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<v Speaker 1>All right program rolling along. The interim head coach of

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<v Speaker 1>the University of Utah is good enough to give us

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<v Speaker 1>some time in studio. Josh Eiler, coach, how you doing,

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for the time, doing great, great, I appreciate you.

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<v Speaker 1>Having a beautiful day and crazy, crazy time for you.

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<v Speaker 1>You and I have never met before, so just for

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<v Speaker 1>a little context, I'm a college basketball junkie. So I'm

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<v Speaker 1>gonna ask you right off the top, what's Bob Hawkins like?

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<v Speaker 1>I got it? That's my first question time. I've got

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<v Speaker 1>as much time as you'll get me. I do this

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<v Speaker 1>for four hours every day, Couch.

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<v Speaker 2>I'll tell you what he was the probably the greatest

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<v Speaker 2>motive on court motivator that I've ever been around. I

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<v Speaker 2>mean he could he get a guy to run through

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<v Speaker 2>a wall and do so with a smile on his face,

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<v Speaker 2>so you.

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<v Speaker 3>Know he's uh.

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<v Speaker 2>I learned a lot from him, and good and bad,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, how to operate, and certainly we didn't see

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<v Speaker 2>the eyed eye on everything, but I had his back

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<v Speaker 2>for sixteen years and then kind of picked up the

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<v Speaker 2>pieces from there well.

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<v Speaker 1>And the reason I ask is I was a student

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<v Speaker 1>at the You in the nineties and I attempted to

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<v Speaker 1>walk on and play for Rick. It lasted about a

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<v Speaker 1>month and a half because Andre Miller was the starting

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<v Speaker 1>point guard. So I'm not like that guy, right, And

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I loved those teams, and I have a

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<v Speaker 1>tremendous amount of respect for coach mcjeris and Coach Huggins.

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<v Speaker 1>Kind of strikes me as a similar type figure where

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<v Speaker 1>the basketball brilliance may have been overshadowed by some of

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<v Speaker 1>the personality traits. Is that is that fair to say?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah? Yeah, in a lot of ways. You know, he

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<v Speaker 3>started from the ground up, he did.

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<v Speaker 2>He started at Walsh College, went on to Acron and

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<v Speaker 2>just kept on moving, moving his way up the ladder

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<v Speaker 2>in terms of the college basketball scene. So he had

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<v Speaker 2>a heck of a career and I was a part

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<v Speaker 2>of a lot of wins with him and even our staff,

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<v Speaker 2>our staff that we were together, it was pretty much

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<v Speaker 2>the same staff for more than a decade, So a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of those relationships over the course of my career

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<v Speaker 2>of will last lifetime, between Frank Martin, Brad Underwood, both

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<v Speaker 2>those guys were on that k State staff that I

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<v Speaker 2>was a ga on when I first joined Coach Huggins staff,

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<v Speaker 2>So those guys. You know, Eric Martin over at South

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<v Speaker 2>Carolina State had a really good year that we worked

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<v Speaker 2>together for over a decade. And Jared Calhoun up the

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<v Speaker 2>road at Utah State. You know, he was the ops

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<v Speaker 2>guy when I was a video guy when we first

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<v Speaker 2>got to West Virginia. So got a lot of connections

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<v Speaker 2>and we're all kind of part of that tree.

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<v Speaker 1>So one more thing here, And truly I could do

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<v Speaker 1>this with you for an hour. I've got ten Bob

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<v Speaker 1>Huggins questions I want to ask you, but we won't

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<v Speaker 1>take that much time. But I want to separate Coach

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<v Speaker 1>Huggins the personality and just ask you about Coach Huggins

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<v Speaker 1>the basketball mind. Like schematically, you know, he was a

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<v Speaker 1>coach that believed in defense and pressure. But what did

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<v Speaker 1>you learn from him just straight as a basketball coach?

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, the biggest thing is Bob Huggins, especially when

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<v Speaker 2>we were really good, well twofold, it was kind of

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<v Speaker 2>a you know, the Press Virginia days are the first

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<v Speaker 2>ones that came to mind when we talked about Bob

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<v Speaker 2>Huggins and when he really put a stamp on that

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<v Speaker 2>West Virginia program when we went to the Final four,

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<v Speaker 2>and the third year there were there, we weren't that

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<v Speaker 2>type of team. So he kind of coaches to his

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<v Speaker 2>his his personnelity. He did a really good job over

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<v Speaker 2>the years to do that. You know, Joe Missoula was

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<v Speaker 2>our point guard at West Virginia the first three years,

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<v Speaker 2>so he had that toughness, that tenacity that really fit

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<v Speaker 2>Bob Huggins' style of play. And you know, it was

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<v Speaker 2>kind of oil and water from from time to time

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<v Speaker 2>and day to day, but really at the end of

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<v Speaker 2>the day that those two, those two kind of married

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<v Speaker 2>themselves and really put that stamp and defense on that floor.

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<v Speaker 2>And when you look at the Press Virginia days and

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<v Speaker 2>in those days with Javon Carter and and uh, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>Daxter Miles and Tarik Phillips, some of those guys just

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<v Speaker 2>had such a hard edge in terms of how they

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<v Speaker 2>played the game and they really fit that and uh,

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<v Speaker 2>we kind of recruited to that point and built those

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<v Speaker 2>programs and we had to shot block with the sagoball kanate,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, you know, cleaning everything up on the side,

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<v Speaker 2>so those guards could be really really aggressive defensively and

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<v Speaker 2>if they got beat, you know, you had one of

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<v Speaker 2>the best shot blockers in the country at the at

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<v Speaker 2>the rim to clean things up.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you see anything from Joe that would indicate he

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<v Speaker 1>would go on to be a great head coach.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, I remember when he kind of got out of

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<v Speaker 2>the game and Joe and I had a really good relationship.

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<v Speaker 2>I remember, you know, Synergy Sports Technologies was one of

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<v Speaker 2>the first you know, analytical programs or so to speak

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<v Speaker 2>out there, and I remember him reaching out and just

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<v Speaker 2>trying to like he is, like, coach Eiler, would you,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, share your log in. I wanted to really

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<v Speaker 2>kind of study the game, and he had that, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>more so than a lot of kids these days. He

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<v Speaker 2>had that that that that hunger to just watch film

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<v Speaker 2>and study film, and you saw it as a player.

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<v Speaker 2>I remember sitting in, you know, as a video coordinator

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<v Speaker 2>and he's he's our point guard and sometimes he was

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<v Speaker 2>our backup point guard. But regardless, he's going into see

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<v Speaker 2>me to study his opponent. And some of the things

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<v Speaker 2>he would see that I wouldn't see, like when we

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<v Speaker 2>started looking at the tendency is like he would pick

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<v Speaker 2>something up every time, like I can take advantage of that.

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<v Speaker 2>So he had that mind from from day one. I

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<v Speaker 2>never knew like that's where he wanted to go with

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<v Speaker 2>his career, but certainly, you know, he's continued to do

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<v Speaker 2>that and he's he's different than a lot of guys

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<v Speaker 2>you'll see out there.

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<v Speaker 1>We just broke some news on the show without coach

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<v Speaker 1>Eilert's logging info for Synergy, Joe Mizula is not coach

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<v Speaker 1>of the Boston Celtics. I think I.

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<v Speaker 3>Said listening, but I shared that log in with him.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, tell me the origin story, you know, as you

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<v Speaker 1>just referenced with Coach Calhoun, Coach Martin. I mean, I

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<v Speaker 1>have a tremendous respect for coaches.

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<v Speaker 3>You know.

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<v Speaker 1>My mama always used to say when I'd go to

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<v Speaker 1>a coach's dinner, hug your coach's wife, you know, because

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<v Speaker 1>of how much you guys go through. So I get

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<v Speaker 1>the grind and I respect the fraternity. What's the origin

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<v Speaker 1>story with you and Craig and how you landed in

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<v Speaker 1>saw it?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I was, I was enjoying life. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>I had a little bit more anxiety last year at

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<v Speaker 2>this time than I do this year in terms of

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<v Speaker 2>the transition, because I'd never been through that process.

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<v Speaker 3>Before seventeen years years and I started as.

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<v Speaker 2>A GA for coach Huggins. I went to West Virginia,

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<v Speaker 2>newly married, without any kids. You know, we kind of

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<v Speaker 2>take a leap of faith and take a thirty thousand

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<v Speaker 2>dollars job as a video coordinator O seven, a video coordinator,

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<v Speaker 2>the director of ops, the interim assistant coach, to associate ad.

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<v Speaker 3>For So I just every every role up the ladder.

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<v Speaker 2>I played those, every one of those roles in seventeen years.

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<v Speaker 2>So you know, last year, you know, a ten month contract,

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<v Speaker 2>it didn't really work out the way we thought it would.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, really tried to build a roster late late

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<v Speaker 2>in summer and and and so you know, we kind

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<v Speaker 2>of behind the eight ball and trying to compete in

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<v Speaker 2>the Big twelve.

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<v Speaker 3>So it didn't work out great.

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<v Speaker 2>But then I started like, let me just enjoy some

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<v Speaker 2>of this, and I started having conversations with some coaches,

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<v Speaker 2>a couple other Big twelve coaches. My agent got me

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<v Speaker 2>in touch with Coach Smith and and it was a

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<v Speaker 2>slow process. You know, I think Coach Smith does a

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<v Speaker 2>really good job of doing his due diligence on who

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<v Speaker 2>he brings into programs. And you can see with the

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<v Speaker 2>character of guys that he has in this program, the

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<v Speaker 2>character of people he has in this program.

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<v Speaker 3>He took his time on me because we didn't know

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<v Speaker 3>each other.

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<v Speaker 2>We had never met, and so it was just about,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, one phone call ever three or four days

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<v Speaker 2>for about five weeks, and just one random call he said,

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<v Speaker 2>you're ready to go, ready to do this. And this

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<v Speaker 2>is I think or two days before our our summer

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<v Speaker 2>workouts began and at mid June, and I was like,

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<v Speaker 2>at that point, I was like, Yeah, let's do it.

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<v Speaker 2>And uh, it was kind of crazy to me that

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<v Speaker 2>he never brought me out. You know, it's all based

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<v Speaker 2>on phone conversations, and we'd never been face to face,

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<v Speaker 2>had never been to Salt Lake before other than flying

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<v Speaker 2>through the in La over. But I was like, leap

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<v Speaker 2>of faith, let's do this. And I felt good about it,

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<v Speaker 2>and and my family and I just jumped and jumped

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<v Speaker 2>at the opportunity and we in this way.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, there's there's a personal side of this business

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<v Speaker 1>that I don't think we do a good enough job

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<v Speaker 1>of acknowledging. And I'm familiar with it because my father

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<v Speaker 1>was in sports. He wasn't a coach, but we moved

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know six or seven times because of his career,

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<v Speaker 1>and you moved out here you know, either wife, three children. Correct, Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>and obviously Craig has been let go. I don't know

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<v Speaker 1>what that means for your future. I'm wondering if you do, coach,

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<v Speaker 1>if I could ask you if you know what's next

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<v Speaker 1>after the year.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't, Okay, I don't.

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<v Speaker 2>And I'm totally at peace with that, especially at at

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<v Speaker 2>this point in my career. Like I said last year,

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<v Speaker 2>at this time, you know, I was going through it

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<v Speaker 2>for the first time in my career and not knowing

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<v Speaker 2>what's next, and I put a lot of anxiety around that,

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<v Speaker 2>that whole scenario, and I tried not to because I

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<v Speaker 2>just wanted to have faith that things would work out.

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<v Speaker 3>And they did.

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<v Speaker 2>And here I am in a situation and and I

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<v Speaker 2>really don't want to think too much about that because

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<v Speaker 2>we have so much going on right now in terms

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<v Speaker 2>of we still have a job to do. Yeah, and

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<v Speaker 2>I'm the leader of this program, and I've been trying

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<v Speaker 2>I had to, uh, you know, my the way I

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<v Speaker 2>handle things, I want our staff to handle handle things

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<v Speaker 2>the same way. Everybody's assessing your value at this time,

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<v Speaker 2>and that goes that goes from the you know, the

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<v Speaker 2>bottom guy on the roster to everybody on the staff.

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<v Speaker 2>We're fighting through this adversity. Let's see how we handle it.

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<v Speaker 2>And then someone's always watching and assessing your value. And

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<v Speaker 2>no better, no better opportunity to show who you are

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<v Speaker 2>and showcase who you are is to handle these things

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<v Speaker 2>appropriate way. And I think we've done so.

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<v Speaker 1>I will follow up because i've and I'm sure you

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<v Speaker 1>listen to the show, so thank you. H. I talk

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<v Speaker 1>often and have for the past few weeks about you

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<v Speaker 1>as a candidate for Alex's staff. Uh, basically two decades

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<v Speaker 1>if not more in the Big twelve. Uh, you're also

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<v Speaker 1>a big, strong dude. You want somebody to have your back,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, if you're walking into a gym. Obviously you

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<v Speaker 1>know that's not the number one thing, but you know

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<v Speaker 1>you want people to respect instantly what you do. And

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<v Speaker 1>you have the resume, you have the pedigree. And I'll

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<v Speaker 1>ask whether or out you've had conversations with Alex about

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<v Speaker 1>coaching with him.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, what I saw you said, big sean dude. I

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<v Speaker 2>looked up to Alex when I saw him for the.

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<v Speaker 1>First Yeah, I've known AJ fears he's out of shape.

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<v Speaker 1>You look like you still play. Alex couldn't get up

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<v Speaker 1>and down the floor twice.

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<v Speaker 3>Now we have.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, we've worked together really well through this transition.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, he's doing right by the people in Dallas

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<v Speaker 2>and trying to kind of manage both situations at the

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<v Speaker 2>same time. And I think I've been a big help

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<v Speaker 2>to him by by taking on the role here as

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<v Speaker 2>an interim head coach and keeping everybody together and keeping

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<v Speaker 2>everybody locked in. But I haven't had those conversations with him.

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<v Speaker 2>I haven't forced those conversations. He hasn't forced those conversations.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know, kind of I've told several guys in

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<v Speaker 2>our staff, you want these things to happen organically. None

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<v Speaker 2>of it can be forced. If you're going to force

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<v Speaker 2>yourself upon someone, it's likely not going to work anyway.

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<v Speaker 2>So as we kind of feel each other out and

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<v Speaker 2>we work together through this process. If it's a right

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<v Speaker 2>for him, if it's beneficial for him and he sees

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of value in me and I see a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of value in him, and it's mutual, then well

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<v Speaker 2>we'll look at that. But right now we're not to

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<v Speaker 2>that point yet for sure.

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<v Speaker 1>Now take take me through the process if you would

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<v Speaker 1>about deciding to play in the College Basketball Crown, because

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I had wondered whether or not you'd get

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<v Speaker 1>a postseason invite, and then when it came, I'd wondered

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<v Speaker 1>whether or not you would accept it. And as you referenced,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, players are playing for coaches. The transfer portal

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<v Speaker 1>means it's free agency call whatever it is. Coaches are

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<v Speaker 1>playing for jobs. So I understand the desire to showcase

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<v Speaker 1>the talent. But what was the process that you guys

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<v Speaker 1>went through before deciding to play in the tournament.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, the opportunity was presented prior to even going to

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<v Speaker 2>Kansas City, So okay, that invited already, you know, came

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<v Speaker 2>across the desk of the administrator administrators and they presented

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<v Speaker 2>to me and and kind of got my feedback as

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<v Speaker 2>to what my thought process was. I mean, certainly we

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<v Speaker 2>weren't out of the question of getting automatic bid and

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<v Speaker 2>if we can get hot in Kansas City, so you

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<v Speaker 2>didn't really want to You had to be careful on

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<v Speaker 2>how you presented that to the team.

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<v Speaker 3>But that was out there on the.

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<v Speaker 2>Table, and it's new and it's exciting, you know, you

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<v Speaker 2>think about all the other postseason tournaments. And I know

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<v Speaker 2>that I've been a part of been in the n

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<v Speaker 2>I T twice and to the CBI once, and trust me,

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<v Speaker 2>there's no motivation whatsoever to play in those things. And

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<v Speaker 2>sometimes you said n I T like we were talking

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<v Speaker 2>about earlier today. You know, if you win a couple

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<v Speaker 2>of games, and back in the day, the big reward

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<v Speaker 2>was to go to New York City and play in

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<v Speaker 2>New York City if you got to the final four.

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<v Speaker 2>Now it's Indianapolis. So if you throw this and throw

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<v Speaker 2>all that into the and you start weighing these things,

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<v Speaker 2>now you look at the n I T as kind

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<v Speaker 2>of in my mind, I see it as lesser of

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<v Speaker 2>a tournament than what this Crown Tournament is. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>you go to Vegas. I know the timeline is a

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<v Speaker 2>little strange in terms of waiting three weeks to play

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<v Speaker 2>in it. But they're all in national TV. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>they're all broadcast by Fox or FS one. It's all

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<v Speaker 2>in Vegas. I mean, who doesn't want to go to Vegas.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm pushing to get down there.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, so you.

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<v Speaker 2>Got a week in Vegas and then at the end

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<v Speaker 2>of it, which is new to everybody, nilpiece if there's

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<v Speaker 2>if you win a couple of games, you're automatically in

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<v Speaker 2>the money, and you win the whole thing is three

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<v Speaker 2>hundred thousand dollars. So there's a lot more motivating factors

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<v Speaker 2>to it. And the way we've handled it through this

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<v Speaker 2>coaching changes, through the coaching change is, you know, all

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<v Speaker 2>these things can happen at the same time. You can

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<v Speaker 2>be in the portal, you can still represent University of Utah,

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<v Speaker 2>you can still play in the Crown Tournament, and all

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<v Speaker 2>these things can happen at the same time. And I

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<v Speaker 2>think that's what's going to happen moving forward with some

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<v Speaker 2>of these other schools to keep everybody, give them the

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<v Speaker 2>right opportunity to assess their value, but also compete and

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<v Speaker 2>play in the tournament.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, And the interesting thing is a lot of these

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<v Speaker 1>schools are big brands. They're just down a little bit,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, you guys, Butler, I mean, there's some really

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<v Speaker 1>good brands in the tournament. Before I said you loose,

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<v Speaker 1>you kind of alluded to this last check. There are

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<v Speaker 1>five players in the transfer portal, and as you kind

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<v Speaker 1>of alluded to, you can be in the transfer portal

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<v Speaker 1>and still play in practice. Are you going down to Vegas,

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't even mean to do this with a full

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<v Speaker 1>deck your disposal.

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<v Speaker 2>For the most part, we are, Yeah, I think we're

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<v Speaker 2>pretty much full strength. You know, Caleb Lohner is looking

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<v Speaker 2>at his NFL potential, and like I said earlier, you know.

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<v Speaker 3>I want to do right by everybody.

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<v Speaker 2>Sure, I'm not forcing anybody to play in this, but

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<v Speaker 2>if if his his value moving forward is NFL, that's

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<v Speaker 2>something he needs to pursue. Mason Mattson had had some

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<v Speaker 2>issues with his shoulder all year and he's going to

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<v Speaker 2>have he had surgery on on on that and get

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<v Speaker 2>got things cleaned up there, so he won't be participating

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<v Speaker 2>with us. But for the most part, as you know,

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<v Speaker 2>as we look at it right now, where's full strength

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<v Speaker 2>is probably anybody's walking into that tournament now. Will there

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<v Speaker 2>be five or six guys in the portal? Yes, and

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<v Speaker 2>I don't there's no reason why they can't play and

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<v Speaker 2>being the portal and and assessing their value while we

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<v Speaker 2>do so. And if you to be honest with you,

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<v Speaker 2>the portal's never really closed, right. I Mean, there's agents

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<v Speaker 2>that talk to coaches, there's coaches that talk to agents.

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<v Speaker 2>There's all this stuff going on. Behind the scene means

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<v Speaker 2>that you're never going to stop, so you might as

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<v Speaker 2>well just allow them to be in the portal and

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<v Speaker 2>have legitimate conversations with coaches, especially through a coaching change.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't want to lose the trust to guys and

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<v Speaker 2>so they should be able to, you know, make the

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<v Speaker 2>decision in the best instances of themselves through the process.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, I really appreciate the time. Utah basketball means a

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<v Speaker 1>lot to me, so I respect you, know the work

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<v Speaker 1>that you put in during a very difficult transition. Best

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<v Speaker 1>of luck in Vegas, coach, and best of luck with

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<v Speaker 1>whatever's next.

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<v Speaker 3>Appreciate it. Thanks for having me on