1 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: Hey, welcome in. Uh you boy, Doug Gottlieb. You are 2 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: listening to All Ball, the All Basketball Podcast. Dave Pilopovic 3 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: is our guest this week, fantastic story and storyteller as 4 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: we go from Pittsburgh, p A, to the Air Force 5 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 1: Academy and to Infinity and beyond. Oh I I did, 6 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: I did in fact go there? All right, let me 7 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: give you a couple of topics before you hop into 8 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: our interview with Dave Pilopovic. First thing is, and I've 9 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 1: heard this from a couple of NBA people. You know, 10 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: there are guys in the NBA and I won't name 11 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: names because that's not fun. It's more fun for you 12 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: to guess. There are players that play to their stats 13 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:45,559 Speaker 1: and they want their stats to be so gaudy that 14 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 1: they are All Stars. And so you start to wonder, hey, 15 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: what is the line that we can cut off for 16 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: a player to be an All Star? Because you know, 17 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: empty points are empty points, like you put up thirty 18 00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: a night. But if your team sucks, what is it 19 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: act really matter? So I'm not gonna pick I just 20 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: there are guys you watch you can load up on 21 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: the assist by holding it for an extra dribble or 22 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: two dribbles um that can score at dead points in 23 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: the game, that don't really affect the game, but can 24 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: help their plus minus as well. And I hope they're 25 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: overall point total. I just I almost wonder if for 26 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: the NBA, and I'm not a big NBA All Star 27 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: Game guy, like, I can't remember last time I watched 28 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: the NBA All Star Game, but it's the significance of 29 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: it within the league. Are you gonna reward somebody for 30 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 1: just playing for stats? Are you can awards somebody who 31 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: attains stats while getting wins. That would be the big 32 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: challenge to me if I was voting for the All 33 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: Star Game. As for the NBA, it's it's really interesting 34 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: in watching Kawhi Leonard go for forty three in less 35 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 1: than thirty minutes. That guy's the best player in the NBA. 36 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 1: If you haven't come around to it, you haven't been 37 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: watching how he competes at the top level of the NBA. 38 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: Does that mean they're gonna win the Western Conference and 39 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: win an NBA championship or compete I don't know. Everything 40 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: has to go right, and for the Clippers generally everything 41 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: goes wrong. On the other hand. If it comes down 42 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 1: to why versus Lebron at this point in their career, 43 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take Kawhi Leonard. He's younger, he is incredibly efficient, 44 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: He's been in those big spots before, He's been down before, 45 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: and he's come back before. Not that you couldn't say 46 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: the same thing about Lebron, but he is thirty four 47 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 1: years old. Uh. And in regards to college basketball, it 48 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 1: continues to be a turnstyle at the top. But I'm 49 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: I'm fascinated by some of these teams offensive droughts. We 50 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: saw Michigan State, We've seen Oklahoma States scored a hunt 51 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 1: one points in the last five halves of basketball. You 52 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: do the mouth and how bad that is. Um West 53 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:36,359 Speaker 1: Virginia has held their last three opponents below fifty points. 54 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: There their garden people. I think it's a combination of 55 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: the fact that there's just the talents to spread out 56 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: and there's not great talent at the top. The game 57 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: has gotten back to being more physical. I think that 58 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: you're moving back to the three point shot. I think 59 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: really affects the three point shot because nobody guys aren't 60 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: line huckers huggers. They're shooting that ball at at an 61 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: NBA distance, and they're not NBA shooters, and it gets 62 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: I know, the numbers dipped down, then came back up, 63 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: and then moved back last time. But now you've moved 64 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: it what feels like a more substantial portion back, and 65 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: I think that's a big cause for why scoring is down. 66 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 1: All right, let's get to our interview on this podcast. 67 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: It's Dave Pilopovic. He's the head coach of the Air Force. 68 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: Be sure to catch the live edition of The Doug 69 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: Gottlieb Show weekdays at three pm Easter noon Pacific on 70 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio. Ah app alright, 71 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: so we welcome in. He's the head coach of the 72 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: Air Force Academy. Um, he's Dave Pilopovic, and and coach. 73 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: I want to go back to the beginning, to the 74 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: very big not not birth, but to the beginning. Um, 75 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: your first memory of basketball is what you know, being 76 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: a youngster in a small town at Pittsburgh watching our 77 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: high school team play what high school, probably probably Duquesne 78 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: High School which is closed now, Probably six years old, 79 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: and my dad took me to the game, and I 80 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: thought they were the best players around, and I thought 81 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,839 Speaker 1: the atmosphere and the excitement and watching them play was 82 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: unbelievable and caught me at an early age. What what 83 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: was your dad like? Uh? Hard worker Pittsburgh Town um 84 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 1: high school education, but owned a bar and little restaurants 85 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 1: for thirty five years and worked seven days a week, 86 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: steel Town Bar. Uh steal. But you could come outside 87 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: the bar and turn left, and you see the blast furnace. 88 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: So the guys were in at seven in the morning 89 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 1: drinking a shot in a beer and in the two 90 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 1: in the morning drinking a shot in the beer. And 91 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,239 Speaker 1: we lived above it in an apartment probably seven square 92 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: feet at the most. And that's where I was born 93 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: and raised and loved the Steelers, the pirates of Penguins, 94 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: and uh back in the day of the A. B. A. 95 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: That Pittsburgh papers and condors knew a little bit about them. 96 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: And UH grew up that way. And I knew I 97 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: didn't want to work and own the bar because he 98 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: worked too hard seven days a week. Yet you worked 99 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: every day and that's okay. So how did you how 100 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 1: did you get drawn? Because you know Western Pennsylvania's football 101 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: area right and and and like your your childhood is 102 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: the golden era of Pittsburgh sports. As you point out right, 103 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: you had, uh, the we are Family, Pittsburgh Pirates, you 104 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 1: had the steel curtain. Um why why why basketball? You 105 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: know basketball? I was a skinny little kid, slow and 106 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: Clint guard a shot glass, right, so I can make 107 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 1: a few shots. So played, you know, from seven year 108 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,359 Speaker 1: old seven, seven and eight year old on up some 109 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: local teams and then junior high and all that, and uh, 110 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: I just love basketball. And then high school. I was 111 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: a Division three recruit and went to UH committed to 112 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: Bethany College in West Virginia, and the coach left in 113 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: May and went to Mountain Union. Offered me a chance 114 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: to go to Mountain Union, but I didn't visit. So 115 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 1: I went to Teal College, which was not a basketball 116 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 1: hotbed four program, but I was there and I played 117 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 1: for three coaches of four years. But my sophomore year 118 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 1: with a coach by the name of Mike Griffin and 119 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: just came from Colgate University and he coached us for 120 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: one year. And you just really made an impact on 121 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: me because I wasn't a great student, didn't want to 122 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 1: I didn't want to study. He just wanted to watch 123 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: ESPN and go shoot ball and that was it. And 124 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 1: so he got me to where I could do better 125 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: in school. And he made an impact on me. And 126 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: I said, if I can do that to someone else, 127 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 1: I want to do that. And as I graduated, I 128 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: probably wrote to every college coach in the cruntry country 129 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: for a g A position. I got one of the 130 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 1: division to school in Pennsylvania and they're, well, you're you're, you're, you're, 131 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 1: but you're your your your speed, We got, we got 132 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,480 Speaker 1: and we got time here. Okay. So Tell College. Tell 133 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: College is an evange evangelical college, right, Lutheran Lutheran school, Okay, 134 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: So so Lutheran school so um so okay, And it's 135 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:48,359 Speaker 1: in what Greenville? So I don't know, Okay, So I 136 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 1: don't know where that is in relation to Pittsburgh. How 137 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: far two hours north of Pittsburgh at the moment? What 138 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: was that? So? What's that like? You go from like 139 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 1: you're in steel Town live bar to this really quiet, 140 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: peaceful private Lutheran college. What was what do you remember 141 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: about that transition? You know, Uh, we lived the Bubba bar. 142 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: So at night you heard the sirens of the police 143 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: in a firetruck or maybe uh someone had too much 144 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: of drink, row a bottle against the building or so 145 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: and just noise. You always had noise and action. I 146 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: get up there and it's quiet, there's a farm land. 147 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: It's from different areas because I was an inner city kid. Uh. 148 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: So it was a culture changes first. And then you 149 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: know Devision three program. You go and you think you're 150 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: the recruit and you go and there's twenty five kids 151 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: at the first workout. Twenty five guys for the first 152 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: workout say holy prap, you know where's this going? And uh, 153 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: but it but it worked out. It worked out. I 154 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: met my wife there. Such probably the best thing to 155 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: happen through. Why three coaches in four years? Well, coach 156 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: the first coach we had, That is funny story. First 157 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: coach we had. He was there for a while and 158 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: he was coaching the golf teams sistant as a D 159 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: and coaching basketball, and something happened when he and the 160 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: a D little sideways. So he was also the tennis 161 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: coach listening to this. So at the end of the 162 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 1: year he's still employed. Uh and then maybe a two 163 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: weeks out of season they told him they weren't going 164 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: to bring him back. But he's still the tennis coach. Well, 165 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: he only had five players on the tennis team, and 166 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: he says, do you play tennis? And I said, well, 167 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: you know, I hit it around. He goes, we have 168 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: a match at Walsh College, which the head basket coach 169 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: was Bob Huggins at the time. He said, we have 170 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: a match tomorrow. Can you go? I said, do I 171 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: missed school? We said yeah, saw I'll be there, So 172 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 1: we go when we play tennis match. That was terrible. 173 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 1: He spent the whole day with coach Huggins in his 174 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: office looking for a job opportunity. After the after the match, 175 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: you know, you go, what six dollars to go to 176 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: Burger King And I'm sitting in the front row of 177 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: the van and he says, where are you guys want 178 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,959 Speaker 1: to eat? And that's what Let's go to ponder Rosa. 179 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: You know, back in the day Ponder Rose and that 180 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: was the big thing, right. He goes, we don't have 181 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: that in a budget, and I swear to you. I 182 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: looked at him and I said, coach, what are they 183 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: gonna do? Fire you? And I thought you looked take 184 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: a twin at me, and he looked at me. He said, 185 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: you're right, we're going upon the rosen What's what's his name? 186 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: Excuse me? What was his name? Jim bord Chick. Jim Borchick. 187 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: He was from Barbaraton, Ohio basketball hotbed in high school. 188 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: He went back and became a very successful high school 189 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: high school coach in that area. But he was at 190 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: Teal College for for a time. I think he came 191 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: from Marietta prior to that. Wow Wow, Okay, so then, uh, 192 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: your second coach was the one who had an impact 193 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: on you. What was his name? Mike Griffin. He came 194 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 1: from Colgate and at the time he was at cold Gate, 195 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: he had the leading scored in a country I can't 196 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:34,559 Speaker 1: think of his name, A guard about six foot and 197 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,679 Speaker 1: let the country and scoring. And he was not renewed 198 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: to cold Gate. So he takes the job at um 199 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: Till and we were back. I mean we were I 200 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 1: think we were four and eighteen that year, maybe maybe 201 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: somewhere around there. But he was really good. I started 202 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: a couple of games. He just was, you know, being 203 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 1: be a practice, on time, do the right things, go 204 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:55,679 Speaker 1: to class, and he was doing all the right things 205 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: and made an impact on me because we had some 206 00:09:57,640 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: kids from Cleveland and weren't doing the right things, and 207 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: he did of flynt them. That's all. I got to 208 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: start a few games because when somebody got suspended, I 209 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: got to start. But at the end of the year, 210 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,559 Speaker 1: he got the opportunity to go to RPI rental Are 211 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: Politic Institute. There's your three in Troy, New York. And 212 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 1: he went there and he ended up last thing, maybe 213 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: thirty some years coaching there. And then who is your 214 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 1: next coach? Uh? Robert Posey Rhodes, who just passed away 215 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 1: two years ago, was a great player, good player, good 216 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 1: player at wake Force. Played back in the day at 217 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: wake Force about six six. You can really score, Skinny 218 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: got funny put it rubber snuff in during the games. 219 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: And Uh. He coached my junior senior year and I 220 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: was captain my senior year. How good were you guys? 221 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 1: We we came from three wins my freshman year, three 222 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 1: coaches and you know there's twenty six guys only myself 223 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 1: and another freshman state through our senior years and then 224 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: our senior year we played for the conference championship last 225 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: game year against Hiherman College in Ohio and we got beat. 226 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: So we made progress, all right. See you're done. You 227 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: you you write all these letters. You write all these 228 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: letters because you want so, you want one to coach. 229 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:04,440 Speaker 1: So what was the how did how did you get 230 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 1: your first job? Well? I got it a division to 231 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: school California University of Pennsylvania, about an hour from Pittsburgh, 232 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 1: a division to school and knew somebody who was a 233 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: g A prior to that, who put a good word 234 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: in for me. And I worked the old Metro Index camp, 235 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: which was big in the East. Five Star was obviously 236 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: the king, and then Metro was probably second. That time. 237 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 1: I worked those camps in the summer, I got to 238 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: know the coach a little bit, Tim Loomis, and Uh. 239 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: I was working the camp in July. I still didn't 240 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: have anything, and after one day camp he uh he 241 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 1: said you want the job? And I said yeah, he's 242 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: all right, George. And that was it. It was and 243 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 1: it's in the camp counselor that year, that game, those 244 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: those years, it was Tom Crean, he was a g 245 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 1: A at Central Michigan. He was working the camp. Um 246 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,680 Speaker 1: it was Jeff Van Gundy was a g A. Providence 247 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 1: Herb Syndic who was the providence with Patino and uh 248 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: Rob Kennedy, who end Up now runs the hoop group. 249 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:03,839 Speaker 1: He was he was at Columbia as an assistant and 250 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: we used to play pick up, you know, when put 251 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 1: the campers in bed, we played pick up at night. Wow. Wow, 252 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: that is a that is a small world. Okay. So 253 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: what what was it like coaching at California University in Pennsylvania? 254 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: Oh my, you know you did everything? You know, you're 255 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: they had one full time They did have a full 256 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: time assistant, scuse me that year and the next year 257 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: they did. So you were basically a full time assistant. 258 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: So you recruited, and you know it was a young guy. 259 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: You want to recruit, sign everybody. You want to sign 260 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 1: top five kids in the country, right, and you realize 261 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: you can't. So um, check study halls, get the kids 262 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: to class, drive the vans, wash the you know, you 263 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: know he did all that, sweep the court. So I'm there. 264 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: Um we start and it's September and I'm going on 265 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 1: my first recruiting trip to the Platta, Maryland to go 266 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 1: see a kid play. And I tell coach moment i'm leaving, 267 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 1: i'll be back, blah blah. He goes, well, I won't 268 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 1: see you when I'm back, and I said, what do 269 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: you mean you won't see me? He goes, I just 270 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: took a job with Bruce park Kill Penn State. I'm 271 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: leaving that. He was what he was where you're good 272 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 1: to your g a position, you're fine, he's I'll call 273 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: you on Sunday, and he left. He went to Penn State. 274 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: It was an assistant Bruce park Kill, and about a 275 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,439 Speaker 1: three reprocess, they hired Jim boone Um. He was assistant 276 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 1: at Baptist Colleges Baptist back then Alex Charles the Southern 277 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 1: and he came in and we developed a great relationship 278 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: and had a nice little run there for two years 279 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,079 Speaker 1: and I got hired as a full time played one 280 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: more year and then where Van Tim Loomis leaves Penn State, 281 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: takes the head job at Florida Atlantic. They were just 282 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 1: started the program the year prior and had a coach 283 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: for one year, Lonnie Williams, and for some reason he 284 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:36,559 Speaker 1: left after one year. Kim take the job on the 285 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,559 Speaker 1: UH Prague promised that they're gonna go Division one, which 286 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 1: we did. So we were Division two for two years 287 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: and then Division one, and he offered me the head 288 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: job at Florida. Excuse me, the assistant job of Florida Atlantic. 289 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: And I thought I was in the big time. I 290 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:51,959 Speaker 1: was gonna make fourteen five and live in both of 291 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 1: wis Hewn, Florida. What was that like? And no health 292 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: and no health benefits, no health benefits. That's that that 293 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 1: that that's that's crazy. So so you got a Florida 294 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: Atlantic in what do you remember about about showing up there? 295 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: Because your assistant head coach there too, like he made 296 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 1: some big promises. You know, beautiful place. Will Chamberlain had 297 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: a restaurant there. You would see him around town. He 298 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 1: would play tennis on our campus with our tennis players, 299 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: so he was around. You know, Boca is just beautiful. 300 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: The homes, the mansions, the gated communities. And here I 301 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: come from living a bubba bar in a in a 302 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: bunk bed to us twenty one years old to live 303 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: in a Boca And uh. I was dating my wife's 304 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 1: the time, and I said, hey, we need we need 305 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: more money for me to live down here. Why don't 306 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: we push up our wedding and we're engaged get married. 307 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 1: So we got married in November and she came down 308 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: and she worked in in the banking industry and made 309 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: a little bit more money than me and got benefits. 310 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: So we made it work. Um, how is your team's 311 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: you know, we want twenty one and twenty games were 312 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: the two years were Division two and then we went 313 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: Division one and we would play twelve or fourteen guarantee 314 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: games a year at just for money, just for the 315 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: golf team to get new golf balls and baseball. And 316 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: they didn't have football back then, so we it was murdered. 317 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: It was murdered there for a while. We were you know, 318 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: we would played West Virginia one night, then go to 319 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: pitt and then then bust down to Louisiana played two 320 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 1: lane and uh, you know the big the boards game. 321 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: I think we played Memphis back when they were Memphis 322 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 1: State and Penny Hardaway and we got beat I think 323 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: by fifty six. And uh. But but our second year's 324 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: Division one program, we were oh twenty one. Finally beat 325 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: Stepson University up in the land because we were moving 326 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: into the Trans American Conference back in that day. Beat 327 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: Stetson and then two nights later we got to Empty 328 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: State and Les Robinson was a coach there. They were 329 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: about sixteen and fifteen that year somewhere just about the 330 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: middle of you know, and we go to Empty State. 331 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: We're down twenty one a half time. We upset them 332 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: by by two and we win that game. So, you know, 333 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: we finished that year two and twenty five, I think, 334 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 1: but with a win at an AEC school. What does 335 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: that like to coach a team that's two and twenty five? Like, 336 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: how how you know? How do you how do you 337 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 1: handle that? How do you handle the emotions of losing? 338 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 1: You know? How do you handle you're newly married? Um? 339 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: The kids like you learned? I mean, like, listen, what 340 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: is it? You're either winning or you're learning? Right? Do 341 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: you learn a lot? What do you what do you 342 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 1: learn most? You know? We had kids from all over. 343 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 1: We had a former Navy seal who was twenty seven 344 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: years old. We had a couple of guys from the 345 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: Bahamas who said they were twenty four. They made the 346 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: thirty four. We had six junior college kids, We had 347 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: a couple of transfers, but great group and worked hard. 348 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: But it was tough, you know, because you're going out, 349 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: you're playing the money to guarantee. We're at Auburn, We're 350 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: at Memphis, we're at West Virginia. We're duque, and we 351 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: were at Iowa State. Uh you know, you name it USC. 352 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 1: I mean, we we were everywhere. Uh. Coach Radley brought 353 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 1: the USC team and played us actually in Florida and 354 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: West Palm Beat at a convention center, which was nice 355 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 1: of him to do that. But it was strung. It 356 00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: was a struggle. You know. You know, you're you're playing, 357 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 1: you're playing at the end of practice, You're you're putting 358 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: clock on the time on the clock and playing a 359 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:04,679 Speaker 1: game just so you can get a winner, you know, 360 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:06,400 Speaker 1: just so a couple of the guys can feel good. 361 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:09,640 Speaker 1: But to their credit, they were older, they were more mature, 362 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 1: and it was a great place to live and go 363 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:15,160 Speaker 1: to campus, to be on campus there, so that part 364 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: helped out. You know, if we were cold and there 365 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: was twenty degrees and freezing and snow and all, that 366 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 1: could have been a lot rougher. But coming out of 367 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 1: the gym and you know, maybe losing seventy two degrees 368 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: and the palm trees, that helped. Uh. Okay, So so 369 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 1: then you went to what Georgia State Georgia stay. Yeah, 370 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: because we had our son Kyle in Florida and Uh. 371 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: You know, I was raised. My parents worked, but they 372 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 1: worked at the bar. We lived right there. Kelly, my wife, 373 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: her parents, her mom was home, so we wanted because 374 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: you're not home, as you know, as a college coach 375 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 1: in never home, so we we took her off the 376 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: pay broll and she stayed home to take care of Kyle. 377 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 1: By that time, I was making nineteen five. I got 378 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: a big race, but we wanted to have another child, 379 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,119 Speaker 1: which we end up having our daughter in Georgia. So 380 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: I said, I gotta get a job because I still 381 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,000 Speaker 1: don't have medical benefits. So I got the job at 382 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 1: Georgia States and assistant for thirty thousand and in full 383 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: medical and that was a big time. And so then 384 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: we had our second child, Kelsey, down in Georgia, and 385 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 1: then worked out, Um, who'd you work for? Georgia State? 386 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: Carter Wilson and one of the greatest guys I've ever 387 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: been around. Uh. He was an assistant. He was a 388 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: long time high school coach at Decatur High School in 389 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 1: Georgia and they were usually top twenty five, one of 390 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: the top five teams in USA today. He took over 391 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,280 Speaker 1: from Bob Bob Ridhard, who was an NBA guy with 392 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 1: the Hawks organization. He was at Georgia State. Carter took over. 393 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:38,720 Speaker 1: I was with Carter for two years there and then 394 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 1: the opportunity came. Jim Boone stayed in California after I left, 395 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:45,640 Speaker 1: was very successful Division too, got the Division one job 396 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh, and Robert Morris offered us an opportunity to 397 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: come back home and uh be back with grandparents and 398 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 1: all that, and it was too hard to pass up. 399 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 1: So we moved back to Pittsburgh for a while. All right, 400 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: so you come back and now you're in Pittsburgh where 401 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 1: you grew up nineteen, you're at You're at Bobby, You're 402 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 1: at You're at Bobby mo. What was the program, Bobby? 403 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:09,720 Speaker 1: You know, program was down a little with Jared dorm 404 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: was there and more successful. I went to ant tournaments 405 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: a few times and uh, you know, they had some 406 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:17,919 Speaker 1: good programs that Rob Morrison, but it hit the some 407 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: tough times. They made a change and Jim was brought 408 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: in because he was in the area. Ultra successful Division two, 409 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: a couple of Final four's, but it was excusing. Facilities 410 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:31,120 Speaker 1: weren't great, budget weren't great. You're in the northeast conference. 411 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: But it was a chance that he wanted to be 412 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: a Vision one coach and to be in the same 413 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: recruiting area where he was. But we were happy to 414 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: go home. But at the time I was making our 415 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,359 Speaker 1: thirty six in Georgia State, and I didn't tell Kelly 416 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 1: I took the job at Robert Morris for thirty and 417 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: until we got there and got our first page check. 418 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 1: He goes, what's what we doing. I said, well, we're 419 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: not gonna make as much as we used to, but 420 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:57,439 Speaker 1: we're home, you know, He said, you know, here we go, 421 00:19:57,560 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 1: here we go. But we were bad at the first year. 422 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: I think we're three and twenty six, and then we 423 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: got some better recruits if we took an LSU transferred 424 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,159 Speaker 1: kid out of Beckley, West Virginia by the name of 425 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: Gene Neighbors, and Jean led us to a four years. 426 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 1: He led us from three wins to the conference championship 427 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 1: game are his senior year against Central Connecticut State that 428 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,119 Speaker 1: year and they beat this obviously the championship and then 429 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: we moved on Eastern Michigan after that. Okay, but you're like, 430 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 1: you you do this this thing in fast forward. Okay, 431 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: so how do you how do you how do you 432 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:32,879 Speaker 1: go from three wins? Like? What what is the what 433 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 1: is the process like of? I mean, you know because 434 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 1: that building is really really difficult, right, which is really 435 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,160 Speaker 1: really difficult, and it's more than just getting one transfer. 436 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: You come in, you're at you're at home, and you 437 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: know you're you're trying to to to make it work. 438 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: What was the Because I'm looking at your status from 439 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 1: Jim Boone, the head coach of four and four and 440 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,680 Speaker 1: twenty three? Your first year, right? Second are your eight 441 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 1: and nineteen Keith Jones? And uh is it now feeling? 442 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: Is your your two leading scorers? Right? And then you 443 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: didn't anyone anyone eight? Right? Uh? Then your third year 444 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: you add in Gene Neighbors to Keith Jones and Kevin 445 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: Covert and now you've finished fifteen and twelve and then 446 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: uh and then your fourth year you're you're eighteen and twelve. Um, 447 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: what what do you remember about the product? Like? What 448 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: was what kind of coach was Jim Boone? What did 449 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: he run? How? What was his philosophy? Yeah? Very very 450 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:38,920 Speaker 1: good man to man deef as a coach? Um pack 451 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 1: line defense, so we gapped everything, get pressured the ball 452 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:46,440 Speaker 1: really good health, defenders and emotion. Team really spread the floor, 453 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: four guys out, single post, a lot of screening, a 454 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: lot of backscreening down a lot, a lot like the 455 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:55,119 Speaker 1: Indiana teens when Alford played Coach Night. You know, we 456 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 1: would go to Indiana every year and watch practice and 457 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: and watch film and ran a lot of Coach Bennett's 458 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 1: defensive stuff when he was coaching back in Wisconsin back then, 459 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: and then a lot of Bob Knight's motion. But we 460 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: got some better players, you know, Jane being transferm LSU 461 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 1: Covert was a transfer from akron Um, Chris Hopkins a 462 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:17,640 Speaker 1: sixth nine Jucoke transfer at a U Santa Fe Community 463 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: College of Florida. And we added a City League Player 464 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 1: of the Year from Pittsburgh, Neron Jackson, six five ball 465 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 1: halling guard. So we had some good players to that 466 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:35,360 Speaker 1: that helped us get better in that league. Okay, So 467 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 1: then you go to Eastern Michigan. That's in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Yeah, 468 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:44,439 Speaker 1: have you ever been there? I have? I actually ABC 469 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: D Camp was there Uma in the mid nineties in 470 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:52,119 Speaker 1: the in the midnight. Braun did a great job at 471 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: Eastern Michigan. Did do he did do it did do 472 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 1: a great job. When when you showed up there, what 473 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 1: was it like, Oh gosh, it was is um, Well, 474 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: we have Antonio Gates. Okay, it's gonna be a Hall 475 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: of Fame type, you know, former tight end with the 476 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 1: charge of right. Hall of Famer. So Antonio Gates is 477 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: on our team. He was the state player of the 478 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 1: year in football, and UH in Michigan goes to Michigan 479 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 1: State play football for UH coach saman He's academically ineligible. 480 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: He's a partial you know, prof at that time the 481 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: term was used, So he sits out. He leaves Michigan 482 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:33,400 Speaker 1: State to come play basketball at Eastern. So he's there 483 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: at that coaching change. He didn't play yet, so we 484 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 1: inherit Antonio and he's a he's practicing with us in 485 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: the spring, and our football coach at the time it 486 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 1: was newly hired, says, this kid's gonna play on Sundays 487 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,680 Speaker 1: in football. You know, should come on, you know, is 488 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: he's that good? So we really never get to coach 489 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:52,400 Speaker 1: him because academically there were some things. He just wasn't 490 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: strong right there that semester and he decides to go 491 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 1: out west to Duco to play basketball. Then the story goes. 492 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 1: You know, he goes to State and play basketball, leads 493 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:06,439 Speaker 1: up to an Elite eight, and then the rest is history, 494 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,520 Speaker 1: which is funny. Though he worked camp for us that year, 495 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 1: he was still with us, and I'm pretty sure we 496 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: paid him. I'm pretty sure we paid him his campfee. 497 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: But through a mutual friend out in l A years later, 498 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:19,479 Speaker 1: he's played for the Chargers where he runs into him 499 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: and he said, they mentioned my name. He said, he's 500 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:23,400 Speaker 1: telling him he still is to be my camp check. 501 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: You never paid him, You know we paid him. We 502 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 1: paid him. He was joking. I said, you tell Antonio 503 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 1: he owes me an autographed jersey, and I swear to 504 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: you pray. About six seven days later, I get a 505 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:39,400 Speaker 1: FedEx package here and I got a DANDEGO Chargers autograph 506 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,440 Speaker 1: five hanging up in my in my in my office, 507 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: signed by Antonio Gates. Um, okay, so uh so you're 508 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: one in seventeen in League three and twenty five and 509 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 1: you're like, oh ship, what did we do right? You're 510 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:02,200 Speaker 1: you're at home in Pittsburgh and now you're in Ypsilanim chicken, Um, 511 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:04,879 Speaker 1: how do you go about trying to fix it? You 512 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: know it was hard. You know, Eastern didn't have a 513 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:10,680 Speaker 1: great academic reputation, and Eastern Michigan is on the same 514 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 1: Washington will be all full of ard same road as 515 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 1: the University of Michigan. You run the big house at 516 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 1: Chrysler Center into the Complications Center in Eastern on the 517 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 1: same road five miles apart, but your fan base is 518 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: all Michigan. You know, even if Michigan is away at 519 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: Purdue and you're playing East Western at home, they're gonna 520 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: stay home and watch what Michigan on TV. So it's 521 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:34,159 Speaker 1: hard to draw people. The new Complications Center was a 522 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,239 Speaker 1: couple of miles away from the middle of campus. When 523 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: coach Brown was there, they played at the old place 524 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 1: right in the middle campus and he had it well. 525 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 1: That has some great players. That sweet sixteen run the 526 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,360 Speaker 1: add it was hard to get it go on. MAC 527 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: is a really good league. I kinda take it as 528 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:50,919 Speaker 1: you know, everybody's close to each other about two hours apart. 529 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: Some schools are thirty mints apart, Bowling Green and Toledo 530 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: that you're also trying to stay You're all the same neighborhood, 531 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:57,879 Speaker 1: trying to date the same girl, you know, so you're 532 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 1: all recruiting the same players, and we just never really 533 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 1: got over the hump there was. It was a hard sale, 534 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:05,640 Speaker 1: but we were there I think five years yet five 535 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: years m gottlieb uh and Dave Pelopovich is joining us 536 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: hard five years? What what what the best part? You know? 537 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,120 Speaker 1: I can talk to your dad quite a bit during 538 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: that time. What what do you what do you what 539 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: do you mean like because because my say, I'll tell 540 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,360 Speaker 1: you from the other end what it was like. Okay, 541 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:28,199 Speaker 1: So at this time, you know, I'm done playing in 542 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:32,159 Speaker 1: college and I'm playing overseas whatever, And whenever I'm around 543 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: my dad, you know, he's calling coaches like you I 544 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:35,919 Speaker 1: got I got a guy, you know, and all of 545 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: his guys who were available are better than anybody in 546 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: your program, right, um right, which is like, well why 547 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 1: are they still available, Bob? But um, you know, like okay, 548 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 1: so like let's take a um, Marcus Austen was a 549 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: good player for you, right, kid from White Plains, ye ye, 550 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:55,400 Speaker 1: White New York. Yeah. How do you how do how 551 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: do you go about? What do you what do you 552 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: remember about the recruiting process of a Marcus Austin Well 553 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 1: was recruiting Marcus Um Where was it Robert Morris. He 554 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: was a White Plains spencer, spencer. Gosh, this high school 555 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: coach was a part type scout with Utah Jazz and 556 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:11,680 Speaker 1: close with Jeff ben Gunn. The met him at a clinic, 557 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,120 Speaker 1: uh Troy, I mean a white place, New York. And 558 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: so Marcus was six five, just long arms, just built, 559 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,119 Speaker 1: looked like a basketball player, shoot the ball extremely well. 560 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 1: And sold him on the fact that come to Eastern 561 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 1: because he was recruited by some of the other MAC 562 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:30,119 Speaker 1: the CNAs dionas that type. But get him out of 563 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: New York, comes to Eastern playing that facility. And back 564 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 1: then you had some pros, you know, the Bondi wells 565 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: as who came out of the MAC. You had um 566 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 1: put with his name from o U whose sons playing 567 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 1: now in the NBA A blank right now. But you 568 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:46,640 Speaker 1: had some really good players coming out of MAC who 569 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:50,120 Speaker 1: went on to playing the NBA. UM. So we sold 570 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: him on that he came. He had a good visit there. 571 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: The facility was really good with a practice jim at 572 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 1: the time, which not a lot of people had. So 573 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 1: it looked good and we sold them to come. And 574 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:08,640 Speaker 1: Brandon hunter By the way, are you talking about Brandon Hunter? Yeah? Yeah, 575 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: And so the MAC, you know, the MAC has some 576 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,680 Speaker 1: great coaches back in the day. You know, you had 577 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:15,640 Speaker 1: you had Kim Buckley who was at Ball State who 578 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 1: had that run in Hawaii will beat what Kansas and 579 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:21,120 Speaker 1: Duke confecutive days or so, and then you had Dockets 580 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 1: at Bowling Green. You had j Smith at Central, Larry 581 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,640 Speaker 1: Hunter and Charlie Coles at Miami and ou um Dan 582 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:29,719 Speaker 1: Hipshire who did a great job at Akron. I mean 583 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:31,959 Speaker 1: there there were some really good coaches in that way, 584 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 1: old school coaches. Yeah, old school coaches is right, right, 585 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: So again like this is the what are the because 586 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: you guys did get better, you know, like you didn't 587 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 1: get it, we got better? Yeah, I mean you went 588 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:50,080 Speaker 1: from terrible to solid. And then obviously the last last 589 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: year when when you know you're you're in the fifth 590 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 1: year of a five year run and you're struggling in 591 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: a really good league, like are you already looking for 592 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 1: the next job? Like what is it? And and you also, 593 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 1: my brother's has been in kind of this. You hadn't 594 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:09,320 Speaker 1: been a head coach yet, so it's not like you 595 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: can Hey, I got a head coaching experience. Were the 596 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,360 Speaker 1: conversations like between you and your wife. Yeah, and at 597 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 1: that time, you know that last year we started out 598 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:19,280 Speaker 1: I believe ten and three, we had a post player 599 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: of Chicago the named John Bowler who really became a 600 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 1: good player at Eastern Michigan six eight jr. Average thirteen 601 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 1: and six by the end of the year. What did 602 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 1: you get hurt? Is that what happened he anated his 603 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 1: disc in his back, that he was done, and then 604 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 1: we went down here after that because he was the 605 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:36,720 Speaker 1: hard and soul of us and really tough. He's assistant 606 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 1: out Wisconsin Milwaukee Universit Milwaukee. He's an assistant there now. 607 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 1: But it was really good player for us. Recruited him 608 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: going back and recruited him and got him basically to 609 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 1: almost commit on September ten. The next day I drove 610 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:52,960 Speaker 1: to Monty, Indiana, the recruited kid, and woke up in 611 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: a marry out there and was on the treadmill and 612 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: the TV's on, and that was when the towers were hit. 613 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 1: I'll never forget that. I was a Bowler's house the 614 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 1: night before, and then we brought him on a campus. 615 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 1: A few weeks later, they drove over and he committed. 616 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: But you always asked where you are, you know, the 617 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 1: tenth or eleventh, especially on the leventh. I was in 618 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,000 Speaker 1: Chicago a bowler on the tenth and eleventh, and months 619 00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 1: the recruiting when when our world changed. But uh, yeah, 620 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 1: So we had conversation with my wife and I always 621 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 1: wanted to be a Division three head coach. There's a 622 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 1: ton of Division three schools in Pennsylvania and Ohio. I 623 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 1: probably be a great thing to be a coach and 624 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 1: raise your family and be home and not the the 625 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 1: recruiting that's crazy at Division one level. And I applied 626 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: to some Division three jobs and a lot of times 627 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 1: you get through the interviews and the answer was we 628 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,000 Speaker 1: didn't want a Division one assistant. We when somebody came 629 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 1: up and I said, when I played Division three, I 630 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: started Division two, I know your Division one assistant and 631 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: you'll leave right away, And and that was I was 632 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 1: upset by that because I didn't get some opportunities. So 633 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: then you're wondering what's what's next. You know, where do 634 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 1: you go next? And uh, development relationship with the Michigan 635 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:53,840 Speaker 1: staff because we were right there and down the road. 636 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 1: We played them, and then when things didn't um keep 637 00:30:57,600 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 1: us at Eastern. I was able to just move down 638 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 1: the road and take part in Tommy Amaker staff at Michigan. 639 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 1: So it's interesting because you know, Jim was somebody that 640 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:10,760 Speaker 1: you had known for a long time, right, I mean, 641 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 1: you're going back to the Pittsburgh days. You'd work with 642 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:15,479 Speaker 1: him at Robert Morris. You work with him at Eastern, 643 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:17,560 Speaker 1: So that's like nine years working with the same guy. 644 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 1: So yeah, you guys are like, you know, um, you know, 645 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:24,560 Speaker 1: fingers in a hand or I don't even know whatever 646 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:28,640 Speaker 1: expression you wanted. Tommy you had, you know, obviously sharing 647 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 1: the same state. Obviously that people know that, you know, balling, 648 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 1: you can recruit. But he's a duke guy. You know, 649 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: they're they're they're different. You show up at Michigan first, 650 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: How did he offer you the job? How did that 651 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:43,200 Speaker 1: go down? Well, you know, he had an opening and 652 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 1: it was it was a operations guy, assistance to the 653 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 1: head coach type operations udministrator role. The first year I 654 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 1: was there and he had an opening, somebody moved on 655 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:55,480 Speaker 1: and through a mutual friend and getting to know him, 656 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:59,720 Speaker 1: and he calls and says, hey, let's get together. And 657 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 1: as you know Tommy, he's really laid back at casual. 658 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 1: And Tommy said, hey, just you know, don't dress up, 659 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 1: just come over. Let's let's get together four o'clock Tuesday afternoon. 660 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 1: And you know, I show up in a a in 661 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: a blue suit with amazing blue tie, right, and you know, 662 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:17,240 Speaker 1: he said, well, I really appreciate that, and that's what's 663 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:19,280 Speaker 1: that's what you do. And we talked for a couple 664 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 1: of wires, just kind of hit it off. And next 665 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 1: day I'm up in at the house on the treadmill 666 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 1: and he caught the phone number comes in and not 667 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 1: its him and get off for quick and he goes, hey, 668 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 1: you're ready to be at Wolverine, and I see, yes, 669 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:31,239 Speaker 1: I am. So it was awesome, you know, and they 670 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 1: got a chance to go. Instead of turning out the 671 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: driveway right to go to Eastern, I turned left to 672 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 1: go to ann Arbor and it was it was great. 673 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:41,160 Speaker 1: So you didn't move. No, I didn't move because we 674 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:43,560 Speaker 1: lived right in between an Arburn and he said they're 675 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: five miles apart. We were right in the middle. So 676 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:47,840 Speaker 1: instead of going two and a half miles one way, 677 00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: I went two and a half miles the other way. 678 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 1: So and I guess you're making more money. Yes, yes, yes, 679 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 1: making a little bit more money. And that's the greatest 680 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: deal ever. You you go, you go from, you go 681 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 1: from And I know that at the time, I've I've 682 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: had long discussions with Tommy about it is. You know 683 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 1: at the time that they were resource depleted. Right. People 684 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: don't understand what Michigan. You know, Michigan was all reputation, 685 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: um and uh you know, on the other hand, you 686 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:25,720 Speaker 1: know it's still there's still huge expectant, huge expectations. But 687 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: you go from no resources, you know, really competitive league 688 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:33,840 Speaker 1: with with a name that doesn't resonate to Michigan and 689 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 1: Tommy Americer Uh so your first year was your first year? 690 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 1: Was was which which season it was? Yeah? Okay, so 691 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,959 Speaker 1: oh four oh five. You do have some good players, right, 692 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:51,120 Speaker 1: you have Chris Hunter, you have Corton Sims, you have 693 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:54,560 Speaker 1: Dion Harris. Okay, but it's still remember they're they're still 694 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:59,240 Speaker 1: rebuilding from n c A probation. So but again, you've 695 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 1: worked with one I for nine years. I'm fascinated by this. Yeah, 696 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 1: what what was different about Tommy Amerk or his style, 697 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:11,120 Speaker 1: his coaching? He is uh, he he's a really good coach, 698 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:14,840 Speaker 1: really good coach, but a better person. He's unbelievable. Unbelievable 699 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:18,839 Speaker 1: because you could have a custodian walk in and he's 700 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:21,279 Speaker 1: in the biggest meeting or film session, whatever, and a 701 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 1: custodian will walk in and he'll say a low to him, 702 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:26,960 Speaker 1: you know, or he'll thank him for taking the trash out. 703 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:31,880 Speaker 1: He's unbelievable in that regard. Thanks everybody, appreciates everybody. His 704 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 1: preparation was really good. His relationship with the players was 705 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 1: above and beyond. I mean the respect and the discipline. 706 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 1: We're doing it without custing, cursing, throwing things and all that. 707 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:46,719 Speaker 1: He was just he he demanded and he got the 708 00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 1: room attention as soon as he walked. And he was 709 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: really good. I mean he was. It was amazing. It 710 00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:53,400 Speaker 1: was amazing how he was and it was just a 711 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 1: joy to be around. I always tell him I wish 712 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:57,040 Speaker 1: it was because he and I are still close to 713 00:34:57,080 --> 00:34:59,359 Speaker 1: this day. I wish it was longer, but I learned 714 00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:01,279 Speaker 1: so much from they're still to this day. You know, 715 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:03,640 Speaker 1: Jim and I are really still close. And the coaches 716 00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: I've worked with for Tommy, I always tease him that 717 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:08,879 Speaker 1: whenever I'm make an important decision. I said, I always say, 718 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:11,240 Speaker 1: what would what would the agent? You know, what would Tam? 719 00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 1: And he goes, come on, I said, I always do, 720 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 1: and he was he was unbelievable about that. You know, 721 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 1: we're going that year. We we start out six and 722 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:21,520 Speaker 1: two in the Big Ten and we're ranked sixteenth in 723 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:23,759 Speaker 1: the country. Then we have some injuries and we go 724 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 1: two and six on the back end of the Big Ten, 725 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:28,080 Speaker 1: finished eight and eight and we're the last team out. 726 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:30,200 Speaker 1: So we get the number one seed in the in 727 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:31,640 Speaker 1: the n I T and we end up going to 728 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:33,960 Speaker 1: the championship game where we lose to and all the 729 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:37,640 Speaker 1: Baltman in South Carolina. But as we're heading to uh 730 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:41,320 Speaker 1: we're heading to New York for the final four in 731 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:43,319 Speaker 1: the n I T and we're on a charter getting 732 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 1: ready to get on the charter, the families came. Our 733 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 1: son Kyle the time I believe maybe have been eighth grade, 734 00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:50,600 Speaker 1: seventh grade with a big two guy and J. J. 735 00:35:50,719 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 1: Reddick was his guy. And Tommy walks on the plane 736 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: with a with a bag and he throws at a 737 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:58,160 Speaker 1: Kyle and he says, here, but don't open until we 738 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:02,239 Speaker 1: planned and Kyle's nervous when he opposites an autographed J. J. 739 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:04,319 Speaker 1: Reddick shirt. You know, to this day he still has, 740 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: you know, twenty seven hour works for USA Basketball. It's 741 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:09,440 Speaker 1: still at the J. J. Reddick shirt. Because probably was 742 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:13,240 Speaker 1: just so thoughtful of everybody nature. Everybody was comfortable, everything 743 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,879 Speaker 1: was in place, and game big. The bigger the game, 744 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:18,799 Speaker 1: the better he was in the locker room, the pre game. 745 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:22,880 Speaker 1: He he was really really good. I thought, what was 746 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:26,239 Speaker 1: it like when he was let go? You know, we 747 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:28,759 Speaker 1: just the second year and we weren't as good that 748 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,560 Speaker 1: year and we uh and and I think there was 749 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:35,160 Speaker 1: a story they wrote nan Arbor and coach b Line, Um, 750 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:38,880 Speaker 1: we're beating Ohio State at home, their number one the 751 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:41,840 Speaker 1: country and they had that remarkable team with Oden Conley, 752 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:44,800 Speaker 1: and I think we're up six and we get a 753 00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:46,840 Speaker 1: dunk at the rim with Courtney Simms, who had a 754 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:48,880 Speaker 1: cup of coffee for some teams in the NBA. And 755 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:52,000 Speaker 1: Simms misses the dunk and they're going to run and 756 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: we lose to Ohio. Stayed at home and you win 757 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:56,960 Speaker 1: that game, where in the nj A tournament everything's fine. 758 00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:59,359 Speaker 1: You lose that game, and that we were the first 759 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 1: game in the big Torny and to lose a second 760 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:03,400 Speaker 1: one and we go to the n I t we 761 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:05,560 Speaker 1: win the first game at home. I think we tell 762 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:08,239 Speaker 1: State that you're at home. Then we go to Callahaska 763 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:11,719 Speaker 1: and play Florida State and we lose. On a Thursday, 764 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:14,080 Speaker 1: come home on Friday. Or in the office Saturday morning, 765 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 1: in the shower early, I'm never forgetting ready to go 766 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:19,960 Speaker 1: to the office. My wife hollers in since coaches on 767 00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:22,919 Speaker 1: the phone, and that's never good. I get off. He goes, 768 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 1: you know, bad newsday. You know. A d brought me 769 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:27,359 Speaker 1: in this morning, called me and I just met him 770 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:29,440 Speaker 1: and he let me go. He goes, can you can 771 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:31,040 Speaker 1: you come in? I said, yeah, I'm on my way, 772 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:33,839 Speaker 1: and you know, and I felt so bad for him 773 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:35,919 Speaker 1: because he didn't deserve that. He said, our locker room leaked. 774 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:39,000 Speaker 1: We had to practice in a rec center. Cart Chrysler 775 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:43,600 Speaker 1: was terrible. Officers were a mile away. It was just bad. 776 00:37:43,719 --> 00:37:46,600 Speaker 1: It wasn't worth Now, well, no, I mean, that's that's 777 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:48,480 Speaker 1: the thing is. You didn't get to and I, you know, 778 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 1: and and and talking and like look, I would readily 779 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 1: admit I was at ESPN at the time and I 780 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:59,720 Speaker 1: was very early in my career at ESPN and before 781 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:03,120 Speaker 1: see that ESPN with you and Tom Brennon, that was 782 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:06,319 Speaker 1: the best. You know, it's it's it's I've I've never 783 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:08,759 Speaker 1: I've never talked about this and this it's it's it's 784 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,880 Speaker 1: I'm glad you brought that up. So what's fascinating about this? 785 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:15,080 Speaker 1: And this is where you know, like I don't know, 786 00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:17,920 Speaker 1: I struggle sometimes with our business. So I felt like 787 00:38:18,040 --> 00:38:22,600 Speaker 1: Tom Brennan was an absolute prince. I mean, he's he's funny, 788 00:38:22,719 --> 00:38:26,800 Speaker 1: he's affable, he had he had no ego. Now he 789 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:30,440 Speaker 1: was put in a in a situation where which is 790 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:32,560 Speaker 1: really hard, where he had coached at one place I 791 00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:35,840 Speaker 1: think for eighteen years. Okay, so and you know this 792 00:38:36,080 --> 00:38:40,680 Speaker 1: when when you're at Vermont for eighteen years, it's not 793 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:43,840 Speaker 1: like you know, you don't know all the players, you 794 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 1: don't know all the like. Not only not only he's 795 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:47,719 Speaker 1: a coach at Vermont, but he's also doing a radio show. 796 00:38:48,239 --> 00:38:51,600 Speaker 1: So when he wasn't coaching, he was doing his radio show. 797 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,239 Speaker 1: And then he's like the mayor of Burlington, Vermont. So 798 00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:57,439 Speaker 1: when he got there, you know, like his first couple 799 00:38:57,440 --> 00:38:59,720 Speaker 1: of years, he struggled with like he didn't he didn't 800 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 1: know all the players. And I've been doing it forever, 801 00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:03,680 Speaker 1: you know, like as a kid and growing up, and 802 00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:08,520 Speaker 1: I had I had only covered really national stuff. Uh 803 00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 1: at something like his whole thing was like he not 804 00:39:11,719 --> 00:39:14,759 Speaker 1: only did he sometimes not know about every player, but 805 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:18,080 Speaker 1: he didn't give a shit and it it worked. And 806 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:21,520 Speaker 1: our problem was like our bosses at the time, the 807 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:25,680 Speaker 1: boss of the time, We're like, well, Tommy, only here's 808 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 1: I swear to god, this actually happened. I had a 809 00:39:28,040 --> 00:39:31,520 Speaker 1: boss who came in after a halftime segment and he said, Doug, 810 00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:34,440 Speaker 1: you talked for a minute and forty two seconds. Tommy, 811 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:39,279 Speaker 1: you talked for forty seven seconds. That's not acceptable. And 812 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:43,239 Speaker 1: I said, um, I will not share this gentleman's name 813 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:48,120 Speaker 1: because I actually like him. I said, what's your point. 814 00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:51,080 Speaker 1: He's like, well, you're dominated the conversation. I said, no, 815 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:53,880 Speaker 1: I don't actually see it that way. I said, was 816 00:39:53,960 --> 00:39:56,040 Speaker 1: it good? He's like, well, that's not the point, and 817 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:58,319 Speaker 1: go no, that actually is that. The point of television 818 00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:02,040 Speaker 1: is were you entertained? Did you change the channel? It's 819 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:04,120 Speaker 1: halftime right If I'm watching the game, it goes to 820 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:06,879 Speaker 1: halftime I gotta be really fucking entertained, or I'm gonna 821 00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:10,160 Speaker 1: change the channel, um and watch a different game, because 822 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 1: there's a million games on. I was like, were you entertainings? Like, 823 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:16,160 Speaker 1: that's not the point that you're You're missing the point. 824 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:19,799 Speaker 1: Tom's deal was. He would say, you know, like Dave 825 00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:22,360 Speaker 1: Revson was our host, and Rever would come in and 826 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:24,880 Speaker 1: and Rever would say, TV, what you know, they got 827 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:28,720 Speaker 1: a big game tonight, it's Duke versus you know, North Carolina. 828 00:40:28,719 --> 00:40:31,120 Speaker 1: What would you tell your team? And and Tommy would 829 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:34,400 Speaker 1: say like, like I tell him, Oh, let's go have 830 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:36,239 Speaker 1: some fun. We'll go have a stake afterwards. Who gives 831 00:40:36,280 --> 00:40:38,080 Speaker 1: a ship? Right? Like he would literally say that on 832 00:40:38,160 --> 00:40:40,279 Speaker 1: TV and we'd be laughing, and I go into some 833 00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:44,000 Speaker 1: basketball stuff and it worked. But it's really amazing on 834 00:40:44,120 --> 00:40:48,120 Speaker 1: how often times I thought, I still believe to this 835 00:40:48,239 --> 00:40:52,239 Speaker 1: day Tom Brandon should have been should have been the 836 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:58,880 Speaker 1: um the league corso of of of college basketball and 837 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:02,719 Speaker 1: for what ever reason? And you know, I mean, it 838 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:06,760 Speaker 1: just it broke broke my heart because they never told 839 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:11,000 Speaker 1: him anything and then they didn't renew him. And you know, 840 00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:13,600 Speaker 1: I mean and all candor, I had people tell me 841 00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:15,880 Speaker 1: about you know, you made Tom look bad, Like no, 842 00:41:16,040 --> 00:41:18,399 Speaker 1: we played off each other like I was the bad 843 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:21,480 Speaker 1: former player dork who pushed the envelope and he was 844 00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:24,440 Speaker 1: the old coach who just had a great time. I 845 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:26,600 Speaker 1: thought it was really I appreciate you saying I thought 846 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:31,600 Speaker 1: it was really good. I love it. Yeah, I love love. Yeah. 847 00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:34,000 Speaker 1: We we used to talk time, and I knew Tom 848 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:36,040 Speaker 1: a little bit, you know, but I thought it was great. 849 00:41:36,239 --> 00:41:39,920 Speaker 1: I really did. That was so disappointed, Dave. He's as 850 00:41:39,960 --> 00:41:43,800 Speaker 1: authentic a person, like as a good dude as you 851 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:46,800 Speaker 1: will ever as you ever find. And I listen, and 852 00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:49,280 Speaker 1: here's just another little quick aside, because I know basketball 853 00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:52,320 Speaker 1: people listen to this. Pot Uh. They named the court 854 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:56,560 Speaker 1: after him in the old gym. They opened a new 855 00:41:56,600 --> 00:41:59,879 Speaker 1: arena this year, and his name is not on the core. 856 00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:03,279 Speaker 1: That's wrong, man, Like Vermont's not Vermont without Tom brendon court. 857 00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:07,200 Speaker 1: And you know, like they're doing a great job there. 858 00:42:07,640 --> 00:42:11,520 Speaker 1: His his name needs to be so so so here's 859 00:42:11,600 --> 00:42:16,680 Speaker 1: here's what I'll full disclosure. I'm on ESPN. I remember 860 00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:21,400 Speaker 1: Tom got fired and Tommy got fired, and and what 861 00:42:21,560 --> 00:42:23,720 Speaker 1: I said was like, look, there's I don't know seventy 862 00:42:23,840 --> 00:42:28,399 Speaker 1: three programs at the you know, Big twelve, Big ten, 863 00:42:28,719 --> 00:42:31,880 Speaker 1: sec A C C and and uh what what what 864 00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:35,200 Speaker 1: league am my forgetting Big East at the time, and 865 00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:37,719 Speaker 1: they were one of you guys were one of like 866 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:40,360 Speaker 1: two or three that hadn't made the tournament during his 867 00:42:40,480 --> 00:42:42,799 Speaker 1: time there. And I said, I think you know that's 868 00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:46,880 Speaker 1: really unfortunately why Tom lost lost his job. But in 869 00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:51,680 Speaker 1: in in in his defense, like unless you were at 870 00:42:51,840 --> 00:42:57,160 Speaker 1: Michigan and understood one with the sanctions did and to like, 871 00:42:58,320 --> 00:43:00,200 Speaker 1: you don't get to see the new arena, you get 872 00:43:00,239 --> 00:43:02,320 Speaker 1: to see the new practicacility. You don't get to Benett 873 00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:04,719 Speaker 1: like you build all this ship up and then they 874 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:07,719 Speaker 1: whack you. And you know, look, the guy wanted sten 875 00:43:07,800 --> 00:43:10,560 Speaker 1: Hall and the guys wanted Harvard where no one has 876 00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:16,520 Speaker 1: ever won before. And so if right, amazing, like amazing, 877 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:19,919 Speaker 1: So just the idea, the idea that he wasn't going 878 00:43:20,040 --> 00:43:22,680 Speaker 1: to turn the corner at Michigan and be Line did 879 00:43:22,680 --> 00:43:25,759 Speaker 1: an amazing job because he's a great coach. Right, This 880 00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:28,640 Speaker 1: isn't an anti b Line rant, but it is fascinating 881 00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:31,040 Speaker 1: on how you get that new arena and they have 882 00:43:31,160 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 1: expected like let let the guy at least coach in 883 00:43:33,560 --> 00:43:37,400 Speaker 1: the new building before you whack him, You're you're exactly right. 884 00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:39,520 Speaker 1: I mean, what he's done at Harvard and brought to 885 00:43:39,640 --> 00:43:41,560 Speaker 1: he's he's raised the whole level to play in the 886 00:43:41,600 --> 00:43:43,919 Speaker 1: IVY League. Because of that, the whole the whole league 887 00:43:43,960 --> 00:43:47,279 Speaker 1: has changed, The whole league has changed because of And 888 00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:50,759 Speaker 1: I called their first their first win ever in the NT. 889 00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:53,600 Speaker 1: I was like amazing, And you have you would, I 890 00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:58,239 Speaker 1: mean obviously like, hi, yeah, yeah, I was. I was. 891 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:03,279 Speaker 1: It was Ron Revard. He played Laurent Revard at the 892 00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:08,400 Speaker 1: four and and Steve Alford would play his two bigs 893 00:44:09,320 --> 00:44:12,960 Speaker 1: and there the four men couldn't go out, couldn't go 894 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:15,720 Speaker 1: out and cover Revard, and Revard hit like four threes 895 00:44:16,600 --> 00:44:20,360 Speaker 1: and New Mexico got super super tight, and they were 896 00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:23,719 Speaker 1: a really good club. And uh what I mean it 897 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:27,160 Speaker 1: wasn't just a win, it was a coaching win. Like 898 00:44:27,320 --> 00:44:30,640 Speaker 1: I felt like he coached his way to a win 899 00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:34,680 Speaker 1: by finding one mismatch on the floor that he was 900 00:44:34,719 --> 00:44:37,640 Speaker 1: able to exploit. Yeah, you know, in in in the 901 00:44:37,800 --> 00:44:39,719 Speaker 1: in that New Mexico team was really good. They were 902 00:44:39,719 --> 00:44:42,040 Speaker 1: twelve in the country. Last month, West Conference Game of 903 00:44:42,040 --> 00:44:45,600 Speaker 1: the Year, we played him here at home, down early 904 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:48,960 Speaker 1: and beat them by two, and we played a kid 905 00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:51,560 Speaker 1: out of Roswell, New Mexico came off the bench, rus marko. 906 00:44:51,680 --> 00:44:54,200 Speaker 1: Lesinski who was under size four or five, and we 907 00:44:54,360 --> 00:44:57,399 Speaker 1: did that. He made five threes against them that helped 908 00:44:57,480 --> 00:44:59,439 Speaker 1: us get back in the game and then eventually beat 909 00:44:59,480 --> 00:45:02,239 Speaker 1: them and was there last regular season game. Then they 910 00:45:02,280 --> 00:45:03,960 Speaker 1: went on to win him out West Herman and then 911 00:45:04,600 --> 00:45:06,239 Speaker 1: you know, Harvard beats him in the n c AS 912 00:45:06,239 --> 00:45:09,279 Speaker 1: with a great win. How did you get there? Force, 913 00:45:09,280 --> 00:45:12,960 Speaker 1: how did that happen? Well? I um, uh, So we 914 00:45:13,040 --> 00:45:15,719 Speaker 1: get released, they go through the process of what they're doing. 915 00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:20,120 Speaker 1: They hired coach b Line and he comes in and uh, 916 00:45:20,719 --> 00:45:22,520 Speaker 1: I was a member of the staff. He offered me 917 00:45:22,800 --> 00:45:25,040 Speaker 1: a contract to stay and we're gonna go months to 918 00:45:25,120 --> 00:45:28,359 Speaker 1: month and uh because a couple of his assistance from 919 00:45:28,360 --> 00:45:30,239 Speaker 1: West Virginia didn't come yet. They were involved in head 920 00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:33,719 Speaker 1: coaching jobs and so as a coach, I really appreciate it. 921 00:45:33,840 --> 00:45:36,560 Speaker 1: You know, married to children, I need a job, I said, 922 00:45:36,600 --> 00:45:39,359 Speaker 1: But all due respect, I'm gonna called coach Amaker because 923 00:45:39,440 --> 00:45:42,759 Speaker 1: my loyalties to him and see if it's okay with him, 924 00:45:42,880 --> 00:45:45,000 Speaker 1: and he goes. I respect that, I really do so 925 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:47,160 Speaker 1: I called coach Amaker. He goes, yeah, Dave, you gotta 926 00:45:47,160 --> 00:45:48,640 Speaker 1: do that. If you could stay on, if I can 927 00:45:48,760 --> 00:45:51,040 Speaker 1: help you whatever, you need to do that. So I 928 00:45:51,120 --> 00:45:53,719 Speaker 1: stayed on um with coach b Line. We went through 929 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:56,400 Speaker 1: some recruiting, did some workouts. I think the thing in 930 00:45:56,480 --> 00:45:59,080 Speaker 1: press because be Line. He called me on Easter morning. 931 00:45:59,520 --> 00:46:01,520 Speaker 1: He was back in West Virginia. You know, he's a 932 00:46:01,719 --> 00:46:05,160 Speaker 1: big Catholic churchgoer every day and he called me right 933 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:07,000 Speaker 1: before he's going to church. I think it's picks in 934 00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:10,040 Speaker 1: the morning and my phone is always on. He cause 935 00:46:10,080 --> 00:46:11,239 Speaker 1: I pick up and he was, what are you picking 936 00:46:11,320 --> 00:46:12,800 Speaker 1: up for him? I wanted to leave you a message 937 00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:15,120 Speaker 1: at the Eastern He wanted to run something by me, 938 00:46:15,320 --> 00:46:17,719 Speaker 1: and I answered it and he came back. He was, 939 00:46:18,520 --> 00:46:21,439 Speaker 1: I appreciate you, you know, picking up and sill, coach, 940 00:46:21,640 --> 00:46:23,000 Speaker 1: you gotta be on. You know, you gotta be on. 941 00:46:23,440 --> 00:46:25,319 Speaker 1: But we worked other He was great. He was great, 942 00:46:25,480 --> 00:46:28,279 Speaker 1: and then I didn't feel I didn't feel like a 943 00:46:28,360 --> 00:46:30,239 Speaker 1: part of it. You know, when people are coming by 944 00:46:30,280 --> 00:46:33,080 Speaker 1: the office now and you're gonna turn this thing around, 945 00:46:33,120 --> 00:46:35,120 Speaker 1: You're gonna do this, You're gonna do that. You know, 946 00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:37,560 Speaker 1: the players will say something different to right and all 947 00:46:37,640 --> 00:46:40,080 Speaker 1: that you kind of feel like that step shot right. 948 00:46:40,840 --> 00:46:43,480 Speaker 1: And Uh, if I could have stayed, I you know, 949 00:46:43,520 --> 00:46:45,759 Speaker 1: if I didn't have anything else, I probably would have stayed. Um, 950 00:46:46,320 --> 00:46:49,040 Speaker 1: but then, uh, this job, that's a hard that's a 951 00:46:49,080 --> 00:46:52,759 Speaker 1: hard deal because so so my my my brother. This 952 00:46:52,880 --> 00:46:55,840 Speaker 1: is kind of interesting about the same time. You know, 953 00:46:56,000 --> 00:46:59,480 Speaker 1: my brother was a state for eight years and um 954 00:47:00,520 --> 00:47:03,160 Speaker 1: and so, and I should probably have him on to 955 00:47:03,560 --> 00:47:06,520 Speaker 1: I had to tell this story, but he's gonna maybe, 956 00:47:06,600 --> 00:47:09,319 Speaker 1: I don't know, he'll be pissed. So he he had 957 00:47:09,360 --> 00:47:12,920 Speaker 1: developed a relationship with Ben Braun um, you know, on 958 00:47:13,040 --> 00:47:15,120 Speaker 1: recruiting trail, and Ben had a relationship with my dad. 959 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:19,479 Speaker 1: And so he loved San Diego and San Diego State, 960 00:47:19,560 --> 00:47:22,120 Speaker 1: and he loved working for Steve Fisher. But people have 961 00:47:22,200 --> 00:47:25,600 Speaker 1: to remember at the time, Brian Dutcher Steve Fisher's right 962 00:47:25,680 --> 00:47:29,520 Speaker 1: hand man, so he was that was whenever coach Fisher 963 00:47:29,560 --> 00:47:33,080 Speaker 1: decided to retire and Mark Fisher was on the staff. 964 00:47:33,239 --> 00:47:36,239 Speaker 1: This is before Mark was diagnosed with a l S. 965 00:47:36,719 --> 00:47:39,400 Speaker 1: And so Greg was like, you know, look into no 966 00:47:39,480 --> 00:47:41,719 Speaker 1: one at that point had the Mountain West hadn't blown 967 00:47:41,800 --> 00:47:43,840 Speaker 1: up to the point where guys were getting head coaching jobs. 968 00:47:44,160 --> 00:47:46,360 Speaker 1: He had to get to the PAC ten and he 969 00:47:46,480 --> 00:47:49,320 Speaker 1: had a relationship. He met his wife when he was 970 00:47:49,400 --> 00:47:51,279 Speaker 1: at Sack State and she lived in San Francisco, so 971 00:47:51,280 --> 00:47:54,799 Speaker 1: they always loved northern California. So Ben Brown and tried 972 00:47:54,800 --> 00:47:56,279 Speaker 1: to hire him a couple of times. Over he goes 973 00:47:56,320 --> 00:47:59,440 Speaker 1: and takes the job, and then seven months in they 974 00:47:59,520 --> 00:48:01,800 Speaker 1: finished in ninth place. And you know, I lose on 975 00:48:02,000 --> 00:48:04,279 Speaker 1: like a crazy tip in at u c l A 976 00:48:05,040 --> 00:48:07,520 Speaker 1: and they finished in ninth place with two pros at 977 00:48:07,600 --> 00:48:11,480 Speaker 1: cal and the league gets like sevent teams in or something. Anyway, 978 00:48:11,719 --> 00:48:16,560 Speaker 1: Braun gets fired and he ended up staying with Mike 979 00:48:16,600 --> 00:48:19,080 Speaker 1: Montgomery being the only guy. And you know, he he 980 00:48:19,239 --> 00:48:21,960 Speaker 1: ran the benefit of Monty didn't come from another program, 981 00:48:22,040 --> 00:48:24,319 Speaker 1: so he didn't have a list of assistance. And Monty 982 00:48:24,360 --> 00:48:27,399 Speaker 1: hadn't been recruiting for four years, you know, so Greg 983 00:48:27,560 --> 00:48:30,200 Speaker 1: was a recruiting coordinator. But but and then you know, 984 00:48:30,480 --> 00:48:33,239 Speaker 1: when Monty retired, Conzo kept him for a couple of months. 985 00:48:33,560 --> 00:48:35,880 Speaker 1: So I I know the feeling of what you're saying, 986 00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:38,560 Speaker 1: where you're you're kind of hanging around and you're you're 987 00:48:38,640 --> 00:48:40,279 Speaker 1: part of it, but you're not part of it, and 988 00:48:41,120 --> 00:48:44,480 Speaker 1: especially when you get fired that all the all, everybody 989 00:48:44,520 --> 00:48:47,839 Speaker 1: who used to be your friend is now coming in saying, ah, 990 00:48:47,920 --> 00:48:50,160 Speaker 1: you'll be better than than the last guy. Like wait, wait, 991 00:48:50,280 --> 00:48:53,160 Speaker 1: I was here when the last guy was there. I 992 00:48:53,400 --> 00:48:56,719 Speaker 1: we weren't bad. Like say, it's a okay, So how 993 00:48:56,800 --> 00:48:59,959 Speaker 1: did the Air Force thing take place? Well, then Jeff 994 00:49:00,280 --> 00:49:03,520 Speaker 1: Dalec leaves and goes to Colorado leaves, the Air Force 995 00:49:03,560 --> 00:49:06,080 Speaker 1: goes to Colorado. They go through a long time of hiring, 996 00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:09,400 Speaker 1: not hiring, and then they end up hiring. Uh Jeff 997 00:49:09,440 --> 00:49:12,000 Speaker 1: Rentals at the time, who was an assistant here under Bidelic, 998 00:49:12,120 --> 00:49:14,439 Speaker 1: but went to Colorado with him, and then they brought 999 00:49:14,560 --> 00:49:16,840 Speaker 1: him back. I've known Jeff, you know, from back in 1000 00:49:17,160 --> 00:49:19,600 Speaker 1: camp days when he was an assistant at Randolph Making 1001 00:49:19,680 --> 00:49:22,440 Speaker 1: back in the nineties. I had to mut your friends 1002 00:49:22,440 --> 00:49:24,680 Speaker 1: and knew him and we stayed in touch always through 1003 00:49:24,719 --> 00:49:27,040 Speaker 1: the years. You know, you talked to coaches, and he 1004 00:49:27,200 --> 00:49:29,719 Speaker 1: reached out and said he had an opening. He's looking 1005 00:49:29,760 --> 00:49:32,000 Speaker 1: at some guys. Would I'd be interested? I said yes. 1006 00:49:32,760 --> 00:49:35,440 Speaker 1: Another couple of days he said, you know, he's still interested. Yes, 1007 00:49:35,520 --> 00:49:38,600 Speaker 1: another couple of days we interviewed on the phone. Um, 1008 00:49:39,080 --> 00:49:40,640 Speaker 1: he offered me a job on the phone, and I 1009 00:49:40,760 --> 00:49:43,000 Speaker 1: took it. You know, we never lived you know, this 1010 00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:45,920 Speaker 1: far west. Never I was out here in for the 1011 00:49:45,960 --> 00:49:49,320 Speaker 1: final four when when UNLB beat Duke and that was 1012 00:49:49,320 --> 00:49:51,480 Speaker 1: the only time I've been in Denver this area and 1013 00:49:51,640 --> 00:49:54,160 Speaker 1: came out and then uh they said here here we go. 1014 00:49:54,360 --> 00:49:57,200 Speaker 1: So we moved on out and and that's where we've 1015 00:49:57,239 --> 00:50:00,760 Speaker 1: been since. Okay, So, but but the Air Force Academy 1016 00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:03,800 Speaker 1: is it is a different place. I mean, obviously, Colorado 1017 00:50:03,880 --> 00:50:08,359 Speaker 1: Springs is is is amazing, it is beautiful. Um uh 1018 00:50:08,560 --> 00:50:13,160 Speaker 1: and and and the whole academy lifestyle is very different. 1019 00:50:13,200 --> 00:50:16,759 Speaker 1: And what people I think forget about buzz is you 1020 00:50:16,840 --> 00:50:19,800 Speaker 1: know it was it was Joe Scott who got it 1021 00:50:19,920 --> 00:50:22,920 Speaker 1: going right. And I remember when Joe Scott first kind 1022 00:50:22,920 --> 00:50:25,680 Speaker 1: of got it going at Air Force before they really won. 1023 00:50:26,480 --> 00:50:29,279 Speaker 1: For you guys, one my brother is like, hey, you 1024 00:50:29,320 --> 00:50:30,919 Speaker 1: know who's gonna be good in a couple of years 1025 00:50:31,719 --> 00:50:36,160 Speaker 1: is the Air Force Because he's like, look, they actually 1026 00:50:36,239 --> 00:50:39,719 Speaker 1: have good players, and the Princeton stuff works. They're playing 1027 00:50:39,760 --> 00:50:43,600 Speaker 1: in altitude, and you know everybody else has everybody else 1028 00:50:43,640 --> 00:50:45,800 Speaker 1: in this league is taking you know a lot of 1029 00:50:46,040 --> 00:50:49,480 Speaker 1: a lot of chances with with transfers and like they 1030 00:50:49,600 --> 00:50:52,520 Speaker 1: just have good, hard working kids. And I'm telling you, 1031 00:50:52,520 --> 00:50:54,000 Speaker 1: he's like, I bet they make the n S A 1032 00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:57,759 Speaker 1: tournament a couple of years and and and and this 1033 00:50:57,960 --> 00:51:00,399 Speaker 1: was like very very early on, and I was covering 1034 00:51:00,440 --> 00:51:04,160 Speaker 1: the league at the time. And then um and then 1035 00:51:04,520 --> 00:51:07,560 Speaker 1: Mooney got the job, and it kind of it kind 1036 00:51:07,600 --> 00:51:10,879 Speaker 1: of took off. You. You didn't get there until kind 1037 00:51:10,920 --> 00:51:13,879 Speaker 1: of the tail end of it, right, And and part 1038 00:51:13,920 --> 00:51:16,080 Speaker 1: of it was Buzz as good a coach. As Buzz 1039 00:51:16,200 --> 00:51:19,839 Speaker 1: was a very good coach, he wasn't really a Princeton guy, 1040 00:51:20,000 --> 00:51:22,160 Speaker 1: so he kind of ran some of it, but didn't 1041 00:51:22,160 --> 00:51:24,440 Speaker 1: have the same passion for it. And he didn't have 1042 00:51:24,880 --> 00:51:28,160 Speaker 1: a real passion for recruiting. So I felt like he 1043 00:51:28,239 --> 00:51:30,759 Speaker 1: didn't leave you with the cupboard full. Not that Air 1044 00:51:30,840 --> 00:51:33,880 Speaker 1: Force is an easy place to recruit to anyway, what 1045 00:51:33,960 --> 00:51:35,960 Speaker 1: do you so, But then there's the academy. So you 1046 00:51:36,040 --> 00:51:39,040 Speaker 1: show up. What's the first day of work like at 1047 00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:42,160 Speaker 1: the Air Force Academy for a guy who's been small schools, 1048 00:51:42,200 --> 00:51:45,520 Speaker 1: big schools all in the Midwest, You know, you come 1049 00:51:45,640 --> 00:51:47,480 Speaker 1: through the gate. First of all, you've got to show 1050 00:51:47,520 --> 00:51:50,120 Speaker 1: credential to get through the gate, so they're checking. Uh, 1051 00:51:50,160 --> 00:51:52,000 Speaker 1: they you know, pop the trunk and make sure you 1052 00:51:52,040 --> 00:51:53,640 Speaker 1: don't have anything because you're not on the you don't 1053 00:51:53,680 --> 00:51:56,400 Speaker 1: have a government card yet because you're not through the 1054 00:51:56,520 --> 00:51:59,239 Speaker 1: process though you're as a visitor. And they, you know, 1055 00:51:59,400 --> 00:52:01,719 Speaker 1: I'm scared them and good innesscrations. What are they gonna do? 1056 00:52:02,120 --> 00:52:03,800 Speaker 1: And then you drive up to the cad me and 1057 00:52:04,320 --> 00:52:08,920 Speaker 1: and and and it's you know, you see students walking 1058 00:52:08,960 --> 00:52:13,279 Speaker 1: around in uniforms. Uh, they're marching their business oriented because 1059 00:52:13,280 --> 00:52:16,440 Speaker 1: they're going from one class the next in seven minutes. Uh, 1060 00:52:16,560 --> 00:52:18,600 Speaker 1: their heads are down. The freshman can't look at some 1061 00:52:18,719 --> 00:52:21,520 Speaker 1: people or salute. You have to salute everybody. They can't 1062 00:52:21,560 --> 00:52:24,120 Speaker 1: walk on the middle of the walkways. You have to 1063 00:52:24,200 --> 00:52:26,239 Speaker 1: walk on the rubble strips on the side. They can't 1064 00:52:26,280 --> 00:52:28,960 Speaker 1: carry their backpack me on the back, they gotta hold 1065 00:52:29,040 --> 00:52:31,239 Speaker 1: it and run and said what are we doing? And 1066 00:52:31,320 --> 00:52:33,759 Speaker 1: where didn't I get myself into? And then we have 1067 00:52:33,840 --> 00:52:36,720 Speaker 1: a first team meeting and they're great guys. They're great guys. 1068 00:52:36,719 --> 00:52:38,440 Speaker 1: And they came off that final four run in the 1069 00:52:38,560 --> 00:52:40,520 Speaker 1: n I T. But they were all graduating. Jake Bertie 1070 00:52:40,600 --> 00:52:42,880 Speaker 1: led that group. They're all seniors, are all leaving, so 1071 00:52:43,040 --> 00:52:46,120 Speaker 1: see younger guys coming up. And then okay, work out 1072 00:52:46,200 --> 00:52:48,880 Speaker 1: tomorrow when we go one morning, lady, No, no, we 1073 00:52:48,960 --> 00:52:50,799 Speaker 1: can't get them till two thirty. And we got him 1074 00:52:50,800 --> 00:52:53,120 Speaker 1: till four thirty unless it's a military day. And then 1075 00:52:53,320 --> 00:52:56,000 Speaker 1: and then you're schedule on me. Wow. And then your 1076 00:52:56,040 --> 00:52:59,120 Speaker 1: list of recruits and you're calling up kids and they 1077 00:52:59,200 --> 00:53:01,839 Speaker 1: have three division and three offers and you and then 1078 00:53:01,880 --> 00:53:03,839 Speaker 1: they decided not to even play basketball, but they still 1079 00:53:03,880 --> 00:53:05,320 Speaker 1: won't come through the academ because they don't want to 1080 00:53:05,320 --> 00:53:08,160 Speaker 1: do the militant and oh my gosh, you're just getting 1081 00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:10,759 Speaker 1: nose and nose and those And at that time, your 1082 00:53:10,800 --> 00:53:12,799 Speaker 1: death put me on a kid six seven kid out 1083 00:53:12,840 --> 00:53:15,160 Speaker 1: of California, and I really liked him, going to u 1084 00:53:15,320 --> 00:53:16,960 Speaker 1: W Milwaukee and had a good career. And I can't 1085 00:53:17,000 --> 00:53:19,520 Speaker 1: think of his name right now. And because he called 1086 00:53:19,640 --> 00:53:21,520 Speaker 1: and we got in touch with him, and he was 1087 00:53:21,560 --> 00:53:25,000 Speaker 1: a tough kid, can shoot the ball six seven rebounds, 1088 00:53:25,840 --> 00:53:28,320 Speaker 1: and he came to visit and then there's just no 1089 00:53:28,440 --> 00:53:30,160 Speaker 1: way he wanted to do this, and he ends up 1090 00:53:30,160 --> 00:53:32,160 Speaker 1: going Milwaukee and had a pretty good career there. And 1091 00:53:32,800 --> 00:53:34,799 Speaker 1: again I can't remember his name, but you know, we're 1092 00:53:34,840 --> 00:53:37,440 Speaker 1: just missing out on guys. And then the guys were 1093 00:53:37,480 --> 00:53:41,480 Speaker 1: taking We're beating you know, we're beating uh goodness, Grace, 1094 00:53:41,640 --> 00:53:46,520 Speaker 1: just Texas Tyler. We're beating uh uh kel San Diego, 1095 00:53:46,800 --> 00:53:49,600 Speaker 1: and we'll beat the two's and and everybody else in 1096 00:53:49,600 --> 00:53:51,279 Speaker 1: the league is getting you know who they're getting. And 1097 00:53:51,320 --> 00:53:53,000 Speaker 1: I said, oh my gosh, this this thing is not 1098 00:53:53,040 --> 00:53:54,879 Speaker 1: gonna beat you know, because we line up and play, 1099 00:53:54,920 --> 00:53:56,640 Speaker 1: we're not gonna have the guys that they have. So 1100 00:53:56,920 --> 00:53:59,920 Speaker 1: it's a difference. Remind me. So you're there for four 1101 00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:02,920 Speaker 1: were years? And then did did Jeff get fired me? 1102 00:54:03,000 --> 00:54:05,960 Speaker 1: To year? Did he resign me to hear what happened? Yeah, 1103 00:54:06,040 --> 00:54:09,000 Speaker 1: the ministration came in. We were struggling winning some games 1104 00:54:09,120 --> 00:54:13,200 Speaker 1: and you know, maybe coaching tactics or whatever may be. 1105 00:54:13,480 --> 00:54:16,239 Speaker 1: Someone likes, someone doesn't like and cut me off. Art 1106 00:54:16,960 --> 00:54:19,600 Speaker 1: come in one day and he's in a meeting in 1107 00:54:19,680 --> 00:54:21,719 Speaker 1: his office across the hall from me and the A D. 1108 00:54:21,840 --> 00:54:23,600 Speaker 1: And it's just n A D comes out and he says, 1109 00:54:23,640 --> 00:54:24,920 Speaker 1: you got a minute. I come in. He goes, I 1110 00:54:24,960 --> 00:54:29,560 Speaker 1: just got five. I said what what? And then selfish, 1111 00:54:30,080 --> 00:54:31,920 Speaker 1: you know, I'm thinking, oh my gosh, you know, my 1112 00:54:32,040 --> 00:54:34,239 Speaker 1: son is ready to go to college. I gotta pay 1113 00:54:34,320 --> 00:54:36,640 Speaker 1: for college my daughter. You know, I'm thinking, what am 1114 00:54:36,640 --> 00:54:38,279 Speaker 1: I gonna do? You know here, I am all the 1115 00:54:38,320 --> 00:54:40,719 Speaker 1: way out here, not a lot of contacts out this way, 1116 00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:42,839 Speaker 1: and I'm thinking. And he said, they're going to call 1117 00:54:42,840 --> 00:54:45,320 Speaker 1: you upstairs in fifteen minutes and then you interrum head coach, 1118 00:54:45,400 --> 00:54:48,640 Speaker 1: and and go do it and hopefully maybe they'll keep you. 1119 00:54:48,880 --> 00:54:51,839 Speaker 1: And he goes, I apologize, but whatever reason, they're going 1120 00:54:51,840 --> 00:54:53,800 Speaker 1: in a different directions. And I said, oh my gosh. 1121 00:54:54,200 --> 00:54:57,439 Speaker 1: And so it happened. Back then we had to mount 1122 00:54:57,480 --> 00:54:59,719 Speaker 1: West network, you know, and so there was things on 1123 00:54:59,800 --> 00:55:02,000 Speaker 1: t V that day. They interviewed our players. Some of 1124 00:55:02,040 --> 00:55:04,960 Speaker 1: our players were a little bit fractured. Uh, fractured there 1125 00:55:05,000 --> 00:55:08,520 Speaker 1: at the time, guys going different ways and and uh. 1126 00:55:08,920 --> 00:55:10,840 Speaker 1: And I said, oh my gosh, So here we go. 1127 00:55:11,040 --> 00:55:13,839 Speaker 1: And we'd even practice that day, said just clear your heads. 1128 00:55:13,880 --> 00:55:16,279 Speaker 1: And then our first game was against Boys and State 1129 00:55:16,400 --> 00:55:18,560 Speaker 1: that Saturday. That we has our byway. We just gotta 1130 00:55:18,560 --> 00:55:20,400 Speaker 1: be to call our state the game prior to and 1131 00:55:20,480 --> 00:55:22,440 Speaker 1: Jeff was ejected late in the game for a second 1132 00:55:22,480 --> 00:55:25,279 Speaker 1: technical and I don't think that anything to do with it, 1133 00:55:25,400 --> 00:55:30,000 Speaker 1: but it didn't show well on TV and uh um. Actually, 1134 00:55:30,040 --> 00:55:31,880 Speaker 1: my son was a freshman's time. He was a manager 1135 00:55:31,960 --> 00:55:33,759 Speaker 1: for ten miles that called our state. So he's in 1136 00:55:33,840 --> 00:55:36,799 Speaker 1: the locker room videotape in the game they're up twenty ten. 1137 00:55:36,840 --> 00:55:39,640 Speaker 1: Mileston's another manager in to go get Kyle out because 1138 00:55:39,680 --> 00:55:41,480 Speaker 1: I coached the last what level means of the gaek 1139 00:55:41,560 --> 00:55:44,000 Speaker 1: so he can be on the floor and we lose. 1140 00:55:44,080 --> 00:55:47,400 Speaker 1: We're off Sunday. H They made that decision on Monday, 1141 00:55:47,640 --> 00:55:50,399 Speaker 1: and then we played boy G that thurday, got beat. 1142 00:55:51,520 --> 00:55:54,279 Speaker 1: We got to Wyoming the next Wednesday, and we coach 1143 00:55:54,680 --> 00:55:56,360 Speaker 1: the best there is and we go up there and 1144 00:55:56,400 --> 00:55:58,359 Speaker 1: went down level nothing to start the game. I think 1145 00:55:58,440 --> 00:55:59,960 Speaker 1: I accept to myself we will be the first thing 1146 00:56:00,000 --> 00:56:03,520 Speaker 1: in the college basketball never scored the bath. But wait, 1147 00:56:03,560 --> 00:56:05,600 Speaker 1: but what what So this is your first game as 1148 00:56:05,640 --> 00:56:08,759 Speaker 1: head coach, second game, second, we lose the boy the 1149 00:56:08,840 --> 00:56:11,560 Speaker 1: first game, okay, So so so again you're you're doing 1150 00:56:11,600 --> 00:56:16,000 Speaker 1: that thing. Okay, you head coach for twenty years at 1151 00:56:16,040 --> 00:56:21,560 Speaker 1: this point. Yeah, yeah, So it's your first game as 1152 00:56:21,760 --> 00:56:26,400 Speaker 1: interim head coach and you're taking on Boise State. Good program, 1153 00:56:26,520 --> 00:56:31,040 Speaker 1: well coached, okay, and so what what do you like, 1154 00:56:31,160 --> 00:56:33,839 Speaker 1: what is that like to have you waited your whole 1155 00:56:33,880 --> 00:56:35,440 Speaker 1: life and your thought, I'll be a D three head 1156 00:56:35,480 --> 00:56:38,239 Speaker 1: coach now the head Hoorce and Air Force Academy in 1157 00:56:38,280 --> 00:56:41,279 Speaker 1: the middle of the year. What what what? What do 1158 00:56:41,360 --> 00:56:43,960 Speaker 1: you remember about that first game? About that? Like that 1159 00:56:44,160 --> 00:56:47,279 Speaker 1: is my the especial There's no bigger move in the 1160 00:56:47,360 --> 00:56:51,480 Speaker 1: country than the eighteen inches from assistant coach to head coach. 1161 00:56:52,040 --> 00:56:55,960 Speaker 1: What was that? Like? You know, you're worried about everything, everything, 1162 00:56:56,160 --> 00:56:59,680 Speaker 1: everything pre game, meal, warm up is gonna be okay? 1163 00:57:00,040 --> 00:57:03,279 Speaker 1: You know, substitutions and what do I do here? Timeouts? 1164 00:57:03,400 --> 00:57:05,759 Speaker 1: What do I do? Your everything? Your head spinning? And 1165 00:57:06,400 --> 00:57:09,400 Speaker 1: the game was on CBS Sports. Coach Lapis at the 1166 00:57:09,480 --> 00:57:12,879 Speaker 1: game and he walked in the office before the game, uh, 1167 00:57:13,080 --> 00:57:15,040 Speaker 1: and said, hey, how are you doing? And he talks 1168 00:57:15,080 --> 00:57:18,040 Speaker 1: about five ten man is I really respected that? He said, 1169 00:57:18,040 --> 00:57:19,720 Speaker 1: they just do what you do. Be who you are. 1170 00:57:19,800 --> 00:57:22,120 Speaker 1: It can't be anybody else. And enjoy it. And he 1171 00:57:22,160 --> 00:57:24,000 Speaker 1: said that because there's only three D some of these 1172 00:57:24,200 --> 00:57:26,160 Speaker 1: out there right now, and you got one of them. 1173 00:57:26,280 --> 00:57:30,000 Speaker 1: He said, enjoy it. And so we go out there 1174 00:57:30,000 --> 00:57:31,560 Speaker 1: and we get off the good start and we got 1175 00:57:31,600 --> 00:57:33,800 Speaker 1: to lead early seventeen twelve. I remember, and then they 1176 00:57:33,880 --> 00:57:35,520 Speaker 1: take the lead at halftime. In the second half, we 1177 00:57:35,560 --> 00:57:37,320 Speaker 1: were exhausted just everything that went on. They were better 1178 00:57:37,400 --> 00:57:39,919 Speaker 1: on us first and foremost, but then everything that week 1179 00:57:40,000 --> 00:57:43,200 Speaker 1: that transpired, our guys were gassed and U So we 1180 00:57:43,280 --> 00:57:44,880 Speaker 1: end up losing that game and here we go. Now 1181 00:57:44,920 --> 00:57:47,200 Speaker 1: we gotta reset, recharge in here on. Okay, Wait, so 1182 00:57:47,520 --> 00:57:50,400 Speaker 1: you lose the Wait you wait your whole professional career 1183 00:57:50,480 --> 00:57:54,000 Speaker 1: for this opportunity, you know, do you remember? Like your 1184 00:57:54,040 --> 00:57:56,640 Speaker 1: wife said, like are you thinking, because because here's here's 1185 00:57:56,640 --> 00:58:00,280 Speaker 1: I'll give you my a quick personal So like, I 1186 00:58:00,400 --> 00:58:04,000 Speaker 1: coached au basketball and I've you know, I've I've coached 1187 00:58:04,040 --> 00:58:07,760 Speaker 1: in different tournaments. So I coached the Maccabi Games team 1188 00:58:08,080 --> 00:58:12,360 Speaker 1: in Israel, and we do work out the summer before. 1189 00:58:12,400 --> 00:58:15,160 Speaker 1: We do workouts and tryouts, and I feel like, all right, 1190 00:58:15,280 --> 00:58:17,920 Speaker 1: Like it just felt normal running a practice and I'd 1191 00:58:17,960 --> 00:58:19,680 Speaker 1: seen my dad, dude, I've seen a million practice. I 1192 00:58:19,720 --> 00:58:23,360 Speaker 1: felt like I felt like my offensive philosophy was sound. Defensively, 1193 00:58:23,480 --> 00:58:26,520 Speaker 1: I was a little you know, how you guard different actions, 1194 00:58:26,760 --> 00:58:29,959 Speaker 1: I was a little I had more philosophy than seeing 1195 00:58:30,000 --> 00:58:32,800 Speaker 1: a play out. I'll never forget. We we practiced for 1196 00:58:32,840 --> 00:58:36,600 Speaker 1: a couple of days in uh in In at Fairfield University. 1197 00:58:36,840 --> 00:58:39,640 Speaker 1: Then we fly at a Tel Aviv. We practiced for 1198 00:58:39,680 --> 00:58:42,480 Speaker 1: a couple of days, and then we scrimmaged the under 1199 00:58:42,760 --> 00:58:45,160 Speaker 1: twenty national team. And we have some guys a little 1200 00:58:45,160 --> 00:58:48,080 Speaker 1: bit older. We got one year old kid one twenty two, 1201 00:58:48,120 --> 00:58:50,240 Speaker 1: but the rest of you know, you're it's age appropriate, 1202 00:58:50,600 --> 00:58:52,080 Speaker 1: but you know, I mean that this is a national team. 1203 00:58:52,080 --> 00:58:55,280 Speaker 1: They played together forever. So we go out there and 1204 00:58:56,600 --> 00:58:59,840 Speaker 1: I start two big guys because I'm an idiot, and 1205 00:59:00,080 --> 00:59:03,480 Speaker 1: we're down eighteen two to start the game. And I 1206 00:59:03,560 --> 00:59:05,680 Speaker 1: remember sitting there going and I had interviewed for the 1207 00:59:05,760 --> 00:59:09,800 Speaker 1: Oklahoma State job before that summer before but you know, 1208 00:59:09,880 --> 00:59:12,720 Speaker 1: before and you know, I had full confidence that I 1209 00:59:12,800 --> 00:59:15,080 Speaker 1: could hire the people that knew what I didn't know. 1210 00:59:15,200 --> 00:59:17,720 Speaker 1: But I I, you know, it's basketball, you know what 1211 00:59:17,760 --> 00:59:21,680 Speaker 1: you're doing. And I remember thinking to myself, holy shit, 1212 00:59:22,320 --> 00:59:23,840 Speaker 1: I don't know what the hell I'm doing here, right, 1213 00:59:24,120 --> 00:59:26,600 Speaker 1: And I made some adjustments, so we got competitive and whenever, 1214 00:59:26,760 --> 00:59:28,880 Speaker 1: and and I felt like by by the time I 1215 00:59:28,960 --> 00:59:31,919 Speaker 1: walked out the door that day, I didn't have full 1216 00:59:32,000 --> 00:59:34,720 Speaker 1: confidence that I would win the tournament, but I was like, 1217 00:59:34,800 --> 00:59:36,560 Speaker 1: maybe I don't know as little as I thought when 1218 00:59:36,560 --> 00:59:38,040 Speaker 1: we were down eighteen to two. But the eighteen to 1219 00:59:38,080 --> 00:59:41,320 Speaker 1: two was alarming. I'm wondering when you walked out of 1220 00:59:41,440 --> 00:59:46,720 Speaker 1: Clune that day and uh, and you lost your first game, 1221 00:59:47,560 --> 00:59:50,200 Speaker 1: was there any holy sh it? Maybe I can't do 1222 00:59:50,360 --> 00:59:53,040 Speaker 1: this so I can't fix this thing? Yeah, you have. 1223 00:59:53,200 --> 00:59:55,600 Speaker 1: You have that doubt because it's something to happen the game, 1224 00:59:55,680 --> 00:59:59,440 Speaker 1: like you're saying, and maybe a lineup under you have 1225 01:00:00,160 --> 01:00:03,560 Speaker 1: DEFENSEI assignment you don't do. And you're thinking, I'm thinking myself, 1226 01:00:04,880 --> 01:00:07,000 Speaker 1: it's a lot harder than you think. You know. You know, 1227 01:00:07,080 --> 01:00:09,040 Speaker 1: sometimes you sit on that other seat and you have 1228 01:00:09,120 --> 01:00:11,040 Speaker 1: all the answers hell you Oh yeah, I mean, hey, 1229 01:00:11,120 --> 01:00:13,840 Speaker 1: I'm well, I'm broadcasting game. I know everything everybody's supposed 1230 01:00:13,840 --> 01:00:16,080 Speaker 1: to do. And I said, not only did I not 1231 01:00:16,160 --> 01:00:18,280 Speaker 1: have the answers, I ain't even know the questions. Um, 1232 01:00:18,920 --> 01:00:20,800 Speaker 1: And I said to myself, I love to just win 1233 01:00:20,880 --> 01:00:23,080 Speaker 1: one Division one game, one Division one game. That would 1234 01:00:23,080 --> 01:00:24,840 Speaker 1: be awesome. You know, here's a kid who grew up 1235 01:00:24,880 --> 01:00:27,120 Speaker 1: in an apartment above a bar, and I didn't have 1236 01:00:27,200 --> 01:00:29,200 Speaker 1: a lot, and now I'm coaching this Air Force cad 1237 01:00:29,280 --> 01:00:30,960 Speaker 1: me and I never can get in here because I'm 1238 01:00:30,960 --> 01:00:32,680 Speaker 1: not smart enough. And if we can win one game, 1239 01:00:32,760 --> 01:00:35,680 Speaker 1: that would be awesome, you know. And so you you 1240 01:00:35,840 --> 01:00:37,600 Speaker 1: keep and we had a great staff that was together 1241 01:00:37,760 --> 01:00:39,880 Speaker 1: and and and you don't want to change a lot, 1242 01:00:40,520 --> 01:00:43,000 Speaker 1: but yet there's some things you may need a tweak right, 1243 01:00:43,120 --> 01:00:44,280 Speaker 1: and you don't have a little bit of time to 1244 01:00:44,400 --> 01:00:47,600 Speaker 1: change it. So then we lose that game, and they said, 1245 01:00:47,640 --> 01:00:49,160 Speaker 1: we prepare and we go up to a Laryami to 1246 01:00:49,200 --> 01:00:51,600 Speaker 1: play Wyoming, and they had a pretty good team. We 1247 01:00:51,680 --> 01:00:53,000 Speaker 1: go up there and we're down to level enough in 1248 01:00:53,040 --> 01:00:55,360 Speaker 1: the start, and now you're really thinking, goodness great, this 1249 01:00:55,480 --> 01:00:57,640 Speaker 1: is bad and it's on the Mountain Network and people 1250 01:00:57,640 --> 01:00:59,760 Speaker 1: are watching it. You said you may not score. We're 1251 01:01:00,000 --> 01:01:01,760 Speaker 1: add when may not win a game, We're gonna lose 1252 01:01:01,840 --> 01:01:04,800 Speaker 1: these guys. So you called time out and I really 1253 01:01:04,880 --> 01:01:06,680 Speaker 1: said this to the guys, and they come and they're 1254 01:01:06,720 --> 01:01:09,880 Speaker 1: looking at you and wondering. They want the answer, as 1255 01:01:09,920 --> 01:01:12,240 Speaker 1: the guys, we're fine, we're fine, just relaxed. I said, 1256 01:01:12,280 --> 01:01:14,400 Speaker 1: we gotta right where we want to as we're not living. Now, 1257 01:01:14,600 --> 01:01:16,919 Speaker 1: they're gonna be over confident. They're gonna start jacking some shots. 1258 01:01:16,960 --> 01:01:19,200 Speaker 1: We're gonna get right back in this thing, you know, 1259 01:01:19,240 --> 01:01:21,560 Speaker 1: and I'm wondering, oh my gosh, and we did. We 1260 01:01:21,640 --> 01:01:23,160 Speaker 1: end up getting back into it, and we end up 1261 01:01:23,160 --> 01:01:25,240 Speaker 1: winning the game. We end up winning the game up 1262 01:01:25,240 --> 01:01:27,160 Speaker 1: there on the road, and we've got one on the road, 1263 01:01:27,200 --> 01:01:29,720 Speaker 1: and we win that game in Wyoming, like in y 1264 01:01:29,840 --> 01:01:33,680 Speaker 1: in Laramie, seven thousand plus feet and against Larry Shine, 1265 01:01:33,720 --> 01:01:36,680 Speaker 1: who everybody knows can coach his butt off, Like, okay, 1266 01:01:36,720 --> 01:01:39,800 Speaker 1: so what's that? What's that? What? Bus ride back to Denver? 1267 01:01:39,920 --> 01:01:41,560 Speaker 1: Did you guys? Fly right? And Laramie? What's that? Like? 1268 01:01:42,640 --> 01:01:44,440 Speaker 1: Bus back? And you know, And I remember walking down 1269 01:01:44,560 --> 01:01:46,160 Speaker 1: to shake his hand after the game, and the first 1270 01:01:46,200 --> 01:01:48,400 Speaker 1: thing I said to him, sorry, you know, and he goes, 1271 01:01:48,440 --> 01:01:50,920 Speaker 1: We're just sorry for a great job. I'm happy for you, 1272 01:01:51,480 --> 01:01:53,040 Speaker 1: you know, keep doing what you do. He's just the best. 1273 01:01:53,120 --> 01:01:56,680 Speaker 1: He's the best at And we could have walked home. 1274 01:01:57,000 --> 01:01:58,560 Speaker 1: You know, we're so excited. We thought we went on 1275 01:01:58,680 --> 01:02:00,760 Speaker 1: national championship. I mean, we're you know, we beat we 1276 01:02:00,880 --> 01:02:03,400 Speaker 1: read Wyoming and have them once and you know, six 1277 01:02:03,480 --> 01:02:05,280 Speaker 1: weeks before that, and it was just great for the 1278 01:02:05,400 --> 01:02:08,600 Speaker 1: kids for them to rejoice and and and and take 1279 01:02:08,680 --> 01:02:11,800 Speaker 1: part of that. So Now we get home, you know, 1280 01:02:11,880 --> 01:02:13,400 Speaker 1: three in the morning, and who do we play on 1281 01:02:13,480 --> 01:02:16,960 Speaker 1: Sterriday but San Diego State. And I'm looking at the 1282 01:02:17,320 --> 01:02:18,960 Speaker 1: balls on my wall here and I think at that 1283 01:02:19,080 --> 01:02:22,720 Speaker 1: time they were twenty twenty one in the country and 1284 01:02:23,040 --> 01:02:25,640 Speaker 1: uh and I remember, and they were really good. They 1285 01:02:25,680 --> 01:02:29,880 Speaker 1: were really good with the Franklins and uh Tappie, I 1286 01:02:29,920 --> 01:02:32,280 Speaker 1: mean they were good. And I remember for the game 1287 01:02:32,360 --> 01:02:34,000 Speaker 1: I want to happen. Before the game, I'm coming out 1288 01:02:34,040 --> 01:02:36,680 Speaker 1: the coaches lockerroom, just changing and they're coming in and 1289 01:02:36,760 --> 01:02:39,760 Speaker 1: Coach Fisher grabs me and he's another the best, the best, 1290 01:02:40,360 --> 01:02:42,560 Speaker 1: and he says, hey, Dave, you know, I'm sorry everything 1291 01:02:42,600 --> 01:02:46,000 Speaker 1: that happened with Jeff. Are you okay? He said, there's 1292 01:02:46,040 --> 01:02:48,760 Speaker 1: anything I could ever do to help you? Let me know. Um, 1293 01:02:48,960 --> 01:02:51,000 Speaker 1: he goes, you know, I was in your position at 1294 01:02:51,040 --> 01:02:53,160 Speaker 1: one point, because yeah, coach, if you want six straight one, 1295 01:02:53,200 --> 01:02:57,080 Speaker 1: that's Jim you know, uh enter coach of Michigan, you know, 1296 01:02:57,400 --> 01:02:59,240 Speaker 1: laughing with him, and he goes, no, because anything I 1297 01:02:59,280 --> 01:03:01,640 Speaker 1: could ever do, you know, let me know, and he goes, 1298 01:03:01,680 --> 01:03:03,240 Speaker 1: good luck to you and stay in touch. And I 1299 01:03:03,320 --> 01:03:05,760 Speaker 1: thought that meant a lot coming from him. And we 1300 01:03:05,840 --> 01:03:08,080 Speaker 1: went out there and Tapley was hurt that game. As 1301 01:03:08,200 --> 01:03:10,840 Speaker 1: Risk was hurting, he wasn't real good and we just 1302 01:03:10,920 --> 01:03:13,040 Speaker 1: hung around, chucked up some shots and we end up 1303 01:03:13,080 --> 01:03:15,840 Speaker 1: upsetting them, you know, and they were you know, ranked 1304 01:03:16,160 --> 01:03:18,760 Speaker 1: one highs up upset of the rate team Ember in 1305 01:03:18,760 --> 01:03:20,680 Speaker 1: the history of Air Force. So we're two and one. Now, 1306 01:03:21,480 --> 01:03:23,600 Speaker 1: kids rushed the crowd and the crowds we had a 1307 01:03:23,640 --> 01:03:25,560 Speaker 1: decent crowd that game. They jump on the floor. They 1308 01:03:25,640 --> 01:03:27,960 Speaker 1: rushed the floor, and our kids felt happy. We just 1309 01:03:28,120 --> 01:03:30,880 Speaker 1: beat a rate team and we're two and one now, 1310 01:03:31,120 --> 01:03:34,400 Speaker 1: you know, in my three games, so, uh, you know, 1311 01:03:34,480 --> 01:03:38,200 Speaker 1: it's crazy, it's crazy. And uh we played the next 1312 01:03:38,240 --> 01:03:40,720 Speaker 1: game at home against pc U. We're up three late 1313 01:03:41,880 --> 01:03:45,320 Speaker 1: um ms of mr scoring opportunity, they come down, score go, 1314 01:03:46,120 --> 01:03:48,200 Speaker 1: we go up one, We come down, don't score our 1315 01:03:48,240 --> 01:03:50,240 Speaker 1: last possession, they get a shot, the buzzer beat us. 1316 01:03:50,240 --> 01:03:52,400 Speaker 1: We can actually went up three one, went up, went 1317 01:03:52,440 --> 01:03:53,760 Speaker 1: to the three and one. We were two and two 1318 01:03:53,760 --> 01:03:54,880 Speaker 1: and then we didn't went on the game the rest 1319 01:03:54,880 --> 01:03:56,280 Speaker 1: of the year. We lose the Mount West games, and 1320 01:03:56,360 --> 01:03:58,800 Speaker 1: we lose the first round the Mount West Tournament. But 1321 01:03:58,920 --> 01:04:01,560 Speaker 1: prior to going to the Mount What's tournament administration came 1322 01:04:01,600 --> 01:04:04,720 Speaker 1: down and awarded me with a three year contract, uh 1323 01:04:04,840 --> 01:04:07,560 Speaker 1: to stay, And so that was that was big right there? 1324 01:04:08,160 --> 01:04:11,720 Speaker 1: What what what is that feeling? Like? You know, now, 1325 01:04:12,320 --> 01:04:13,920 Speaker 1: first thing, Okay, we're gonna be able to pay for 1326 01:04:14,000 --> 01:04:16,480 Speaker 1: college my son the c SU and uh so we're 1327 01:04:16,480 --> 01:04:18,560 Speaker 1: getting him through school and then our daughter is gonna 1328 01:04:18,560 --> 01:04:20,160 Speaker 1: be next. So we got three years to make this 1329 01:04:20,280 --> 01:04:23,960 Speaker 1: thing right. And just coach Lapis's words, in my mind, 1330 01:04:24,040 --> 01:04:26,240 Speaker 1: there's at that time there was three fifty one or 1331 01:04:26,840 --> 01:04:28,520 Speaker 1: five thing. He goes, there's three and forty five of 1332 01:04:28,600 --> 01:04:31,120 Speaker 1: these out there, and if it's open tomorrow, you have 1333 01:04:31,280 --> 01:04:34,840 Speaker 1: two thousand applicants, you know, exaggerate, but he goes, you've 1334 01:04:34,880 --> 01:04:37,680 Speaker 1: got one of the Division one head coaching jobs. Try 1335 01:04:37,760 --> 01:04:40,520 Speaker 1: to enjoy it. Try to enjoy it. And so that 1336 01:04:40,800 --> 01:04:42,640 Speaker 1: that was, by the way, another prince of a guy, 1337 01:04:43,200 --> 01:04:46,040 Speaker 1: just another another like I've I've worked with him. And 1338 01:04:46,560 --> 01:04:48,480 Speaker 1: I would also say kind of the we had the 1339 01:04:48,560 --> 01:04:50,360 Speaker 1: same thing when I was at CBS. We were doing 1340 01:04:50,440 --> 01:04:53,400 Speaker 1: games together and we would like kind of we were 1341 01:04:53,480 --> 01:04:55,760 Speaker 1: verbally kind of sparred like back and forth coaching player, 1342 01:04:55,920 --> 01:04:59,680 Speaker 1: and we loved it. And I had a I had 1343 01:04:59,720 --> 01:05:02,360 Speaker 1: a loss who at you know a guy who was like, 1344 01:05:03,200 --> 01:05:05,360 Speaker 1: he came to a game in Vegas. He's like, are 1345 01:05:05,440 --> 01:05:07,480 Speaker 1: you guys okay? Like what are you talking about? It's like, oh, 1346 01:05:07,560 --> 01:05:09,000 Speaker 1: you guys are kind of going back and forth. I 1347 01:05:09,080 --> 01:05:12,240 Speaker 1: was like, that's how basketball people are, right, a coach 1348 01:05:12,280 --> 01:05:16,160 Speaker 1: and a player like it was beautiful. Yeah, And it wasn't. 1349 01:05:16,440 --> 01:05:18,680 Speaker 1: It wasn't his call. It was There was one guy 1350 01:05:18,800 --> 01:05:21,160 Speaker 1: back in New York I'll leave his name out of 1351 01:05:21,200 --> 01:05:24,680 Speaker 1: it who wasn't comfortable with like he he just wanted 1352 01:05:24,680 --> 01:05:26,440 Speaker 1: everybody to wrap their arms around each other, to hug 1353 01:05:26,480 --> 01:05:28,080 Speaker 1: each other during the game. Like all right, but it 1354 01:05:28,200 --> 01:05:32,640 Speaker 1: was real anyway. I think Lapis is an absolute prince 1355 01:05:32,680 --> 01:05:36,120 Speaker 1: of a guy, and you know he you know he's 1356 01:05:36,760 --> 01:05:39,840 Speaker 1: and and uh, that's it's a great way of looking 1357 01:05:39,880 --> 01:05:42,040 Speaker 1: at it, right. It's a Billis has told me the 1358 01:05:42,080 --> 01:05:43,919 Speaker 1: same thing about doing games. You know, everybody gets piste 1359 01:05:43,920 --> 01:05:46,040 Speaker 1: when they get their games and you're like, hey man, 1360 01:05:46,480 --> 01:05:48,480 Speaker 1: you're getting paid to call it basketball games. Like a 1361 01:05:48,520 --> 01:05:50,919 Speaker 1: little perspective. You're like, yeah, you know, you're you're you're 1362 01:05:50,960 --> 01:05:55,280 Speaker 1: you're right. J You're you're you're right. Um okay, so 1363 01:05:56,520 --> 01:06:00,120 Speaker 1: you get it. But now, okay, now you have the 1364 01:06:00,200 --> 01:06:04,240 Speaker 1: job that you wanted. But it's a really really hard 1365 01:06:04,360 --> 01:06:06,440 Speaker 1: job and it's been hard to get it back to 1366 01:06:06,600 --> 01:06:10,080 Speaker 1: that to that place where it was you know, uh, 1367 01:06:10,240 --> 01:06:12,920 Speaker 1: you know, going back ten ten years ago, what is 1368 01:06:13,480 --> 01:06:16,440 Speaker 1: what's the biggest The biggest challenge obviously is getting players, 1369 01:06:16,560 --> 01:06:19,040 Speaker 1: Like do you do you simply have your staff look 1370 01:06:19,120 --> 01:06:22,200 Speaker 1: for people that are military families? Like what's the process 1371 01:06:22,280 --> 01:06:23,840 Speaker 1: like a fighting a player when you're an Air Force? 1372 01:06:24,640 --> 01:06:28,120 Speaker 1: Well high academics, Ivy League standards, and then you know, 1373 01:06:28,200 --> 01:06:30,840 Speaker 1: we lose a lot of kids because of medical reasons. 1374 01:06:31,040 --> 01:06:33,200 Speaker 1: You can't be on any type of medication and a 1375 01:06:33,240 --> 01:06:35,600 Speaker 1: lot of kids are on a d D medication and 1376 01:06:35,760 --> 01:06:38,360 Speaker 1: that that's a non non goo here. So we lost 1377 01:06:38,440 --> 01:06:41,120 Speaker 1: a really good minority player a couple of years ago, 1378 01:06:41,200 --> 01:06:44,120 Speaker 1: six seven, it was really skilled that was at asthma. 1379 01:06:44,240 --> 01:06:46,400 Speaker 1: We lost some a d D. We have lost maybe 1380 01:06:46,480 --> 01:06:51,360 Speaker 1: in uh minor vision or hearing ailments. It was find 1381 01:06:51,400 --> 01:06:54,520 Speaker 1: anywhere else or whatever may be. So that's hard. The 1382 01:06:54,560 --> 01:06:57,560 Speaker 1: academics are hard. The part about the medical is hard, 1383 01:06:57,600 --> 01:07:00,480 Speaker 1: and then the commitment. You know, five years mommy, you 1384 01:07:00,520 --> 01:07:03,400 Speaker 1: know sometimes thinks, uh, little Joey's going to go off 1385 01:07:03,480 --> 01:07:05,840 Speaker 1: the war. That's not the case. You know, there are 1386 01:07:05,920 --> 01:07:08,800 Speaker 1: some deployment opportunities in your career field, but there's a 1387 01:07:08,880 --> 01:07:11,960 Speaker 1: lot that aren't. So it's really hard fighting all that. 1388 01:07:12,200 --> 01:07:14,600 Speaker 1: And then what changes you know in college basketball lands 1389 01:07:14,640 --> 01:07:16,680 Speaker 1: game now it's the transfers. You know, back in the 1390 01:07:16,800 --> 01:07:19,840 Speaker 1: day where teams would get young again, they're not getting 1391 01:07:19,880 --> 01:07:22,600 Speaker 1: young anymore. They're staying old because of the transfers. And 1392 01:07:22,800 --> 01:07:24,520 Speaker 1: that has been really you know, the Mountain West is 1393 01:07:24,560 --> 01:07:26,520 Speaker 1: really benefited from that. You know, muscle men would in 1394 01:07:26,600 --> 01:07:29,840 Speaker 1: Nevada um the best skill. What they're doing transfer senior 1395 01:07:29,880 --> 01:07:32,880 Speaker 1: state even their backcourt this year Vegas has done over 1396 01:07:32,960 --> 01:07:35,400 Speaker 1: the year. Everyone you know, boys is now loading up. 1397 01:07:35,480 --> 01:07:37,680 Speaker 1: So when you think you can get your guys to 1398 01:07:37,760 --> 01:07:40,320 Speaker 1: juniors and seniors and now you've got a chance, well 1399 01:07:40,360 --> 01:07:42,320 Speaker 1: guess what those other teams are gonna stay juniors and 1400 01:07:42,400 --> 01:07:45,040 Speaker 1: seniors too now. So that's been probably our hardest obstacle. 1401 01:07:46,120 --> 01:07:48,360 Speaker 1: You know, you have his kid, Lavell Scotty, who comes 1402 01:07:48,400 --> 01:07:52,320 Speaker 1: from a really tough background, really tough background, uh in 1403 01:07:52,480 --> 01:07:56,520 Speaker 1: Fort Worth, and now he's like a senior. You talked 1404 01:07:56,520 --> 01:07:58,920 Speaker 1: about your initial what you wanted to do is be 1405 01:07:58,960 --> 01:08:02,040 Speaker 1: a Division three coach and be a part of kind 1406 01:08:02,080 --> 01:08:05,600 Speaker 1: of the change from boy to man. And you've been 1407 01:08:05,640 --> 01:08:09,960 Speaker 1: able to do that with Lavell, haven't you. Yep, yep, yep, 1408 01:08:10,600 --> 01:08:13,360 Speaker 1: And he's how's how's how's he? How has he changed? 1409 01:08:13,400 --> 01:08:15,600 Speaker 1: What has that been like to be his coach and 1410 01:08:15,640 --> 01:08:18,240 Speaker 1: watch him go through this process for the last four years. 1411 01:08:18,360 --> 01:08:21,679 Speaker 1: You know, Lavelle comes from a tough, tough family background 1412 01:08:21,720 --> 01:08:24,880 Speaker 1: where he's kind of a breadwinner of the family. It's 1413 01:08:24,880 --> 01:08:27,280 Speaker 1: taking care of his siblings and his mom and dad 1414 01:08:27,320 --> 01:08:29,080 Speaker 1: over the years while he's been here, because they do 1415 01:08:29,160 --> 01:08:32,880 Speaker 1: receive a stipend here, and it's been some rough times 1416 01:08:33,000 --> 01:08:35,360 Speaker 1: with his mom and death gone through back there, and 1417 01:08:35,439 --> 01:08:37,559 Speaker 1: he's had to go home and take care of them 1418 01:08:37,600 --> 01:08:40,840 Speaker 1: and make sure they're getting what they need. And when 1419 01:08:40,880 --> 01:08:43,320 Speaker 1: he came here, he just didn't sit with some of 1420 01:08:43,360 --> 01:08:46,240 Speaker 1: the other guys who were at the academy, non athletes too, 1421 01:08:46,400 --> 01:08:48,240 Speaker 1: just because their background. You know, some of them are 1422 01:08:48,280 --> 01:08:52,439 Speaker 1: coming from parents are senators, a congressman, doctors, and you 1423 01:08:52,520 --> 01:08:54,639 Speaker 1: know they went to the academy and it's that three 1424 01:08:54,720 --> 01:08:57,880 Speaker 1: car garage kid and uh, you know Lavell have that 1425 01:08:58,160 --> 01:08:59,680 Speaker 1: and I just said, if there's one, I'm going to 1426 01:08:59,800 --> 01:09:01,840 Speaker 1: better it's not gonna make it's gonna be him. But 1427 01:09:01,960 --> 01:09:04,439 Speaker 1: he was determined to make it. And he's extremely bright 1428 01:09:05,320 --> 01:09:07,280 Speaker 1: and made it through the prep school and then came 1429 01:09:07,360 --> 01:09:09,760 Speaker 1: here to the academy and uh, you know, like even 1430 01:09:09,800 --> 01:09:11,640 Speaker 1: this year, he didn't go over Christmas. You know, he 1431 01:09:11,720 --> 01:09:13,519 Speaker 1: didn't he didn't go over Christmas. He was the only 1432 01:09:13,560 --> 01:09:17,040 Speaker 1: player to stay here and uh and just because it 1433 01:09:17,120 --> 01:09:19,600 Speaker 1: was better for him to be here. And uh, and 1434 01:09:19,800 --> 01:09:21,680 Speaker 1: you know, we lose Saturday night, as you know, down 1435 01:09:21,760 --> 01:09:23,759 Speaker 1: in New Mexico, and then you know what happens Saturday 1436 01:09:23,840 --> 01:09:25,639 Speaker 1: night to one of their players. And Sunday I'm sitting 1437 01:09:25,680 --> 01:09:27,920 Speaker 1: in my office here watching film and he comes by 1438 01:09:28,040 --> 01:09:30,360 Speaker 1: to get some shooting in and I said, hey, do 1439 01:09:30,400 --> 01:09:32,200 Speaker 1: you hear about you know, the player of New Mexico 1440 01:09:32,240 --> 01:09:34,200 Speaker 1: And you know I didn't, and I said, got a little. 1441 01:09:34,280 --> 01:09:36,960 Speaker 1: I just appreciate you and your teammates of how you 1442 01:09:37,080 --> 01:09:39,320 Speaker 1: guys are and how you represent And he goes, well, Coach, 1443 01:09:39,680 --> 01:09:42,080 Speaker 1: we can't do those things here. And I said, not 1444 01:09:42,200 --> 01:09:44,200 Speaker 1: only you can't do them, but you want to do them. 1445 01:09:44,240 --> 01:09:45,680 Speaker 1: He goes, no, I want to because that's not who 1446 01:09:45,760 --> 01:09:48,160 Speaker 1: I am. And you know you respect that, and that's 1447 01:09:48,200 --> 01:09:51,320 Speaker 1: the kind of kids you have here, they make better choices. 1448 01:09:51,360 --> 01:09:52,920 Speaker 1: I tho, then make some bad choices, don't get it off. 1449 01:09:52,960 --> 01:09:54,519 Speaker 1: You know, we got kids there and make some choices 1450 01:09:54,520 --> 01:09:56,840 Speaker 1: aren't right because they're still kids. But you know, I 1451 01:09:56,920 --> 01:10:00,200 Speaker 1: appreciate that when he's come through, when he graduated here, 1452 01:10:00,240 --> 01:10:03,479 Speaker 1: I mean, that's a that's a story that unbelievable that 1453 01:10:03,600 --> 01:10:06,040 Speaker 1: he'll graduate and be an officer in the Air Force 1454 01:10:06,400 --> 01:10:08,040 Speaker 1: from what he's saying, from what he had to go 1455 01:10:08,160 --> 01:10:12,240 Speaker 1: through all the use here and it's been been a 1456 01:10:12,280 --> 01:10:14,439 Speaker 1: really good player. I got I got two more for you. 1457 01:10:14,840 --> 01:10:18,559 Speaker 1: First is this, if there's a there's an assistant coach 1458 01:10:19,400 --> 01:10:22,680 Speaker 1: who is struggle right now, you've been You've been some 1459 01:10:22,800 --> 01:10:25,080 Speaker 1: you coached some bad teams, been assisting on bad teams 1460 01:10:25,280 --> 01:10:28,559 Speaker 1: right and and it feels like it feels like, man, 1461 01:10:28,640 --> 01:10:30,439 Speaker 1: maybe I'm maybe I should go in to medical sales, 1462 01:10:30,520 --> 01:10:32,400 Speaker 1: you know, maybe I maybe I should take a high 1463 01:10:32,439 --> 01:10:35,439 Speaker 1: school job or whatever. What would what would you say 1464 01:10:35,520 --> 01:10:38,559 Speaker 1: to them to get them kind of mid year when 1465 01:10:38,640 --> 01:10:41,080 Speaker 1: things are bad, what would you say to them from 1466 01:10:41,160 --> 01:10:45,640 Speaker 1: your perspective to keep them going? Um, you got at 1467 01:10:45,720 --> 01:10:47,960 Speaker 1: this for a reason, and the reason was to help 1468 01:10:48,080 --> 01:10:50,040 Speaker 1: kids and be a part of a team. So that's 1469 01:10:50,080 --> 01:10:54,000 Speaker 1: always what you've done. Continue to work and build that team. 1470 01:10:54,439 --> 01:10:56,800 Speaker 1: Don't look for that next job or think about we're 1471 01:10:56,840 --> 01:10:59,680 Speaker 1: not gonna get this done. Keep making that the best 1472 01:10:59,760 --> 01:11:03,200 Speaker 1: job you have. Keep making and working for that head 1473 01:11:03,240 --> 01:11:06,680 Speaker 1: coach who gave you an opportunity, um, to be the 1474 01:11:06,760 --> 01:11:08,679 Speaker 1: best head coach he can be in the best program 1475 01:11:08,800 --> 01:11:11,479 Speaker 1: he can be. And keep doing what you've done all 1476 01:11:11,560 --> 01:11:13,559 Speaker 1: your life because you've always tried to make the team 1477 01:11:13,720 --> 01:11:16,400 Speaker 1: or be in the starting five, do whatever, because you've 1478 01:11:16,439 --> 01:11:18,960 Speaker 1: grown up in this sport. Keep doing the right things 1479 01:11:19,040 --> 01:11:24,000 Speaker 1: and good things will happen, all right, Last last thing, Um, 1480 01:11:24,200 --> 01:11:25,920 Speaker 1: you do have a senior. You have a couple of 1481 01:11:26,000 --> 01:11:28,960 Speaker 1: really good seniors, and you guys have had some guys 1482 01:11:28,960 --> 01:11:31,960 Speaker 1: have had some huge wins in order to in order 1483 01:11:32,000 --> 01:11:35,599 Speaker 1: to to what what has to happen for your team 1484 01:11:35,640 --> 01:11:39,200 Speaker 1: to accomplish your potential this year, we got to stay 1485 01:11:39,200 --> 01:11:42,920 Speaker 1: healthy first and foremost, and then we've got to shoot 1486 01:11:42,960 --> 01:11:45,160 Speaker 1: the basketball at a higher rate than we did. You know, 1487 01:11:45,240 --> 01:11:47,360 Speaker 1: we took on questionable shots and early shots and bad 1488 01:11:47,400 --> 01:11:50,400 Speaker 1: shots on Saturday three. We've got to be better from 1489 01:11:50,400 --> 01:11:53,200 Speaker 1: the three, and then we can't turn the ball over 1490 01:11:53,280 --> 01:11:56,040 Speaker 1: at the rate we did in that game. Especially, you're 1491 01:11:56,040 --> 01:11:57,519 Speaker 1: only on the five in the second half, but we 1492 01:11:57,720 --> 01:11:59,920 Speaker 1: we've turned four over. We're really crucial. So we've got 1493 01:12:00,320 --> 01:12:02,960 Speaker 1: shoot it and take better shots. It's a great we 1494 01:12:03,080 --> 01:12:05,439 Speaker 1: can because one of the better shooting teams, and and 1495 01:12:05,680 --> 01:12:08,719 Speaker 1: and and protect the ball a little bit better because 1496 01:12:08,760 --> 01:12:11,559 Speaker 1: we can't give open run away with three bad plays 1497 01:12:11,600 --> 01:12:13,840 Speaker 1: where they got dunk on the other end six points, 1498 01:12:13,880 --> 01:12:15,840 Speaker 1: we lose by six or there's no defenses you know 1499 01:12:15,960 --> 01:12:18,280 Speaker 1: for that, that's you know that pikes six. We got 1500 01:12:18,280 --> 01:12:20,479 Speaker 1: a little bit better at that. And because this group 1501 01:12:20,520 --> 01:12:23,360 Speaker 1: really gets along, well, we've got you know, thirteen more, 1502 01:12:23,840 --> 01:12:25,400 Speaker 1: you know, we could pick a few here and there, 1503 01:12:25,600 --> 01:12:29,120 Speaker 1: then maybe we're also fund here cand of the year. Well, listen, 1504 01:12:29,200 --> 01:12:31,160 Speaker 1: it's it's always great to catch up. I had no 1505 01:12:31,280 --> 01:12:34,280 Speaker 1: idea you grew up above a bar um. But it 1506 01:12:34,560 --> 01:12:37,560 Speaker 1: does give you that perspective of even when you you 1507 01:12:37,720 --> 01:12:40,439 Speaker 1: lose a couple in a row, if you consider where 1508 01:12:40,479 --> 01:12:42,760 Speaker 1: you've been and where you've gotten to and this run 1509 01:12:42,840 --> 01:12:44,840 Speaker 1: that you've had at Air Force, and the lives that 1510 01:12:45,320 --> 01:12:47,760 Speaker 1: the academy and your program have been able to change, 1511 01:12:47,800 --> 01:12:50,160 Speaker 1: it's it's really remarkable thing. Thanks so much for telling 1512 01:12:50,200 --> 01:12:53,680 Speaker 1: me your story and then for joining me on the podcast. Well, 1513 01:12:53,680 --> 01:12:55,880 Speaker 1: I appreciate and I appreciate all you do for our game. 1514 01:12:56,000 --> 01:12:58,800 Speaker 1: Keep doing great things. Be sure to catch the live 1515 01:12:59,000 --> 01:13:02,080 Speaker 1: edition of The Doug Leap Show weekdays at three p m. 1516 01:13:02,120 --> 01:13:05,880 Speaker 1: Easter noon Pacific. Hey Mike, thanks to Dave Pilopovich, head 1517 01:13:05,920 --> 01:13:09,080 Speaker 1: coach of Air Force, for that was a fun discussion. 1518 01:13:09,160 --> 01:13:12,320 Speaker 1: Remember you can download listen to any of these long 1519 01:13:12,400 --> 01:13:15,040 Speaker 1: form interviews plus some other thoughts on hoop with with 1520 01:13:15,200 --> 01:13:18,960 Speaker 1: All Ball, subscribe rate it was it was it download, 1521 01:13:19,000 --> 01:13:23,840 Speaker 1: subscribe and rate. Download, subscribe and rate, and make sure 1522 01:13:23,840 --> 01:13:26,160 Speaker 1: you listen to my daily radio show which covers all sports. 1523 01:13:26,200 --> 01:13:28,080 Speaker 1: We also have great interviews on that as well three 1524 01:13:28,160 --> 01:13:31,080 Speaker 1: to six Eastern, twelve to three Pacific on Fox Sports Trader, 1525 01:13:31,160 --> 01:13:34,120 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Serious x M two seventeen 1526 01:13:34,240 --> 01:13:36,800 Speaker 1: and two oh three. There you go. Those are all 1527 01:13:36,880 --> 01:13:38,680 Speaker 1: the places that you can find me or just hit 1528 01:13:38,760 --> 01:13:41,759 Speaker 1: me up on Twitter at Gottlieb Show. I'm Doug Gottlieb 1529 01:13:41,840 --> 01:13:43,240 Speaker 1: in This is All Ball