1 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: Hey, Welcome into the all new All Ball. I'm your boy, 2 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: Doug Gottlieb and all full disclosure. We had to re 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: record kind of the open to this one because there's 4 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 1: breaking news. The n c A tournament will have no fans. 5 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: So to those of you who made fun of my 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: motor ocual Mi State for not filling up Gallagher Arena, 7 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: they were just preparing for the n c A tournament, 8 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: that's all. It is crazy, though, that the n c 9 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 1: A is getting out ahead of this thing. Meanwhile, all 10 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: these tournaments are being played like I'm watching the Pack twelve, 11 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: the Big Ten, the Big twelve, the SEC They're all 12 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:43,160 Speaker 1: playing in front of full houses. So I it's it's 13 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: it's like and I get it that the information is 14 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 1: late and teams, you know, trips, are already planning, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, 15 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: but it is absolutely fascinating to see how you turn 16 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: these slow moving ships around. My guess would be n 17 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,279 Speaker 1: I t is gonna be canceled to all the at 18 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: the time it's recording only the c B. I has 19 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: has been canceled only the CBI. So how does it 20 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: affect the tournament? Well, first, I would I just would wonder. 21 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: I just honestly wonder why they would play it at 22 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: the Georgia Dome. Why they wouldn't play it eventually at 23 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: at like Georgia Tech Arena or even at the Hawks 24 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: packt facility. Why why not play it there? Anybody? But 25 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 1: I don't think it affects the first and second round. 26 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 1: Crowds aren't really a part of the issue, Like duke, 27 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: can crowds turn on the higher seeded team? Of course 28 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: they can. That. That's kind of part of the tradition 29 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 1: of the n c A tournament, as anyone who's been 30 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: their nose, which is crowds can absolutely turn on a dime. 31 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: You know, a duke is in a close game, even 32 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: if they're playing in the state of North Carolina, and 33 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: the home crowd or the home crowd can turn against 34 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: the higher seed. But outside of that doesn't really doesn't 35 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: totally change at all, or doesn't even modestly change the 36 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 1: outcome of games. But the final four, like that's a 37 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: fan crazy event. I went there as a kid, I 38 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: bring my kid and my nephew goes there, and you 39 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: know what do you do with fan fest? Obviously have 40 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: to cancel it. All those concerts that you have got 41 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: to cancel it now the fans can't go to the games. 42 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: Like this is a weird, almost zombie apocalypse type of time. 43 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: I would guess I'm not gonna be one of these 44 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:38,839 Speaker 1: guys that tells you everybody's freaking out. I would guess 45 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: they're freaking out for a reason. There's got to be 46 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 1: worse news before there's better news. But what a change, 47 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: Like what a year this is gonna be where we 48 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: look back and like, oh that was the n c 49 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: A turn where there are no fans there, which means 50 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: that we know fans at NBA games as well, or 51 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: you run the possibility of not having NBA games, Or 52 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: the question becomes with all the revenue lost to vendors 53 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 1: who that's a big, big portion of why they can't 54 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,679 Speaker 1: cut the number of NBA games is what do you 55 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: do with all those vendors and all the money that 56 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:14,119 Speaker 1: the vendors make. Well, now they won't make any money. 57 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: So do you shut the arenas and play at the 58 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: practice facilities? Same length court training rooms are right there. 59 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: Many of them have to have stands for essential personnel. 60 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: Do you want to play in an empty Staples Center 61 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: or in an empty you know Chase Center. Would you 62 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: rather play in a practice facility? I don't know in 63 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: terms of being cost effective or how it affects camera angles, 64 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: because now it becomes a basically play in a sound stage. 65 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 1: But it is a fastening time we we we live 66 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: in and one that it'll it'll it'll just change the outcome. 67 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: It'll change the feeling, won't change the outcome. You know, 68 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: fans have never made or missed one basket. They don't 69 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: influence nearly as much as you think. So there'll be 70 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: no hands, but there will be games. And um, what's 71 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: interesting is it feels like the domes have been reconfigured 72 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: recently and the fans have been more into it. Like 73 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: I remember last year at the championship game in the 74 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: semifinals in in in Minnesota, I felt like the fans 75 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: were more into it and the dome was built in 76 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 1: a way in which it was a better watch than previously. 77 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 1: Now we won't have it, And then I guess the 78 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: question becomes, does any of this become the new normal? 79 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: Not having media members inside the locker room? Is that 80 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: the new normal? I would say probably yes, But what 81 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: what about everything else? You know, not having fans at 82 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: the game or do we stop shaking hands? Right? What? 83 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 1: What about? This becomes the new normal in the meantime, Like, 84 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: the games are still gonna be crazy, the endings are 85 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: still gonna be spectacular, the cutaways are just gonna be 86 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: tighter than they've ever been in the past. And now 87 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: we don't have to worry about which side is a 88 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: good site, which side is a bad site. You could 89 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: play him in all practice teams that nobody would know. 90 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: The games will go on and we will cover them 91 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,039 Speaker 1: really really well for you here on All Ball. Casey 92 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,280 Speaker 1: Alexander is our guest on this pod. He is the 93 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: head coach of Belmont. He played at Belmont, He was 94 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: an assistant at Belmont. He left Belmont to become the 95 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 1: head coach at Stetton. Stetson for a couple of years, 96 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 1: that's in Florida, the mad Hatter's great nickname, great nickname um. 97 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 1: And then of course he went back to Nashville, where 98 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:34,720 Speaker 1: Belmont is located, but was the head coach at Lipscomb. 99 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: Get a little Lipscomb right, Oh sorry, it's a bad joke. Anyway, 100 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 1: we've talked Lipscomb basketball in pods in the past with 101 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: his best player that he ever had their um And 102 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: then this offseason when Rick Bird, the legendary longtime head 103 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 1: coach at Belmont retired, he decided to make the trip 104 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:56,919 Speaker 1: two miles down the road and become the head coach 105 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 1: at Belmont. So it's a big thing, especially in Nashville 106 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: and that level of basketball and Belmont has become such 107 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: a significant program. Um in the o v C and 108 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: of course Lipscomb in the A SON So we'll catch 109 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: up with Casey Alexander. Plus, they beat Murray State in 110 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: epic kind of classic Belmont coaching fashion. Where did you 111 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 1: get the last second back door play? You'll be surprised 112 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: that when you hear that, and what what what Murray 113 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: State could have done to unravel that play. We'll get 114 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: to that upcoming as well. I want to give you 115 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: this thought on Lebron's weekend. You know what happens to 116 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 1: the my my kids call them newbs. I don't know 117 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: is that I don't know if that's a national word 118 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 1: or just a kid word or just an Orange County 119 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: kidboard neubes or people are new too, whatever they're doing. 120 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 1: Um in basketball, we've we've coined them civilians, right, and 121 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: maybe that's in all sports. People who are talking about 122 00:06:55,680 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 1: sports that don't really know the sport or are just 123 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 1: kind of fans of it, didn't play it, or don't 124 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: see it. At a higher level, to the NUBE or 125 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: to the uh civilian, Lebron has ever been as dominant 126 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: as he was previously. Just look at the stats, look 127 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: at the winds, look at how he played this weekend. 128 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: If you're watching at a higher level, you're sitting there 129 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: and going like, it's really amazing. Considering how he can 130 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: conserve energy, take plays off um, how he can get 131 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: where he wants to get in fewer movements, how can 132 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: he he can adjust to the fact that his body 133 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: though for a normal human being, he's a freak of nature. 134 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: For the NBA, he does look like a slightly less 135 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: athletic version of himself talking about Lebron over the weekend. Nonetheless, 136 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: my case for him being the m v P was 137 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 1: encapsulating all that he's doing. And yes, this is kind 138 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: of giving him a pass for occasionally taking taking more 139 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: defensive possessions off, for how aiding on defense for you know, 140 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: for playing bullyball and slower and posting up on offense 141 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 1: and things. I give him a past because he's not 142 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: only trying to elevate his team to a higher level 143 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: than they could normally play at without him or with 144 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: another star, but I would also tell you that I 145 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: think he's elevating himself to a higher level and kind 146 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: of figuring out where he should be and how he 147 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: can get to where he wants to get. This is 148 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: not a shot of Jhannice. Janice is unbelievable. But I 149 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: think there are a good list of guys you could 150 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: put in Janice's situation where you surround him with shooters 151 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: and he they would be close offensively and defensively to 152 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 1: what he does. I offered up Ben Simmons, People like, 153 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 1: you're crazy, he doesn't shoot, lelone can't shoot. Do I 154 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:52,679 Speaker 1: think he would average the saying to her points No, Um, 155 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: I think Ben Simmons is actually a better passer. Um. 156 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,719 Speaker 1: He's not the rim protector defense of the Janice is, 157 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,199 Speaker 1: but he's you know, if he can, if he can 158 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,599 Speaker 1: be that floating guy, he's already I think leading the 159 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: NBA and steals like he's a He's a good versatile defender. 160 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:10,680 Speaker 1: And the bigger thing is if you surround him just 161 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: with shooters in space, out like Ben Simmons becomes really, really, 162 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: really difficult to defend. Now, is he easier to defend 163 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: than your Honice? I guess yes, You honest will take threes, 164 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: but it's not like he makes them at a high clip, 165 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: but he does at least take him. My case is 166 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 1: simply that whether it's James Harden or Russell Westbrook or 167 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 1: or Joannice or Ben Simmons, or if you put Jason Tatum, 168 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: you put a lot of these star players and support 169 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 1: them with the type of overall defense and the concepts 170 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,199 Speaker 1: that they're playing. Offensively, you space the floor and kind 171 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: of give them carte blanche to play how they want 172 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 1: to play, pass to open shooters. I think you'd see 173 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 1: Milwaukee is a good team of wild coaching. I think 174 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: they win a lot of games. I think they put 175 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: up a lot of numbers. I and honestly conceive of 176 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: any NBA player having anywhere close to the effect on 177 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: the Lakers that Lebron does. Now, some of it is just, hey, 178 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 1: that's who Lebron is. He becomes you build around him specifically. 179 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:20,479 Speaker 1: But I do think between the leadership, the toughness, the strength, versatility, 180 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 1: he's even motivating himself to play at a higher level 181 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: than he's normally capable of. That would be my case 182 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 1: for Lebron being the m v P, even if in 183 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: a one game stereo, I think generally I would take 184 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: Kauai over him, you know. I think he's going to 185 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: struggle in the playoffs to be as physical as he 186 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,319 Speaker 1: was consistently with. I think that will take a lot 187 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: out of him with the Kauai letters of the world. 188 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 1: But well, we'll see, we shall see. Still a great 189 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 1: weekend for Lakers. They did lose as the as it 190 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: was recording last night to the Nets, Lebron did miss 191 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 1: a dead layup. Whether that's dead legs or exhausting or 192 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: just goosing up a layup up there, I can't tell you. 193 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 1: Let's let's let's take you to our interview this week 194 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: be short. Catch the live edition of The Doug gott 195 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: Leap Show weekdays at three pm Easter noon Pacific on 196 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio Whap. Another year, 197 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: another postseason tournament for Casey Alexander the head coach, and 198 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 1: his first year at his alma mater at Belmont Place. 199 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: He was an assistant before leaving getting a head coaching 200 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,839 Speaker 1: job at Stetson at Lipscomb, UH and now back replacing 201 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:26,559 Speaker 1: the uncomfortable Rick Bird um casey were I don't know 202 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: how many hours removed from taking your all monitor to 203 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 1: the tournament you did this before when you're at Lipscomb 204 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 1: cross Town, Uh. Compared and contrast the feeling of taking 205 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: down Murray State with getting Lipscomb to the tournament. Well, 206 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: it's um, it's a great feeling. I can tell you that. 207 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: You know, being back at Belmont has been a real honor, 208 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: and UM, I'm grateful for the opportunity. This is. This 209 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: program has won a lot of games recently. This is 210 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: our ninth n C Double A tournament since two thousand 211 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: and six, and so um naturally, every time you go 212 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: to one, you wonder what you ever go back. So 213 00:11:58,200 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: to be able to do it in our first year 214 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 1: is pretty rusial. When you got there as a player, Okay, 215 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 1: when you as a player, you showed up. You guys 216 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,079 Speaker 1: weren't Division one yet, were you know? We were in AI? Yeah? 217 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: What was it like? We were good? Um. My senior 218 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 1: year we were thirty seven and two or two losses 219 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: were to Division one team Western Kentucky who played in 220 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: the postseason that year and then the semifinals in a 221 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: national tournament. We were ranked number one all year, so 222 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 1: we had good teams, especially at the end of those 223 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 1: in AI years, but gosh, it went downhill fast. We 224 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 1: were we were an independent for four or five years, 225 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 1: and when we first made the move to Division one, 226 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: straight from n AI to Division one, we didn't have 227 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: a conference to play in. We had no postseason play, 228 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: so there were some lean years until we finally joined 229 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: what used to be the Trans America and became the 230 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: a Sun Conference, like two thousand one. Maybe. So what 231 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: you're saying is your your senior year. You guys choked, right, 232 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: that doesn't happen. I guess if we were, if we 233 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: have to win the whole thing in order to be 234 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: considered a success, I guess we choked. Um. So the 235 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: first time you met Rick Bird was were he was 236 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: recruiting a high school teammate of mine. Heavily I'm I'm 237 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: a Nashville native. I went to Barowod Academy, local private 238 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:12,559 Speaker 1: school here, and he was recruiting a teammate of mine 239 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:15,319 Speaker 1: who also had a great career at Belmont, and I 240 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 1: was just kind of tagged along, really That's how I 241 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: ended up at Belmont. I knew I wanted to coach. 242 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: I knew he was a great coach. That's how I 243 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 1: ended up here. Okay, who's your high school teammate? David 244 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: Knox was his name? Okay, so David Knox. So you 245 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 1: show up on campus at Belmont and what what what's 246 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 1: your first memory of the place. Belmont was a lot 247 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: different than we had about two thousand students. Um, it 248 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: was a small school, basically a commuter school. Uh, it 249 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 1: had it had two pockets, real heavy into the music business. 250 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: That's where most of our students came from, and then 251 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: the athletes and almost nobody in between. So now we're 252 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:55,559 Speaker 1: about students almost nine thousand maybe. Um. We've built literally 253 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: almost a billion dollars worth of buildings in the last 254 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: ten years when our current projects are over, so it's 255 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:05,560 Speaker 1: changed quite a bit. Yeah, I'm sure. Um, what was 256 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,719 Speaker 1: that process like to to go from an A to 257 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: Division one, not having conference like? How did how did 258 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: coach Bird do it? How? What were the building blocks 259 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 1: that allowed you guys to have not just success of Elmont, 260 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: but sustained success. Yeah that's um, It's the answer to 261 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: your question is probably the most. Um, it's probably the 262 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: most meaningful part of the whole thing to both myself 263 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: and especially Coach Bird in a sense that you go 264 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: back to those early nineties when I was playing in 265 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: an a team, and you take the team that's in 266 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: our locker room right now, they're the same kids. Like 267 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: the players are better, but everything else is the same. 268 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: We didn't We never compromised. We kept recruiting a certain 269 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 1: kind of kid that plays a certain way, that does 270 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 1: things the right way. Um that would have gone to 271 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: college anyway. With a graduator from college anyway, UM knows 272 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: what it means to be a teammate. And that's been 273 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: the secret to our success all along. How do you 274 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 1: identify those when you're recruiting, Well, you've gotta be willing. 275 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: You gotta be willing to take the risk to do 276 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 1: it differently, you know, I mean, you know you, you 277 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: you just gotta trust your gut. Um, you know you 278 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 1: you do a little electual work. We we have to 279 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: to put it in perspective. Since so our moved to 280 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: Division one in two thousand one, we have seventeen academic 281 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: All Americans on our Division one Academic All Americans were 282 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: the next closest is Butler with ten and then and 283 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: there's many that don't have any of course, and so um, 284 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: that's the best proof I can give you. We've had 285 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: two transfers out of our program in fifteen years because 286 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: we've chosen the right kind of guys and uh, you know, 287 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:41,280 Speaker 1: and that's the reason. We would say, that's the reason 288 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 1: we win a lot of people when we made that move. So, hey, 289 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: you can't win that way. You're gonna have to change 290 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: how you recruit and what you do and and um, 291 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 1: as it turns out, it's really the reason why we 292 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: have one mhm, Um, what what made you take the 293 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 1: sets In job when you're you're at Belmont longtime assistant? 294 00:15:57,600 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: Was it just like Kirk coach Burd was never leaving. 295 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: You're like, man, I gotta got coaching job essentially, you know. 296 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: It's uh and and and my job changed here, you know, 297 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: just because of the nature of the program, going from 298 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: an AI to bad Division one, too good Division one 299 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: to n C double A tournament Division one. So it 300 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: was easy to stay in Nashville is home to me, 301 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: but I wanted the opportunity. Um Stetson was in the 302 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: same league at the time the Atlantic Sun and and 303 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 1: I felt like a comparable place. And um, so I 304 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: just felt like it was the right time. I didn't know, 305 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: I didn't know when coach Burr was gonna leave. I 306 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: didn't even know what was gonna happen for sure when 307 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 1: he left. So I felt like I just had to 308 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: had to make that move. And it turned out to 309 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: be a good one. All Right, you're there, You're there 310 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: two years and Lipscomb comes Callege. Now this is to 311 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: come back home, but to be you know, across the 312 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: street essentially from your alma mater. What was what was 313 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 1: the decision? Like two leaves tests in Stetson after just 314 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: two years and you got the thing almost a five 315 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: with the Hatters and then and then come back home 316 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 1: to Lipscomb. Yeah, it was eye opening for a lot 317 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: of people. You know, a lot of the Lipscomb people 318 00:16:57,840 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: were saying that what in the world are you doing 319 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: hiring about my guy? And all the Belmont With people 320 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 1: were saying, how in the world could you ever go 321 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: to Lipscomb? What are you thinking? And so, um, it 322 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,360 Speaker 1: was surprising for a lot of folks. But the truth is, um, 323 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: the universities are very similar, comparable with, you know, and 324 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 1: how they want things to be done. Both teams, both universities, 325 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,120 Speaker 1: very supportive of basketball. I knew a lot of people 326 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: at Lipscomb, very familiar. Obviously, they've been our arrival for 327 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:25,879 Speaker 1: a long, long long time, only two miles apart, and 328 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:28,919 Speaker 1: most of our history being in the same conference together. 329 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: So it was really an easy step. And I've said all. 330 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: I mean, Nashville was important. I mean that was kind 331 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,400 Speaker 1: of a benefit of the whole thing, but I would 332 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,399 Speaker 1: have gone to Lipscomb if it was in Birmingham or St. 333 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: Louis or you name it. I felt like it was 334 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:42,959 Speaker 1: a really good job and it turned out to be proven. 335 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: So um, okay, So we talked on my pod with 336 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 1: Garrison Matthews. Obviously, who is your uh your best figure 337 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: superstar at Lipscombe, part of that amazing team that took 338 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: Lipscomb to their first n c A tournament. Can you 339 00:17:56,359 --> 00:18:00,040 Speaker 1: confirm that you guys didn't really want he wasn't of 340 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: your primary target, right, That's that's what he said. Well, 341 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:05,679 Speaker 1: we liked him, We knew that we liked him, and 342 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 1: we wanted him to come, but we have been recruiting 343 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: somebody else that we felt like was more of a 344 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 1: sure thing. Um, this other player, Um, we have put 345 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 1: a lot of time into. We felt like if we 346 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 1: could get him, it would help us accelerate our progress. 347 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: And so we told the other guy and he was 348 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 1: slow walking the whole thing, but you know, it w 349 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: his his list went from fifteen to ten to five. 350 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: And you know, we said, we're gonna let you take 351 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,400 Speaker 1: your visits. We're not going to do anything until you're finished. 352 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: And it turned out to be us and one other school, 353 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: and we told Garrison all along, Hey, we're waiting on 354 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: this guy. We told him we would, We promised him 355 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 1: we would, and if he says no, we're coming to 356 00:18:42,119 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 1: you immediately. And that's exactly what happened. Turned out Garrison, 357 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 1: you know, as the best player of lips Coms ever 358 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 1: had and the other guy had a good career. But 359 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: we would have made the wrong decision had it worked 360 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:54,120 Speaker 1: out the other way. Okay, So, but he also said 361 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: like he was a football player of basketball player. He's 362 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,160 Speaker 1: like a football player playing basketball. He said, like after 363 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,919 Speaker 1: his freshman year, he just like all of a sudden, 364 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: the light switch went on. How much were you a 365 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: part of that? Like, what's as a as a coach, 366 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 1: and like you guys do it at your level. They're 367 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: they're they're all we're all four and done right or 368 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: five and done. Um. So it is a process, and 369 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: you know the dream is you're bringing a kid he's 370 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: a backup the first year or two. Obviously, Garrison, I 371 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:22,439 Speaker 1: think because of an injury, got to start his his 372 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: freshman year, he told us, Um, but the idea is 373 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: to keep getting better? What what what is that? Is? 374 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:31,399 Speaker 1: It just kind of the old schoolway, like how do 375 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:34,679 Speaker 1: you get guys to buy into the idea of of 376 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 1: continue to grow and develop, some on their own and 377 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:40,560 Speaker 1: some with your guidance. Yeah, I mean, obviously you know, 378 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: we've got to have our finger on it to some degree. 379 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: But I mean I have to give Garrison, you know, 380 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: the lion's share of any credit for what for what 381 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,200 Speaker 1: he accomplished him and he did that largely on his own. 382 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:53,479 Speaker 1: What we did was put good people around him, and 383 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:55,439 Speaker 1: we kind of kept him on the straight and narrow 384 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 1: and then and helped him focus on the things that 385 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 1: matter the most. But he took advantage of his opportunity. 386 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:04,439 Speaker 1: When he came in, he was a pudgy two ten pounds. 387 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:07,879 Speaker 1: You know h back, you know that that could shoot 388 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,440 Speaker 1: it with range? Uh, you know, and it took him 389 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 1: eight or ten games. I mean he was passing up 390 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:14,719 Speaker 1: good shots and then he was shooting it into people's 391 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: armpits on other shots. You know, he didn't know good 392 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:20,119 Speaker 1: from bad. But as he started to figure out is 393 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 1: when our best player got injured and um, and so 394 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: we just put him in the starting lineup and he 395 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:27,159 Speaker 1: led us in scoring for the rest of the season. 396 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: From that moment on, he led us in scoring, and 397 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: then out off season he thought, you know what, I'm 398 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: pretty good at this. He reshaped his body, He completely 399 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 1: changed nutrition. He worked harder than anybody we had for 400 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: the remaining three years. He worked on his game with 401 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 1: trainers on his own. Um. And he really was self 402 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: made in that regard. Yeah, and of course took you 403 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 1: guys d n C de termined. Then. You know last year, 404 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: you guys go all the way to the to the 405 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 1: n I T and the n I T finals. Um, 406 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: how much of how much of the run through the 407 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: ASN tournament too years ago helped you? For uh? The 408 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: other night against Murray, Oh gosh, I don't know if 409 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 1: at all. I mean what I thought about um. Personally 410 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: was because our our game against Murray two days ago, 411 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: I mean it was. I mean it was a fifteen 412 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:17,639 Speaker 1: to one Murray State to Belmont crowd. So it was 413 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:21,200 Speaker 1: a virtual road game. Uh. And our game at lips 414 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: with Lipscomb at Florida Gulf Coast two years ago was 415 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 1: a road game. It literally was at Florida Gulf Coast 416 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: in a great environment. And so personally, I I chow, 417 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: you know, that was easy for me to say, you 418 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: know what, that doesn't have to matter at all. Your 419 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: team can play great, your team can win this game. 420 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:36,879 Speaker 1: Don't even worry about that part of it. Um. But 421 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: I don't think you had me and the fect on 422 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: our players. They don't know any of that story at all. No. 423 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 1: But I mean, you know in terms of of how 424 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 1: you how you substitute, how you like. Look, you're a 425 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 1: long time assistant. Then you become a head coach, and 426 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,640 Speaker 1: anyone who's coach knows that like that, an eighteen inch 427 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 1: move is a big move, and you just kind of 428 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: start processing things and seeing things every Now. Obviously you're 429 00:21:57,320 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: a really good player and your own right, so you 430 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 1: were already like I'm just wondering if there if there's 431 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 1: a level of, like the first time you do it, 432 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,160 Speaker 1: I don't know how hyped you were, Like a level 433 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,959 Speaker 1: of it felt like in watching you nothing faced you, 434 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:15,600 Speaker 1: like you knew what was coming. You had a great 435 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 1: balance about you, And I just wonder if that is 436 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: what you've always had or if that is from the 437 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 1: experience of having success in that situation in the past. Yeah. 438 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 1: I think my countenance and is generally pretty even. I mean, 439 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:28,920 Speaker 1: I'm I'm a fiery guy and a demanding coach, but 440 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:30,959 Speaker 1: um but I try not to get two worked up 441 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 1: or two emotional about, you know, the situation at hand. 442 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 1: You know, I had four n C Double A tournaments 443 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: here at Belmont as an assistant, and then the one 444 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 1: at Lipscombe. You know, that was the first time they 445 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 1: had ever been the first time I've ever been as 446 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:44,680 Speaker 1: a head coach. So I'd be lying if I say 447 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: that didn't have a special place for me. Um. But 448 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 1: the postseason success there, you know, the n I T 449 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 1: run we had last year was unbelievable. We won at 450 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: at Davidson at Greensboro, who was supposed to be the 451 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 1: next team into the n C Double A Tournament. We 452 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,679 Speaker 1: on at Inte State would beat Wichita State in Madison 453 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 1: Square Garden. You know, we had a great run, and 454 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: so I think I just had some confidence that, um, 455 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:10,120 Speaker 1: you know this is you've been here, you've done this. Um, 456 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: you know you've got a great team. You've got a 457 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: mature team, You've got a team that loves playing together. 458 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: So just go beat yourself. Um, okay, so you go. 459 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:21,160 Speaker 1: You take on Murray. As you mentioned, you know, it's 460 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: a virtual road game at the Ford Center. You had 461 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: played Murray twice this year, lost at their place, beat 462 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: him at your place. What was the game plan coming in? Oh, well, 463 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: it wasn't altered very much at all. We we all 464 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,479 Speaker 1: The only thing we changed was how we got their 465 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: post a little bit, but we didn't do anything else 466 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 1: different at all. You know, the games were really slug best. 467 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:45,439 Speaker 1: They're really physical and athletic. Um, we play hard and 468 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 1: we're physical. We're not athletic, but um, so our styles 469 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 1: are pretty different. Um. The games have been great though. 470 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 1: The two programs are really really good. I have a 471 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:57,879 Speaker 1: lot of expectation to win, and so I expected it 472 00:23:57,880 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: to be a game just like it was a game 473 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: that is, you know, just a slug fest for forty minutes. 474 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:05,639 Speaker 1: In this case, both teams played well, though. Uh, in 475 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: our game there, I didn't think we played well in 476 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,119 Speaker 1: their In their game here, I didn't think they played 477 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: particularly well. They're really sloppy offensively. And I think both 478 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:15,919 Speaker 1: teams played pretty well in this last game. All right, 479 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 1: um Um, I want to get to your decision to 480 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: move across town to Belmont in a second. But obviously 481 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: you know people are gonna look and and see what 482 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,640 Speaker 1: Nick was able to do and uh and and kind 483 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:32,440 Speaker 1: of you know, jaw dropping in terms of his his productivity. Uh, 484 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:34,640 Speaker 1: in spite of the fact he's playing foul trouble right 485 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:38,480 Speaker 1: and um, you know in in twenty five minutes, uh, 486 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:42,640 Speaker 1: to give you twenty five and eight boards. Um. But 487 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 1: but but this this team and how it's come together. 488 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 1: Granted you're a Belmont guy, Granted you knew it because 489 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:50,920 Speaker 1: you guys played Belmont every year, But how long did 490 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:52,879 Speaker 1: it take you before you felt like it was your team? 491 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 1: Longer than I anticipated? Um. It was really the one 492 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 1: missing link in the whole transition that I didn't I 493 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 1: didn't I didn't think would be as um significant as 494 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 1: it was because the relationships were good from the beginning. Uh, 495 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:08,159 Speaker 1: there was you know a lot of times with coaching changes. 496 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:10,439 Speaker 1: You know, you talk about all the culture change and 497 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: you know, my guys and things. We had none of that. Um. 498 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 1: We had a trip to Portugal this summer that helped 499 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,880 Speaker 1: us accelerate things. You know. But until you get into 500 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,440 Speaker 1: the season and now all of a sudden, you gotta 501 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:23,479 Speaker 1: play guys and not play guys, and you gotta come 502 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:25,600 Speaker 1: back from losses, and you gotta figure out how to win, 503 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 1: and injuries and everything else. That's when that's when you 504 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: really understand and learn who each other are. So it 505 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:34,199 Speaker 1: took a while, um, and I was surprised by that. 506 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:36,920 Speaker 1: But um, but but even then, it didn't take as 507 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 1: long as it would have, you know, if it were 508 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: if it were somebody new stepping in here. Altogether, who's 509 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: who's evolved and and and bought in and changed the most? 510 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 1: Oh changed, I don't think we've had any wholesale change. 511 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: I mean, there's so much similarities between what we're doing 512 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:56,639 Speaker 1: now and what then, what was already being done both 513 00:25:57,040 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 1: you know, both behind the scenes and on the floor. Um, 514 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:04,160 Speaker 1: that it hasn't required a whole lot of significant change. Um. Naturally, 515 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: I had better relationships with some of those guys than others. 516 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: I recruited two of them really really hard to these 517 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 1: guys really hard, and then a couple of others, um 518 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 1: at least a little bit, so there was some familiarity there. 519 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:18,959 Speaker 1: Um yeah, it's hard to answer, Okay, Um all right, 520 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,440 Speaker 1: So you come down to the end of the game. 521 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:24,119 Speaker 1: You got a side o, b um, And what what 522 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 1: I was, what I'm like always interested in is not 523 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 1: just I mean you guys, you've done it. Lipscomb run 524 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 1: great stuff, Coach Bird ran great stuff. You know, everybody 525 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 1: on social media sees it, copies it, points it out. 526 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 1: But when you're over there, how much of your final play? Uh? 527 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 1: Also correlates to the inbound itself? Right, because it was 528 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: all together right. It wasn't just you throw it in, okay, 529 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: now we got it in. It was all kind of 530 00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:54,640 Speaker 1: fluid and and congruent. If you will, like if if 531 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 1: you if they would have come out in a one 532 00:26:56,320 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 1: three one zone or trapped the the inbounds pass, right, like, like, 533 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: what is the level of planning and preparation that goes 534 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: in last second play? Not very good on my part 535 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: because my assistant coaches after earlier today. What would you 536 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:09,679 Speaker 1: have done if they ronson? And I said, I have 537 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 1: no idea another time out and the switch the man, Hey, 538 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:16,680 Speaker 1: I got I got a great I got a great 539 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 1: story for you real quick. So Fran McCaffrey, who's at Iowa, 540 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:21,719 Speaker 1: he can account for. This is the story. He told me. 541 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: So he played for guiding his freshman here, he played 542 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:27,360 Speaker 1: at wake Force. He played for a guy him Kyle Tacy, 543 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 1: and he said, he told me a story. He said, 544 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:33,320 Speaker 1: We're playing Lefty Griselle at Maryland and we're down one 545 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:37,720 Speaker 1: and the game underneath, underneath our own basket. We call 546 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 1: time out. Come over, and the assistance and the head coach, 547 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 1: you know, they're arguing about what to run. And he's 548 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: like a starting freshman point guard and they're talking and 549 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: discussing what they want to run. So long did they 550 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:51,679 Speaker 1: come over? And he comes like, Fran, just call something. 551 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:53,680 Speaker 1: So they go out there, walking out there, and he 552 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 1: like bumbles like let's run number two, you know, like 553 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:57,879 Speaker 1: let's try and figure it out. So they line up 554 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 1: there right about to take the ball in bounds and left. 555 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 1: Groselle looks at their alignment and calls time out right, 556 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: essentially allowing wait for us to put in a play, 557 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: because they did they ran out of time previously. And 558 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 1: he said, and I was walking over the bench, and 559 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: I thought to myself, this is a profession. I need 560 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 1: to get in. One guy into what played? He call in. 561 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:17,919 Speaker 1: The second guy wants to find out what play the 562 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,120 Speaker 1: guys running, so he gives the other guy more time. 563 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: I gotta get in on this on this business, right. 564 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:24,680 Speaker 1: So it's as much as you're being lauded, like man, 565 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 1: that casey Alexander, he runs some good stuff. Truth is 566 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 1: that the gun zone nothing. It would have been a 567 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:32,359 Speaker 1: whole bag of nothing. Huh yeah, well it would have 568 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:34,720 Speaker 1: been a bag of nothing. But I'll say this, we 569 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:38,600 Speaker 1: have talked tirelessly about it doesn't matter what we've called. 570 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 1: If they surprise you with zone, run the play. Now, 571 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:44,080 Speaker 1: the play wouldn't have worked as well, obviously, but we 572 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 1: would have We would have still got a lot of movement. 573 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 1: We would have still created an opportunity for them to 574 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: make a mistake. Uh. And even if it's I mean, 575 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: there's no guarantee that the play is gonna work if 576 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: they play man, Uh, you know so, but you give 577 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 1: it your best effort and we the play that we ran. Uh, 578 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: if it doesn't work, then our best ball handler and 579 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 1: playmaker and score has the ball in his hands with 580 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 1: five seconds to go with a side cleared, So it's 581 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: not right and you and you got spacing in the corner, 582 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:10,240 Speaker 1: spacing on the wing as well for a driving kick, 583 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: right right, what's it called liberty? It's called liberty. Did 584 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: you steal it from liberty? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, Well that's 585 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,120 Speaker 1: that's the way it's done. People thought I had it 586 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: all together. I don't know what to do against zone. 587 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:30,000 Speaker 1: I don't even have my own plays. I think it 588 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 1: works Againstone anyway, because you still have the you know, 589 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 1: if it's a two three, the back man helps and 590 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:36,720 Speaker 1: you still have driving kick and you've got the weak 591 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: side corner. Uh. It is. It is amazing, you know that. 592 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:41,960 Speaker 1: I think the hard part and running back doors the 593 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: the great part running. And obviously you know, coach Bird 594 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: ran the panic play that worked. I didn't work last 595 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:48,480 Speaker 1: year in the tournament, but did work at U c 596 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 1: l A. But the great thing about backdoors is, you know, 597 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 1: kids are so hyped up, they overplay. They they you know, 598 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: they want to they want to get a run out 599 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 1: and try and get a steal and be a hero. 600 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 1: The other side to it, though, is how do you manage, 601 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 1: like you said, your best best ball handler not throwing 602 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 1: it if it's not open. How do you how do 603 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 1: you discuss that? Yeah, well you don't discuss it. I 604 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 1: mean they just got to be players in that moment. 605 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 1: You know, No, no matter how good I am a 606 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: drawing something up, they've got to execute it and be 607 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 1: players and improvise for whatever the situation allows. And um, 608 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:22,600 Speaker 1: you know you do that all season long, and that 609 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: that's what that's what makes that's what differentiates one player 610 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: from the next, is the ability to do that. Yeah. 611 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 1: I called a Belmont game against Arizona in the n 612 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:36,840 Speaker 1: c A Tournament. This is in two thousand, I think, 613 00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 1: I think it was thirteen. I think my first year 614 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: doing games for CBS. Uh. It was in I think, 615 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 1: I want, I want to say it was in Salt Lake. 616 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 1: And what struck me was like I thought, you guys 617 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 1: are really good, and you know, I got a ton 618 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 1: of respect for for coach Byrd, but it was just 619 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: a bad matchup, right, Like, you guys played small and 620 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 1: that was a year where Arizona played small, and so 621 00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: they're small players. Were better than your small players. How 622 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 1: of your success in the n c A tournament this 623 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:07,520 Speaker 1: year depends on matchups? Well, Uh, probably a lot of 624 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 1: it for all the same reasons. Uh, you know, and um, 625 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 1: but it doesn't always have to be that way. Um. 626 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 1: You know some of our best Um you know, we 627 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 1: played Duke in two thousand and eight and they were 628 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: they were Duke for gettness sakes. Uh, you know, but 629 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,479 Speaker 1: we went and they were they were athletic, they were active, 630 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 1: they denied stuff, they switched everything. Well, you know, we 631 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: used that to our advantage and and made a way 632 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: to work. We didn't win the game, but we had 633 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 1: two chances to win in the last thirty seconds. And 634 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 1: uh it's probably the game that put Belm on the map. 635 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 1: If you were going to tell a young assistant coach 636 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 1: when it's time to go do your own thing, obviously 637 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: you gotta get offered a job first, right, Tons of 638 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 1: assistant coach would like to do their own thing, but 639 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: they don't. You know, you left for Stetson before come 640 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:51,840 Speaker 1: back to Lipscombe. What what should go into that decision? Uh? 641 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,960 Speaker 1: Quality of life being somewhere where, um, you know, where 642 00:31:56,000 --> 00:32:00,520 Speaker 1: you trust the people you're working with and four. Um, 643 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:02,600 Speaker 1: you know, their jobs are not all the same. I 644 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:05,520 Speaker 1: think I think a lot of us UM are misguided 645 00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:07,680 Speaker 1: and thinking that, um, hey, I'm just gonna chase the 646 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 1: next job, chase the next job, chase the next job, 647 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:12,240 Speaker 1: and they're not at all the same. UM. You need 648 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 1: to be somewhere that fits your personality. You need to 649 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 1: be somewhere that UM that you can stay for a 650 00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: long time, UM if if needed and um and that's 651 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: how you should choose. Uh. Okay. So then last year, 652 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 1: last year, in the off season and happen pretty quickly. 653 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 1: Coach Byrd decided to retire. What was that like for you? Like, 654 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 1: take me through the did you did you know he 655 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: was gonna retire? Well, yes, yes, I mean I knew 656 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:41,920 Speaker 1: he was. He had told me that he was threatening 657 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 1: to retire for a couple of years, and but I 658 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: thought it would be a couple of more years from then. 659 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 1: It's when he told me about a week before the announcement. UM, 660 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 1: I was surprised. So you know you're sitting on this, 661 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 1: you know, right, did you like, did you did he 662 00:32:57,680 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 1: call you and say I want you to come take it? Like? 663 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,840 Speaker 1: What was that was? Well? We we had a lot 664 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:08,200 Speaker 1: of conversations, um, intermittent conversations over the years about about 665 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: you know, what what happened. But you know, he's got 666 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:13,600 Speaker 1: he's got a guy on staff, his associated head coach, 667 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: Brian Ayres, who I worked with here at Belmont for 668 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:19,360 Speaker 1: thirteen years and he's been at Belmont for twenty one years, 669 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:21,720 Speaker 1: and he's a very capable coach as well. So he 670 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 1: had to be fair to him. Uh, you know, he's 671 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 1: not gonna run out and and promote me for the 672 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:27,600 Speaker 1: job when he's got a guy on his staff who 673 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 1: who who could also um warrant attention and so so. 674 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:33,720 Speaker 1: But we talked about it a little bit and he 675 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 1: would just you know, he would give me a little 676 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:38,400 Speaker 1: disclaimer here and and then something there, a little nugget there, 677 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 1: and you know. So so I had an idea about 678 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 1: kind of how things would go, but you never really know, 679 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't have I literally didn't have any 680 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:50,800 Speaker 1: conversations with anybody of any substance um at all until 681 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:53,080 Speaker 1: after we got back from the uh the n I T. 682 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:55,800 Speaker 1: I think he he announced on a Monday, we were 683 00:33:55,840 --> 00:33:58,320 Speaker 1: already in New York City. The N I T semifinals 684 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 1: were Tuesday. We played the finals on Thursday, came back 685 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,960 Speaker 1: on Friday, met with Belmont on Saturday, met with Lipscomb 686 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: on Sunday, took Monday to think about it, decided on Tuesday, 687 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:14,239 Speaker 1: announced on Wednesday? Did you vascilate it all? Did I? What? 688 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:18,319 Speaker 1: Vacillated all? That was? There was every moment like oh yeah, 689 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 1: oh yeah, yeah. It was hard. It was. It was 690 00:34:20,239 --> 00:34:22,160 Speaker 1: much more difficult than people think that it was for 691 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:24,520 Speaker 1: me to make the move because Lipscomb was so good 692 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:27,400 Speaker 1: to me and um and it was a magical year really, 693 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 1: I mean it's it's it was. We had an awesome 694 00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:32,560 Speaker 1: season with awesome kids, um, and I loved every minute 695 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: of it. So so within days of that experience ending, 696 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:38,799 Speaker 1: me having to walk into that locker room and tell 697 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,759 Speaker 1: those kids I was leaving was gut wrenching. It was 698 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:44,239 Speaker 1: really a tough decision, you know, how about this We 699 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 1: I met with my Lipscomb team. I'm sure they knew 700 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:51,080 Speaker 1: that it was a possibility, but um, I tell them that, hey, 701 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:52,959 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be gone for the west rest of the week. 702 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:55,839 Speaker 1: Um and you guys were I think we're coming. Spring 703 00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:57,640 Speaker 1: Break was coming up, things like that, So let's meet 704 00:34:57,640 --> 00:34:59,719 Speaker 1: in the locker room at nine fifty five, after the 705 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 1: nine I call classes are over, so I tell them 706 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:05,680 Speaker 1: at nine fifty five that I'm leaving, and I meet 707 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:08,000 Speaker 1: with the Belmont team in their locker room at ten 708 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:13,840 Speaker 1: thirty five minutes later. It was and I cried the 709 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 1: whole way, cried the whole way. So is that is that? 710 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:20,360 Speaker 1: Is that just a radio media line or did you 711 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:23,080 Speaker 1: legitimately cried? No? I cried. I cried big tears the 712 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,560 Speaker 1: whole way. I mean not because I was. I wasn't sad. 713 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:28,399 Speaker 1: It was just an emotional thing. Maybe question guy, Yeah, 714 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:30,400 Speaker 1: I love you built. You built lives Com into an 715 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 1: n c A tournament team. And with that, with that 716 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:35,279 Speaker 1: group that's stuck together, you know, n c A Churaman 717 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:37,239 Speaker 1: n I t finals like it was. No, I I 718 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 1: completely get it, completely get it. It's like redoing a house, 719 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:43,480 Speaker 1: you know, to this, taking the stats to the studs 720 00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:45,719 Speaker 1: and somebody goes like, hey, I'm gonna give you every 721 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:47,279 Speaker 1: penny you ever wanted for the house, and then you 722 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:49,879 Speaker 1: sell it and you're like, wait, I kind of loved 723 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:51,520 Speaker 1: when I built, Like Okay, well good dude, now you 724 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:53,400 Speaker 1: gotta go do it again. To a house that somebody 725 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:57,200 Speaker 1: else built, which is a beautiful house in Belmont. Um. 726 00:35:57,320 --> 00:36:00,399 Speaker 1: What what is it like now to be the head 727 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:02,840 Speaker 1: coach of a place you played and you were a 728 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 1: long time assistant? It's great, um, you know, And that's 729 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:08,280 Speaker 1: that's part of the beauty of the of the changes. 730 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:10,840 Speaker 1: You know that there aren't many coaches that get to 731 00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:13,920 Speaker 1: walk into a job and they and they literally know 732 00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:19,240 Speaker 1: practically every living former player, many many of the season 733 00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 1: ticket holders, a lot of the administration, um, you know, 734 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:27,080 Speaker 1: have have spent twenty years you know, at that job 735 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:29,880 Speaker 1: before or on campus as a student. You know. So 736 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 1: I met my wife here, my kids grew up coming 737 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:34,759 Speaker 1: to Belmont games, you know. So it was in that, 738 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:37,839 Speaker 1: you know, in that respect it was it was completely 739 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: easy and as difficult as it was to leave Lipscomb, 740 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:45,440 Speaker 1: it was just as gratifying and joyful to come to Belmont. Um. Okay, 741 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:47,879 Speaker 1: last thing, you guys average about eighty points a game. 742 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:50,799 Speaker 1: I think you're fifteenth and field goal percentage offense. Like 743 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 1: you guys, you play beautiful offensive basketball. And I think 744 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:58,200 Speaker 1: a lot of times younger coaches and Belmont has always 745 00:36:58,239 --> 00:36:59,759 Speaker 1: been really well coached offensive, but a lot of times 746 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:02,600 Speaker 1: younger coaches, they get caught up in in wanting to 747 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:06,560 Speaker 1: be freer offensively than their mentor or whatever. UM. And 748 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:08,919 Speaker 1: sometimes I think it hurts coaches success. You know, younger 749 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:10,799 Speaker 1: guys they want to let their guys. How have you 750 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:14,399 Speaker 1: managed to let your team play UM at a good 751 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:17,440 Speaker 1: pace and play with freedom and yet still shoot such 752 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:20,200 Speaker 1: a high percentage? What's what's the secrets of the sauce? Yeah? 753 00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:22,640 Speaker 1: I've always been a little bit more of a little 754 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:25,080 Speaker 1: less conservative than coach Bird to begin with, as far 755 00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:27,959 Speaker 1: as offense goes, willing willing to for a turnover here, 756 00:37:28,239 --> 00:37:30,439 Speaker 1: you know, so that we might get a basket later there, 757 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 1: kind of a thing. But but there's so much commonality 758 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:36,839 Speaker 1: between you know, our what what I've always done. I mean, gosh, 759 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 1: it's the only place I ever worked. How much different 760 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:41,200 Speaker 1: can I be, you know from uh, you know, from 761 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:44,160 Speaker 1: what Belmont was already doing. But you know, but and 762 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:46,600 Speaker 1: then you know, I inherited a good group of players too, 763 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:48,759 Speaker 1: and they didn't have to adapt. Um. You know, I 764 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:51,239 Speaker 1: think this. I think somebody told me today that you know, 765 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:52,680 Speaker 1: this will be the second year in a row, maybe 766 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:55,759 Speaker 1: that we lead the country and assist um our sist 767 00:37:55,800 --> 00:38:00,160 Speaker 1: turnover margin is really good. Um, six four assists in 768 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:04,480 Speaker 1: thirty three games. It's amazing. Yeah, that's the best by six. 769 00:38:04,719 --> 00:38:07,400 Speaker 1: That's that's the best by a sizable margin. You know 770 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:09,480 Speaker 1: well and looked at it, but it may make it 771 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:13,719 Speaker 1: makes sense. And a turnover ratio is really good, uh, 772 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:15,840 Speaker 1: you know, So that just goes along with kind of again, 773 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:18,560 Speaker 1: you know, how we build a roster having guys that 774 00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:20,640 Speaker 1: understand how to play the game, guys that are willing 775 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:23,279 Speaker 1: to share the ball. The extra pass, you know, is 776 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:26,279 Speaker 1: one that we want to make, um, you know, and 777 00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:28,520 Speaker 1: that's the reason why the shooting percentages are what they are. 778 00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:31,880 Speaker 1: We were very um you know, as you know, the 779 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:35,319 Speaker 1: game these days is almost nothing but ball screens, and 780 00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:38,040 Speaker 1: we're on the back end of that, you know, we 781 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:40,480 Speaker 1: we we get a lot more player movement, ball movement. Um, 782 00:38:40,520 --> 00:38:42,480 Speaker 1: we use some ball screens, but it's um, it's not 783 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:45,080 Speaker 1: nearly We never have anybody out there pounding it, or 784 00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:48,320 Speaker 1: at least I don't want it. Yeah, well, it obviously 785 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,080 Speaker 1: clearly works for you. It's worked for university. Listen. I 786 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:54,279 Speaker 1: couldn't be happier for you and your family and for 787 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:56,719 Speaker 1: the folks at Belmont has been an amazing year so far. 788 00:38:56,840 --> 00:38:58,719 Speaker 1: Keep it going. We look forward to see who you 789 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:00,880 Speaker 1: play a week from Sunday. And thanks so much for 790 00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:03,359 Speaker 1: giving us your perspective in your program. We'll do our best. 791 00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:05,759 Speaker 1: I really enjoy the time and appreciate it. Be sure 792 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:08,120 Speaker 1: to catch the live edition of The Doug gott Leap 793 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:12,120 Speaker 1: Show weekdays at three p m. Easter noon Pacific. All right, 794 00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:14,640 Speaker 1: thanks so much for listening. This is the first in 795 00:39:14,680 --> 00:39:18,440 Speaker 1: the litany of Championship week crawling into the n c 796 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:22,360 Speaker 1: A Tournament with a little NBA Thoughts All Ball podcast. 797 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:25,160 Speaker 1: Remember you can listen to The Doug Gotlip Show weekdays 798 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:27,640 Speaker 1: three to six Eastern twelve three Pacific. You can download 799 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:31,960 Speaker 1: the podcast for that anywhere you download podcast and um 800 00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:33,719 Speaker 1: make sure you tell a friend that this is the 801 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:35,800 Speaker 1: place to where you get a lot of hoops knowledge. 802 00:39:36,239 --> 00:39:38,720 Speaker 1: A lot of you have have grabbed me at events 803 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:40,719 Speaker 1: or tweeted at me or d m me on I 804 00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:44,000 Speaker 1: g at Gottlieb Show and said how much you like it. 805 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:45,640 Speaker 1: If there's things you want to hear, people you want 806 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 1: to hear it on, don't be afraid to ask, and 807 00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:50,160 Speaker 1: make sure you ask a question on Twitter at Gottlip 808 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:52,680 Speaker 1: Show will answer all those questions upcoming. I'm Doug Gottlieb 809 00:39:52,719 --> 00:39:53,759 Speaker 1: in This Is All Ball