1 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: Hey, what I welcome in. I'm Doug Gotlick. This is 2 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: all ball, And as we get ready for the NCAA, Turman, 3 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: I thought, you know, why not do a little bit 4 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: of a deep dive in with a guy who recruited 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: me and someone who's had an immense amount of success 6 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: throughout his job as a head coach. He's been a 7 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: national championship coach at the junior college level. And this 8 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: is not his first foray in the NCAA tournament. But 9 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 1: Gever won who watched Lafayette? Excuse me, Louisiana. This is weird. 10 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: I but one of the first games I've I ever did, 11 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: Actually I think it's the Yeah, the first game I 12 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: ever did for ESPN was with Dave Revson and we 13 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 1: were at We're at Charlotte, which Charlotte at the time 14 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: was transitioning to being from being called UNC Charlotte to 15 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: just being called Charlotte. This is like two thousand and three, 16 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: and they're like, just call it Charlotte. Well, then all 17 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: of a sudden you meet with the Louisiana SID and 18 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: he's like, where the University of Louisiana, like whom I 19 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: don't know? How does how does how do the others 20 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:18,839 Speaker 1: affiliated schools, How does Monroe feel about it? Nonetheless, Louisiana 21 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: is I guess it's Louisiana Lafayette, but they go by 22 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:28,119 Speaker 1: University of Louisiana Raising Incasions, right, a great nickname. It's 23 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: one of the elite teams and at that level in 24 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:38,559 Speaker 1: the country. Consistently, Bob Marlin does a very good job 25 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 1: in terms of the dudes he gets. Let's notably Elfred 26 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: Peytons's most don't start and the style which he plays, 27 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: it's very watchable style they get after they get up 28 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: and down. And I thought we'd take a deep dive 29 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: in to coach Marlin into what made him. And I 30 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: thought it's the perfect because here's what's gonna happen. If 31 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: they win a game. They win a game, everybody's, oh, 32 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: I'm all in, ba Barlin, Lafayette, Louisiana Raising Cagents. You're 33 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: already gonna have that knowledge. Already gonna have that knowledge. 34 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 1: In regards to the bracket, I think what we're gonna 35 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: do is Thursday morning, Thursday morning morning, I'm gonna I'm 36 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,399 Speaker 1: gonna get a bunch of my cronies, if you will, 37 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: and we are going to just break down every game, 38 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,399 Speaker 1: and you know, with that kind of help, you sort 39 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: of a gambling guide more than anything. There's so much 40 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,920 Speaker 1: here that if you're a hoop head, you know, you 41 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: know it's it's weird. I don't know if it's because 42 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:46,239 Speaker 1: I'm not doing it in terms of the selection show, 43 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: or it's just we're all kind of worn down by it. 44 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: And the teams that don't get let in. You know, 45 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: a lot of them are so very average that you're like, 46 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 1: you know, I feel bad for a whiskson and ruggers, 47 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: but I don't feel that. I do feel that for 48 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: oklal mistake. I will point out that, you know, when healthy, 49 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: they were absolutely a tournament team. The one thing going 50 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: against them was that Avery Anderson had wrist surgery. And 51 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: as much as I would have hoped he would have played, 52 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: I think when you saw the initial prognosis, the thought 53 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: was there's no way he'll play. And the truth is 54 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: that they're having to travel on the road to Youngstown 55 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: for the n I T but Avery's not going to play, 56 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: so they wouldn't know how him at full strength. Do 57 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: I think Oklahoma State's a tournament team? I do. I do, 58 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: And we have to figure out. We got to figure 59 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: out how we'd do it, because if I look, I'm 60 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: an let's say I'm an Oklahoma State fan, I say, yeah, well, 61 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: they lost to Central Florida. They had a gigantic lead 62 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:59,839 Speaker 1: Southern Illinois, gigantic lead Virginia Tech game they could have won, 63 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: you know, had the ball chance to win it. And 64 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: if you win two of those three, this isn't even 65 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: a question because of how they performed in the toughest 66 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: conference in the country. And I also think it's reasonable 67 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: to say, hey, you're not the same team in February 68 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: and March that you were in November. But November and 69 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: December that's when we find out what conference is better. 70 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 1: That's when you get the best gauge. It's like, it's 71 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: almost like, if you really want to get a good 72 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,479 Speaker 1: feel for what the conferences look like against each other, 73 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: you can't just do the Big twelve SEC Challenge or 74 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: the Big East Big twelve Challenge or the Big ten ACC. 75 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: You gotta do it like a couple of games in February. 76 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 1: Maybe that's the way which we have an entire week 77 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: where it's all you play two non conference games. You 78 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: know the problem with it is conference games generally drawn 79 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: the best you're gonna draw, although the conferences are so 80 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 1: spread out there's not the same rivalries, but the conference 81 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: games draw the best. And on any of those campuses 82 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 1: where football is king or with the kids run break, 83 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 1: it's tough to get people in the building. So you 84 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: want to play your biggest games or conference games in February, 85 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,279 Speaker 1: right in the early March. So it's it's a really 86 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: hard way to figure out what's what. But it's like 87 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: West Virginia, Okay, I don't know. They're they're good, they're fine. 88 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: They bounced back at the end of the year, and 89 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,720 Speaker 1: they end up with what seven, there's seven to eleven 90 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: in Big twelve play. The difference in them in Oklahoma 91 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: State is out of conference, they play our tribal pit 92 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: pit wasn't fully healthy, but they smacked them by like 93 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: twenty nine. They split in league play one on one. 94 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 1: Oklahoma State had one more conference win. They both lost 95 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 1: close games to Kansas. Like there's a lot of similarities 96 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: and what they actually did. And then when you look 97 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: out of league, you know there's the like the Texas 98 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: A and M how much do they get a seven seed? 99 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,040 Speaker 1: How much should we hold their non conference against and 100 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:02,480 Speaker 1: they didn't play a strong non conference and they didn't 101 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: play well, but they clearly got hot and were one 102 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: of the better teams in the SEC. On the other hand, 103 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: it's hard to tell how good they were in the 104 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: SEC because they only played the top three teams once Kentucky, 105 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: Tennessee and Alabama only played him once. So there's a 106 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: lot to it, I mean, but I don't know why 107 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: there's less arguing over it. I feel bad for ructors, 108 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: feel bad for local mistate. I do think that especially 109 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: those two teams, I would I could pick out a 110 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: litany of other teams Arizona State, Pittsburgh or the two 111 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: that kind of come to my mind and say, you know, 112 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 1: if I'm gonna i'm gonna put two in, I'm gonna 113 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: take two out. Those are two that I would easily 114 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: take out. How'd you like to be Clemson? All right, Clemson? 115 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: They smack NC State twice in the last two weeks 116 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: of the season by more than twenty and don't make 117 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,479 Speaker 1: the tournament. What are you gonna do? It is not 118 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: all but life's not fair. But I love this idea. 119 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 1: You know, there's the plant. Jay Billis felt like planting 120 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 1: the seat of Hey, these conferences, they could break away. 121 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: I don't see them breaking away. Don't see that what happened. 122 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: But let's have that discussion a different time. Let's get 123 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: up with Bob bar Laney's the head coach at the 124 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: University of Louisiana. I want to talk about your current team, Okay, 125 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 1: but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention your We 126 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: didn't get through your path. You get through your path. 127 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 1: When'd you decide you want to be a coach? Sophomore 128 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: year in college? What were you Mississippi State? Okay? Why? 129 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: What was it? What was it that said I want 130 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: to do this? I was a business major. My father 131 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: at on the Lincoln Mercury Dealership in two blow of Misissippi, 132 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: my hometown, and I knew I wanted no part of that, Doug, 133 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: and then my brother was in business, and I just 134 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: decided I wanted to coach and do something I enjoyed. 135 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: I was struggling, obviously, with accounting, two statistics and some 136 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: of the classes. But I called my high school coach 137 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: and he said, don't do it, there's no money in it. 138 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: And then I called my high school baseball coach. He said, 139 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: don't do it. And then I called my mom, who 140 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: I lost last year in a tournament, and she said, 141 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: follow your heart and do what you want to do. 142 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 1: And that was the best advice I tell people that 143 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: I ever got that's made moms or something. Here's here's 144 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: what's interesting. I don't know if you know this. So 145 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: my late father, his dad was an account and became 146 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 1: a car dealer, and he thought he almost one out. 147 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: My dad committed because he was trying to give my 148 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 1: dad a dealership to run. My dad wanted nothing to 149 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: do with it. I want to coach basketball, and he 150 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: thought it was the craziest, the same thing. There's no 151 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,079 Speaker 1: money in it. No money. So your your dad's running 152 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: a Lincoln, owns a Lincoln Mercury. Did he think you're nuts? No? No, 153 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: he loved basketball. He and my mom both played. My 154 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: dad played junior college ball for a year before he 155 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: went to Germany. So they both loved basketball. And we're 156 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: my two biggest fans. So, okay, you how did you 157 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: so you say your sophomore year, how do you go 158 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: from there to the next step to actually coaching? Well, 159 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: I got with Joe Dean junior, who was at Kentucky 160 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,079 Speaker 1: at the time, he was in Mississippi State graduate. He 161 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: played for current Davis Senior there at State, and he said, 162 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: if you're going to coach, you got to come up 163 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: here and work three weeks at Joebie Hall Camp. So 164 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: I went up to Kentucky, got a lot of great 165 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: friends that are friends to today and had had a 166 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: good experience. So I started working to camps, and of 167 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:57,199 Speaker 1: course I worked at Dixie Camp for Jodin Senior for 168 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 1: a few years and just made the rounds and and 169 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: fell into it as a grad assistant at Northeast Louisiana 170 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: under Mike Vinning. What was Mike like? Mike was great. Uh. 171 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 1: He was his first year to be the head coach, 172 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 1: and he gave me an opportunity. I was very appreciative. 173 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: I was there with him two years. We went into 174 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 1: Double A one of those years, and Mike was really 175 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: good with the players. Doug he I learned a lot 176 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 1: from every coach I've worked for, but Mike was really 177 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: good with the guys. And how so what what specifically 178 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: made him different? Well, just back in the day, I 179 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: think guys hadn't come out of the office as much 180 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 1: and just you know, serving the guy, spending more time 181 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: with him. They would come and hang out in his 182 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: office like for hours and just felt totally comfortable. And 183 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 1: I thought Mike was a player's coach. I mean, we 184 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,959 Speaker 1: were pretty simple, but we were very effective, pretty simple 185 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 1: in terms of what like what you did offensively? Offensively, yes, 186 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 1: offensively and defensively, but recruited good players. Most of them 187 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:06,959 Speaker 1: were from Louisiana too. So um, so you're there two years? 188 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: How did you get to Houston Baptist. I got to 189 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: Houston Baptist heard they had an opportunity there in August 190 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:22,679 Speaker 1: after receiving my after receiving my degree from Northeast, and 191 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: went to interviewed in August. Coach Hava gene Iva hired 192 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: me and UH started there in the fall of eighty three. 193 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: What was what was Coach Habila? Probably like mister d 194 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: Iba to some degree, Doug. I'm sure we could share 195 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:42,959 Speaker 1: some great stories and I but he was hard, he 196 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: was tough, he was stuck on me, he was tough 197 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,439 Speaker 1: on the guys. But man, he loved behind the closed 198 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:52,319 Speaker 1: doors and he's a great guy. He still comes once 199 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: a year and watches a couple of games here and 200 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: we go to dinner and and uh, really enjoyed visiting 201 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: with coach, but he was all defense. I'll learned the 202 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,719 Speaker 1: same defensive philosophy that she learned. Well, I'll tell you 203 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: what our defenseive class was. This is a great one. 204 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: So one of my first practices in Oklahoma State and 205 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: were running. We're doing one on just one on one 206 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: on basically catch it on the wing. It's one on 207 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 1: one And I said, uh, we'll coach, which way are 208 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 1: we forcing? What do you mean? I said, well, are 209 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: we forced some baseline? We forced the middle coach, it's 210 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: like you guard your man. I said, well, graz that's great, 211 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: but where is the help coming from? Right, Like, if 212 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 1: you need help, then helped me, coach go shit over there? 213 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: We did. We did actually forced baseline. We did have 214 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 1: help and rotated. But I mean rule number one was 215 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: guard your guard your man. Right, It was, it was, 216 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 1: It was very very simple. But it's it's interesting, right, 217 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 1: you come from a guy who who you know, Mike's 218 00:12:56,520 --> 00:13:00,199 Speaker 1: a guy who is a players coach, right or is 219 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,439 Speaker 1: able to sit in a room with him, And it's 220 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 1: about relationships to to gene Ioba, you know who there's 221 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: a good relationship there but it's player coach and it's 222 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: we're getting after it every day in practice. That's an 223 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 1: interesting like juxtaposition in your mind as you're putting together 224 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 1: your own coaching philosophy. What what where are you as 225 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: a as a coach at that point in time in 226 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: terms of what you wanted to do. Well, certainly wanted 227 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: to try to play fast and you know at Houston 228 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 1: Baptists we did not play fast. Uh. You know we 229 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 1: people talk about running on the road and play are 230 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: running at home and play and slow on the road. 231 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: But we uh walked it up at home and held 232 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: it on the road. We lost a game Doug at 233 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:54,559 Speaker 1: GALLAGHERABA before the renovation, forty four or forty three in overtime. Now, 234 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 1: I think Paul Hanson was a coach back then. Uh, 235 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 1: I have buddies of mind calling. He said, hey, all 236 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: the halftime score, what was it fun? Just messing? But 237 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: I understand what you're saying about guarding because Coach Iva 238 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: was the same way. He wanted you to guard your guy. 239 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:16,720 Speaker 1: All the different ball screen coverages you know, and stuff 240 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: that we do today. You know, coach says, we're not 241 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: switching anything. I'm not smart enough to figure that out 242 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: and know who I know who gets scored on. But 243 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: you know defensive transition five on two, all the stuff 244 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: that Miss Driva had done and all of his disciples did. 245 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: Of course, Coach I have a key to Houston Baptist 246 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 1: from Utah where he had been with the Bear. So 247 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 1: very fortunate to learn how to coach under Gene. I 248 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: don't know if I said two words in two years 249 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: on the court. He did it all. And I'm a 250 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 1: little bit different today's time than even when I was 251 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: at Pensacola. But I learned so much from Coach. And 252 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: you'll get a kick out of this dog. I've been 253 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: there about a month in September of eighty three, and 254 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 1: he's like, Hey, I need you to go out to 255 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: Hobby and pick up Henry. So I said, okay, So 256 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: I drive out to Hobby Airport. Mister Ibat comes off 257 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: the plane and he's decked out and suit and looking sharp. 258 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: So I picked him up and take him back. We 259 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 1: have dinner that night, dinner the next night, and at 260 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 1: practice the day we got back, he goes, hey, go 261 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 1: get Henry a chair and put it right there at 262 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 1: half court. So he watches practice and watches our passing game. 263 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: And then that night he starts telling Jane, well, you know, 264 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: if you did this, you could get this, And so 265 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 1: Tommy Jones and out of the other assistant we're looking 266 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: at each other like we talked to coach, you won't 267 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: listen to us, but he's damn sure listening to his 268 00:15:53,040 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 1: Uncle's amazing. That's awesome. That's awesome. You go to Marshall. Okay, 269 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: who's head coach of Marshall Dana Olmen, what was that late? 270 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: It was good, but it was different again, and I 271 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: learned a lot from Dana. Dana wanted someone to recruit 272 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: the South. I knew coach Krueger and Greg Grinzig well 273 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 1: when they were at Pan American before Lyne went to 274 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: kse State, and Dana called me, and I was fortunate 275 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: up that he hired me. And we were there one 276 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: year from March to March, and Dana played a little 277 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: bit of his own defense. So that was good. And 278 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: this is one of my favorite stories about that. We 279 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 1: were playing Chattanooga for the Southern Conference and back then 280 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: we were probably the best two teams in the league. 281 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: And we're playing at Chattanooga and it's probably thirteen minutes 282 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: to go in the game and it's not going great, 283 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: and Dana jumps in his own defense and of course 284 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: the first basket. Immediately they hit a basket, and I'm like, coach, 285 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 1: get up, we gotta get out, we gotta get out out. 286 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 1: He goes, nope, he goes, We're gonna make them miss 287 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: two in a row. And they made their next basket 288 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 1: with like three minutes to go in the game, and 289 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: then we won. So but that was good with Dan. Dan. 290 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: It was an excellent recruiter and a really good teacher too. 291 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: So you get your first job in first head coaching 292 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: job pencil Coal, How did you first? How'd you get 293 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: the job? Just applied? I got lucky. I applied. I 294 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: knew someone that knew the ad, and I got an interview. 295 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 1: They narrowed it from shoot fifty to twelve and to 296 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,639 Speaker 1: twelve phone interviews, I think, or something like that, and 297 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: then brought four people to campus and I was fortunate 298 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:46,640 Speaker 1: enough to get it and had a great experience there. 299 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 1: The third year I was there, we won a national 300 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 1: championship the first and forty seven years for the state 301 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: of Florida. And then I left in ninety five and 302 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:02,120 Speaker 1: went to University of Alabama with David. You're You're, You're, 303 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,919 Speaker 1: But what what's that first game like? Okay, when you 304 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: if you can think, I mean to where you are now, 305 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:13,439 Speaker 1: where you're a staple of not just Lafayette, not just 306 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 1: Lafayette in University Louisiana. Okay, and going to the NCAA tournament. 307 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 1: But think back to your first game as head coach. 308 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: What do you remember about that experience? Very anxious. Had 309 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: watched our group practice, saw fall and and uh didn't 310 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 1: realize how good we were. So I saw some of 311 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 1: the other teams, but we had good players. And Kirk 312 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: Sparroll was a coach before me at Pensacola, really good coach, 313 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: just just retired from IAWA last year and he left 314 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: a couple of really good players. And that first year 315 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 1: we went twenty five and six. But I was anxious. 316 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 1: I was nervous. I remember the game. It was at Delgado, 317 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: UH Community College, So where's that? Where's Delgado, New Orleans? 318 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:04,400 Speaker 1: So was in a tournament, but just anxious to see 319 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,359 Speaker 1: how everything would turn out. Of course, you know this, Doug. 320 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 1: You're not making suggestions anymore. It's you're making the decision. 321 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:15,719 Speaker 1: It's a one trick you know you you don't and 322 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 1: didn't have an assistant coach at the time either, So 323 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: it's just you. There's nobody, It's just it's just you. 324 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: There's literally nobody else to help you. No. I had 325 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,159 Speaker 1: one volunteer that would come by in the afternoons and 326 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 1: help with practice. A little bit awesome and probably donte right. 327 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: How do you when you when you win a national championship, 328 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:39,200 Speaker 1: You've only done three years, you won a national championship? Um, 329 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: how do you? How do you have the Obviously it 330 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: builds up confidence, but also you don't want to be 331 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 1: overwhelming with your ego. How you how'd you handle that? 332 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: Just try to be myself. I think I've always had 333 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: a pretty good gauge on that. And just like we 334 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: tell the team, I try it's it's never as good 335 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: as it seems, never as bad as it seems. It 336 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 1: is what it is. And not to get too high 337 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: or too low, but be studying. You know, I love baseball, 338 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: and that's one thing I love about baseball. You got 339 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: a tour round and play the next day. If you're 340 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,880 Speaker 1: not playing two that day, so you have to put 341 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: it behind you and just try to keep moving. So 342 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 1: you go and you you go with coach Hobbs to Alabama. Um, 343 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: what was that experience? Like? Fantastic? I grew up in 344 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: the SEC and that was my conference of choice and 345 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: coach Hobs gave me an opportunity and went went with him. 346 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,640 Speaker 1: Had a couple of really good years and that's where 347 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: our past crossed. But I loved Alabama. It's an unbelievable school. 348 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:49,400 Speaker 1: And you know I wrote route for him in football. Yeah, no, no, 349 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 1: no doubt. It's interesting because, um, I mean I was 350 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 1: really really close to coming to play for you guys. 351 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: Obviously it was that you guys lost your jobs at 352 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 1: the end of that year, but I thought you were 353 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:04,959 Speaker 1: really close. I mean just it felt like the like 354 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:08,400 Speaker 1: I taken, I'm listening to your path. You take pieces 355 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: of everything you learn along the way, right, I felt 356 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:14,879 Speaker 1: like your group at the end there was really really close, 357 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 1: but there was something missing. Is that Is that a 358 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 1: fair depiction of what went on at the end of demo? Yeah? 359 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 1: I think that is fair. And we had some good players, 360 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 1: you know, we needed a good point guard. We wound 361 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: up getting a guy Chauncey Jones from Wabash Junior College 362 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 1: who played fantastic for US, but didn't make it. You know, 363 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 1: it was disappointing, and Dave was let go with I 364 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: think we had eight games left in the SEC, and 365 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:48,120 Speaker 1: to his credit, we went five and three and beat 366 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament before losing to Tubby Smith 367 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 1: in Kentucky, who won a national championship that year. Yeah. Yeah, 368 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: Dave was as a gem as a guy. I always 369 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: felt like like he was. I felt like he separated 370 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 1: himself as a human being. But but that was the 371 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: first time you'd ever been fired right part of a 372 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 1: fire staff. You go from winning a national championship only 373 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 1: had success as a head coach to your first foray 374 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: as a high major assistant to get get fired. Where 375 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 1: were you personally when that happened? Like emotionally personally well, 376 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 1: frustrated a little bit. Uh. I felt like I could 377 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: get another job. I had applied for a few they 378 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 1: didn't come through. I thought it was going to go 379 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 1: to Texas, say to him with Melvin Watkins. He brought 380 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:38,680 Speaker 1: me to Houston and we met and then he went 381 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:45,400 Speaker 1: a different direction, but just kept plugging and was fortunate 382 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: enough to get the job at Sam Houston. I applied 383 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 1: for it in May and they hired me in August 384 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: the seventh. That's crazy, right, I remember you got the 385 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: job in August, so again there's there's no transfer portal 386 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 1: back then, and it's in August. But you are guy, right, 387 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: so you're scrambling. How'd you put together as team? Well, 388 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 1: the guys that they had signed or were there, most 389 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: of them left because their parents want to know when 390 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 1: are we going to have a coach? Right? And I 391 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: told him, I told the ad and I was his 392 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: first hired. He's still the ad. There's they're transitioning in 393 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: the Conference USA. Doug Bobby Williams a great guy, and 394 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 1: I told him, I said, the next time this happens, 395 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 1: you or the academic lead, somebody has to call these 396 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 1: parents and tell them that, hey, just be patient, we're 397 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: gonna get a good coach, et cetera. But when we 398 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: patched a team together, we had a couple of good 399 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 1: kids back they just never won before, and we were 400 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 1: able to to have a decent first year and then 401 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 1: my second year there we went I think twenty three 402 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: and seven and won the league. I mean, that's it's insane. 403 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:59,959 Speaker 1: It's it's insane. It's insane that that success. Fox Sports 404 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. 405 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot 406 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 1: com and within the iHeart Radio app search f SR 407 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: to listen live. Okay, so you're twenty three and seven 408 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,159 Speaker 1: to flip it in two years? Hey, after getting a 409 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:21,640 Speaker 1: job late? How the Louisiana job come to be? Well? 410 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: I wound up staying at SAM for a long time, 411 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 1: and I was contacted by several different schools along the journey, 412 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: but wound up staying at SAM. And then we went 413 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: to Cuba in twenty ten for the second time, won 414 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: the league for the third time, and the athletic director, 415 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:44,199 Speaker 1: David Walker University of Louisiana reached out to me. He 416 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: and Scott Farmer that the associate ad and they wanted 417 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 1: to meet. And I got off the phone with them, 418 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 1: I got a call from Auburn, and then I got 419 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 1: a call from Houston. So I interviewed with Houston and 420 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:01,880 Speaker 1: here and decided to come here. Yeah, it's it's interesting 421 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,640 Speaker 1: because and how you like how Houston is now, It's 422 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,359 Speaker 1: not how Houston was then, right in terms of the 423 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 1: resource like it was, nobody went you know, Hoffheinz was 424 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: just a complete graveyard, like three hundred people at a game, 425 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: whereas Louisiana, again my entire childhood, you'd throw on anytime, 426 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: was rarely on TV. But when it was on TV, 427 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 1: you know the occasion. Dome was packed. It felt like 428 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 1: a fun place. What was it like when you first 429 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:33,159 Speaker 1: got there? Oh, it was fantastic. The people here are great. 430 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: They loved life. The food's great here and they and 431 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: they love basketball and they love all our sports. And 432 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 1: I compared it to some of my friends like Texas, 433 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 1: say and m that's how passionate our fans are. I mean, 434 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 1: they're they're for the Cagnes. And it was a great 435 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:56,440 Speaker 1: experience to come here and be able to lead this 436 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:01,719 Speaker 1: story program. So you've been you've worked for all these 437 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: different men. You've been a head coach in your own right, 438 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: but that was the junior college drinks. Then you were 439 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:10,880 Speaker 1: head coaching Sam Housston. Now this is really your program. 440 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: Those are two like your program. How how were you 441 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 1: you first get to lose? Yet it's not right now? 442 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 1: What are you like in terms of a little bit older, Hey, 443 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: a little bit wiser, but you still are always been 444 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,359 Speaker 1: a relationship guy with the players. What do you like 445 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: as a coach, What do you like as a as 446 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: like a quasi parent to these kids? Well, jump in 447 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,720 Speaker 1: and we always serve the players and treat them like 448 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:40,199 Speaker 1: our own Dug for sure. And I think a lot 449 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,480 Speaker 1: of coaching is like parenting. You know, you love them, 450 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,120 Speaker 1: you kick coming and were in, but you want them 451 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: to perform at their best because you see them every 452 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,919 Speaker 1: day and you know what's inside of them. So we 453 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 1: invested in the guys. We had six seniors that were returning. 454 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: Some of them didn't want to go to school, some 455 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:00,719 Speaker 1: of them didn't want to go to practice, but yet 456 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 1: they wanted to tip it up every time we played. 457 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:07,199 Speaker 1: So we had to be really strict with them. And 458 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 1: the first semester I was there going into conference, Doug, 459 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:15,680 Speaker 1: we were three and fourteen and I've never been three 460 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,919 Speaker 1: and fourteen in my life. But we stayed true to 461 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: what we did, made one roster change, and we wound 462 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:25,879 Speaker 1: up winning thirteen games in a row, the longest twinning 463 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 1: street in thirty eight years at Louisiana. So we did 464 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: that from Christmas home and from there it just took off. 465 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 1: You mentioned the passion occasion fans right, But when you're 466 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:42,640 Speaker 1: three and fourteen, what was that like walking around town? 467 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:44,880 Speaker 1: You're the new guy in town and coach, what's going 468 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:48,120 Speaker 1: on here? What was that like? Well, they're they're fans, right, 469 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 1: so they're going to be on both sides of the spectrum. 470 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 1: I remember my a d telling me when he hired 471 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:57,439 Speaker 1: me that we've got great fans here, I mean tremendous. 472 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:00,680 Speaker 1: He says, we got a couple of crazies, but most 473 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 1: of them are really good. So they stuck with us. 474 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 1: And then we won thirteen in a row and loose 475 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: to Western Kentucky and the tournament Hot Springs and get 476 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: back and Marty grow a parade, and I mean it 477 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:15,159 Speaker 1: was it was really neat that first year. It was 478 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: it was probably year four it turned, right, that's when 479 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,680 Speaker 1: you won, when you won twenty three and you really 480 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: kind of had it had rolling a little bit exactly. Yeah. 481 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 1: What what was it that made that year made a turn? 482 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 1: That year? Well, there's a guy named Alfred Payton for one, 483 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: and there's another guy named Sean Long for two. And 484 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:41,239 Speaker 1: those two guys were roommates. They're both from Louisiana, as 485 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 1: Alfred's from New Orleans. John Eric and Sean's from Morgan City, 486 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:50,520 Speaker 1: just south of US, so we knew how good those 487 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: players were. And in my third year here we really 488 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: struggled at times, but both those guys were playing heavy 489 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: minutes as freshman and sophomore, and they got better and better, 490 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 1: and the next year things fall into place for us 491 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: and we made the inca terminum. I don't know the 492 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: answer to it so and I don't think there is 493 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: a defined answer. But if Alfred was a freshman today, 494 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: would you be able to hold onto him today the 495 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:30,080 Speaker 1: way you were then? Great question. And his dad when 496 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 1: he was going through the draft process, which you wound 497 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: up going in the lottery at as a tin pick, 498 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:39,800 Speaker 1: and people said some of the same things Doug about 499 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: him that they talked about you. You know, he's a 500 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 1: great point guard, he can really distribe it, but he's 501 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 1: not a good shooter. Yeah, And he just continued to 502 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 1: work and got better and better. But his dad, well, 503 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: we were on a call and his dad told someone 504 00:29:56,600 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: from the NBA office trying to promote Alfred, but he said, 505 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: if Alfred was at Duke, it'd be a lottery pick. Sure, 506 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 1: And of course the NBA it was They're not going 507 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: to say one word about anything. They're so professionally correct. 508 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: But I thought that was a big deal. But and 509 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: then Alfred leaves. The next year, his father calls me 510 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 1: because gotta leave. Alfred would have stayed. We've been in 511 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:26,920 Speaker 1: the sweet sixteen. I said, you can't say that now. 512 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: I mean, you've got to do what's right for the 513 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 1: young man. But a great story. And then Sean Long 514 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: winds up being the second leading scorer with like twenty 515 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: four hundred points, the second or the leading rebounder by 516 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: four hundred in conference history and today's time, that four 517 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 1: hundred will never be broken because guys will transfer. Doug, 518 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 1: like you said earlier, what about you? I mean like 519 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 1: you're back on top. You built this juggernaut. I mean 520 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 1: you guys, watch you play. You got a really, really 521 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 1: talented team, a really good team. You know what's it 522 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 1: like for you too? You've been a part of building 523 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 1: this and building this, and you know how it feels 524 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: like it's harder at your level than it's ever been, right, 525 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 1: what's it like for you to make these decisions as 526 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 1: to I just stay here and I'm the guy here 527 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 1: forever we're go. I take another shot at the sec 528 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 1: at the highest level. Well, first of all, the people 529 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: here took great care of me, and I appreciate that 530 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: they supported me and got a new contract. We have 531 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 1: another good year in a couple of years that you're 532 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 1: probably going to talk about. In two and eighteen and one, 533 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 1: twenty seven games set the school record. We're twenty six. 534 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:51,040 Speaker 1: When we were twenty six and four doug the last 535 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 1: weekend of February, and then we lost three or four 536 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 1: and we had two guys six and a guy injured, 537 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: and we lost in the conference semifinals for the tournament 538 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: on a questionable call. Uh. And then go the n 539 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 1: I T and you probably know that story. They shipped 540 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:12,960 Speaker 1: us to LSU to play and uh, at the time 541 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 1: our RPI was like sixty better than theirs and they 542 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:20,360 Speaker 1: had not played in Lafe yet in seventy seven years. 543 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 1: And uh, we would have packed the caging dome if 544 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: they're all been amazing, it would be amazing. That's like 545 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:27,040 Speaker 1: it would have been. That's the reason you have the 546 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 1: NIS for for a game like that, exactly. But Uh, 547 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 1: but no, it was great, And but you've never I will, 548 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 1: I will, I will give you this, I would I 549 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 1: will tell you this You've also never been a woe 550 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: is me guy? Right, like it's you know, I mean 551 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 1: because that to to a lot of people, a lot 552 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: of coaches, you know. I mean, we can't even get 553 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 1: a home game against LSU when everything says, but you've 554 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:57,760 Speaker 1: you've stayed, why and well, just the players here kept 555 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:01,719 Speaker 1: me here. Uh for sure, I'm very close to all 556 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:04,440 Speaker 1: of them, but no one, that's not the reason that 557 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 1: you that you do stay, but just the quality of 558 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:10,760 Speaker 1: life here and Lafe. Yet, it's a great city. It's 559 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: it's got a lot of positives to it, and as 560 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 1: I said earlier, the people are are tremendous and you know, 561 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:23,160 Speaker 1: losing that game, there were people that were disappointed we 562 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:25,560 Speaker 1: didn't go to the NC double a school record wins, 563 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 1: but that's what happens at our level, and I try 564 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:32,480 Speaker 1: to look, I'm not going to let one bad weekend 565 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: take away from three months about standing played by my team. 566 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just it's too difficult. And that's why 567 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 1: this year it was a relief and a thrill to 568 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 1: win this thing. Um the COVID year knock you guys 569 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 1: off a little bit, right, and then last year that 570 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:55,880 Speaker 1: I felt like that was so many teams kind of 571 00:33:55,960 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 1: was like a reorganizing, reorganizing year, How how has this 572 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:02,600 Speaker 1: year been built? To take me through the process of 573 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 1: how you built this group? Well, the COVID year, it 574 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:12,880 Speaker 1: was difficult on everyone, right, and we struggled. We also 575 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:16,680 Speaker 1: had some major injuries. Doug, our best player, hurt his 576 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:19,160 Speaker 1: knee back to back years and couldn't play, and we 577 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 1: had other guys that were hurt, and we just weren't 578 00:34:23,160 --> 00:34:26,120 Speaker 1: quite good enough. And we did. We struggled that first year. 579 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:28,320 Speaker 1: The second year in COVID, we got off to a 580 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:32,560 Speaker 1: great start. We were thirteen and four and wound up 581 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:35,640 Speaker 1: seventeen and nine and got beating the semifinals by Georgia 582 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 1: State in the conference tournament in Pensacola. So we continued. 583 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: We came back the next year. We added some pieces 584 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:49,160 Speaker 1: and felt like we got a couple of good transfers 585 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:51,480 Speaker 1: and we felt like, hey, we're going to be back 586 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 1: in the money here pretty soon. And fortunately this year 587 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:58,759 Speaker 1: we had a really good year. Oh yeah, great, great 588 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:02,839 Speaker 1: year obviously, so each other miss. I mean, the top 589 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:09,160 Speaker 1: of the league is really talented. Greg Williams, local kid, right, Yes, 590 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:15,440 Speaker 1: take me through your problem. How'd you get him? Greg 591 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: Is from Lafayett, Christian right here in Lafayett and tremendous player. 592 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: Of course, when I got here, he was probably in 593 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:26,480 Speaker 1: sixth seventh grade, and we watched him. His mother and 594 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 1: dad went to school here, and we knew that we 595 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 1: would have a shot at him. But he wound up 596 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:36,200 Speaker 1: playing so well that he got recruited by a lot 597 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 1: of folks, and he signed with Saint John's and played 598 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 1: there for three years, played really well his third year, 599 00:35:46,239 --> 00:35:48,719 Speaker 1: but put his name in a portal and wanted to transfer. 600 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:53,319 Speaker 1: I guess two summers ago, and we were fortunate enough 601 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:56,480 Speaker 1: to get him here. And he is one of the 602 00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:59,440 Speaker 1: best kids I've ever coached U. He's a tremendous person 603 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:05,320 Speaker 1: and a pretty good player too, and we're just excited 604 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:08,680 Speaker 1: to have him back home. It's been unbelievable coaching Greg. 605 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:11,920 Speaker 1: So I did a home visit with him in twenty seventeen, 606 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:16,160 Speaker 1: right is going into his senior year. I do a 607 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 1: home visit with Jordan Brown in twenty seventeen. I don't 608 00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:22,719 Speaker 1: get either one of them, but I get them, but 609 00:36:22,840 --> 00:36:25,520 Speaker 1: I get them both back at the same time for 610 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:29,080 Speaker 1: two years. And the thing that I appreciate about that is. 611 00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:31,160 Speaker 1: It says that we're doing things the right way and 612 00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:33,759 Speaker 1: handling things the right way, and I'm not gonna let 613 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:36,840 Speaker 1: my pride get in bobed when I know this is 614 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 1: a good kid and a really good player. You know 615 00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:42,440 Speaker 1: I didn't get him the first time. That's fine, We're 616 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 1: gonna stick with it. That's a that's a special thing though, 617 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:47,240 Speaker 1: to not have the pride and the ego and because 618 00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 1: because some coaches they don't get a guy, and you know, 619 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:53,360 Speaker 1: obviously now I think people are realizing with the portal, 620 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:57,120 Speaker 1: getting getting a guy to bounce back is important. Was 621 00:36:57,120 --> 00:36:59,520 Speaker 1: that every in your mind or is it just how 622 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:03,279 Speaker 1: you are in terms of not burning that bridge. Yeah, 623 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:05,000 Speaker 1: that's the way I am. I mean, we're always going 624 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:06,920 Speaker 1: to handle it correctly. We lose a kid, we're gonna 625 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,719 Speaker 1: call him and probably did it with you and said, hey, congrats, 626 00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:12,359 Speaker 1: so we have a great career. You know. I just 627 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,880 Speaker 1: think that's the business approach to take. That's our job, 628 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:19,160 Speaker 1: and you've developed a relationship with that person and you 629 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:22,800 Speaker 1: never know what's going to happen down the road. Jordan, 630 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:25,800 Speaker 1: what's this been like to have him a kid, super 631 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 1: super highly decorated, What what was it. First of all, 632 00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:32,279 Speaker 1: was it like to actually get him? And then the 633 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:37,040 Speaker 1: process of coaching to get him was a challenge. I mean, 634 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:39,200 Speaker 1: he played so well and then he got the McDonald's 635 00:37:39,239 --> 00:37:43,600 Speaker 1: All American honor. I think his official visits, he could 636 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:46,000 Speaker 1: have gone anywhere he wanted, Doug, but he took official 637 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:49,520 Speaker 1: visits to Saint John's. And ironically, it was the same 638 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:53,120 Speaker 1: weekend Greg visit at Saint John's, so they were together 639 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:56,319 Speaker 1: on an official visit together. But he winds up at 640 00:37:56,360 --> 00:38:02,960 Speaker 1: Nevada with Muscleman, and he's from Roseville to Sacramento and 641 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:06,759 Speaker 1: wanted to stay, stayed somewhat close, had a tremendous year 642 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:13,239 Speaker 1: that year, and winds up leaving after Musselman leaves and 643 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:18,560 Speaker 1: goes to Arkansas and puts his name in the portal. 644 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:20,520 Speaker 1: Of course, his dad calls me and tells me they're 645 00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:24,440 Speaker 1: they're in the portal, and so I said, great, you know, 646 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:26,680 Speaker 1: we need to get him in here this time, and 647 00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:29,960 Speaker 1: and he said, no, I think he wants to go 648 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:34,399 Speaker 1: to Arizona. And at the time, I'm a big Arizona fan, 649 00:38:34,719 --> 00:38:37,799 Speaker 1: but at the time I was concerned with there was 650 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:40,640 Speaker 1: some smoke going around Arizona, just like it was over 651 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:43,799 Speaker 1: here at LSU, right, So I told him, I said, 652 00:38:44,040 --> 00:38:47,600 Speaker 1: that's too risky, but he went. He sat out a 653 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:52,120 Speaker 1: year and red shirted and gained weight and practice every day, 654 00:38:52,239 --> 00:38:55,640 Speaker 1: and then the next year he was the PAC twelve 655 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:58,880 Speaker 1: six man in a year and started about a dozen 656 00:38:58,960 --> 00:39:03,879 Speaker 1: games for Sean mill So he had a good run. 657 00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:06,719 Speaker 1: But then after the COVID stuff again, he wanted to 658 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:09,880 Speaker 1: leave and they called and we got him that that 659 00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:13,959 Speaker 1: last time. And he's been tremendous. He's worked so hard, 660 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:19,279 Speaker 1: he's matured. He graduated at Christmas this year, Doug and 661 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:23,080 Speaker 1: just tremendous footwork. But you know, I had a McDonald's 662 00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:27,600 Speaker 1: All American at Pensacola and helped us Flint a national championship, 663 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:30,400 Speaker 1: and then certainly Jordan has helped get us to the 664 00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:34,359 Speaker 1: NCAA tournament. It's been an interesting year. You hit one 665 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:38,520 Speaker 1: ten row that that stretcher you're headed humming? Um. He 666 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:40,680 Speaker 1: lost obviously the Southern miss had a couple of losses 667 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:44,000 Speaker 1: late in the year, and then he ended up. I mean, 668 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:47,760 Speaker 1: let's just be honest. There's some upsets in the tournament. 669 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:50,239 Speaker 1: So you didn't have to face the top dogs, right, 670 00:39:50,239 --> 00:39:53,759 Speaker 1: he didn't have to face Southern miss again. Um. On 671 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:56,320 Speaker 1: the other hand, it's not like your team was a phony. 672 00:39:56,320 --> 00:39:58,640 Speaker 1: It's not like you were. You know that you dieded 673 00:39:58,719 --> 00:40:01,239 Speaker 1: everybody all year. How good you think this team is. 674 00:40:02,120 --> 00:40:04,040 Speaker 1: I think we've got a good group, I really do. 675 00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:06,360 Speaker 1: And if we get a good guard to play, we 676 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:12,040 Speaker 1: can win next week. With Jordan inside, he's gonna command 677 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:15,400 Speaker 1: a double team or triple team almost every night. And 678 00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:19,239 Speaker 1: if not. Like our last regular season game was on 679 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:22,520 Speaker 1: ESPN two DOUG against South Alabama, who had won eight 680 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:26,279 Speaker 1: to nine at the time, and Jordan went thirteen and 681 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:29,680 Speaker 1: fifteen from the field against the defensive player of the 682 00:40:29,719 --> 00:40:32,800 Speaker 1: year in early Kevin Samuel, who averaged a double double 683 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:35,919 Speaker 1: four years in a row. A really good player, so 684 00:40:36,239 --> 00:40:39,000 Speaker 1: he's going to command some attention. He can score on 685 00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:42,440 Speaker 1: anybody as good as any post player. We played the tournament. 686 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:45,759 Speaker 1: I'll take my guy every time because I know what 687 00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 1: he can do. So I liked this group. We did. 688 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:52,720 Speaker 1: We won five in a row. We got beat at Drake, 689 00:40:53,239 --> 00:40:57,640 Speaker 1: and Drake's pretty good, right, yeah, and then we went 690 00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:00,719 Speaker 1: five morning bro we get beat at Texas. Texas is 691 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:03,560 Speaker 1: pat and they shot the cover off the ball at 692 00:41:03,640 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 1: night against us, and you know what, they've continued to 693 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:09,759 Speaker 1: do it. I've been really impressed by Texas. And then 694 00:41:09,760 --> 00:41:13,319 Speaker 1: when we start off conference and we lose by one 695 00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:18,719 Speaker 1: and four at Coastal Carolina and Old Dominion, and people 696 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:21,120 Speaker 1: are starting to doubt. You know what's wrong. You know 697 00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:23,200 Speaker 1: the wheels are coming off, you know how it is. 698 00:41:23,239 --> 00:41:25,840 Speaker 1: And we just kept working. And then we played Southern 699 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:30,600 Speaker 1: Miss the first home game, beat them, fifteen, beat Georgia State. 700 00:41:30,640 --> 00:41:33,240 Speaker 1: Then we went on the road and won four consecutive 701 00:41:33,280 --> 00:41:35,960 Speaker 1: conference road games for the first time in school history 702 00:41:36,280 --> 00:41:40,080 Speaker 1: in any conference that we participated in. And then we 703 00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:41,680 Speaker 1: got it. We got our tenth win in a row. 704 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:45,680 Speaker 1: It was against Marshall in a big game that we 705 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:50,080 Speaker 1: needed to win and Jordan has twenty six and twenty 706 00:41:50,120 --> 00:41:54,000 Speaker 1: in that ball game and just played tremendous. So the 707 00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:56,400 Speaker 1: next game was the Southern Miss game and we go 708 00:41:56,520 --> 00:41:59,359 Speaker 1: to Red Green Coliseum. They've got eighty one hundred, their 709 00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:03,000 Speaker 1: biggest out in like fifteen years, and we were up 710 00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:06,680 Speaker 1: five at halftime. We were up seven in the second half, 711 00:42:06,719 --> 00:42:09,600 Speaker 1: but we wound up losing the game by nine, I think, 712 00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:13,480 Speaker 1: and didn't really disappointing. You know, I'm from Mississippi. Someoneted 713 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:14,960 Speaker 1: to go over and play well. I had a bunch 714 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:19,360 Speaker 1: of my college friends and high school friends there, but 715 00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:22,400 Speaker 1: Southern miss was We were the underdog that night. Their 716 00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:25,239 Speaker 1: net was better than ours. They've got a good team, 717 00:42:25,320 --> 00:42:27,719 Speaker 1: as you said, and just came out of nowhere. They 718 00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:30,439 Speaker 1: had a great year. Then we go to Troy, lose 719 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:33,759 Speaker 1: to Troy. They finished fifth in the league, and we'd 720 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:37,840 Speaker 1: beat him sixteen of eighteen times going in and sometimes 721 00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:41,759 Speaker 1: it just happens. And then we come home. We beat Monroe. 722 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:45,600 Speaker 1: Then we go to James Madison Doug and we played 723 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:49,360 Speaker 1: a really good team coached by Mark Buyington. They finished 724 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:51,600 Speaker 1: fourth in the league. And we got the lead in 725 00:42:51,640 --> 00:42:54,439 Speaker 1: that game was seven minutes to go, and with five 726 00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:57,839 Speaker 1: minutes to go, Jordan Brown was fouled out of the game. 727 00:42:57,920 --> 00:42:59,400 Speaker 1: I don't know that he fouled out, but he was 728 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:02,359 Speaker 1: fouled out. I got you and we and we lose 729 00:43:02,440 --> 00:43:05,680 Speaker 1: that game by six, and uh, you know, we came 730 00:43:05,719 --> 00:43:11,560 Speaker 1: home and then we beat obviously beat South Alabama and 731 00:43:11,760 --> 00:43:14,880 Speaker 1: Arkansas State at home to spring Boarders in the tournament. 732 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:17,840 Speaker 1: We went undefeated in the occasuned home for the first 733 00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:21,080 Speaker 1: time in thirty eight years of the building and the 734 00:43:21,160 --> 00:43:24,160 Speaker 1: first time we've gone undefeated at home and even fifty 735 00:43:24,239 --> 00:43:28,880 Speaker 1: years nineteen seventy three, so I half a century. We've 736 00:43:28,920 --> 00:43:30,520 Speaker 1: done some good things. But we knew we could go 737 00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:34,200 Speaker 1: in the tournament. Uh. We wanted to play Marshall and 738 00:43:34,239 --> 00:43:36,239 Speaker 1: Southern Myths. To be honest, we felt like we were 739 00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:39,440 Speaker 1: buttering both of them, even though they had good teams. 740 00:43:39,480 --> 00:43:42,360 Speaker 1: We were looking for the competition. But hey, that's the 741 00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:46,799 Speaker 1: beauty of march upsets. You don't know what's going to happen. Yeah. Um, 742 00:43:47,440 --> 00:43:50,480 Speaker 1: what's what's it like for you now? Now you you've 743 00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:54,680 Speaker 1: had the experience of the tournament before, but to get 744 00:43:54,680 --> 00:43:57,880 Speaker 1: back after a couple of difficult years as covids COVID 745 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:00,400 Speaker 1: years and injury years, what's it like for you to 746 00:44:00,440 --> 00:44:03,319 Speaker 1: get this thing back? It's it's big. I mean, it 747 00:44:03,360 --> 00:44:07,239 Speaker 1: means a lot to me and I reflect on it occasionally. 748 00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:10,920 Speaker 1: But we're still moving trying to win games in the tournament. 749 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:16,000 Speaker 1: I've been the tournament four times, Doug, and we're rolling three. 750 00:44:16,280 --> 00:44:21,320 Speaker 1: We played Florida my first opportunity at sam Houston State 751 00:44:22,120 --> 00:44:24,680 Speaker 1: and played good for a half and had a really 752 00:44:24,680 --> 00:44:29,279 Speaker 1: good team. And then the second trip that we had 753 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:34,720 Speaker 1: was against Baylor in New Orleans and we were tied 754 00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:37,480 Speaker 1: with four minutes to go and wind up losing that 755 00:44:37,560 --> 00:44:42,279 Speaker 1: game by nine. And then we played Creighton in fourteen 756 00:44:42,719 --> 00:44:46,480 Speaker 1: in San Antonio. Down one at halftime, we wound up 757 00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:48,920 Speaker 1: losing by ten. They had a pretty good player. New 758 00:44:51,040 --> 00:44:52,640 Speaker 1: that that whole team could shoot the hell out of it. 759 00:44:52,640 --> 00:44:55,880 Speaker 1: Two they could, and it was a guy named Nathan Roggy. 760 00:44:56,120 --> 00:44:58,759 Speaker 1: I then forget it. He made four threes. He's like 761 00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:02,719 Speaker 1: a sixteen post player. Yeah, And I remember my dad 762 00:45:02,800 --> 00:45:04,600 Speaker 1: telling me after the game. He called me, said, if 763 00:45:04,600 --> 00:45:06,640 Speaker 1: you would have guarded that big kid on a perimeter, 764 00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:08,680 Speaker 1: not letting him shoot all as three as you win, 765 00:45:08,840 --> 00:45:10,560 Speaker 1: you know, And I said, well, we were trying to 766 00:45:10,560 --> 00:45:14,719 Speaker 1: trust me when we got beat by ten, didn't We 767 00:45:14,719 --> 00:45:17,239 Speaker 1: were two from thirteen from three. You can't win a 768 00:45:17,239 --> 00:45:19,400 Speaker 1: tournament game shooting like that. You got to make some 769 00:45:19,480 --> 00:45:23,240 Speaker 1: shots and have a great guard play. So we're excited 770 00:45:23,280 --> 00:45:25,600 Speaker 1: about getting back. I mean, I've been a head coach 771 00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:29,960 Speaker 1: for twenty five years at the Division one level and 772 00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:34,520 Speaker 1: it's just hard to get there. And in seventeen of 773 00:45:34,600 --> 00:45:37,120 Speaker 1: the twenty five years, Doug that I've been a head coach. 774 00:45:37,239 --> 00:45:40,279 Speaker 1: We finished a top four in our league, So if 775 00:45:40,280 --> 00:45:42,919 Speaker 1: you want to be candid about it, yeah, we could 776 00:45:43,160 --> 00:45:46,560 Speaker 1: if we were in another league, were the tournament every 777 00:45:46,600 --> 00:45:49,719 Speaker 1: year because we're solid every year and I think consistency 778 00:45:49,760 --> 00:45:54,799 Speaker 1: is the biggest thing that I'm proud of with my program. 779 00:45:55,200 --> 00:46:04,920 Speaker 1: Last thing, Lafayette is famous for beautiful women and incredible food. Right, Um, 780 00:46:04,960 --> 00:46:07,960 Speaker 1: if I come to Lafayette for one day, where's the 781 00:46:08,000 --> 00:46:10,200 Speaker 1: one place I have to eat and what I'll have 782 00:46:10,200 --> 00:46:16,359 Speaker 1: to order? Well, you've got to get the creole food, right, 783 00:46:16,719 --> 00:46:19,840 Speaker 1: you got you gotta get gumbo and John Belaiyah and 784 00:46:19,960 --> 00:46:23,800 Speaker 1: boot in and great food and balls, you know, and 785 00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:27,879 Speaker 1: they have festivals here all the time. Crawfish. You gotta 786 00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:31,560 Speaker 1: have crawlfish. Okay, So where do I go coming to town? 787 00:46:32,239 --> 00:46:35,160 Speaker 1: Get me on the spot here because you know, there's 788 00:46:35,239 --> 00:46:39,680 Speaker 1: so many great restaurants here. But but don Seafood has 789 00:46:39,719 --> 00:46:43,200 Speaker 1: been here forever and it's somewhat of a staple and 790 00:46:43,239 --> 00:46:49,920 Speaker 1: they have the best gumbo that that to me in Lafayette. Listen, 791 00:46:49,960 --> 00:46:51,839 Speaker 1: I can't wait to see who you get. I really 792 00:46:51,840 --> 00:46:55,040 Speaker 1: appreciate your time, and I'd love to do this again 793 00:46:55,040 --> 00:46:57,840 Speaker 1: and talk even more about your experiences along the way 794 00:46:57,960 --> 00:47:01,239 Speaker 1: because I'm that digranular detail stuff. That's the stuff that 795 00:47:01,280 --> 00:47:05,759 Speaker 1: I love. But congrats on your success and I can't 796 00:47:05,760 --> 00:47:08,600 Speaker 1: wait to see who you beat on Thursday or Friday 797 00:47:08,600 --> 00:47:15,279 Speaker 1: next week. Thanks Doug, good catching up. My thanks to 798 00:47:15,400 --> 00:47:17,640 Speaker 1: coach that now that's a team that you should look 799 00:47:17,640 --> 00:47:20,160 Speaker 1: out for. And I do believe. And maybe it's from 800 00:47:20,239 --> 00:47:22,680 Speaker 1: watching them on tape. Maybe it's from talking to coach, 801 00:47:23,080 --> 00:47:26,479 Speaker 1: Maybe from seeing Tennessee struggle offensively. You're seeing Rick Barnes' 802 00:47:26,480 --> 00:47:29,000 Speaker 1: team struggle offensively in the tournament in the past. I 803 00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:34,320 Speaker 1: think they're gonna win. I think go money line. Anyway, 804 00:47:34,719 --> 00:47:38,120 Speaker 1: remember the Doug Gotlip shows daily from three to five 805 00:47:38,160 --> 00:47:40,239 Speaker 1: Eastern time, twelve two Pacific plus. We got the end 806 00:47:40,239 --> 00:47:43,000 Speaker 1: the Bonus podcast. Thanks for listening on Doug Gottlieb. This 807 00:47:44,040 --> 00:47:44,480 Speaker 1: is a ball