47 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 3: find the best basketball coach and specifically somebody that could 48 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 3: really scheme in the Big twelve against some of the 49 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,079 Speaker 3: best coaches in the country and really get after it offensively, 50 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 3: put the ball in the hole. And then also, you know, 51 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 3: kind of have that program identity that I talked about 52 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 3: in the press conference, which is I think toughness, family, 53 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 3: the right guys, playing the right way. 54 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 2: He mentioned mc cronin multiple times. How cool is it 55 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 2: to have somebody like that across the country who still 56 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 2: has such care and concern for the university, who's helping 57 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: you and helping Coach Calhoun in coming together for this marriage. 58 00:02:58,280 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 4: It's so unique. It doesn't happen. 59 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 3: And you know, I've I've had a chance to get 60 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 3: to know coach cronin a little bit. He just loves 61 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 3: the city of Cincinnati and obviously his dad still comes 62 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 3: to the games, and he just has a passion for 63 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 3: this place and it and it never left when when 64 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 3: he went to LA and so you didn't have to 65 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 3: give his time or his thoughts or try to help 66 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 3: in any way, and he did and that means a lot, 67 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 3: and in this city should be thankful to have somebody 68 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 3: like that. 69 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 4: Uh, that still gives back in that way. 70 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 2: Decision decision is made to have a coaching change, and 71 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: then the decision is made to hire a specific coach. 72 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 2: In between, you have players who are going to have options. 73 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 2: What's the communication like between yourself, your staff and the players, 74 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 2: who I'm sure wanted to know as quickly as possible 75 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 2: who their head coach was going to be. 76 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, we met with him obviously, and and 77 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 3: I told him, I said, it's gonna it's gonna feel 78 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 3: like weeks. It's gonna be days, because we knew that 79 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 3: we had to move quickly before we had a new coach. 80 00:03:56,960 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 3: And I said, you know, number one, all of you 81 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 3: individually will have your own situation and your own circumstances, 82 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 3: and so we want to know what those circumstances are 83 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 3: if you have eligibility coming back. And then also, you know, 84 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 3: take care of They had spring break, so we said, 85 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 3: go joy spring break. 86 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 4: Take a breath. You know, this is a long season. 87 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 3: Take a breath, come back, get done what you need 88 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 3: to academically to finish off, and we'll be here for you, 89 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 3: Mike Rayfeld, our strength coach will be here for you 90 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 3: if you want to get a workout in. Obviously we 91 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 3: had you know, a surgery or two and some training 92 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 3: staff around to help the players, but just really focus 93 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 3: in on them and their individual circumstances. And then now 94 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 3: we know we have that coach in place, he gets 95 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 3: to start to build that relationship.